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There is a possibility that our 8th grader will go to a tech focused charter school next year.

 

We've always used MUS. I know it has gaps and we need to add something this year. He'll also being working on Kahn Academy every day.

 

What else should I add??

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DS is doing MUS Algebra 1 this year. He likes it and is good at it but I need to limit the gaps as much as I can and give him a different approach.

 

I can't answer any questions about the high school; we don't meet with them for a few more weeks.

 

I'd like to aim high. What should I add?

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Does the charter high school have a scope and sequence for math on their website. All the middle schools in my district has a class taking geometry in 8th, algebra 1 in 7th.

The school should have information about their academics (like the current year's course catalog) on their website. Frankly, I'd be suspicious of a tech-focused charter that did not freely share that information. They should be bragging about how well their students are prepared for college.

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The web-site lists Algebra I and II as options under 9th and 10th grade.

 

I'd rather not completely scrap MUS Algebra I. We already own it and we've been happy with the way the program works.

I use MUS's alg as pre-alg. It is definitely not on par with traditional alg courses. My kids go from MUS's alg to Foerster's alg 1. The first 5 chpts are somewhat review,but the word problems (a huge component of Foerster's) still challenge.

 

I have taken this approach with 5 kids (my 7th grader is starting MUS alg on Monday as #6.) Moving from MUS to Foerster has required effort for all of my kids, from my avg students to my advanced ds that just graduated from high school with credit for cal 1,2,3, linear alg, and diffEQ. It isn't that the transition requires more effort bc they are just OKmath students. It requires effort bc MUS is just that less comprehensive and lacking in challenge.

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I use MUS's alg as pre-alg. It is definitely not on par with traditional alg courses. My kids go from MUS's alg to Foerster's alg 1. The first 5 chpts are somewhat review,but the word problems (a huge component of Foerster's) still challenge.

 

I have taken this approach with 5 kids (my 7th grader is starting MUS alg on Monday as #6.) Moving from MUS to Foerster has required effort for all of my kids, from my avg students to my advanced ds that just graduated from high school with credit for cal 1,2,3, linear alg, and diffEQ. It isn't that the transition requires more effort bc they are just OKmath students. It requires effort bc MUS is just that less comprehensive and lacking in challenge.

 

I also would not expect a kid to go from MUS Alg1 to another Alg2 curriculum without huge gaps.  It just doesn't have the same scope & sequence as most other Alg 1 curricula.  If your kid's going to school, especially a math-focused one, it's just not going to prepare him adequately.

 

A couple years ago, my dd was preparing to take a test at the local ps to place out of Alg1, and needed to review because I could see she'd forgotten some things.  I borrowed a friend's MUS to see if it would help.  Over half the topics she needed to cover for the test weren't even in the Alg 1 book at all.  I did find them in MUS - the first 10 or so topics in their Alg2.  MUS doesn't even get to the Quadratic Equation at all in their Alg1.

 

I did like much about MUS when I looked at it - and I kind of wished I'd used it for my math-averse kid as a Pre-Algebra, as Eight does, then followed with something more traditional.  But it only got through maybe 2/3s of what the school and my other dd's Foerster's got through, and with less difficult problems.

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I also would not expect a kid to go from MUS Alg1 to another Alg2 curriculum without huge gaps. It just doesn't have the same scope & sequence as most other Alg 1 curricula. If your kid's going to school, especially a math-focused one, it's just not going to prepare him adequately.

 

A couple years ago, my dd was preparing to take a test at the local ps to place out of Alg1, and needed to review because I could see she'd forgotten some things. I borrowed a friend's MUS to see if it would help. Over half the topics she needed to cover for the test weren't even in the Alg 1 book at all. I did find them in MUS - the first 10 or so topics in their Alg2. MUS doesn't even get to the Quadratic Equation at all in their Alg1.

 

I did like much about MUS when I looked at it - and I kind of wished I'd used it for my math-averse kid as a Pre-Algebra, as Eight does, then followed with something more traditional. But it only got through maybe 2/3s of what the school and my other dd's Foerster's got through, and with less difficult problems.

I edited my OP after I posted it. I know chpt 6 in Foerster's is the quadratic equation, so I know it is completely new material. I originally wrote that over 50% of Foerster's is not covered in MUS (Foerster's has 14 chpts IIRC). But I wasn't 100% positive how much is not covered at all in MUS, and I am too lazy to go and find my Foerster's book and compare. So I deleted that portion of my post. But, it is a significant amt, whatever the actual percentage is, and all of the material in Foerster is covered at a higher level of difficulty.

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I'd either push to finish MUS alg sooner and do harder alg for the rest of the year, or do meatier work alongside it. And expect him to test into alg 1 for 9th.

 

Rather than supplements like Keys To or Khan, another whole course would be more helpful. Foerster is pretty meaty and has strong word problems that really make them demonstrate understanding.

 

Older Lial's Introductory Algebra editions can be found dirt cheap on the used market. Any edition will do; just make sure the picture on the student text and solutions manual match.

 

Jacobs' Elementary Algebra is another one.

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I'd like to aim high. What should I add?

 

I'd rather not completely scrap MUS Algebra I.  We already own it and we've been happy with the way the program works.

 

In order to aim high, it seems your choices are the following, each of which raises a question to consider:

 

(1)  use MUS algebra 1 as a pre-algebra, following with a rigorous algebra 1 text (such as Foerster, though there are additional options) ... is there time to complete both?

 

(2)  supplement MUS algebra 1 with a rigorous algebra 1 text ... is dovetailing another text in with MUS is the most efficient way to get where you want to go?  Is that even possible and has anyone else done it?  (it seems like this is the main question you are driving at, whether it's possible to use MUS alg 1 as a spine and then supplement)

 

(3)  not use MUS algebra 1 for algebra 1 at all, and instead, use a rigorous text ... is your ds sufficiently prepared to start such a text?

 

If he's sufficiently prepared to start a standard algebra 1 course now, then I vote for #3 as most efficient.

 

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Moxie,

 

I suggest looking for Sue in St. Pete's posts or try pming her directly. She used MUS for elementary school and moved on to Foerster for alg. I do not think she used MUS's alg first. She could describe their path and preparedness. I'm no help there bc my kids go from Horizons 6 to MUS and the. We move on to Foerster's, so that is the only MUS level I am familiar with.

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Sigh. I'm really starting to dislike homeschooling.

 

Would it be too much to do MUS Alg. I and another Algebra I like Foerster or Saxon??

How soon do you think you could finish MUS Alg 1? It might work to finish the algebra 1 if you can finish it by Christmas, and then do a more rigorous one over the spring and summer.

 

Alternatively, if algebra 1 is acceptable as 9th grade in the tech school, you could just treat the MUS alg 1 as pre-algebra and setting him up for success in a challenging algebra 1 class in 9th grade. You might call them and ask.

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I am not familiar with Math U See, but I am very much an "If if ain't broke, don't fix it" sort of guy and I understand your hesitation and/or frustration with completely changing curriculums.

Would it be possible for your son to double up on lessons and work smarter and harder to complete both--MUS Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 by next fall?

 

I know how you feel about changing midstream--especially if you've been having a good deal of success and satisfaction with a publisher. There are 35 Algebra 1 lessons and 31 Algebra 2 lessons--that's 66 lessons total within a year. You can get a book on Algebra word Problems off of Amazon and have your son work through that as well.

 

Sometimes in math or science, nothing beats comfort and fluency with the concepts. For some students, its only easy to understand why after they are good at how and that is okay. Give them the bigger picture, then go back to it and point out the details, they will appreciate them more.

 

My vote is MUS Algebra 1 and 2 plus a word problem supplement.

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The web-site lists Algebra I and II as options under 9th and 10th grade..

In that case, finish MUS, then get a used or library copy of the Algebra 1 text the school is using and use that as prep.

 

What is the science sequence for the high school?

 

What are you using for physical science? There is math there too. I'm using library copies of Focus on physical science as well as Serway's Physics which are school textbooks here.

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I did this.

 

We spent a little over a semester on MUS Algebra 1. 

We did selected problems from all of the review pages (D-E-F).

I picked about 10 problems he most needed to review or practice.

We always did the first page of new material (A).

If he scored 90+ we did selected problems on page B, and maybe C.

So maybe only another 5-10 problems between B and C (same day or next).

Less than a 90 and we did every problem on page B.

90+ on that and we'd do only selected problems on C.

Etc.

 

We followed that with Lial's Introductory Algebra.

That took us the entire second semester and into summer.

He took his placement test 2.5 months into Lial's, with no special prep on our part.

He placed in the highest math class and is currently earning a 98%.

He keeps getting marked down for not using pencil, which isn't something I required LOL.

 

I got the idea from threads here, I think from reading threads with 8FilltheHeart and Sue in St. Pete.

I'm grateful to both and to others who commented on those threads - very helpful, and worked for us!

 

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PS - I have one attending a small private school where he's one of four new kids.

The kids do most of their math during class, they bring very little home - if any.

He's the go to kid for math help, surprisingly.

We used MUS from K-8th, only ever supplementing with Lial's at the end.

His way of explaining just make sense to the kids.

It's all those years of MUS with it's different ways and words :)

 

Good luck to your son as he prepares for this tech school!

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I highly recommend picking up a copy of Lial's Introductory Algebra. A clean used copy will work fine and is only a few dollars for shipping. I switched one of my kids half way through MUS Algebra and found Lial's went in a very similar order and it was a very clean switch. The other one I switched at the beginning of Algebra 2. He made it, through Lial's Algebra 2, but as I have seen others say, many of the things that were supposed to be review were new and it was a LONG year of math! 

 

We loved MUS too. I highly recommend it and always suggest staying with it through pre-algebra. However, if you stick with it this year, you are really going to put your ds at a disadvantage going into the new school. Supplementing is so much harder. Switch. Now.

 

Lial's is mastery based and really, really easy to move to from MUS. Read some of the messages from Jan in Tx for how to implement Lial's or PM me and I'd be glad to walk you through it. 

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Does the charter high school have a scope and sequence for math on their website. All the middle schools in my district has a class taking geometry in 8th, algebra 1 in 7th.

 

Same here. The typical track for all public middle schools here is Algebra 1 in 7th, Geometry in 8th, and Algebra 2 in 9th.

 

But see also this thread for more ideas. HTH.

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Same here. The typical track for all public middle schools here is Algebra 1 in 7th, Geometry in 8th, and Algebra 2 in 9th.

 

But see also this thread for more ideas. HTH.

 

You must live in Silicon valley.  The regular PS student here would get killed in that track, or worse, they could be those classes in name only!   I would like to give these students a test :)

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How soon do you think you could finish MUS Alg 1? It might work to finish the algebra 1 if you can finish it by Christmas, and then do a more rigorous one over the spring and summer.

 

Alternatively, if algebra 1 is acceptable as 9th grade in the tech school, you could just treat the MUS alg 1 as pre-algebra and setting him up for success in a challenging algebra 1 class in 9th grade. You might call them and ask.

I concur!

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You must live in Silicon valley.  The regular PS student here would get killed in that track, or worse, they could be those classes in name only!   I would like to give these students a test :)

 

Nope. New Jersey. ;) I think it's ridiculous to push Algebra I down that far for most students, but that seems to be the expectation. I've wondered myself how the students fare, if their brains are not mature enough for that level of abstraction. Personally, I would have been an even worse math failure than I was, if that had been the sequence here when I was going through. I was hoping it was not the norm, but I'm told it is. Sigh. Or maybe some parents just wanted to brag? LOL.

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I have to say, I'm kind of pissed. I knew MUS had gaps but this is literally the first time I've heard that it is not an acceptable option. I'm feeling very much like I've screwed up my kid and it is too late to fix it right.

I don't think that is an accurate assessment. People like Sue in St Pete and momto2Ns are MUS advocates for the lower levels. The alg program is great for what it is. The issue is that you are asking about a child wanting to go to tech school which is going to have a strong math focus. His alg base needs to be rock solid.

 

If you want him to start with alg 1 in 9th grade, MUS will be a great foundation for the next alg 1 course to build on. If you want him to count this yr as his only yr of alg 1, it is so early in the yr that switching to a different alg program should not be a big issue. Lial's would be another option and copies are inexpensive.

 

What I think all of us are sharing is that going from MUS alg 1to a tech school's alg 2course would probably not be a good idea.

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I concur with moving through MUS quickly and then starting Lial's.

 

Additionally, I'd review/drill any arithmetic topic he is weak in, especially fractions, decimals, percents, exponents, etc.

 

And not to make you panic but IME, most schools give placement tests for the next year in February. It may be different for you but don't be shocked if the placement test is that early.

 

:grouphug:

 

And if it helps, my older son only got through Pre-Calc (alg in 9; geom in 10; trig/alg2 in 11; precalc in 12) in high school. He went right into Calc and Statistics freshman year in college. He did fine and is starting his first accounting class this semester. It is the "weed-out" class for accting majors and everyone and their brother has warned him that this is the class to hit the ground running.

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Without reading the other responses, two of my kids did the same thing and I would recommend making sure he has a very strong foundation in both algebra AND pre-algebra topics, like order of operations, fraction and decimal operations, geometry problems like area and volume calculations. I used Foerster's-it has a lot of word problems.

 

And yes-the placement test for ds was once in Feb, and again in May!

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MUS has an easier algebra 1 than most other vendors, but when you stick with it, you do get there in the end. I know of two moms with STEM degrees that have successfully and happily used this curriculum.

 

My advice with math in general is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, if MUS is working well for you, my advice would be to stick with it. Just pick up the pace and cover more lessons per week for a math heavy year. You are more likely to get a coherent math foundation by sticking with one vendor that works for your student than by doing bits and pieces of lots of different supplements.

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MUS has an easier algebra 1 than most other vendors, but when you stick with it, you do get there in the end. I know of two moms with STEM degrees that have successfully and happily used this curriculum.

 

My advice with math in general is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, if MUS is working well for you, my advice would be to stick with it. Just pick up the pace and cover more lessons per week for a math heavy year. You are more likely to get a coherent math foundation by sticking with one vendor that works for your student than by doing bits and pieces of lots of different supplements.

 

While I think that could well be true if you stick with it, I think what many of us are saying is since he won't/can't stick with it, as he'll be going to a school next year (and one that probably has a high math standards), is that it's hard to switch from MUS Alg1 to a different more standard curriculum mid-stream, as it doesn't follow the more standard S&S.

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Here's a link to a free, online Saxon Algebra 1 class:

 

http://www.virtualhomeschoolgroup.com/course/category.php?id=65

 

You could give it a try now or go through the MUS quickly and start in January if you plan to work through the summer. It's totally hands-off for the parent other than checking the grades and making sure your child is progressing.

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While I think that could well be true if you stick with it, I think what many of us are saying is since he won't/can't stick with it, as he'll be going to a school next year (and one that probably has a high math standards), is that it's hard to switch from MUS Alg1 to a different more standard curriculum mid-stream, as it doesn't follow the more standard S&S.

 

I would agree that he should not stop with finishing MUS Algebra I, but continue to the algebra 2 book and cover as much of that as possible as well.  (with perhaps a bit of hole-filling may be needed due to skipping geometry if needed)

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I will also say that there are some people who could take the easiest curriculum that actually taught the basics, learn from it, and extrapolate to solve all sorts of problems. These people are naturally inclined towards problem-solving, and stereotypically what you think of as "mathy".

 

There are also people who will never be able to go beyond the most rote level of arithmetic and struggle with word problems on a first grade level.

 

But most people are somewhere in between -- on a continuum of mathematical ability. Many people along this continuum can be taught to solve problems as well as the naturally "mathy" people, but they need more explicit teaching on problem-solving and practice working successively harder problems to work on this. And that's where programs which are called "light" tend to fall down.

 

They're absolutely perfect for the late bloomer or struggling student, and they WILL give a far better grounding in the basics than using a too-rigorous program will. They will frequently result in better understanding than a student of equivalent ability in PS, because they have been done at the student's pace and been actually understood.

 

But for a student who could handle a more rigorous program, they're just not the most optimal course. They're not TERRIBLE. They're just sub-optimal.

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But for a student who could handle a more rigorous program, they're just not the most optimal course. They're not TERRIBLE. They're just sub-optimal.

Did I miss something? I thought OP had been happy and successful with MUS. For a student who is bored or restless, changing is a good thing.

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Did I miss something? I thought OP had been happy and successful with MUS. For a student who is bored or restless, changing is a good thing.

 

Because a student has been happy and successful does not mean that they could not handle a more rigorous program.

 

I, and everyone else, has been saying that if he can handle a more rigorous program, it will better prepare him for the tech school. If he cannot, he should continue working with MUS and prepare to re-take algebra at the tech school for a more firm foundation.

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I don't think that is an accurate assessment. People like Sue in St Pete and momto2Ns are MUS advocates for the lower levels. The alg program is great for what it is. The issue is that you are asking about a child wanting to go to tech school which is going to have a strong math focus. His alg base needs to be rock solid.

 

If you want him to start with alg 1 in 9th grade, MUS will be a great foundation for the next alg 1 course to build on. If you want him to count this yr as his only yr of alg 1, it is so early in the yr that switching to a different alg program should not be a big issue. Lial's would be another option and copies are inexpensive.

 

What I think all of us are sharing is that going from MUS alg 1to a tech school's alg 2course would probably not be a good idea.

 

This is it exactly. You haven't messed up at all by using MUS so far. However, if you want to be ready for a tech school where I would expect math to be quite demanding MUS Algebra is not going to have him prepared to move into Algebra 2 next year. You can finish it and then do something else or just switch. Like I said, it is an easy switch right now to Lial's. I know because we've done it with total success. You have a full year to get a solid Algebra done. If you are wedded to MUS, finish it, then test through the Lial's chapters and complete anything that he doesn't know.

 

In my mind it is easier to do one complete program that one incomplete program plus supplementing and gap filling. I'd switch now. But I've mentioned that before :). 

 

Don't worry. Read some of Sue's posts. She is a math teacher and will tell you MUS through Pre-Algebra is solid. He has a good foundation. It isn't until Algebra that MUS just doesn't keep up. You haven't messed up at all. If he wasn't going to tech school next year, you wouldn't be messing up now, he could just continue down the MUS path if you are all satisfied there. It is just trying to do the best prep possible in just one year that changes things.

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This is it exactly. You haven't messed up at all by using MUS so far. However, if you want to be ready for a tech school where I would expect math to be quite demanding MUS Algebra is not going to have him prepared to move into Algebra 2 next year. You can finish it and then do something else or just switch. Like I said, it is an easy switch right now to Lial's. I know because we've done it with total success. You have a full year to get a solid Algebra done. If you are wedded to MUS, finish it, then test through the Lial's chapters and complete anything that he doesn't know.

 

In my mind it is easier to do one complete program that one incomplete program plus supplementing and gap filling. I'd switch now. But I've mentioned that before :).

 

Don't worry. Read some of Sue's posts. She is a math teacher and will tell you MUS through Pre-Algebra is solid. He has a good foundation. It isn't until Algebra that MUS just doesn't keep up. You haven't messed up at all. If he wasn't going to tech school next year, you wouldn't be messing up now, he could just continue down the MUS path if you are all satisfied there. It is just trying to do the best prep possible in just one year that changes things.

Thanks for talking me down. High school decisions are stressing me out. I'm terrified he'll be one of those kids teachers tell stories about. "I had this poor boy who was homeschooled and he'd never even heard of a quadratic equation. Tragic".
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Is there a specific list of MUS Algebra I gaps somewhere? Off hand, I don't see the quadratic equation being specifically taught. What else is missing?

 

yes the quadratic equation topics (usually a chapter or about 4-5 Saxon lessons) are the key missing items.

There may be others. CCSS moves some of the listed topics to Middle school math (Pre-Algebra) so there should be room for the quadratic equation topics in a standard school year.

 

The key point is that curriculum should keep up with the general state standards. It should not be up to the parents to figure that out if they are purchasing a program such as MUS versus defining their own curriculum.

 

Pre-Common Core MUS could have used Massachusetts state standards as a guideline.  Massachusetts has been consistently higher scoring (than other states) in comparison to foreign countries. Some people have said that Massachusetts may have lowered their standards to adopt Common Core.  

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Here's the MathUSee TOC for Algebra 2.  Some stuff at the beginning is Alg1 review.  I've bolded things that were on my dd's placement test to get out of Alg1 and I think are pretty standard Alg1 topics that aren't covered at all in MathUSee's Alg1 and finally show up here in Alg2.

 

I'm also not sure where point-slope form and function notation are hiding - they're not listed specifically in any of the MUS TOCs, but they must be somewhere??

 

  • Exponents
  • Rational Expressions
  • Scientific Notation
  • Combining Like Terms
  • Radicals: Basic Operations and Simplifying
  • Factoring Polynomials
  • Fractional Exponents
  • Solving Equations with Rational Expressions
  • Imaginary and Complex Numbers
  • Conjugate Numbers
  • Cubes and Pascal's Triangle
  • Binomial Theorem
  • Completing the Square
  • Quadratic Formula
  • Discriminants
  • Applications Using Percent
  • Isolating a Variable
  • Ratios
  • Unit Multipliers and Metric Conversions
  • Distance = Rate x Time
  • Motion Problems
  • Graphing Lines
  • Graphing Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
  • Graphing Inequalities
  • Distance Formula and Midpoint Formula
  • Conic Sections: Circle and Ellipse
  • Conic Sections: Parabola
  • Parabola: Maxima and Minima
  • Conic Sections: Hyperbola
  • Solving Systems of Equations: Lines and Conic Sections
  • Coin Problems
  • Consecutive Integers
  • Chemical Mixtures
  • Age and Boat in the Current Problems
  • Solving Equations with Three Variables
  • Vectors
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As Kiana so eloquently posted, it is more complicated than sequence.  It is also about the complexity of the problems students are completing.  Her post covers that aspect very well, so I am not going to reiterate what she already explained.   I will simply say that my kids have all learned to master more complex problems through the instruction in Foerster's.   I have several children that would not have been able to transfer MUS's level of mastery to more complex problems without instruction being provided.

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As Kiana so eloquently posted, it is more complicated than sequence.  It is also about the complexity of the problems students are completing.  Her post covers that aspect very well, so I am not going to reiterate what she already explained.   I will simply say that my kids have all learned to master more complex problems through the instruction in Foerster's.   I have several children that would not have been able to transfer MUS's level of mastery to more complex problems without instruction being provided.

 

I would say you are really distinguishing between "honors" and "standard" levels.  If a student can handle it, I agree the "honors" level should be pursued.  But as a minimum, an Algebra I course should cover all the topics listed in the Common Core high school standard suggested Algebra I course implementation. The actual Common Core standard does not indicate when or where a topic should be covered but many of the actual state standards do.

 

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I would say you are really distinguishing between "honors" and "standard" levels. If a student can handle it, I agree the "honors" level should be pursued. But as a minimum, an Algebra I course should cover all the topics listed the Common Core high school standard suggested Algebra I course. The actual Common Core standard does not indicate when or where a topic should be covered but many of the actual state standards do.

No, I am not. I would say the distinction falls more between remedial and avg, not between avg and honors. Most students are capable of the avg problems in Foerster. Mus's problems do not approach that level and are more straight-forward, single dimension problems.

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No, I am not. I would say the distinction falls more between remedial and avg, not between avg and honors. Most students are capable of the avg problems in Foerster. Mus's problems do not approach that level and are more straight-forward, single dimension problems.

 

sorry I have never seen MUS exercises and probably will not -  my observation was about math courses in general - so I guess there are three levels out there:

 

       weak/remedial

       average/standard

       honors

 

  Does Foerster have enough honors level exercises/problems? They don't have to be AoPS challenge level. If so, I might get his Algebra 2 text for my after school math supplementing.

 

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Thanks for talking me down. High school decisions are stressing me out. I'm terrified he'll be one of those kids teachers tell stories about. "I had this poor boy who was homeschooled and he'd never even heard of a quadratic equation. Tragic".

 

You're welcome :). I understand that fear. I was terrified when ds took the ACT and when he did his first dual enrollment class and when he did his first online AP. Every time a new teacher or a new bar is put in front of him, I'm afraid it will show I have some how let him down and he will miss it. It hasn't happened yet. I'll still stress out when goes off to college next year. We're overly invested. It is just the way it is.  :lol:

 

As for the specifics of MUS Algebra, functions and the quadratic equation were the only topics I remember being completely missing. The other topics just don't have the depth. So, the topic is introduced, but the problems are easy and more complex versions of the topic are not introduced. When we got to Algebra 2, Lial's introduces each topic from the beginning (rather than having Algebra 1 review a the beginning of the book it is included in each chapter with each topic). So the first lessons would be what should have been covered in Algebra 1. We'd always seen it, but the problems in the first day, often got harder than any we had seen in MUS. Then there would be 3 or 4 more lessons on the topic. Having done Lial's Algebra with my second, I know that about half of the material is actually covered in Algebra 1 and half is new. For ds it was a 15/85 split instead of a 50/50 split. I had specifically introduced him to the quadratic formula knowing it was a gap. He didn't come across any chapter where MUS or our supplementation hadn't covered an intro, but Algebra 2 was still a long slow slog because he was learning too much of what should have been learned before. He probably would have been better off to stay with MUS. He isn't a strong math student and is planning an English major in college. But for the OP whose ds could be a strong math student, well... we've covered that.

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Moxie, can you call and ask what algebra text the school uses?

 

I would just go ahead and buy that one and start using it alongside MUS, so your ds will be very prepared for next year, without being overwhelmed with a ton of extra work this year.

 

The last thing you want him to do is feel burned out on math, or worry that he won't do well in his new school next year. I guess what I'm saying is not to let him think he has gaps in his education, but rather that you're giving him a head start on next year.

 

If you're not totally confident about teaching him, buy a copy of the teacher's manual for yourself, too! :)

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