How does this math sequence sound to you?

[Faithr]

My older two kids weren't that into math. They did Alg I and II and the first 3rd of Advanced Math (all Saxon) to get their full geometry credit. They both opted to drop math in 12th grade. My current 9th grader is more science/economics oriented. First he wanted to be doctor, then an engineer, now he's in love with economics. It seems to me he should do 4 years of high school math, not three. I am thinking of enrolling him in a homeschooling class next year that meets on Mondays and Wednesdays. So his math sequence would look like this possibly:

 

8th grade - Saxon Alg. I

9th grade - Saxon Alg II

10th grade - Geometry (Jacobs - homeschooling class)

11th grade - Pre-calculus (Teaching Textbooks - homeschooling class)

12th grade - Calculus - Community college

 

What do you think of this plan?

 

Thanks.

[Melinda in VT]

If you flip the Algebra II and the Geometry, you'd have the advanced math track at my son's school, which is the same course order as I took in high school.

 

At the time (when I was in high school), I heard that having geometry as a freshman would help you on the PSAT. Don't know if that's true or not.

 

ETA: I also think that the move from Algebra II to pre-calc would be easier than the move from geometry to pre-calc, but I like algebra a lot more than geometry, so that may be skewing my impression.

[LexiR]

That is our advanced public sequence, while the non-advanced take geometry in the middle. Melinda nailed the arguments, and when it was explained to me (where to put geometry), it did all point to PSAT/SAT testing. You really want at least some level of both before taking either test. In an ideal world (which homeschooling certainly can be), I'd probably do the alg1/alg2/geom sequence, with a mild review of algebra technigues throughout the geometry year. Geometry is the "odd" year no matter how you slice it. A really strong geometry course like Art of Problem Solving utilizes more algebra than most. Precalc does typically include a fast paced review of virtually all math learned to date (except geometry).

[In The Great White North]

There have been a lot of threads about this.

 

The PSAT is taken Junior year (for real - you can take it earlier for practice). He can take geometry Freshman or Sophomore year and be done with both before the PSAT.

 

Jacon's Geometry has algebra review sections in it. These review algebra I, not Algebra II. So, if you take alg - geo - alg II - pre-calc, you have enough algebra review in the geometry to go into algebra II without having to review, and then can go into pre-calc directly from algebra II without much review.

 

If you take alg - alg II - geo - precalc, you will need to review much more of the algebra II, as it is not reviewed in Jacob's. The pre-calc will use the algebra II, so it is good if it is "fresh" in his mind.

[eumyang]

I agree with Melinda and ITGWN's comment that going from Alg2 to PreCalc is easier than going from Geom to PreCalc. I teach PreCalc at my high school, and because we still use the Alg1->Alg2->Geom sequence I'm getting students who forgot their Algebra 2 skills, so at the end of the year after I find out who my students will be the following year, I meet my new students and given them a summer assignment reviewing Algebra 2. Having said all of that, I've thought that someone here recommended that if a student started Alg1 in 8th grade or earlier than the Alg1->Alg2->Geom sequence is better. Though the reason escapes me...

 

I've also read from someone here that some 11th graders may not be ready for PreCalc, and it may be a better option to make PreCalc a two year course. This makes sense to me -- I'm seeing more colleges offer PreCalc as two semester courses (one for College Algebra and one for Trigonometry/Analytic Geometry), and if you go by the idea that a semester course in college = a year course in high school, then two years for PreCalc in high school sounds about right. Maybe the OP's son can handle PreCalc in one year, and maybe he'll need two. Who knows?

 

 

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[kiana]

Since he's in 9th grade according to the OP, I presume it's a bit late for him to switch the order -- that is, he's already doing alg 2.

 

Is there a reason to switch curriculum publishers each time? While that can be done, and many students come out of it just fine, I wouldn't consider it ideal. IOW, is he doing badly with Saxon now? Is there a strong reason to switch?

[Melinda in VT]

Since he's in 9th grade according to the OP, I presume it's a bit late for him to switch the order -- that is, he's already doing alg 2.

 

So much for my reading comprehension. :tongue_smilie: Good point. :)

[Faithr]

Thanks Kiana! The reasons I have for him switching from Saxon to Jacobs is that I think he'd benefit from attending a class and the class uses Jacobs. I don't teach higher math. My dh was trying to help ds who was basically teaching himself Algebra II. However, my dh just wasn't consistent and my ds, though someone who likes math, is completely unmotivated anymore. He is really going through a period of the slumps. He just wants to sleep, eat and play videogames, thank you very much. My older kids were slumpy too at this age when it came to academics, except that they had passions that drove them to get out and about and take on responsibilities. My oldest was into teaching Religion at our church to young girls and she also was very involved in theater. My oldest son is very into music was involved in a band and he also was involved in theater. This child just wants to be left alone in his own little world. While a little bit of that is fine, I think he is also getting into very bad habits. I think he'll be motivated by the competition in a class. He seems to be so with our Latin class.

 

Also, my oldest were fine just going through Saxon Alg I, II and 1/3 of Adv. Math. I knew they weren't headed for careers in math. However, this child might be different and I was thinking he might benefit from using texts that have a different approach. He's been doing Saxon since 6/5.

 

I do wonder about the gap of time between Alg II and Pre-calc. Maybe we can do some kind of review the summer before Pre-calc.

[kiana]

Right, that makes a lot more sense then.

 

Review sounds like a good idea. You could also (if it doesn't cause too many moans, wails, and groans, silly teenagers :D) have him do a small problem set on a weekly basis to improve retention. I'd also check with the precalc placement test at the beginning of the summer and use the summer to fill in any gaps caused by switching programs.

[Jann in TX]

TT's Pre-Calc with be mostly review--the first half of the text is Algebra 2 that Saxon's Algebra 2 covered in detail--only the second half of TT actually contains any Pre-Calc concepts.

 

I still prefer Geometry in between Algebra 1 and 2--but you can keep up the Algebra 2 skills--just add in a lesson (every 10th or so lesson from the Saxon text or just use every other test) for review once a month or so--give him a week to complete it in addition to his Geometry homework.