Math Woes...Can the Hive help me decide?...

[Pat in MI]

My ds is just not a math person. We have tried Singapore, Saxon 1 (little of 2), R & S, BJU, and then finally went to MUS. I had to go back to Beta in 4th grade and we have never caught up. MUS has gone the best of any of them, but he will be 8th grade this year and still needs to finish the last 6 lessons of Epsilon and do all of Zeta. I am considering making a switch so we can get him somewhere close to Algebra 1 next year in 9th. Has anyone ever done this?

 

Things I am considering are:

1) Lials BCM (own this) , but I'm not sure this text will work with this child. He may be overwhelmed with the number of things on each page. It would most likely take 1-1/2 years to complete this with him.

 

2) Finish out the elementary MUS switch to Videotext Algebra (own module A). I do like MUS, but I feel like it is taking forever.

 

3) Switch to Saxon 8/7 (own this). I like the looks of this with DIVE CD, but Saxon was not a good experience in the younger grades.

 

4) Or make a complete switch to TT (do not own this amazingly :D)

 

Math has always been a trial with this child, but it is so important. I want him to be college ready, if that is the path he chooses. Any help, encouragement you can offer will be greatly appreciated. We start school soon and I have no clear direction in math for him and I feel I need to chart the course this year and stick with it, but which one?:confused:

 

Blessings,

Pat

 

P.S. you would think after this many years of hs one would know what to do.:tongue_smilie:

[8filltheheart]

I would actually post this question on the high school board and direct the question toward some of the math teachers over there.

 

I am unfamiliar with MUS's sequence, but I would hesitate to rush through any material that doesn't have a solid foundation prior to algebra. My concern would be that all math basics are expected to have mastery and be easily applied to algebraic concepts.

 

I think the math teachers over there would be familiar with working with students like yours and would offer suggestions that will provide the best outcome.

[Pat in MI]

Thank you Momof7. I will do that. I should have thought of that in the first place.

Blessings,

Pat:

[jibaker103]

I answered you on the high school board.

[HollyDay]

Dont rush math. If he is behind, then rushing to catch him up might create frustration and gaps.

 

If you want to continue MUS, then continue it. Some have done Epsilon and Zeta in one year. With the age of your son, he might be mature enough to do that. Do math year round.

[MIch elle]

Saxon 8/7 and cut the review problems in half.

 

I think you need to do a math program that covers it all in one year like Rod & Staff 7, BJU 7, OR Saxon 8/7.

[Haiku]

I am considering making a switch so we can get him somewhere close to Algebra 1 next year in 9th.

 

I have a child who has always struggled academically. I homeschooled her for a while, but she attends school now. She just started 9th grade. The school she went to taught algebra in 8th grade. My dd was nowhere near ready for algebra, and I tried to explain this to the teachers. The assured me that with good math instruction, she would "catch up." (They were very into the idea that with good instruction, good discipline, and "believing in" the students, they would all rise to the expectations. Many did not.)

 

She limped along in algebra with C's and D's and did not learn any algebra. Her basic math skills got a little better just from practice, but she is still not ready for algebra. She has switched schools and is now in a remedial math class.

 

I would not try to hurry your child along. Math takes time and practice. Let him progress at the pace he is capable of or he will most likely be in a math class that is over his head.

 

If you are very concerned about it, hire him a tutor.

 

Tara

[Pat in MI]

Thank you everyone. Still undecided what direction to take. I guess I am kind of in a panic, eighth grade and still doing 5/6 math. Yikes! I thought maybe if I went the Saxon route we could speed it up a little by doing Saxon 8/7 this year and move into Alg. 1 next. (If he does well of course)

Blessings,

Pat

[corbie]

If you like MUS, I'd stick with it. You can move along faster by not doing every lesson. I would usually do one lesson page and then a couple of review sheets. That being said, I did switch my dd halfway through Epsilon. I discovered she had forgotten how to divide. We switched to K12 math, which is a basic solid program - Sadlier-Oxford textbook. Anyway, I only mention that to say that it is possible to switch to another program at the level he's at. If math is not his thing, I wouldn't be too rushed. I mean, he most likely won't take Trig and Calculus, so you have time. I would just worry about getting Algebra 1&2 and Geometry in. Anyway, my 2 cents.

[Carol in Cal.]

It's the best way I can think of to decide whether your DS is ready for Saxon 87.

 

DD used Saxon 65, 76, and 87. She is finding 87 quite markedly challenging--she has been 'almost done' with it for quite a while. It seems to have a broader scope than the others or something--for whatever reason, she kind of fades in and out of remembering how to do things in it. She is on lesson 117 at this point. She got 92% on lesson 115, earlier this week. Today she did 117 and basically got more wrong than right--it's very difficult for me to watch, as she is working hard at it but it seems like the concepts have just gone right out of her head. After dinner I am going to sit with her and work with her in doing the lesson over.

 

Bottom line--87, for some reason, is much harder than the prior two, and was quite a leap from 76. Algebra 1 looks to be quite a leap from 87 as well.

[LadyAberlin]

I teach math and I'd stick with MUS. Finish the last elementary book. Then I'd do Videotext Algebra. The first part is pre algebra. That will be an easy curriculum to get caught up with. Your other option that you could try is to finish out MUS elementary and then have him take the TT placement exams. It tends to run behind level so he might could test into Algebra. If he does then that could be an option. Although pre algebra in 9th isn't the end of the world either. He could still graduate with math up through Algebra 2. That is all I had and I clepped out of college algebra with that. I have known several homeschool families who have made their sons take and extra yr to graduate, just because they felt maturity wise it was better. So you could do that too and he could take pre cal that yr. I wouldn't panic. I'm afraid jumping ship in the middle of MUS could cause a lot of problems for you. Just finish it out and then figure out where to go from there. Another option just occurred to me. If you finish out Zeta this yr and decide you want to do saxon then you can do saxon pre algebra in 9th, Algebra 1 in 10th, Algebra 2 in 11th and precal in 12th. There is enough geometry in those to cover what he needs in that dept. Something else to keep in mind is that once he takes Algebra 1 he could do Algebra 2 and Geometry simultaneously. I've had students do that to get caught up. I even kind of like the idea because it keeps the student from forgetting their algebra during the yr they take geometry. Anyway this has gotten much longer than I anticipated. HTH

[Pat in MI]

Thank you, that does help. After my panic of yesterday and a lot of sleep, I have decided to finish out MUS with him and move on from there. Thanks so much for your post it is very helpful.

Blessings,

Pat