Is a 7th grader allowed to take classes at the community college?

[Mom22ns]

Okay, we had a long discussion tonight. I was already feeling hesitant, but my husband and daughter wanted to try it. Now they've come around and we've decided to do AOPS at home.

 

I'm so glad to hear this. Not that it was any of my business, but I was really concerned that your child was not going to get anywhere near the math education she was capable of. I get way to invested in other people's decisions. :)

[tammyw]

I'm so glad to hear this. Not that it was any of my business, but I was really concerned that your child was not going to get anywhere near the math education she was capable of. I get way to invested in other people's decisions. :)

 

Ha, I get it!

 

Unfortunately now I'm feeling very shaky about grade 7 math and which program I should do with her (after it was suggested that AOPS might not be the best choice for us/her). I started another thread, but I don't feel there are any easy answers. I just don't know what to do. She doesn't HATE math, but she doesn't love it either. She's okay at it, but she's not a whiz at it either. We obviously survived Singapore up to 6B, but it wasn't always smooth sailing either. Lots of wrong answers, that we then worked through together to get the right answer, kwim?

 

So I just don't know what to do :( And that's ultimately why I gave up and decided the CC route was easier. I just feel sad and stressed over it all.

[redsquirrel]

Well, if you want to outsource there is Derek Owens pre-Algebra.

 

http://www.derekowens.com/course_info_prealgebra.php

 

My son took the online AoPS pre-Algebra class, but it was challenging. He's not what I would call 'mathy' but he did breeze through SM 6a& 6b. AoPS was the first time he ever had to really work at math. I think it was a good experience for him. When he took the online class his dad sat in on the classes with him and was available as a 'math partner' when ds1 had to do his homework.

 

There is chalkdust, and a number of other options.

 

 

[quark]

 

We obviously survived Singapore up to 6B, but it wasn't always smooth sailing either. Lots of wrong answers, that we then worked through together to get the right answer, kwim?

 

So I just don't know what to do :( And that's ultimately why I gave up and decided the CC route was easier. I just feel sad and stressed over it all.

 

Bolded is not necessarily a bad thing. I obviously don't know your exact situation but what you describe above is good in my book...it shows persistence and willingness to work through math. I have a decorative banner hanging in my living room that says "the journey is the reward" just to keep reminding ourselves that it's not the easy end that we should desire but the harder, more meaningful process in getting there...the willingness to experience the journey is actually a great strength in all subjects and especially math.

 

CC wouldn't have made it better (I'm making a generalization, I don't know your particular CC, but ours is highly ranked in our state and this still happens there). She would have very likely had to crunch through many, many mindless problems within a tight deadline and would have had to wait in line to meet with the prof during office hours, eating into any time flexibility she would have had to work through much more meaningful problems on her own or with your help.

 

[kiana]

After this thread made me rethink our entire plan, we've decided to drop the class (two weeks before it starts). I certainly hope dropping a class before it begins won't follow her around for life :)

 

It won't. 

 

If AOPS doesn't work out, Derek Owens, TabletClass, and Jann in TX's math classes are all decent choices that involve outsourcing. 

[EmilyGF]

I think this has been beaten to death, but I took Algebra II and Geometry as an 8th grader. It is totally non-ideal.

 

1) Most of the "kids" in my class were 20 or 30 somethings trying desperately to finish a college degree for a job.

 

2) We covered the year's worth of material in 11 weeks - not enough time to soak in.

 

3) The classes were incredibly large (not for college, but compared to high school, maybe 40 plus).

 

Emily

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Some options we have used:

 

Saxon Algebra 1/2  (it was ok, but this was the point that we stopped getting as much out of Saxon as we had in the past.  We shifted to AoPS algebra for the following year.)

 

Dolciani (we used mathematics course 1 and course 2 in 6th and 7th grade.  There is also a pre-algebra text that combines the two).

 

ALEKS (I used this as a bridge for my Dolciani kid after he finished mathematics Course 2.  When he had worked up to the point that he was hitting functions, I put him into the AoPS Intro to Algebra book).

 

With AoPS I think it is very important to emphasize that working through the problems and even getting them wrong is part of the learning process.  It is very normal to not see how to work the problem at first glance.  Also actually working through the samples in the lesson is key to understanding the new material.  This is not how all math books are set up and might be new to the student.

 

[EKS]

Well, if you want to outsource there is Derek Owens pre-Algebra.

 

http://www.derekowens.com/course_info_prealgebra.php

 

 

Derek Owens' prealgebra course is excellent.

[TrixieB]

One of my kids took a math class from My Homeschool Math Class last year, and is signed up for the next level this fall. 

 

The classes feature a live teacher (Jann in TX from these message boards).  Jann is a great teacher!  My kid loved the class, learned a lot, and is looking forward to September.  You correct the homework, Jann grades the tests.  I wish I'd put my other kid in the classes, but I didn't know about them then.