Can we or should we go on to Dolciani?

[Renee in NC]

First, I have the Dolciani Mathematics Structure and Method Book 1 (1992) and Book 2 (1979.) In the beginning of Book 1, there is a pretest that covers the basic operations (add, subtract, multiply, divide.) It says they need to be proficient with that before starting the book.

 

We've got that (or will have it very soon.)

 

What he doesn't have is a good understanding of fractions, decimals, percents and the calculations involved with those. Book 1 covers all of that in depth.

 

This is a "mathy" child who got bogged down in multiplication for awhile. Some of it is his dyslexia, most of it was me and the craziness of the last couple of years.

 

He is taking an online science class through FLVS and in the first unit there were several lessons on metric conversions. I was worried because he'd never had decimals. He figured out quickly on his own and aced it.:001_huh:

 

He has no problems with letters in math.;) The MUS book we are completing used letters and it was no problem at all.

 

Should I just go forward with Book 1 or would he be better off doing something like the "Key to ..." books first? If we did go with Dolciani, it would be at his pace with the expectation of mastery. We could "detour" to the Key to ... books if needed.

 

I have learned that he THRIVES on challenge. I always "backed off" when he melted down over things, thinking they were too hard. I have learned this year that if we push through the meltdown, he will do the work and be very proud of himself for meeting the challenge.

 

At the same time, I don't want to set him up for failure.

 

Which would you do?

[PeterPan]

Well why don't you just take the plunge and see? I got the dolciani pre-algebra, thinking my dd might go into it from BJU6. Although she's there conceptually, her computation speed just wasn't there. The work in dolciani was taking her TOO LONG. So I got the BJU7 (awesome, btw) to give her more computation in more advanced material. It was just what she needed. Now isn't the Structure 1 more comparable to a math 7 and Structure 2 pre-algebra? If that's the case, it sounds like you're exactly where you need to be. But you won't know till you jump in.