What after AOPS prealgebra?

[mombygrace]

DS10 just completed AOPS online prealgebra class and is a little intimidated at the idea of starting the algebra class. The class was a good pace and skill but he needed help thinking through some of the challenge problems.

Any ideas? Do we continue (we can do alcumus before the start of class), take a break and do

zacarro algebra,

LOF algebra,

AOPS AMC 8 basics (never done any math competition)

Any other ideas?

Thanks.

[igbu]

Our DS will also finish pre-alg II in the coming week or two. We were going to have him do Alg I, but have decided to do the Mathcounts/AMC 8 class. He has worked hard over the past 32 weeks and we figure, to borrow a bit of soccer lingo, he'll get his math "touches" with the Mathcounts class this Spring. He'll take the Alg I and C/P next year. Taking the compacted Alg I class in the fall provides a couple built in breaks during the holidays. We think those timely breaks will help. The Alg I class moves at a much faster pace then pre-Alg I and II.

[Mike in SA]

DS10 just completed AOPS online prealgebra class and is a little intimidated at the idea of starting the algebra class. The class was a good pace and skill but he needed help thinking through some of the challenge problems.

 

 

Almost every student needs help thinking through the challenge problems.

 

FWIW, Intro to Algebra is easier after AoPS Pre-Algebra.  It gets a bit harder in the second half of the book, but the first half is relatively smooth sailing.

 

I wouldn't wait too long between pre-algebra and algebra, because it really is a serious lead-in to the subject.  You could move to a "calmer" algebra text, then follow up with AoPS as time permits, or just push through, but pre-algebra is an awkward stopping point.

[mombygrace]

Thanks for the answers so far. I actually noticed him working on alcumus algebra last night. He wanted to see what it was all about.

[regentrude]

What about just working through the AoPS Intro to Algebra text without class, so he can set his own pace?

Edited February 9, 2016 by regentrude

[Kathy in Richmond]

My vote is for the AoPS MathCounts AMC8 Basics class. It's a nice integration of beginning algebra, geometry, number theory, and counting (& more) which follows nicely after their prealgebra classes. The competition classes tend to have lighter workloads without textbooks, so he'll get to consolidate and build upon what he's already learned without stressing. My daughter enjoyed this class a lot when she was getting started with AoPS. And if the idea of competitions bothers you or him, just think of it as learning more fun math. There's no need to sign up for any competitions if you're not into that sort of thing. But he might find that he likes them!

 

[Disclaimer: My dd works for AoPS full time, but before that my kids and I were happy AoPS customers through many years of online classes. :001_smile: ]

[Arcadia]

What about just working through the AoPS Intro to Algebra text without class, so he can set his own pace?

I agree. Especially when the first few chapters of the text are review and ramp up. He can compliment with Alcumus.

[Julie of KY]

I'd keep going into the Algebra book at your own pace or you can pick up number theory or counting and probability. Don't be intimidated to start and go slowly. Also, don't be afraid to set it aside if it gets too hard.

 

[mombygrace]

Thanks for the great ideas. The idea of a lighter load with AMC 8  then AOPS  intro to algebra at our own pace if needed is appealing. However, I am a little nervous about doing it without the class since I am not math inclined and don't know if I can keep up with the need to work ahead and be able to answer his questions in the manner needed. I love AOPS and have relearned a lot of math this way but I will readily admit I am not the most intuitive math teacher. 

[Leav97]

DD is just finishing up the last week of Pre-A 2.  Her plan is stretch Algebra A this summer.  Until then we are going to work on Dolciani Algebra, a little Jacobs Geometry, and some HOE word problems.

[SanDiegoMom]

Don't forget about the videos! They can sometimes be invaluable. My dis works problems, watches the videos, then dies the exercise. Enough teaching is in them to get through the exercises. Not the challenge problems as much, but those often have hints in the book.

[mombygrace]

Thank you so much for all the great advice

[Loesje22000]

Don't forget about the videos! They can sometimes be invaluable. My dis works problems, watches the videos, then dies the exercise. Enough teaching is in them to get through the exercises. Not the challenge problems as much, but those often have hints in the book.

Only the first half of Intro to Algebra has available video's.

And the second half is not recorded, and will not within short time.

I planned to switch math after AoPS Intro to Algebra, but maybe we will have to switch in the middle of the book.

 

We work through AoPs at our own pace with help of the video's.

[GeoKitty]

We went into AOPS Intro to Algebra book, after pre-algebra, for DS.

 

Just like loesje22000 without the videos for the second half of the book we might switch to another curriculum.  My son really needs the videos.  If I had realized that before, I might have gone with Foerster's and Math without Borders for Algebra 1.  Now younger DD is using AOPS pre-algebra and will certainly continue with AOPS - she is much more math intuitive and watches the videos for fun, not learning. hth