Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 feedback??

[distancia]

i'm a newbie here, hello. Had to pull my daughter (17) out of school for health reasons and, after a 2-month reprieve, she is finally able to get back to work (somewhat) and we are homeschooling. (She loves it--says she is learning more, faster, than she ever did at ps)

 

The clincher here is Algebra 2. She is an overly-sensitive, gifted girl (with some audio/visual issues) who has a high (140+) IQ in math, but over the years the ps system has taken its toll on her and now she is mathphobic. I am finding out how little my daughter learned, despite high grades. She hasn't had a good math teacher since 7th grade and this has affected her learning. Most importantly, she has lost faith in herself and her abilities.

 

I have asked D to sit down and demo many of the courses I think she would like best--Thinkwell, Chalk Dust, Saxon Teacher, Kinetic, ALEKS, LOF, VideoText, Teaching Textbooks, etc etc etc. She LOVED Teaching Textbooks--"no distractions, the man's voice is nice, and it is absolutely perfect for my learning style"--tolerated ALEKS, and thumbs-downed the remainder of them.

 

While in public school in December my D finished out the first semester of Algebra 2 with an A. Now, as she is browsing through TT, she sees that she is "only" up to Chapter 4 in TT, and she is realizing how very little material they covered in public school.

 

As a "consolation", her boyfriend, who is a freshman at the local college, just completed his College Algebra course, and he looked over the Teaching Textbook Algebra 2 book and he said it is identical, in coverage, to what he just completed in his College Algebra course!

 

So now D wants to continue with TT (we have it here at home on a trial basis) so she can go on and CLEP the College Algebra test.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Any suggestions? D is not going into the math/science area and has no interest in those fields.

 

Thanks!

[HeatherInWI]

My math-hater seems to like Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1, though he massively disliked Videotext. We're planning to use TT Algebra 2 next year, but supplement it with Life of Fred (as we're doing this year), which my math-lover really likes and which math-hater enjoys reading, but doesn't like doing the work in. However, I'm wondering about the quality of your local college if College Algebra is the equivalent of TT Algebra 2. In choosing curricula for next year, I looked through the scope and sequences for several Algebra 2 programs and this one is fairly standard, offering more information than a few out there, but less than Life of Fred and some others! Of course, I don't know what's in the CLEP algebra test, and if she can get it out the way and her college will accept it, that would be a relief to her. Someone not going into math or science probably won't have much need for higher mathematics!

 

HTH!

 

As a "consolation", her boyfriend, who is a freshman at the local college, just completed his College Algebra course, and he looked over the Teaching Textbook Algebra 2 book and he said it is identical, in coverage, to what he just completed in his College Algebra course!

 

So now D wants to continue with TT (we have it here at home on a trial basis) so she can go on and CLEP the College Algebra test.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Any suggestions? D is not going into the math/science area and has no interest in those fields.

 

Thanks!

[Brindee]

TT sounds like a good program for her! However, TT Algebra 2 is really more like Algebra 1 in other books....MAYBE Algebra 1 1/2. :) It's NOT a bad program, it's just "creative labeling" of their courses. Still, you wouldn't have to tell her that, and it might ease her back into the swing of maths, and help her overcome her phobia! My younger two did TT maths (Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1) and enjoyed them. I'd say it doesn't really matter what level she is in. If she gets it, WANTS to do TT, enjoys it, and it helps her overcome her math phobia, I'd go for it!

 

Did your dd do the placement test? If not, I'd have her do that, just to see where it places her. The placement tests are free on their site.

 

As for it being the same thing covered in College Algebra.....hmmmm, what book did they use in his College Algebra class? I wouldn't bank on it preparing her to ace the College math test, but anything's possible! :)

 

Best wishes!

[cmpet7]

Teaching Textbooks Alg. 2 is fine if you also use Teaching Textbooks Precalculus in the same year. It can be done since it goes slowly. You could easily skip the 1st part of the Alg. 2 book since it's mostly a review of Alg. 1 and then proceed into the Precalculus book. I would not use the Alg. 2 book alone because it doesn't cover a lot of things normally covered in other Alg. 2 texts. It teaches those concepts in Precalculus. My ds finished their Alg. 2 book and tried to go into another text for Precalculus. It was very hard and time consuming because he hadn't been exposed to functions, logs, matrices, etc. I must say though that he definitely understood the material that was presented in the book; it just didn't go far enough to cover a standard Alg. 2 course. Hope this helps. Cathy

[cmpet7]

I just realized I was unclear. Definitely do the 2nd half of Alg. 2 and then proceed to Precalculus to cover the additional topics. If she takes the ACT, those additional topics are needed. Cathy

[distancia]

Thanks, all. Her boyfriend is taking College Algebra at the local community college and he is a very nice math geek who isn't the most motivated person I've met. He said the last 2 weeks of his college algebra class (aka MAC1105) they covered topics he had not learned in Algebra 2 at high school...I guess this is where the TT Pre-Calc comes into play???

 

Today D took the ALEKS assessment test and she rated appx 2/3 through (237 out of 309, or something like that) Intermediate Math, which is a college-level, elective college-credit course preceding College Algebra (doesn't fulfill math credit, but does garner 3 general credits). I believe it is comparable to TT Algebra 2?? Correct me if I am wrong.

 

Tonight D took another look through the TT textbook and went over more of the CD lectures. She is absolutely adamant that her progress--at public school last semester--ended at where TT picks up at chapter 4. There are 15 chapters in TT Algebra 2 you have an idea of where D's class at public school was, midyear--less than 1/3 of the way through TT Algebra 2!!!!.

 

I feel that right now, the most important consideration is my daughter's relationship with her "instructor", and if it takes a "man with a nice voice" to help her overcome her math phobia, then, that's what it takes. My D's education in math has been truly hit-or-miss since 6th grade, and it can't harm her at all to feel confident and comfortable about a firm math foundation. I would rather that she be a bit behind her peers and thoroughly "know her stuff' than be among the 66% of students who, though they were honor students in high school, end up taking remedial math in college.

Edited March 12, 2010 by distancia

[Brindee]

I feel that right now, the most important consideration is my daughter's relationship with her "instructor", and if it takes a "man with a nice voice" to help her overcome her math phobia, then, that's what it takes. My D's education in math has been truly hit-or-miss since 6th grade, and it can't harm her at all to feel confident and comfortable about a firm math foundation. I would rather that she be a bit behind her peers and thoroughly "know her stuff' than be among the 66% of students who, though they were honor students in high school, end up taking remedial math in college.

:iagree: That's what we have done--worked at the level my kids need, not some arbitrary level someone else assigns! Sometimes they're ahead, sometimes behind. My kids grew up not caring what "grade" of curriculum they used. We called it levels, not grades, and they knew they were working on that level because that's where they NEEDED to work! Once they move on it's because they KNOW what they're doing, not because it's time for the next grade!

 

You're wise to see that, and follow through with it! I think she'll do great! And, as you can see, she'll be ahead of where she would be in school!

[Mejane]

I just realized I was unclear. Definitely do the 2nd half of Alg. 2 and then proceed to Precalculus to cover the additional topics. If she takes the ACT, those additional topics are needed. Cathy

 

Agree. Math-hating daughter did TT, and tested into college algebra and/or statistics, so it does turn out successful math students.

[kiana]

I feel that right now, the most important consideration is my daughter's relationship with her "instructor", and if it takes a "man with a nice voice" to help her overcome her math phobia, then, that's what it takes. My D's education in math has been truly hit-or-miss since 6th grade, and it can't harm her at all to feel confident and comfortable about a firm math foundation. I would rather that she be a bit behind her peers and thoroughly "know her stuff' than be among the 66% of students who, though they were honor students in high school, end up taking remedial math in college.

 

This is 100% right. If she can place into College Algebra or higher with a firm foundation and ready to move forward with understanding, it's a lot better than having a half-knowledge of all of HS math due to racing through to "get done".

[creekland]

Your ps math sounds just like the place I work at. The community college class sounds similar too. It's sad, but your assessment is correct. While there are several math programs out there that are good, I've chosen TT for my own math talented kids and they have done well on college entrance exams (top 3% and top 1% nationally).

 

Go ahead and let her use TT Alg 2 - as quickly as she wants. But yes, be sure she gets through TT Pre-Calc before college, too, as there are needed concepts in there.

 

My youngest has now decided he wants to go back to ps next year (9th grade). Hubby and I shudder, but we've come to the conclusion we will let him as long as we do TT math and additional science in an afterschooling program so he actually gets an education in those subjects! (Our science programs get through approx 1/3 to 1/2 the course and calls it a credit too. I don't.)

 

If I had my preference, we'd keep the youngest home since my older two have demonstrated they can academically do better at home, but I don't want him in therapy 20 years down the road claiming we ruined his life by not letting him go to ps. We're having to compromise.