A math question for you all...

[Laurie4b]

We are happy with the Chalkdust program. It uses broadly accepted texts, there is a solution manual available for each course, the DVD instruction is clear, and best of all, Mr. Mosely is very accessible via email if you get stuck. I feel like I bought a math teacher.

 

I got through teaching Algebra I with my kids, but the fact is that I just don't remember enough higher math to really teach well. Mr. Mosely does teach well. There are no bells and whistles. He is at a chalkboard giving a lecture just like he would be giving in a high school classroom. My kids (one not mathy and the other bound for engineering school if my guess is right) have both done well with Chalkdust. Mr. Mosely will explain stuff via phone that you don't "get" if there is a problem. He will even help the teacher with lesson planning. (Non-math ds would have taken forever to do all the problems. Mr. Mosely provided me with a syllabus that covered what was necessary and sufficient only.)

[Nan in Mass]

Older son:

K-4 in public school with Chicago, a disaster

5 Saxon, but Saxon chopped it up into such little pieces that although he got most of the problems right, he was totally unable to apply his math, scary

6-8 Singapore Primary math 3-6, which "fixed" him so he could think mathematically and apply his math, despite consistently getting half the problems wrong

9 Singapore NEM1 with a pause after chapter 4 to do Keys to Algebra 1-3 because it was "hard remember all those little rules" (as my son put it), still getting half the problems wrong

10 NEM2 Halfway through he placed into pre-calc on the community college placement exams

11 NEM3 This was easier than NEM2. He's been getting 3/4 of the problems right and we managed fine without the solutions guide (which we really needed for the first 2 and don't exist for 3 and 4).

12 Just signed him up for CC pre-calc, since I'm not grading and colleges probably want to see proof that he can do math.

 

NEM is "interesting". It presents all the algebra very fast at the beginning of the each book, and then you spend the rest of the book practising it with geometry. It does contain some proofs, but not formal ones. It is difficult to make the transition from PM6 to NEM1 if the child hasn't been showing his work in PM. There were some great posts recently about this, if you are interested. NEM1 has a chapter that is helpful for making this transition, provided you recognize it for what it is and use it that way. (I didn't with the first child, although I did eventually make him show his work.) This problem probably doesn't exist in Singapore, where the teachers know what the work is supposed to look like all at each stage. It is important that children be made to think about the problem like the bubble children in PM, and then show their work just like the examples in NEM. Despite these problems, I really like NEM. It teaches how to think.

 

-Nan

[Storm Bay]

We've made it through Algebra 1. What we love are 2 books. The Dolciani Jane loves so dearly and Gelfand's Algebra that Charon used to recommend on the old boards under his former board name. That said, I would say that Gelfand's lends itself to kids who enjoy the theory part of Algebra.

 

We did try Jacob's, but dd and I found it boring and Lial's. Honestly, she liked Lial's Introductory Algebra and did fairly well with it. However, IMO, texts that address the theory and thinking behind math tend to lend themselves better to classical education. What I would not recommend in light of Classical Education is Teaching Textbooks.

 

As for elementary school, my eldest did fine with Saxon, but I found it boring, and my younger two are using Primary Mathematics (aka Singapore Math). We do tweak this, particularly in light of some of Myrtles suggestions, and I'm about to order a new book out that addresses teaching this.

[Storm Bay]

Where does one get the new Dolciani books? I have to start investigating this, for my mathy and future engineer boy.

Thankfully, both parents here are engineers, so algebra doesn't scare us at all.

 

We bought one used through Amazon. It's hard to say how it would work for your ds at first. Based on the experience of a friend of mine, who learned math first in French from his grandparents, you may wish to give him a transition to get used to doing math in English if you choose this route. He was younger than your ds, but because he was thinking math in French, he didn't always understand the teacher at first despite being bilingual. Once he was able to think math in English, too, he did well.

[pianoplayer]

because my husband was a college math major who is very comfortable with teaching all of our children's high school math, including advanced math concepts. Otherwise, I am quite sure I would be looking 'round for help!

 

So . . . we do other subjects during the day, and hubby does math at night with the kids individually. It makes for a busy evening for him, but his help in this area is invaluable!

[Nikita]

My 13yo is currently using NSM1 (Singapore) which was his choice after doing Singapore's PM. We do go over the lessons together, and I'm not sure it will be workable all through high school since there's no solutions manual. (I'm not math-phobic, but high school math was a long time ago!) If it's not working, then either we'll hire a tutor to work with him, still using NSM, or switch to Jacob's/Foerster.

 

I try to expose him to broader math topics through other literature, because he's a big picture kind of kid and while I did very well studying traditional high school math, I discovered a real love for it by reading about other types of math as an adult.

 

Nikita

[Hoggirl]

We used Saxon through 7/6 and then switched to Chalkdust for Pre-Algebra last year. We are finishing up Algebra I this year, and I have Chalkdust Geometry on the shelf for next year. I cannot overemphasize the terrific level of customer service with this program. Professor Mosely usually responds to e-mails within a couple of hours! We have not had a lot of questions to ask (that will change next year with Geometry ~ I hated it and, as such, have practically no recollection of it AT ALL), but when we do, he has replied quickly and thoroughly. My ds is on the younger and so somewhat accelerated. However, this program has still worked remarkably well for him. The teaching of Professor Mosely on the DVDs is outstanding. I plan to carry on through all the courses available.

[Mama Lynx]

We're not at high school yet, but here are our plans:

 

My husband excels in math. After I take the kids through Right Start and Singapore 1-6, he takes over. He will tutor them from pre-algebra through calculus, or whatever.

 

Right now our plan is to use an older (1965) Dolciani algebra text, and to include Euclid with geometry.

[Moira in MA]

For my eldest I've used Jacobs for Algebra I and Geometry, then switched to Foerster for Algebra II and (next year) Precalculus and Trig and presumably Calculus the year after. We switched because Jacobs recommends Foersters texts to follow his.

 

We have always done math at home, but I took Math at University before becoming a Computer Science Major so there is no math phobia here and outsourcing hasn't been necessary.

 

My youngest is following the same path. However, since I liked Foerster so much for Algebra II, I took a look at his Algebra I. I decided it was too much, too soon. I also looked at Dolciani but felt it didn't cover the material as interestingly as Jacobs (sorry, Jane in NC).

 

I really think there are many good ways to cover the material. Once you have found a way that fits, I really think it is consistency that is important. And math, like any other language, needs to be tackled daily for success.

 

HTH, but can I ask the reason for the question?

[Mommyfaithe]

I'm really curious to learn what math strategies you're all pursuing with your high school students. What program are you using? Or did you go the tutorial route? Or the co-op route...or community college...or online course?

 

Let me know what's working.

 

SWB

 

For my Oldest dd...a Graphic Design Major (Grad next month w/ BA and a 3.8 GPA!) I used Saxon all the way through. She hated it...I hated it...she passed all her college math...done.

 

DD # 2 same story

 

Oldest DS We used Saxon through Algebra 1...He caved. We switched to Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 and he loved it...it took way too long to finish, but he is almost done. I am afraid I've ruined him for life...but I have been know to exagerate....sigh. He is using Life of Fred Geometry and I will probably use Chalkdust SAT Prep Math CD's over the summer and the fall in prep for his SAT.

 

DS# 2 used Saxon up until Pre- Alg. (1/2) He would literally cry when he saw the book!!! I switched him to Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 in 7th grade and he is finishing up Algebra 2 (with his older brother...sigh...) this spring.

For the fall I signed him up for Veritas press Scholar's Online Geometry class which used Jacobs. If this works out we will continue with their progression which is Foersters Alg. 2 and then Pre- Calc/ Trig

If it doesn't then I will probably find another Online source for math (or go the CC route.) This son is very science oriented...my older children are all artsy/ jockish....IOW not really math people

 

For my younger children, I have found BJU math...and we love it! Just the right blend of spiral and mastery...lots of manipulatives work, but not too much...colorful, but not distracting, drill, but not drill and kill...Did I say I love it?? My kids do too!!

I have used grades 1-4 and will continue through until the 8th grade book, where we will then use an online tutorial. I still have a few years before we have to decide for her.

 

I am not a math-ish Mom...and I go through my yearly rant...cry for help..... I just do not have the time to pursue a higher level of math education for myself right now. I am homeschooling 5 kids, operating my husbands business from home and I like to sleep once in a while....So, even though I would like to know EVERYTHING, I have recognized my limitations and will let the experts teach the math courses. I only wish the better Math books had DVD's with them and full solution manuals.

 

Oh, as an aside, I have found lots of math lectures on You Tube too

 

Oh...give me a good book to teach...or a paper to edit....or a painting to stare at....

 

 

Good Luck

~~Faithe

[langfam]

For years we had used Saxon exclusively...since K.

 

DS#1 continues to use Saxon and is now almost finished with Advanced Math. I taught him through Saxon Alg II, but went to the DIVE CD for Adv. Math. We were not happy with it. Sometimes explanations were not clear or Dr. Shorman skipped sections and didn't teach the same examples in the book. Switched over to www.teachingtape.com The teacher, Paige Singleton, is a certified HS math teacher and really excellent. Her teaching is very clear and concise. Her presentation is neat and easy to follow. She teaches the exact examples in the text. I highly recommend her for Saxon users.

This DS is my mathy one and applies math in his "fun" projects, whatever they might be...computer programming, 3D computer modeling, etc. He probably would have done just as well with any math program

 

DD used Saxon till Adv. Math 1 (half of book) but I began to notice that although she scored well (96 final score), she had trouble solving problems outside the Saxon text. She had memorized the processes, but had little problem solving ability. This week she completed TT Geometry and made the comment recently that this course has helped her with the geometry questions on the SAT practice tests.

 

Interestingly, both DS#1 and DD when they took the PSAT last Oct. (and had only completed half the Saxon Adv. Math book at the time), did comparatively poorer on the geometry questions than the algebra questions.

 

A comment by the math coordinator on forum of Kolbe Academy piqued my interest: that students in their school using the Saxon program might score over 700 (SAT) in all the sections except the math scores dipped into the 500s.

 

I think for me, I continued to use Saxon because it is easy me to teach and implement. Also, easy for DC to score well on their tests, so I never questioned the program.

 

It was when my husband's school piloted Saxon for the county that red flags went up for me. He taught 5/4 that year to his 4th graders. Scores for the CRCT were 98 percentile for computation, but 54 percentile for problem solving. The county decided against Saxon.

 

Testing my own DC, it became clear to me that some could not problem solve well. My mathy kids could, but my non-mathy ones had relied on memorized processes to get the answers, so were never challenged to find new and different ways to problem solve.

 

I'm not saying that Saxon can never work. I'm only saying that it didn't serve some of my DC well.

 

DD & DS#1 have been using Chalkdust's SAT Math review. I have been so impressed with Dana Mosely that DD will do his Precalculus course and DS#1 will do his Calculus 1 course next year. DC will take the SAT May 3 so we'll see how they do.....

 

DS#2 not mathy at all. Hated Saxon Alg 1/2. He's doing Jacob's Elem. Alg this year slowly and not very well. I think he'll benefit from redoing Alg 1, but I haven't decide what. I'm reluctant to use Chalkdust for him because of the college textbook.

 

DS#3 my gifted one uses Saxon 7/6 supplemented with Singapore. He'll use Lial's BCM next year.

 

DS#4 uses Horizons with Singapore.

 

HTHs...this is our experience.

[gardenschooler]

We've had great success with Lial's Introductory Algebra, so we're planning on continuing with it for Intermediate Algebra & Precalculus. I can actually self-teach/refresh myself using the Lial's texts, so that's a big plus for me in not having to spend the money on a video-based program (plus, I can get everything I need for Lial's used for about $20-30, total). Next year, we'll do Jacobs' Geometry before continuing with the Lial's.

For calculus, we'll go with a class. :) I know my limits.

[Guest Katia]

Teaching Textbooks for high school here.

 

18yo senior this year:

9th - Saxon Algebra I (didn't finish - didn't understand)

10th - Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2

11th - Teaching Textbooks Geometry

12th - Life of Fred Advanced Algebra

Life of Fred Geometry

 

She didn't have to do the Life of Fred in 12th grade. She wasn't going to do any math, but we found these books and she LOVES them and feels she is finally understanding math.

 

15yo 10th grader this year:

8th - Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1

9th - Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2

10th - Teaching Textbooks Geometry

Life of Fred Advanced Algebra

Plans for:

11th - Teaching Textbooks Trig/PreCalc (because she likes TT)

Life of Fred Geometry

12th - Life of Fred Trigonometry

Life of Fred Calculus (if she has time)

 

We are having great success with Teaching Textbooks. Good ACT scores, good PSAT scores (not great, but better than we had ever hoped for), and younger dd is scoring terrific on ITED.

 

Nice thing is "I" don't have to teach at all; the courses are self-teaching. Wish I had found Life of Fred first. We would have skipped Teaching Textbooks altogether.

[Rebecca in VA]

My son, who is now 17, used VideoText for Algebra I and Algebra II. He tested directly into Pre-Calculus at his classical Christian school in 10th grade. My husband, who has a degree in electrical engineering and is a nuclear-trained engineer for the Navy, thought highly of this program.

 

I tried to have my daughter, who is 11 and who finished Rod & Staff Math 8 last fall, use VideoText Module A (Prealgebra). However, she was skittish about starting Algebra, and I haven't had time to sit down and work with her this year, so she's going back over 7th grade material using a different program (just for review purposes; we were more than satisfied with what she learned in R&S).

[WTMCassandra]

I'm not quite there yet, but I'm planning to do Professor B Algebra 1 and 2. Inbetween I plan to do Videotext Interactive Geometry. I'm not sure what to do for trig.

[Melissa in Australia]

we are using Saxon and are happy with it. we are 1/2 way through algebra 1 with my 14 year old.

MelissaL

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Thanks to all of you. This is fascinating!

 

SWB

[Jean in Wisc]

For the child that thinks math makes sense, I love the Lial's math series. We used Basic College Mathematics (overview of math from long division through pre-algebra), Introductory Algebra, and Intermediate Algebra. The paper back books have a better format than the hard back books (practice problems in the sidebar).

 

I used Jacob's geometry with my oldest child. She did O.K. with it, but thought it hard to use after the logical setup of Lial's books. If I could do it over, we'd stay with Lial's for geometry, but since I had a copy of Jacob's Geometry on hand, we chose to use that.

 

For the child who sees all math as a foreign language, Lial's books have worked well only if I sit with the child each day and do the lessons with him (BCM and Intro). Since we are running out of time (he will be 21 before he sees pre-calc at this rate), we moved to Teaching Textbooks for Geometry this year. It is not a program I would give a mathy kid...but it is wonderful for the child who struggles!

[lllll]

..

[lllll]

..

[Cheryl B in VA]

DS is finishing 10th grade and this is what he has done and is planning to do:

 

Algebra 1 in 6th grade using Videotext

 

Algebra 2 in 8th grade using Teaching Textbooks (we skipped a year on many subjects and unschooled because he was so far ahead)

 

Geometry at the public school. Interesting note: He had to take the SOLs for Algebra 1 & 2. He passed BUT there were a few math topics on the test that were not covered yet in TT. These topics are taught eventually in TT but later than our public school teaches them.

 

Son came back home this year and we tried doing precalculus using the Chalkdust textbook and Dr. Burger's lectures (Thinkwell) through Hotmath. It didn't work. DS needs to do the higher level math in a classroom setting with a teacher that knows how to do it. (My highest math was Trig/Math Analysis and I got Cs and Ds.)

 

For next year son is requesting to take his math class at the local public school. Homeschoolers can take up to two classes at the PS. This is not my first choice - I gave him many options. His choices were:

public school, community college, homeschool class of precalc (meets twice a week), online class, Teaching Textbooks.

 

Second DS starts Algebra 1 next year. I have not yet settled on what will be the right curriculum for him.

[Sandy in Indy]

DS has done TT Alg 1 and 2, Chalkdust Geometry (which he thoroughly disliked) and is currently working on TT Pre-calc. I think we will use Ask Dr. Callahan's Calculus course. (Mom here is NOT math-inclined and we just don't have the $$ for tutors or college courses. Unlike other enlightened states, IN really doesn't have a community college system--Ivy Tech would be the closest thing. And there's no tuition break for high school students.)

 

DS has taken the SAT once and got a respectable score. He's studying for a second sitting, using Chalkdust SAT Math Review (again).

[HS mom]

My daughter is good with math; picks up concepts and integrates them quickly. In fact, I'd encourage her in a math field- the bump in that road is that she doesn't much enjoy it. She loves writing, history, biology, music, and dance. So when we reached high school level, we went with Math U See rather than the NEM (Singapore Math) we started with. I enjoyed Singapore; she did too. It's clearly written and teaches and explains concepts better than anything else I've seen. The problems are interesting. But there is a lot of math involved. It's overkill for my daughter. She's learned it, it's cemented in her mind- she wants to move on. Math U See fit her style and goals perfectly. It's a good and thorough program if she decides to pursue a field in science. She doesn't have to spend long parts of her day on math problems, but can put her energy and time into the subjects and interests she wants to explore.

[CLHCO]

We did a couple years of Singapore, quite a few of Saxon, supplemented with other popular things at the time, then settled on Math U See.

 

I put off that one for a long time due to the cost but now I think I'd have saved in the long run. My daughters have always struggled in math. It finally clicked with Math U See and we will stick with it.

 

I personally like Singapore for my style of teaching/learning. Saxon seemed like it would work better for them due to the repetition, which they needed. However, I now think Math U See is worth every penny for a child who really struggles in math, though I don't look at it as superior overall.

 

My goal is to prepare them for taking college Algebra at our local community college. I haven't figured out yet what level of Math U See they'll need to be ready for that. If I can get them college credit for it I'll then probably let them drop math, other than a consumer math program, depending on their future goals and needs.

[langfam]

The reason why DS#2 hated Saxon Alg.1/2 was that he couldn't work with the incremental method, namely the unsystematic way of jumping from topic to topic. This DC could not see how one concept connected to the other. It was like a big puzzle that he couldn't put together.

 

Alg 1/2 came to a crashing halt around the lessons in the 50s when percent, ratio and proportion were introduced. At this point, I had to stop and teach those topics separately, so he could see the whole picture. Only then could we move on.

 

Another thing this DC had trouble with was the large complex computations in certain problems. I think it was questions that covered perimeter/area/volume. He would get so caught up in computations (no calculator allowed for Alg. 1/2) that he would lose sight of the concept he was supposed to be learning.

 

He did learn signed numbers very well from this text though.

 

Again, I want to say that this is just my perspective for this child.

[lllll]

We are also reading aloud history of math books (from our encyclopedias, Smith, Cajori, etc.). We spend about 15 min on it at some point during our group math time. We'll insert a primary source at the point at which it comes in the math hist. bk. They summarize and insert it into their math notebooks. We'll also do bio's when we can find good ones. They do this in all their other subjects, why should math be any different.

 

They were reading the math hist. books by themselves, but getting bogged down in the detailed math which is inserted every so often. So we are now reading it together and stopping more often.

 

We also have plenty of other math books around to cross-reference a topic, find extra problems, etc. I figure we've spent so many years emphasizing lang. arts type things (grammar, writing, history, etc.), maybe it's time to do the same for math. WTM it.

 

Finally going home (after a disastrous computer day).

 

Thanks again Susan,

Kathy P

[djkapp]

I'm new to this board so I probably don't have much new insight, but here is our experience so far. We are in the early stages of high school (9th, 10th). So far I've tried Teaching Textbooks for AlgebraI and Algebra II-- definitely not satisfied with them as an option for college-bound, math-bright students. Currently my two older daughters are using Jacob's Geometry. I like it very much and find that it is quite challenging but also approachable enough that they can understand the lessons.

My 8th grade daughter has tried several algebra programs, but we have ended up going back to Saxon for her. She simply needs the extra drill and continual reinforcement and review that the Saxon approach provides. Next year, I'm planning to move to the Lial's algebra books -- Introductory for my son, Intermediate for my 10th grader, and college algebra w/trig for my oldest. We'll see!

[Charon]

We are also reading aloud history of math books (from our encyclopedias, Smith, Cajori, etc.). We spend about 15 min on it at some point during our group math time. We'll insert a primary source at the point at which it comes in the math hist. bk. They summarize and insert it into their math notebooks. We'll also do bio's when we can find good ones. They do this in all their other subjects, why should math be any different.

 

They were reading the math hist. books by themselves, but getting bogged down in the detailed math which is inserted every so often. So we are now reading it together and stopping more often.

 

We also have plenty of other math books around to cross-reference a topic, find extra problems, etc. I figure we've spent so many years emphasizing lang. arts type things (grammar, writing, history, etc.), maybe it's time to do the same for math. WTM it.

 

Finally going home (after a disastrous computer day).

 

Thanks again Susan,

Kathy P

 

 

Incidentally, this would not be the first time someone has said that math should include a little more math history. I had no idea who Cajori was until Myrtle turned me on to him. That is a miscarriage of justice! ;oP Cajori is a good read when it comes to math education and math in general -- it is both relevant and important to this very day. I wish I had time to read more of that guy. Math isn't supposed to be some cult like it is these days. It is supposed to be transparent. And, I think the lack of history is one key ingredient that enables the mystics to obfuscate what math is and has always consistently been for longer than even the classics have existed. Most highly trained mathematicians are woefully ignorant of even the last 50 years of math education or even mathematics! Even people out of Princeton or MIT often just know the current state of mathematics. Professors at Princeton or MIT just know how it all happened during their career as a mathematician. In philosophy, by contrast, the History of Ideas is just as prominent as the Problems of Philosophy.

 

We all, especially mathematicians, need to stop taking this for granted. There is more to math than just the next big theorem. But a million dollars for anything from P vs NP to real progress on Navier Stokes Equations is a hard thing to resist. Unfortunately, no one is there to tie Odysseus to the mast....

[Kareni]

For calculus, we'll go with a class. :) I know my limits.

 

This made me chuckle! Math humor (intentional or not).

 

Regards,

Kareni

[gardenschooler]

This made me chuckle! Math humor (intentional or not).

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

ROFLOL. It wasn't intentional, but I get it now. Hey, I do know calculus! :lol:

[Beth in SW WA]

We are happy with the Chalkdust program. It uses broadly accepted texts, there is a solution manual available for each course, the DVD instruction is clear, and best of all, Mr. Mosely is very accessible via email if you get stuck. I feel like I bought a math teacher.

 

CD is our plan also. Prof. Mosely is wonderful. DS 12 is doing fantastic w/ PreAlg. Starting Alg 1 this summer. Expensive program -- but -- you can buy the program used on the board here. I just bought Alg 1 for $200 (retail $356). It is worth every penny for this non-mathy mom :)

[Nestof3]

My 18 year old used Saxon from 5th through 10th. He finished Saxon with Algebra II/Trig. He was able to use just the book until Alg II. I thought it would be best to use the Dive CD, and it was perfect! He did really well.

 

Because he learned most of geometry through Saxon, I let that count toward his Geometry. He also completed the Teaching Company's Geometry course which deals with proofs. I administered our state's end of the year Geometry test as well.

 

For 12th grade, he took Business Math using:

Math160(Twelfth grade) Business Math (Landmark’s Freedom Baptist Curriculum)

We thought it would be better for him to take this course since he was considering being self-employed, and even if he does not pursue that route, he is most definitely not science or math-minded. He is a lover of history.

[Storm Bay]

We are also reading aloud history of math books (from our encyclopedias, Smith, Cajori, etc.).

Thanks again Susan,

Kathy P

 

I've been planning to weave the history of math and science into next year's curriculum for some time. Could you give me some titles? Cajori would be fairly easy to research, but could you give me the full name of Smith? Or titles would be great.

[Jane in NC]

I've been planning to weave the history of math and science into next year's curriculum for some time. Could you give me some titles? Cajori would be fairly easy to research, but could you give me the full name of Smith? Or titles would be great.

 

When I studied History of Mathematics as an undergraduate, I used a number of books including Carl Boyer's History of Mathematics. Bell's Men of Mathematics is usually easy to find and is easier to read, but I am not sure if it is completely accurate.

 

Here is a much longer list of titles.

 

Jane

[Storm Bay]

When I studied History of Mathematics as an undergraduate, I used a number of books including Carl Boyer's History of Mathematics. Bell's Men of Mathematics is usually easy to find and is easier to read, but I am not sure if it is completely accurate.

 

Here is a much longer list of titles.

 

Jane

 

Thanks--I think;)! There are just so many titles there I'm momentarily overwhelmed! But I noticed some history of science ones. I just found Cajori in our library networks, so I'll look for the Boyer one, and perhaps some more. One of my favourite university courses was called The History of Science.

 

Edited to add--I just put a hold on the Boyer.

[oakmom]

Has anyone used the Living Math Plans from http://www.livingmath.net These look interesting.

[Rebecca in TN]

Math-U-See was what worked best for my daughter. We used Intermediate through Alg. 2. She struggles in math. MUS offered a slower pace and uncluttered pages (as another poster wrote).

[Mom to Many]

We're using Jacob's now for Algebra and Geometry. We may go the dual-enrollment route for higher maths -- not sure yet with this student.

[HollyinNNV]

We have used Chalkdust Pre-Algebra and Algebra I for middle school. The plan is to continue on with Chalkdust Geometry, Algebra II, SAT prep and Trig. I'm not sure we'll get to Calculus-maybe 1/2 a year.

 

Holly

[TravelingChris]

For my son, who went on to college with a humanities major_

 

Algebra- EPGY

Geometry- Jacobs

Alg2/Trig- Foersters then Dolciani

Pre-Calc- Saxon Advanced Math latter half

We did all of the teaching ourselves, I did most, bit some of the trig was taught by my husband. He later did Calculus in college.

 

DD, 14

Pre-Algebra- Saxon Algebra 1/2

Algebra- Jacobs

Geometry- partly Jacobs, partly ALEKS

will continue with Chalkdust

 

Since my dh and I both have math oriented degrees (DH is PhD physicist), we don't need tutors but we will use Chalkdust for time related reasons.

[Amy in NH]

We used Miquon for K-2. After we finished that program we started Singapore with a review using set 3, then working through sets 4-6.

 

Oldest ds finished them quickly, so we supplemented with Key To Fractions and Decimals sets in between Singapore sets. We started him in Jacob's Algebra at the beginning of this year (7th grade), but he got stuck when we got to Rate Problems. We decided to scrap Jacob's and back up, and he started Algebra over again in December using a Dolciani book that I picked up used on Amazon based on a suggestion here. He has been much more successful with the Dolciani, which is written the way I learned Algebra. (Did I mention that I love Algebra?)

 

When he finishes Algebra I, we are planning to use Jacob's Geometry with Dr. Callahan's DVD. I am hoping that will work. If it doesn't, I'm going to have to do a bit of scrambling again. We can't afford an expensive program like Chalkdust, so we'll see!

 

I forgot to add that ds13 has also read & enjoyed Mathematicians are People Too, volumes 1 & 2.

 

DS10 is a lazy child who doesn't want to learn anything. We have come to an understanding this year, and he is currently working through Life of Fred Fractions. He could be doing a lot more, but chooses not to. :(

[Carolyn in Ohio]

Chalkdust for Pre-Algebra and Algebra, Teaching company DVD's plus extra workbooks for geometry. I plan to go back to Chalkdust for Algebra II and on. I figured I remembered enough geometry to try a cheaper route this year.

 

If we get as far as Calculus, the community college.

 

Carolyn

[Sylvia in CA]

Our plan is

 

 

Teaching Textbooks through Pre-Calc

comm college for 11th and 12th grade

 

My dd did Trig, Pre-Calc, Calc 1 and 2 at cc for her 11th and 12th grade.

 

Community college route has really worked for us.

 

Sylvia

[Jenny in Florida]

My daughter, who has graduated and is off to college this year, did most of her high school math through the Florida Virtual School. It seems to have served her well. She's not a math-y type, but still did quite well in College Algebra this fall.

 

My son, who is now 10, is also doing math online. He is a math-y type, and I am not, so it is difficult for us to work on that subject together. He has already finished Florida Virtual School's middle school math sequence and is now working (slowly) through the University of California College Prep open access algebra class. Currently, the plan is for him to finish that next academic year, then go back to FLVS for geometry.

[Heather in VA]

I'm really curious to learn what math strategies you're all pursuing with your high school students. What program are you using? Or did you go the tutorial route? Or the co-op route...or community college...or online course?

 

Let me know what's working.

 

SWB

 

Absolutely I recommend VideoText. It's excellent and works well with mathy people and non-mathy people alike. I'm a math major myself but my oldest who is currently using this program wants to be a history major. But she's doing very well, understanding the material and feeling more and more confident about her math abilities. Being able to do that without sacrificing the quality of the program is a rare thing.

 

Heather

[Sharon in SC]

Currently using Saxon Alg 1 with plans to stick with it through Calculus using the DIVE CDs as needed. Dh and I both like Math so teaching this subject at home, so far, has not been a problem. :-)

[Annie Laurie]

My son will continue with MUS for highschool. He is not a mathy person and he does very well with it. My dh is very solid in math, so he does the lessons with ds. I'm not worried about any perceived shortcomings with MUS for highschool, since my dh can easily fill all that in himself.

[SallyMac]

My ds is now a junior.

 

9th - He used Dolciani Algebra I at the boys prep school. This was a good, solid text, but not a perfect fit for ds. However, he should have been doing Alg II or Geometry for 9th, but he didnt do well on the math section of the entrance exam. He was not alone, however, as a high percentage of boys who had already gotten As in their 8th grade Alg I class also did poorly on the math section and were made to take it over again in 9th.

 

10th - On the recommendations of a local homeschool mom, ds used Teaching Textbooks Geometry. At the time I was post-op/recovering from major surgery for a cancerous tumor, so TT was ideal. Ds loved it, and I am not a math person, so I appreciated the support. He did lots of proofs (and enjoyed it), and I felt he had a good preparation for this after two years of Singapore Math. He finds the geometry problems in Lial Intermediate Algebra easy, so I know it was effective.

 

11th - Lial Intermediate Algebra which is working for us. DS always understands the concepts thanks to the great explanations. He seems to be retaining it as there are so many problems to work. It was a great choice, and if I had to do it over again, I would have done Lial Intro Algebra.

 

12th - next year he will probably be taking trigonometry at the public school, but I dont know what book they use and am afraid to find out. He will be a full time student there (for the experience and the diploma). It is a small school, but I cant imagine why they do not offer pre-calculus. I was already disappointed that he didnt make it to calculus by senior year. Now I am further disappointed that he will be taking trig for his senior year math.

[LunaLee]

Definately co-op/cc for anything past pre-algebra. That's about as far as my math cells will take me.

[Laura R (FL)]

I'm a little behind, but wanted to post because we're doing something a bit different.

 

I used Chalkdust Pre-Algebra for 7th grade, finished Chalkdust and did the end of TT Pre-Alg for 8th grade, and then we're using Florida Virtual School for Alg I. I didn't see anyone else posting an on-line source for hs math, so I thought I'd add my little ol' $.02! :D