Upper level math

[MaryCatherine]

When I first started homeschooling my boys, we used Abeka for everything. A friend of mine had a lot that she gave to me so that was the biggest selling point! My son did great with Abeka math (grade 2), but the more forum-reading I did - well, then I started curriculum hopping. We finally settled on MUS and have been very pleased with the elem levels. My oldest is about to start pre-alg and I'm wanting to look around again for upper level math. I don't know that he's going into a science career. I think my oldest is slightly ahead of his age; my younger is slightly behind his age, so I doubt they'll be using the same program during high school. I'm not oeverly scared to teach a math - I was good at math and am now an RN, but my background isn't huge.

 

Can you just share what you use now, used in the past, why changes were made, etc. Just whatever else you'd like to share. I'd love to hear any opinions about Abeka upper levels if anyone has used that.

 

I appreciate any feedback.

 

Anne

[Susan C.]

I don't like A Beka math. We use BJU, though. If you like MUS and your boys do well with it, I would stay with it! Math is very hard to find a good fit, and if you have, I wouldn't change anything.

[Sunshine State Sue]

We used MUS from K through Algebra. I loved it in the elementary years, but found it lacking in the high school levels. This year, we are doing Foerster's Algebra, next year will be Jacobs' Geometry, then back to Foerster's until CC or university.

[Brindee]

It can depend on what kind of learner they are. My oldest ds did Video Text Algebra. He liked it and did well. My middle child, ds16, is a funny guy and loves stories, so he did Life of Fred Beginning and Advanced Algebra in 9th, and loved it! He's taking Geometry this year, and will do a different Algebra 2 next year in a Christian school he is now going to. My dd had a bad experience with one math curriculum. She could do the work, but she just hated the set-up. I was told to make her push through, so I did, and it wasn't the right thing to do in her situation. Finally about 3/4 of the way through it I let her stop. She went from being a bit ahead in math (Saxon Math 76 at 9yo), and liking it, to hating math and having no confidence in her ability! It hit her hard for some reason, so we've been "going wide"--doing things she already basically knows how to do, but thinks she doesn't, but can, so it helps build her confidence. (get that? :) ) Now she's doing TT Algebra 1, and when she finishes she'll go straight into TT Algebra 2. This will probably take the rest of this year, some work over the summer (2 or 3 days a week), and next year to finish the 2. Then she'll do a Geometry--maybe TT, then maybe TT Pre-Calc, then a different Pre-Calc program.

 

Each child's learning style is different. What works for one won't work for another. Some are more rigorous, some are slower and more methodical. TT has DVD's and and step-by-step answers for every single problem and test. This is what dd needs right now. She needs a program on DVD as well, and asked for TT.

 

So, depending on what your child needs, there are many things to fit the bill! LOTS of curriculum available these days! Best wishes!

Edited May 8, 2010 by Brindee
Clarified Algebra 2 as TT