Teaching Textbooks? or Thinkwell?

[Harmony]

Hello,

 

Can you compare these two programs if you have used any of them or maybe both?

 

Pros and Cons...will be great.

 

Thanks,

Harmony:001_huh:

[homeschoolally]

I'm not familiar with TT's, but we have Thinkwell Pre-Alg and thought we could use it alongside Saxon Alg 1/2. It appears (I could be missing something--so double check) to be way lighter on content than what we're doing in Saxon.

 

I haven't looked through tons of math curriculum myself, and don't remember much from my school days, but from what I can see Thinkwell Pre-Alg seems much less rigorous than Saxon--but thats all I have to compare it to so it may not be so different from other pre-alg texts. Just take a close look at it.

 

If that happens to be the one you're looking at and you have a specific ?, I'd be glad to look closer at it for you. Just PM me.

 

Also, if you decide to get it, check out homeschool buyers coop--they had a pretty good discount.

Edited November 18, 2009 by homeschoolally

[Blessedfamily]

I'm not familiar with TT's, but we have Thinkwell Pre-Alg and thought we could use it alongside Saxon Alg 1/2. It appears (I could be missing something--so double check) to be way lighter on content than what we're doing in Saxon.

 

I haven't looked through tons of math curriculum myself, and don't remember much from my school days, but from what I can see Thinkwell Pre-Alg seems much less rigorous than Saxon--but thats all I have to compare it to so it may not be so different from other pre-alg texts. Just take a close look at it.

 

.....

 

:iagree:

I did just that. I checked the scope and sequence of Thinkwell's Pre-Algebra, and it was very light compared to the other programs I was considering. Of course, if a person wants it for review only that might fit the bill.

[EKS]

I'm not familiar with TT's, but we have Thinkwell Pre-Alg and thought we could use it alongside Saxon Alg 1/2. It appears (I could be missing something--so double check) to be way lighter on content than what we're doing in Saxon.

 

 

 

That's interesting, because TT Algebra (I haven't looked closely at their prealgebra) also looks light. The algebra required in their geometry book is light compared to what's required in Jacobs.

[2smartones]

I haven't used TT, but when I was considering it, everyone I know told me not to use it because it's way too light. You can look at the pre-tests to see if they fit your needs, I suppose?

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I looked at both TT and Thinkwell and then went with Chalkdust.

 

That info. probably doens't help you.

[Harmony]

I do appreciate all of your input and information. Thanks a lot. This really helps.

 

I do not know anything about "Chalkdust".

Where could I get more information about "Chalkdust"?

 

Thanks,

Harmony;)

[Storm Bay]

Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 is light. You can find out more about Chalkdust on the high school forum or by doing a search of it, since it's come up there a lot. We didn't go with it in part because of the price, but there is a less expensive way to get the same thing from the publisher, although I think that means you don't get help from Dana Mosely.

 

What are you looking for in an Algebra text? How old is your student? How rigourous do you want to go? Or, as has come up on a few other threads, are you looking for Algebra or Algebra? How mathy is your dc? What are the goals you have for Algebra? We have a number of Algebra 1 books here, but not Chalkdust. Dd did it twice, the first time was more Algebra, and the second Algebra. I plan to have all of my dc do it twice, because they all start it early but, so far, aren't ready for the theory and deeper aspects of it when they're ready for the arithmetic part of Algebra.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Here's a link to the Chalkdust website. http://www.chalkdust.com/index.html

 

The DVDs are a wonderful resource. We went the least expensive route and bought the resources from various suppliers. At this point my DS and I are not missing out on not being able to contact Mr. Mosely. We are in the early chapters, though. It might matter later on.

 

I find CD to be rigorous.

[haystackholly]

I know this is a very old post, but thought my input might help someone else out in this situation. I have really been considering Thinkwell 6 for my 5th grader so I've been reading reviews nonstop. Somewhere along the line I read that Thinkwell Pre-Algebra is actually remedial (well not quite remedial but perhaps for students jumping into Thinkwell at the Prealgebra stage). That is why they don't have a placement test for that course. My daughter passed the placement test for Thinkwell 6 just fine, but I'm still scared it will be too hard for her. She's done Abeka math all the way so I'm thinking of getting her the Abeka Arithmetic 5 for extra practice/explanation until we're comfortably settled with Thinkwell.

[Kathy G]

First of all I have mathy kids- so take that into account. I don't have experience with TT but I did look them over and thought they were light.

 

I have used Thinkwell. As for its comparison with Saxon- definitely less drill. My kids hated Saxon and loved Thinkwell but they didn't need much repetition. If your child needs the repetition Saxon would be better.

 

Thinkwell is very comparable to Holt, which one of mine had used in school (same guy on the videos too) Thinkwell is used by CTY so they must think it is useful.

 

My own opinion is that Thinkwell covers the basic framework, but I felt we would benefit from some deeper thinking in certain areas so we used some Singapore problems as supplements. My son also used AOPS as a supplement when he got to Algebra 2. We liked the variety of the Thinkwell videos and the Singapore/AOPS bookwork

 

I have yet to find ONE math curriculum that suits our needs. I gave up on it and just do whichever one my kids want and then supplement when necessary.