Trying to decide between Life of Fred & Teaching Textbooks - help!

[Tami in CA]

I am trying to decide between Life of Fred and Teaching Textbooks ~

which one should we do *OR* should we do both?

 

My daughter finished TT Pre-Algebra and is now on Lesson 27 of the TT Algebra 1 text. She is 16 and struggles with math. In her last two lessons she has missed quite a few and I am wondering if she is "getting" it. She will be a senior in high school next year and will be going to community college after graduation. I just really want to prepare her for the cc placement test and want her to be able to do well in the math classes she needs to take for whatever major she chooses. She will not be going into a math or science type major.

 

My son is 14 and is 3/4 of the way through the TT Pre-Algebra course. He really dislikes math and procrastinates every day - leaving math as the last thing he does. I was planning on starting him in the TT Algebra 1 when he finishes the Pre-Algebra. He will be going into 9th grade next year and I want him to take the proper math courses to prepare him for college. Again, I don't forsee him being a math or science major.

 

So ~ What to do? I have the Life of Fred Fractions, Decimals & Percents and just ordered the Beginning Algebra courses. I am intrigued by these and think they look fun and interesting. I want both my kids to go through the first two Life of Fred books for a good review. Do you think I should ditch the Teaching Textbooks courses and just have my kids do Life of Fred? Should we try to do both curriculums at the same time? I am just afraid of burning them out if we do both curriculum at the same time. Will the Life of Fred be complete enough for them? Help please!

 

Tami

[jentancalann]

We did TT6 last year M-TH, and LoF on Fridays. However, after I had baby #5 in March, we never picked LoF back up. We'll be taking a TT break and doing LoF fractions over again next year. Depending on how the year goes, we may stick w/ it, or go back to TT. I don't think it will cause any major problems taking a detour for one year. I say try it for the year and if it doesn't work out get back on track w/ TT. It may be the refreshing break your ds needs.

[HollyDay]

We did TT pre-algebra and LOF fractions and Decimals this year.

Edited June 21, 2009 by HollyDay
put in wrong info

[jibaker103]

We did TT pre-algebra and LOF fractions and Decimals this year.

How did you coordinate the two together?

 

Jennifer

Mother to Noah Age 13

[Suzannah]

We began the year with Saxon 7/6 and LOF:Fractions. As soon as DS finished Fractions he went straight into LOF: Decimals and Percents (he was harassing me about getting the next book when I didn't have it ready to go right when he finished the last lesson...and this kid doesn't enjoy math AT ALL!) Mid-year we switched from Saxon to Teaching Textbooks 7.

 

On paper we do LOF on Mondays and Fridays, TT Tuesdays-Thursdays. Sometimes DS does LOF on the middle days too, either in addition to TT or instead of it (like when we have to be out of the house). Some lessons in both programs are straightforward enough that it isn't much of a burden to have two math assignments. LOF in particular is usually pretty short. I can't say for certain how well this arrangement is working since we switched from Saxon and were only about 25 lessons or so into TT before finishing up our school year. But the whole atmosphere surrounding math is now much more pleasant and I think more conducive to learning. Once church camp and scout camp are out of the way we'll be picking up LOF again to finish it this summer and will continue TT7 when our regular school year resumes at the end of August.

 

Edited to add: LOF can be a great incentive. DS sometimes asks to work on LOF and I'll tell him he may IF he finished a lesson in TT. :) Everybody wins!

Edited June 21, 2009 by Suzannah

[Tami in CA]

So it seems that most of you are using LOF as a supplement to your other math curricula. I guess I had better not just be done with TT and use LOF only even though I am tempted to do that since my children don't like math at this point.

I would love to hear from more of you :-)

Thanks for your responses,

Tami

[momtotkbb]

We haven't used LOF yet --but plan to have dd use TT Geometry w/ LOF Geometry.

[Corraleno]

So it seems that most of you are using LOF as a supplement to your other math curricula. I guess I had better not just be done with TT and use LOF only even though I am tempted to do that since my children don't like math at this point.

I would love to hear from more of you :-)

Thanks for your responses,

Tami

 

You might consider giving them a break from TT for a couple of months -- what about just doing Fred over the summer? Then start back with TT in the Fall and find a way to combine the 2. Experiment a bit and see if they prefer having Fred introduce the concepts first, then using TT to solidify them, or the other way around.

 

Jackie

[Tami in CA]

Thanks Jackie, that might be what I will do :-)

[Samiam]

I am planning on doing LOF as a summer supplement. My son is great with TT, but I thought it never hurts to see/learn math in a different way. Since LOF is seems "light", at least in the Fractions/Decimal books, it seems like a great thing to do in the summer.

[5KidzRUs]

Tami,

 

This is a bit OT - Have you thought about her math once she gets into CC classes?

My daughter is also in TT Pre Algebra - It is a review for her as she did Saxon Algebra 1/2 two years ago.

We tried to 'move on' to Algebra with Chalk Dust and then Saxon - she did not get past the first few chapters with either one.

She 'tolerates' TT - so I would like her to get through TT Algebra I before she takes a math class at the CC. I am hoping that she can take Algebra I at CC so it will be stuff she recently did in TT and not all new concepts that will stress her out and lower her GPA. I am going to get the CC's Algebra book a few weeks prior so that she has time to look through it and desensitize herself to the course.

 

... I know that is a lot of hand-holding ... I am not worried about the other subjects at CC as she excels in all other subjects.

[amtmcm]

We're planning to combine LOF with TT, so here's the plan:

 

Fall 2009 - LOF Beg Alg w/ Companion Guide (6 lessons per week for 18 weeks)

Spring 2010 - TT Alg 2 (first half)

Fall 2010 - TT Alg 2 (second half)

Spring 2011 - LOF Adv Alg

 

For this child, she loves textbooks and hates DVD/computer lectures, so the TT CD's will be back up if she misses a problem. It will be huge incentive for her to work carefully because she will not want to watch the solution on the computer.

 

I'm sort of in the same boat as you in debating on using TT at all - I know we want to use LOF. DD finished LOF Fractions a couple weeks ago and will do LOF Decimals in July. She loves it! But it just seems too easy so I feel like she must need something else too. Do I supplement with TT, or Keys... or CLE? Or just trust Fred and let her enjoy the math at a slower pace, or keep moving ahead in Fred and let her get to Calculus in 2 years?

 

I bought TT 6 for my younger DD who likes DVD/computer lectures and I'm going to see how I like TT overall. One thing I do really like about TT is the applied math - they are excellent at making math meaningful to the child and showing how to use it in real life. But Fred does this too.

 

I hope I didn't just make it more confusing for you. I think we're all waiting for someone on the Forum to do LOF only and report back on their awesome SAT scores!

[4wildberrys]

We don't use TT anymore, but have been using LOF side-by-side with their math. I switched by math-hating dd from TT Alg 1 to Ace School of Tomorrow Algebra 1 because she was really bombing with the TT. The Ace just explains things much more clearly without all that pages-long explanation that TT uses. I think with some kids who have a hard time with math anyways, TT is just overkill with their explanations, which actually makes the math harder and more confusing. That was our experience anyways. LOF is such a totally different program and explains the math is such an interesting and engaging way through Fred's life!

[elizabeth rose]

I do think its supposed to be a stand alone program though. especially in the higher levels, the books are much meatier.

You could always start with using LOF alone, and then if it doesn't seem enough, add back in your regular program. My daughter also hates math and I'm hoping Fred will breathe some life backinto the subject for us!

Edited June 21, 2009 by elizabeth rose

[hmschooling]

I contacted the author of both at some point. You MUST finish ALL levels of upper math in TT to get all the algebra concepts you need even for alg. 1. Some are held off until Pre-Cal. So, it's not complete if you don't do all of them.

 

For LoF. Fractions and Dec. & Percents can be done as a summer course or along side another curriculum, as they are light and are not stand-alone. But, once you get to Beginning Alg., it's all very solid and is a complete stand-alone math program that kids enjoy (hard to see it as a real math program when the kids like it!). He is also working on a Pre-Alg level right now to use before Beginning alg. He also recommends doing Alg/Adv. alg. before starting geometry. But, do it however you need to since you are so close to graduation.

I'd say get started in LoF asap and start digging into it as far as you can and try to get some geometry too before heading off to college. Neither of the alg. courses are a full year (he says just a semester).

 

If she doesn't do well in Alg. at home, she likely won't test into the college algebra and will have to retake high school alg. through the college anyway, so maybe you could just let her skip math the first college year and do that part at home so she'll be better prepared for the math placement testing. That will also give you the freedom to choose the high school algebra that will work with her, instead of having it choosen for her.

[stephanie]

We did TT7, then LOF fractions at the end of this school year. We plan to start up LOF Dec/percents in a week or so, then start up with TT pre-alg. Ds will whiz through that I think, but he's the type that needs constant review so It'll be good for him. He really enjoyed LOF and laughed every day at Fred.

[Tami in CA]

Thank you for all of your responses. I would love to just have them start LOF now and get through at least Fractions this summer, but both of my kids need a break from school. We will be starting up again Aug. 17 for the new school year. So... how will I schedule this next year? I figure both of my kids are about in the same place in math so I am just going to have both of them start with LOF Fractions, then Decimals and Percents. That will get us through about the end of October. I then want to do LOF Beginning Algebra and am wondering if we should start TT Algebra 1 at the same time? We would be able to finish LOF Beg. Algebra before the end of the school year, but would not finish TT Algebra 1. I think having the review of the Fractions, Decimals and Percents and then doing Beg. Alg/Algebra 1 would maybe at least help my daughter place in the Algebra course at the comm. college? What do you think?

Also, I am still wondering if doing LOF Beg. Algebra at the same time as TT Algebra 1 is going to be confusing? Do you think so?

Thanks again,

Tami

[willowcreek]

I have the same issue about combining or choosing TT and LOF. A couple questions to add to the mix. My 7th grade ds (used to hate math, didn't feel competent, now tolerates and does fine) switched from Saxon 8/7 (which made him hate math more) and then flew through TT Pre-Algebra doing very well, independently, missing only 2-3 on homework and making high B's or A's on tests. Given that, does he need LOF Fractions, Decimals and Percents?

 

I bought LOF Beg. Alg. and Companion, and I want to try it it alone for a few weeks and see if it seems to be "enough" without adding TT Alg. Does anyone with experience with LOF and other Algebra know if I can consider the LOF "cities" tests enough to measure understanding, or is there something else (assessment wise) to use to "double-check?"

 

If I don't have to spend the money for TT, I certainly don't want to. And I don't want to buy it to use the tests to "double-check" the Fred process.

 

I am concerned about TT "holding" some elements of Alg. to higher levels if we might switch around. (a friend whose child entered ps after TT Alg. found there were concepts that he had not seen before that ps students knew from Alg. 1).

 

TT "feels" complete at each level because it is big and detailed. Is that assumption correct, if you aren't going to use it all the way?

 

I want ds to actually enjoy math and be competent. We just got to tolerable when we left Saxon. Enjoyment would be amazing.:)

[Suzannah]

Willowcreek,

 

E-mail the LOF author, Stanley Schmidt, and ask him your questions. He is usually very prompt in responding to questions.

 

http://www.stanleyschmidt.com/FredGauss/index2.html