Help please; VT Algebra high school course sequence questions

[rockala]

My dd, in 9th this year has really struggled with Algebra. We tried MUS, Key To and LOF in 7th and 8th, eventually chucking them all. Then we tried VT Algebra at the start of this year and things went much better. We were hoping to complete all 6 modules this year and be done with Algebra forever.

 

She is finished with module D and having a little difficulty with the end of module test. She really wanted to have this summer without Algebra on her plate as it has been the last few. I am not sure what to do and in the night I thought maybe we should slow down. has anyone finished VT easily in one year? Will she really be behind if we wait?

 

What if she had on her transcript Algebra 1 for 9th, we take next year and do VT geometry for 10th, and then go back and finish Module E and F for 11th. I think then we would go back and do the VT Pre-Calc and Trigonemtry section of Geometry for 12th. is this to light? What are the four math courses supposed to look like?

 

I can perhaps push her through over the summer, but her grades will probably not be as good. I am so tired of Algebra woes as it is not something I am good at.

 

Kathy

[Grace is Sufficient]

I think doing it in one year would be a pretty major undertaking. Your plan sounds like a good one. It does not sound too light, but I do have one concern. I've been trying to remember if there are things in the later modules of Algebra that you would need to cover before before doing Geometry... I don't think there are, but for us VT was very independent and self teaching, so I'm not certain. Since you're just doing the Geometry portion, you should be okay.

[Susan C.]

That was one of the problems we had with VT. We got half way through, and then couldn't do science the next year because it had an Algebra 1 prerequisite.

 

If you like VT, I would do what you plan, and possibly add a review of earlier modules at the beginning of your second year.

 

I don't know about being prepared for geometry.....we bailed, and borrowed a Chalkdust Algebra 1 over the summer after half of VT, did geometry, and then did a different Algebra 2 program.

[bettyandbob]

I don't think you need to break up the Algebra. She is now finishing D. Start E and get as far as you can without cramming before you break for summer. When you finish your break review E and finish, then do module F.

 

Then, midyear I'd start on the geometry and keep going through the trig.

 

VT algebra is supposed to cover preAlgebra, Algebra 1 and 2. There is no magic to the order of the Algebra/Geometry sequence. In fact my brother took Algebra 2 before Geometry in public school. It does not matter the order these are listed on the transcript.

[Angel]

 

VT algebra is supposed to cover preAlgebra, Algebra 1 and 2. There is no magic to the order of the Algebra/Geometry sequence. In fact my brother took Algebra 2 before Geometry in public school. It does not matter the order these are listed on the transcript.

 

:iagree:

 

VT didn't work for my dd, but I did a lot of research and talked to the rep at convention. Once VT is done, she has an Algebra I & II credit. Most take 1.5 to 2 years to complete VT. Just like it would take 2 years to do Algebra I & II. She's certainly not behind if she doesn't finish all of those modules by the end of the year!

[Musicmom]

My dd, in 9th this year has really struggled with Algebra. We tried MUS, Key To and LOF in 7th and 8th, eventually chucking them all. Then we tried VT Algebra at the start of this year and things went much better. We were hoping to complete all 6 modules this year and be done with Algebra forever.

 

She is finished with module D and having a little difficulty with the end of module test. She really wanted to have this summer without Algebra on her plate as it has been the last few. I am not sure what to do and in the night I thought maybe we should slow down. has anyone finished VT easily in one year? Will she really be behind if we wait?

 

What if she had on her transcript Algebra 1 for 9th, we take next year and do VT geometry for 10th, and then go back and finish Module E and F for 11th. I think then we would go back and do the VT Pre-Calc and Trigonemtry section of Geometry for 12th. is this to light? What are the four math courses supposed to look like?

 

I can perhaps push her through over the summer, but her grades will probably not be as good. I am so tired of Algebra woes as it is not something I am good at.

 

Kathy

 

I think doing all of VT Algebra in one year would be REALLY hard! I've gone through it with 2 kids now, and they each took 2 years to do it. I'd say your dd is way ahead of the game to be through Module D already! Kudos to her!! :D

 

According to the VT author, if you complete all of VT Algebra and all of VT Geometry, you've done and can claim credit for: Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, and Precalculus. I would recommend taking the time you need to get Module D solidified (it's a hard one), then just go on with Module E. When summer comes, you can just stop where you are and pick it up again in the fall. Modules E and F are not nearly as long or as difficult as Module D anyway. Then I'd just go right on into VT Geometry next year in 10th, get as far as you can, and finish it up in 11th or partway through 12th depending on your goals. After VT Algebra and Geometry, the author claims the student is ready to go into Calculus. If Calculus is your goal for 12th, you should be able to get there easily enough.

 

HTH!

[Brindee]

:iagree:

 

VT didn't work for my dd, but I did a lot of research and talked to the rep at convention. Once VT is done, she has an Algebra I & II credit. Most take 1.5 to 2 years to complete VT. Just like it would take 2 years to do Algebra I & II. She's certainly not behind if she doesn't finish all of those modules by the end of the year!

 

I think doing all of VT Algebra in one year would be REALLY hard! I've gone through it with 2 kids now, and they each took 2 years to do it. I'd say your dd is way ahead of the game to be through Module D already! Kudos to her!! :D

 

According to the VT author, if you complete all of VT Algebra and all of VT Geometry, you've done and can claim credit for: Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, and Precalculus. I would recommend taking the time you need to get Module D solidified (it's a hard one), then just go on with Module E. When summer comes, you can just stop where you are and pick it up again in the fall. Modules E and F are not nearly as long or as difficult as Module D anyway. Then I'd just go right on into VT Geometry next year in 10th, get as far as you can, and finish it up in 11th or partway through 12th depending on your goals. After VT Algebra and Geometry, the author claims the student is ready to go into Calculus. If Calculus is your goal for 12th, you should be able to get there easily enough.

 

HTH!

:iagree: My ds did Modules A, B & C in 9th, and D, E & F in 10th. D was hard, and a few of the things in F were confusing, but overall he liked the VT program! He went to school in his Junior year and took Geometry in 11th, and Pre-Calculus in 12th. He aced the college math exam, so it seemed to work out well! :)