LoF Algebra - anyone else feel like this poster?

[InHisGrip]

AHASRADA said this in another thread "Unfortunately, we chose to use LoF this year as his first introduction to Algebra, and he is getting lost. I wish I had used a step-by-step foundational program first, then used LoF for application. Oh well, time to backtrack :)."

 

That kind of makes sense to me and I was wondering if any others had that same experience. I am really struggling with what to do with my son who has a very good grasp of fractions, percents, etc. He is in 6th grade now. I've thought about pre-algebra, but then wondered if he could just go ahead with algebra and take it very slowly. He's used Saxon for the last several years and has done well with it, but I thought LoF would be a refreshing change and have been reading reviews and posts to get more info. But, that post did stand out to me and make me wonder....

[johnandtinagilbert]

AHASRADA said this in another thread "Unfortunately, we chose to use LoF this year as his first introduction to Algebra, and he is getting lost. I wish I had used a step-by-step foundational program first, then used LoF for application. Oh well, time to backtrack :)."

 

That kind of makes sense to me and I was wondering if any others had that same experience. I am really struggling with what to do with my son who has a very good grasp of fractions, percents, etc. He is in 6th grade now. I've thought about pre-algebra, but then wondered if he could just go ahead with algebra and take it very slowly. He's used Saxon for the last several years and has done well with it, but I thought LoF would be a refreshing change and have been reading reviews and posts to get more info. But, that post did stand out to me and make me wonder....

My son, the avid reader, loves FRED and hasn't been lost a bit. FWIW, he hates Singapore, but loves Saxon or Rod & Staff b/c its so incremental, it takes the "thinking" out of math for him. He loves Fred and has actually only asked me one question since he began using it...he's on lesson 60 now.

 

OTOH, I use the approach mentioned in your quote for my younger daughter....I'll teach her in Singapore, then we'll hit Fred for application...at least for now. We'll see when she gets to Algebra.

[patchfire]

We love LoF, but I think it's best for a certain type of brain. I don't know how to put it other than that. For my dd, it was a delightful algebra course that she understood easily. I already suspect it might not be my ds's cuppa, and he's doing K/1st math... I can just tell.

 

So... for some kids, yes, I think it woudl absolutely be the case. But for others, it'll work just fine on its own. I'm sure that was horribly unhelpful. :)

[InHisGrip]

Tina and patchfire, thanks for your responses. I think you are right, patchfire - it is just going to depend on how he does with the material taught that way. I haven't even had him look at the sample pages yet, so I think that is the next step to see if he gives any kind of strong reaction one way or another.

[elegantlion]

We are using LOF pre-algebra now, moving into LOF Beginning Algebra next year. I'm working through the algebra myself. This will be our fourth book in the LOF series, so we are familiar with the approach. My son is mathy, but a delayed reader so we do the work together. Like many other curriculum, I think LOF works for a certain type of learner.

 

I can see how it might be confusing to start with algebra with LOF if you are used to a different approach. It's different, but I see my son applying math in the "real life" (as real as KITTENS university is) of Fred, not simply solving a large group of math problems.

[LizzyBee]

Yes, I found with my 13 yo that it's better to use LOF to expand her understanding, not as her first introduction to a concept. I think LOF is great for kids who can infer information to solve problems. For kids who need explicit teaching of every jot and tittle, LOF may be better used as a supplement rather than primary text.

[galtgrl]

Yes, I found with my 13 yo that it's better to use LOF to expand her understanding, not as her first introduction to a concept. I think LOF is great for kids who can infer information to solve problems. For kids who need explicit teaching of every jot and tittle, LOF may be better used as a supplement rather than primary text. Yes, I found with my 13 yo that it's better to use LOF to expand her understanding, not as her first introduction to a concept. I think LOF is great for kids who can infer information to solve problems. For kids who need explicit teaching of every jot and tittle, LOF may be better used as a supplement rather than primary text. Today 03:43 PM

 

:iagree:

We came to a similar conclusion with oldest dd, while my 2nd dd had no trouble making the leap and preferred Fred to Saxon Alg., but she's much more intuitive with math than the elder. HTH.

[AHASRADA]

Yes, I found with my 13 yo that it's better to use LOF to expand her understanding, not as her first introduction to a concept. I think LOF is great for kids who can infer information to solve problems. For kids who need explicit teaching of every jot and tittle, LOF may be better used as a supplement rather than primary text.

 

:iagree: Since I'm the one who kind of caused the OP's doubts about LoF, I felt I should chime in. LizzyBee said exactly what I meant. My son is an avid reader, loves the story line of Fred, the crazy word problems, etc. He did very well with Fractions and Decimals & Percents (which he was already familiar with). But, Algebra being Algebra, he just needed more explicit instruction and practice working with the equations to cement the concepts before applying them to the word problems. Likely, the biggest problem is that I am not able to help him, since I never passed Alg. I myself. If dh is around to help clarify something, great, if not, we're both lost. He didn't have that much trouble until he hit factoring. There are so many different approaches, depending on if he is working with binomials, trinomials, difference of squares, etc., that he has a hard time keeping them straight, and Fred just keeps plowing ahead. Dh is helping him with this now, so I'm hoping we can get over this hump and finish the book by the end of the year. I just hate to see him becoming frustrated and taking so long to work through the problems, since I don't want him beginning to dislike Fred (which used to be his favorite part of the day). For this reason, I wish I had set a foundation first, so he could thoroughly enjoy LoF as a practice, extension and new way of applying what he knows, rather than trying to learn the concepts at the same time.

 

BTW, ds does not infer well, he has a hard time applying what he knows to new situations, so this could be part of the problem. If the word problem is very similar to the example, fine, but if it is completely different, he is lost.

 

HTH,

[LaurieinCA]

We always have used LOF for review after completing a more traditional curriculum, usually in the summer. I personally prefer this approach. For example, my kids completed LOF Fractions after Singapore 5/Saxon 54, LOF Decimals & Percents after Singapore 6/Saxon 76, and are going to complete LOF Algebra this summer after the first half of AOPS Introduction to Algebra (now on chapter 14 of this book, which is the last chapter covered in a "traditional" Algebra I program). HTH!

[Heather in VA]

Both my kids are having no trouble with LOF but as others have said, like any other curriculum it's student dependent. I highly recommend LOF pre-algebra. It's my favorite of the books we've used so far (Fractions through Geometry). It is so good. My middle dd did pre-algebra this year and it about 1/3 through Beginning Algebra now. She's not having any issues. I do think going through the pre-algebra book helped the transition.

 

Heather

[Sunshine State Sue]

We used LoF Algebra last year. I have a degree in math and ds is naturally good at math. LoF was difficult for him. I think part of it was horrmones, but part of it was that although the story was amusing, the lesson got lost in it. He'd be laughing up a storm reading about Fred, but when it came time to THINK, he just got frustrated.

[SilverMoon]

We love LoF, but I think it's best for a certain type of brain. I don't know how to put it other than that. For my dd, it was a delightful algebra course that she understood easily. I already suspect it might not be my ds's cuppa, and he's doing K/1st math... I can just tell.

 

So... for some kids, yes, I think it woudl absolutely be the case. But for others, it'll work just fine on its own. I'm sure that was horribly unhelpful. :)

 

:iagree: I have one kid who adores Fred and understands new concepts in those books easily. She's a pretty math kid, but more average in language arts. When all her schoolwork is done for the day she'll do more math for the fun of it. Her brother on the other hand is very strong in language arts, but not very mathy. He likes Fred, but often needs extra explanations, and most certainly needs more practice problems than Fred provides. He can't use Fred as a regular supplement to his main math book because it quickly bogs him down. Fred as a refresher, at a time when his main math book can be totally set aside, seems to work.

[Cindyg]

Can't answer your question since we use LOF as enrichment to BJUP. But my son feels that he loves and "gets" LOF and, conversely, hates BJUP. I want to emphasize that he *feels* this way. It is entire possible that without the BJUP background he'd be a bit lost in LOF too. That's the part of your question I can't answer because we've never used LOF exclusively.

 

But we LOVE LoF and are very glad to have found it. We will be continuing it to the end of the series, I'm sure!

[Brindee]

:iagree: I have one kid who adores Fred and understands new concepts in those books easily. She's a pretty math kid, but more average in language arts. When all her schoolwork is done for the day she'll do more math for the fun of it. Her brother on the other hand is very strong in language arts, but not very mathy. He likes Fred, but often needs extra explanations, and most certainly needs more practice problems than Fred provides. He can't use Fred as a regular supplement to his main math book because it quickly bogs him down. Fred as a refresher, at a time when his main math book can be totally set aside, seems to work.

:001_smile:This is what my two who have used LoF are like! My ds16 went through LoF Beginning and Advanced Algebra his Freshman year. He loved it! He loved the humor, and the algebra stuff just came with his like of Fred! The last part of the Advanced Algebra he needed some help from dh---may actually off and on the last half of the book. It was GOOD for him! In fact, it went so well for him, he thought he'd need to do another Algebra 2, but he DOES know the Algebra 2 stuff after all! :D

 

DD did the Decimals & Percents and Fractions books with Singapore 5a and 5b. She liked it fine. She liked it okay, but nothing like ds did!

[InHisGrip]

Thanks so much for everyone's input. I let him look at the sample yesterday and he was very excited about the idea of doing math the Fred way as a break after using Saxon the last few years.

 

I was a little disappointed, though, to see that there is no home companion with this book - for some reason, I didn't notice that yesterday. Oh, well. I think this will be a refreshing change.

[Sunshine State Sue]

I was a little disappointed, though, to see that there is no home companion with this book - for some reason, I didn't notice that yesterday. Oh, well. I think this will be a refreshing change.

There is a Home Companion for Algebra. Weren't you talking about Algebra? :confused:

[InHisGrip]

There is a Home Companion for Algebra. Weren't you talking about Algebra? :confused:

 

Yes, I was. I'm confused. :glare: I am wavering between having him go into pre-algebra or beginning algebra. Yesterday, I was thinking Beginning Algebra, today I'm thinking pre. Sorry about that!

[nmoira]

Yes, I was. I'm confused. :glare: I am wavering between having him go into pre-algebra or beginning algebra. Yesterday, I was thinking Beginning Algebra, today I'm thinking pre. Sorry about that!

The pre-algebra book doesn't need a Home Companion: worked solutions for every problem are contained in the book.

[InHisGrip]

The pre-algebra book doesn't need a Home Companion: worked solutions for every problem are contained in the book.

 

O.K. Thanks - I understand the difference now.

 

Does anyone have any advice on whether to skip pre-alg or go right into beginning algebra? As I said, he is very comfortable with percents, decimals, fractions, etc. and has been for quite some time. We do math (and everything) pretty laid back around here (35 minutes or so a day), so if I put him in beginning algebra, I am prepared to go as slowly as he needs to really get it. Any thoughts?

[Heather in VA]

He's young enough that I don't think it would be a waste of time to do the pre-algebra book. It doesn't take a whole year and it really is a good book and also introduces some basic algebra at the end. I had the same 'which should I do' question and while I think she would have been ok if we had just taken the algebra book more slowly, I'm glad we did pre-algebra first and now she's quite confident in the Algebra book.

 

Heather

[InHisGrip]

Thanks, Heather - I had e-mailed the author to ask his opinion and he also recommended that my son do the pre-algebra book along with the next pre-algebra book coming out in a couple of months. That's kind of my style, anyway - we don't push too much around here.

 

Thanks, all, for the help!