Math curriculum question??

[3browneyedboys4me]

Hi there,

I do not have a high schooler- yet! ;) But, I am trying to prepare! I REALLY need to know what direction to start heading toward in the area of MATH! I have seen a lot of programs, heard so much about all of them, BUT at the end of the day, which math HONESTLY prepares the kids for college?

 

I dont' have a strong opinion on teaching styles, etc. I just need an honest 'heads up' from anyone out there that has taught thru high school and can say whether or not some of these popular homeschool math programs worked. If so, which ones? Why or why not?

 

I really appreciate your thoughts!

 

:001_smile:

[creekland]

Personally, I think most if not all of the programs out there can effectively prepare students for college. It's more a matter of finding one that clicks with your student in the way they learn...

 

I've used - and am pleased with - TT. I know others that use Saxon (and like it), though it isn't for us. Neither is right or wrong if it's the best for how your student learns.

[3browneyedboys4me]

Honestly, I'm just paralyzed at this point b/c I do not want to continue with Saxon. I've used it this year and just feel like there are too many parts that I do not like to finish with it thru high school. However, I'm afraid that my son may be lacking if I try some of the others. Then, today, it hit me. Am I making this more than it really is???? I mean, how off would he be if I took him thru Algebra or even Calculus in MUS? Would he be WAY unprepared? I just dont' know!

 

Anyone else have any thoughts??

[3browneyedboys4me]

I always thought that program was too easy or that's what I heard! :glare: I'm honestly shocked to see so many high schoolers are using it and having great success with it! :001_smile:

 

Now, something else to think about~!:001_huh:

[luv2quilt]

It all depends on whether your child wants to major in a field that requires extensive math in college. If so, then TT may be a little light for them. We used Saxon until the middle of Advanced Math. Then we switched to Lial Pre-calc and Forester Calculus.

[Alyce]

My dd used MUS. She liked the way the program was laid out and "it made sense to her" We used TT for my Ds and we hated it. He had no retention of the material because for him their wasn't enough review. We tried Lials this year because someone here recommended it and it teaches all the steps (I am not a math mom) and we needed that. He has loved the program and will continue using it. So that's 3 different math programs we've used. It was just a matter of which one the learned from best. I really don't think one is better over the other but you do need to know what their strengths and weaknesses are so you can make a more informed decision.

[sagira]

I've heard some people on this board have good results with a variety of programs. You would hear person X say, "I had marvelous results with program Y" and another post with "Y did not work for us at all".

 

That said, I was happy to see a few people who have used MCP Math said that they were well prepared for advanced math later on. No negative reviews when it came to that, except that MCP was too boring, not enough repetition, too many problems or just not a good fit for dc.

 

It all depends on how your dc learn best indeed. I knew after much thought and deliberation that ds was easily distracted and needed something with not too many colors and fluff. Straightforward and basic appealed to me too, and a good Teachers Manual was essential. The reason many people switch curricula is that it's not only the student, but the teacher that we're looking for a fit, and needs change over time. What may have worked two years ago may not work now. I know, that makes me nervous too. I want to stick it out with MCP and Miquon for the first six years of our journey.

[Lolly]

I always thought that program was too easy or that's what I heard! :glare: I'm honestly shocked to see so many high schoolers are using it and having great success with it! :001_smile:

 

Now, something else to think about~!:001_huh:

 

Yeah, we just get tired of being knocked down every time we say it; so we quit chiming in with our opinions unless specifically asked why we like it. My take on it is that the explanations in TT make it seem easier. The layout is easy on the eyes; makes it look easier.

[creekland]

Yeah, we just get tired of being knocked down every time we say it; so we quit chiming in with our opinions unless specifically asked why we like it. My take on it is that the explanations in TT make it seem easier. The layout is easy on the eyes; makes it look easier.

 

I agree totally. TT is an extremely well-explained (and simply explained) book. This makes it easy to learn and easy to retain (for most). What it doesn't have is endless problems after problems. For those that have learned how to do things, they don't need endless problems after problems. It can, however, make it appear like 'math light' as I've heard it called. Some also prefer to print off extra problems for practice if their kids aren't quite getting it on certain sections (we never have).

 

It also changes the order in when things are learned - moving the quadratic equation to Alg 2 and matrices to Pre-Calc, etc., but I've yet to find that to be a problem at all. It's been shown that many kids develop their advanced math skills later, not earlier (fMRI), so later is perhaps indeed better for many.

 

Two of mine are really good in math - the other struggles - all three have done well with TT. Compared to our public school (where I work) I knew mine were (generally) better math educated, but until I had some national numbers I hesitated to say a whole lot. Now I'm no longer worried... I've heard from MANY whose kids have moved on to college and have had no problems whatsoever - or perhaps have been better prepared. Some of these ARE in science/math fields.

 

In the end, it depends on what your youngsters like and need for learning. TT may not be for them - something else might work better - but it's not the curriculum... it's just a difference in how they like to learn.

[Pamela H in Texas]

JMO, but I think any of the math programs CAN work. It's like a diet. Any diet, pretty much, works. Will you DO it the way it is supposed to be done?

 

And really, people "click" with different things. I personally LOVED Saxon as a kid. My kids would have mutinied! LOL

 

Anyway, so don't overthink it. Find a solid program that meets the needs of your family, follow through diligently, change only if necessary.

[Love2Smile]

No more yelling, the work get done and the math teacher is much "nicer"

[3browneyedboys4me]

There are lots of variables that make a program a success. I guess I'm just nervous that I will pick the "one'' that will completely fail my son! LOL! I'm very hands on with his teaching, and I want to make sure he's a success at math. I know it's very easy in some programs to 'skim over' concepts and that can really come back to haunt you later as math progresses.

 

I appreciate your advice. I've learned a lot from reading your posts.

 

Blessings!

Bethany

[Brenda in MA]

It all depends on whether your child wants to major in a field that requires extensive math in college. If so, then TT may be a little light for them. We used Saxon until the middle of Advanced Math. Then we switched to Lial Pre-calc and Forester Calculus.

 

This was the path we took with my older son, too. He used Saxon through half of Advanced Math, but then he switched to Chalkdust for PreCalc & Calc. He did very well on his standardized testing in math and will be attending engineering school in the fall. My younger son is a different kind of learner. He is finishing up Dolciani Algebra 1 now and will continue with that series through Geometry & Algebra 2. At that point, we'll probably switch to Chalkdust because I already own their PreCalc & Calc.

 

My personal opinion (and I know some will disagree) is that if your child wants to pursue a math or science-related field after high school, then you probably want to use something a little more rigorous than TT or MUS for the upper levels of math. Saxon is pretty solid if your child can learn with it, but there are other good choices out there like Lial, Forester, Chalkdust (aka Larson), Dolciani, etc. that are also very solid programs and teach more mastery vs. incremental (like Saxon).

 

I agree with the other poster who said that there is not "one" good math program; there are many. Which one you choose depends on your child's learning style, your teaching style, and your goals for your child's math instruction.

 

Best wishes,

Brenda

[LoriM]

My personal opinion (and I know some will disagree) is that if your child wants to pursue a math or science-related field after high school, then you probably want to use something a little more rigorous than TT or MUS for the upper levels of math. Saxon is pretty solid if your child can learn with it, but there are other good choices out there like Lial, Forester, Chalkdust (aka Larson), Dolciani, etc. that are also very solid programs and teach more mastery vs. incremental (like Saxon).

 

I think the most important thing for a student who plans to pursue a career in a math or science related field is to continue studying math. Daily. Nonstop. If that path takes them down MUS or TT for high school, then back to College Algebra, PreCalculus and Calc I, II and III at the college level, then it's still not too late to have a math or science career.

 

Now, will they have already covered *everything* one needs to know so that they can go directly into Calculus I if they use the MUS or TT path in high school? Not necessarily...but it is not too late. A so-called less rigorous high school math experience is completely redeemable by simply not. quitting. Continue studying math, and take more science every year. I'm nearly 43 years old, and I continue to read, study and learn in math and science every week. (Nearly every day!)

 

Ironically, some of my students in my university classes fell apart in their pursuit of a math degree by pressing on to the next course even when they'd barely scraped by in their previous courses. So, couple the "don't quit" advice with another idea--"Be willing to regress." If you never understood Calc I, it doesn't do a lot of good to press on to Calc II. :)

 

Better to use MUS or TT in high school and understand how to and why to work the simpler "less rigorous" problems, and then hit those same types of problems again in College Algebra with more complex scenarios and *really get it* than to use the harder texts and struggle, IMHO.

 

LoriM

 

PS Of course, my real advice is to use MUS and/or TT before age 16 all the way to Calculus ideas and concepts, then back up and use the more rigorous texts at ages 16-18 for a repeat of Algebra and Trig, and head off to university doubly prepared. :)