Need suggestions (consumer math, general math, general English)

[Catalytic]

Had my boys (11th and 12th) take the 12th grade CAT and clearly we need a little brush up in a few areas...but I'm not exactly sure what those areas are, as this is all the results say.

 

 

Mathematics Computation (11th got 10.6, 12th got 13.6)

Mathematics Concepts & Problems  (One 13.6, one 9.5  :confused1: )

Language Mechanics (13.6 and 10.4)

Language Usage & Structure (10.x for both)

 

The rest they both got 13.6 on.  11th clearly has a math gap?  (Not sure how, they've been taught together for years)  Not overly surprised by the 12th's low language mechanics (he has dev delays, and English/grammar/spelling has never been his strong point)  And the usage and structure looks to me like I skipped something somewhere along the years.

 

I'd like to do some brush-up on those weak areas, but I'm not exactly sure what they are/mean.  Anyone have any ideas?  Or even a general English/grammar course and general HS math?

 

I'm also looking for a good, engaging Consumer Math curriculum.

 

TIA for any thoughts or ideas!

[Lori D.]

Consumer Math programs (all are 1-year / 1-credit)

- Abeka's Consumer Math (Christian) 

- AGS Consumer Math (Wieser Education -- Pearson published a revised version) (secular) 

- Alpha Omega Consumer Math (Christian)

- Bob Jones Consumer Math (Christian)

- Math-U-See Stewardship (Christian)

- Walch Publishing: Consumer Math (Power Basics series) (secular)

 

FREE Consumer Math supplemental resources

- Math & You (Ron Larson) (secular) -- 1 semester; free text with consumer math topics mixed with other topics

- Money Instructor: Spending Money and Consumer Math (lessons) (secular)

- Math Central, U Regina CA: grade 10 Consumer Math (projects, problems, etc.) (secular)

- Summit High School, Mr. Fisher: Consumer Math & Personal Finance (4 downloadable workbooks) (secular)

- IOHS: Weebly: Consumer Math (131-page workbook of consumer math -- exercise sets only) (secular)

- Beatrice Schools: Consumer Math (printable worksheets) (secular)

 

ALEKS Business Math

- Mathematic Foundations (Whole Numbers, Fractions, Decimals, Solving for the Unknown, Business Statistics)

- Percents and Their Applications (Discounts: Trade and Cash, Markups and Markdowns, Payroll, Sales, Excise, and Property Tax, Interest, Promissory Notes, Simple Discount Notes, and the Discount Process, Compound Interest and Present Value, Annuities and Sinking Funds, Installment Buying, Rule of 78, and Revolving Charge Credit Cards)

- Personal Finance (Banking, Cost of Home Ownership, Life-Fire-Auto Insurance, Stocks-Bonds-Mutual Funds)

- Business Finance (How to Read, Analyze, and Interpret Financial Reports, Depreciation, Inventory and Overhead)

- Other Topics Available (Chain discounts: Single equivalent discount rate

Employer tax responsibilities, Actual sales before taxes, Making partial note payments before due date, Annuity due, Paying off installment loans before due date, Sum-of-the-years'-digits depreciation)

 

Personal Finance Supplements

- My Father's World: Personal Finance Elective (uses Money Matters for Teens (Burkett), Money, Possessions & Eternity (Alcorn) and has lesson plans) (Christian)

- Dave Ramsey Foundations in Personal Finance (DVD lectures & workbook)
- Larry Burkett's Money Matters for Teens

 

FREE Personal Finance resources

- The Actuarial Foundation: Building Your Future (downloadable, 4 units: Banking, Financing, Investing, Succeeding)

- NWT Literacy Council: Money Math (downloadable workbook on Personal Finance, Saving Money, Consumer Math) (secular)

- Money Skills (FULL CURRICULUM: online reality-based personal finance high school program) (secular)

 

Other Resources
- NPR's Motley Fool weekly radio broadcast = webpage with their top 10 tips for teens

- The Motley Fool Investment Guide For Teens

- Khan Academy FREE video tutorials: Banking, Currency, Finance, Valuation & Investing...

 

Edited May 1, 2016 by Lori D.

[Catalytic]

Thanks.  Does anyone have any experience with any of these that they could recommend?  (And where did you get this list, I saw the one with Algebra and stuff in the sticky, but didn't see these in it)

[Lori D.]

…  (And where did you get this list, I saw the one with Algebra and stuff in the sticky, but didn't see these in it)

 

We used the Abeka Consumer Math. While the info and techniques are sound, the examples are pretty old/out-datedThe Bob Jones is very similar in topics, and has a recent (2015) edition. Every lesson has teaching text and then problems to work out. We finished the text in a bit less than a school year. Topics include: Income; Budgeting; Personal Banking; Borrowing/Loans; Transportation (Buying vs Leasing Autos; Depreciation; Maintenance / Repairs); Food; Clothing; Housing (rent, mortgage, interest, equity, real estate taxes, insurance, utilities); Life/Health Insurance; Income Taxes.

 

I compiled it over several previous threads over the past few years for posters who was looking for Consumer Math or Personal Finance programs. No, these are no listed in the Math thread pinned at the top of the High School Board -- that was compiled by someone else interested in listing in one place all of the standard Math progression courses available (i.e., Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Statistics).

 

Hope something there is a fit for you! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Lori D.

[Catalytic]

Oh thank you so much!  We tried using Living Mathematically early this school year, and we all hated it.  It was probably decent, but it had very limited instructions, no answer key, can't remember why else we disliked it so much.  (Not sure where it is right now, we've lived in 3 different "homes" this year, and move again in less than 2 months)  Anyway, I wanted something better for next year.

 

None of us are great with algebra, but when I was in high school (public), I took a consumer math and a business math (to avoid algebra for the 3rd time), and I use what I learned in those classes almost daily, so I'd really like my kids to have that.  Much appreciate your assistance, Bob Jones sounds really good and I'm going to check out that  Money Skills online this week, as well.

[Lori D.]

...Much appreciate your assistance, Bob Jones sounds really good and I'm going to check out that  Money Skills online this week, as well.

 

I forgot to add that the examples and teaching info of the lessons for both the Abeka and the Bob Jones texts come from a strongly Christian perspective -- God is mentioned, the Biblical concept of stewardship is the overarching theme of the text, and the examples involve fiscally conservative choices. Don't know if any of that matters or not to your family -- the actual mathematical aspects are all sound. I just know some families prefer secular or non-religious texts. :)

Edited May 2, 2016 by Lori D.