Sue G in PA Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I am overwhelmed. Our year hasn't even started and I am feeling burned out simply by LOOKING at all that will be required of me. I have 6 children at home (oldest 11th, youngest 1st) and a few still require some hand holding in various subjects. I will be spread thin and I am trying to reduce the amount of actual teaching time I have by using some DVD and online classes for upper level math. I am stuck in that I have no more funds in our budget for homeschool curriculum other than what was already planned. I already own Lials Introductory Algebra and have used it with 2 students now. One did very well (she is very mathy) and the other has taken 2 years to get through it and hasn't retained much. I used Saxon Algebra 1 with my oldest and nearly halfway through realized she was NOT doing well AT ALL. This, after doing VERY well with Saxon since 5/4. So, we backed up to the beginning using Lials and she finally "got it" and did well moving forward (but lost a year). But that experience with my oldest has frightened me, lol, and I am hesitant to go back to Saxon! For my rising 9th grader my options are limited due to budget (as always). I can use Lials, which would require much more teaching time on my part (If I could afford Jann's online class I would do it in a heartbeat b/c she is AWESOME!). OR I could use Saxon Algebra 1 through Virtual Homeschool Group's free online classes. Option #1 requires more of my time (dh is not a math person and could NOT teach this) but I am less hesitant to use Lials than Saxon. Option #2 doesn't require as much of my time but after that exp. with my oldest, Saxon Alg. terrifies me! Any other ideas? In a perfect world, I would outsource this altogether to free up my time completely (with the exception of help with "homework"). Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I'd probably go with Lial's. You're already deeply familiar with it and it won't be difficult to teach. You could always teach him to look up the right video on Khan and/or Alcumus as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punks in Ontario Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 With 6 kiddos, I'd be going with easier on you as plan A - Saxon with the online class and keep on top of how dc is doing. Then Lial's (which I've never used) as a plan B if Plan A tanks. I know around here in past days teaching math to the olders has been very frustrating with interruptions ALL THE TIME. I always found that looking up the videos on Khan or Alcumus just never happened unless I did it for the guys. Hmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 The Virtual Homeschool Group will have a live class option for Saxon Algebra 1 (still free). Seating lottery begins Aug. 1, so you could try and see if you can get in that. They also open office hours that a student doing the at your own pace class can use to ask for help. http://www.virtualhomeschoolgroup.com/course/category.php?id=113 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 There are videos and worked sample problems for Larson's Algebra 1 done by Dana Mosely (the Chalkdust guy) here: http://www.algebrawithinreach.com/ea6e/content/instructional-videos/chapter-1-2/section-1/introduction-to-real-numbers/ You can get the fifth edition which lines up with all the topics (I'm not sure about the problems, I decided to go with DM before I got that into the analysis) here: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0547102275/ref=tmm_hrd_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&sr=8-1&qid=1406744238 The cheapest copy is only $6.50. Their are unit tests in the book. I planned to rip them out and use them as assessments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in SA Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Big caution here -- you can't pick-and-choose with Saxon. It's a program, and you should be prepared to commit to Algebra 1 + Algebra 2 + Advanced Math + Calculus... Lial's will be interchangeable with most programs, but if you decide to switch to Saxon later, you will (depending on the edition) need to supplement the geometry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I can use Lials, which would require much more teaching time on my part ... requires more of my time... but I am less hesitant to use Lials than Saxon... I would try to use the free Chalkdust videos that chiguirre linked with Lial's Algebra. If it helps, I found a small set of mini-videos for Lial's Prealgebra and Introductory/Intermediate Algebra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in SA Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Another idea -- Elaine Martin-Gay has an excellent "Beginning and Intermediate Algebra" textbook, which encompasses all of algebra 1 and algebra 2. The book is easy to read, and she has videos online showing the solution to every problem in the book. I like Lial's also, but just wanted to throw that alternative out there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Another idea -- Elaine Martin-Gay has an excellent "Beginning and Intermediate Algebra" textbook, which encompasses all of algebra 1 and algebra 2. The book is easy to read, and she has videos online showing the solution to every problem in the book. Thanks for this tip! From her website: The Chapter Test Prep Videos help you during your most teachable moment—when you are preparing for a test. You can watch Elayn Martin-Gay work through the step-by-step solutions for all the exercises in every Chapter Test. These videos are now available on YouTube (search "Martin-Gay" and the title of the book). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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