Best TT schedule for the SAT, or is there one

[Roxy Roller]

My DD11 is struggling with MUS Zeta. Some of it might be attitude:tongue_smilie:, but she has always struggled a bit in Math. I was planning on switching to Saxon 7/6 in 7th Grade, although I know she should probably be in 8/7. But I am wondering if TT would be a better plan. I don't think that she will be going into a field that needs high maths, but I do want her to be able to write the SAT.

 

My original thoughts were:

 

7th - Saxon 7/6

8th - Saxon 8/7 or Saxon Pre-Algebra

9th - Saxon Algebra 1

10th - Jacobs Geometry

11th - Saxon Algebra 2

12th - Saxon Advanced Math

 

Is this too rigorous for her?

 

Is there a little bit easier path with TT? What about SAT results?

 

By the way, I am drilling all of the basic operations this year, to make sure she is up to speed with them.

[Teachin'Mine]

I think your schedule looks good. Unless she really enjoys geometry, I'd recommend skipping doing a separate geometry course - it's all incorporated into the Saxon, and that would put her right on schedule too. When she gets to the point of taking the SAT, if there's something she hasn't covered in geometry yet, she can get some of that from the SAT prep books, but you have the majority of what's needed for the SAT covered at the end of Algebra II. If you skip a separate geometry, she'll be done with Algebra II at the end of 10th and will have part of Advanced done before she takes the PSAT or SAT (the ones that count anyway). :)

[creekland]

If you go the TT route, I really recommend Alg 1 in 8th grade and I don't think it's too difficult for the majority of students out there. This puts the schedule like this:

 

Alg 1 - 8th

Geometry - 9th

Alg 2 - 10th

Pre-Calc 11th

SAT/ACT near or at the end of Junior year

 

My oldest two did Alg 1 in 7th, so it can be sped up.

 

I had my oldest do SAT prep/Dave Ramsey's Consumer Math in 10th, Pre-Calc in 11th and Calc in 12th (no problems - got a 700 on the SAT - taking it in March of his junior year and a 32 on the ACT Math fall of his senior year).

 

My middle did Pre-Calc his sophomore year and got a 34 on the ACT Math spring of that year. He's doing Stats now (junior year) and will do Calc next year. I only plan to have him take the SAT if he qualifies for National Merit Status and needs it. We'll have an idea on that in Dec, but won't truly know till next spring.

 

For any student using any curriculum, I feel it is worth it to do the SAT Question of the Day and some prep with an ACT or SAT book to be ready for the test. That said... other than the question of the day, my middle son did very little prep for his sophomore ACT since I knew he probably would redo it junior year. In hindsight, I wish I had him prep 'cause if he'd matched his math/English scores with similar science/reading scores he'd have been done testing with an awesome score. Since I didn't have him prep, he was unprepared for the way those two were and scored lower bringing his composite down. Hence, I now recommend a prep book first in pretty much all cases.

 

Going back to TT, I seriously wouldn't recommend taking the SAT/ACT without having Pre-Calc first since some Alg 2 topics are in it.

 

And continually reviewing the basics (whether on their own or through subjects like Chemistry and Physics) is always good. It keeps the brain fresh.

[Roxy Roller]

If you go the TT route, I really recommend Alg 1 in 8th grade and I don't think it's too difficult for the majority of students out there. This puts the schedule like this:

 

Alg 1 - 8th

Geometry - 9th

Alg 2 - 10th

Pre-Calc 11th

SAT/ACT near or at the end of Junior year

 

My oldest two did Alg 1 in 7th, so it can be sped up.

 

I had my oldest do SAT prep/Dave Ramsey's Consumer Math in 10th, Pre-Calc in 11th and Calc in 12th (no problems - got a 700 on the SAT - taking it in March of his junior year and a 32 on the ACT Math fall of his senior year).

 

My middle did Pre-Calc his sophomore year and got a 34 on the ACT Math spring of that year. He's doing Stats now (junior year) and will do Calc next year. I only plan to have him take the SAT if he qualifies for National Merit Status and needs it. We'll have an idea on that in Dec, but won't truly know till next spring.

 

For any student using any curriculum, I feel it is worth it to do the SAT Question of the Day and some prep with an ACT or SAT book to be ready for the test. That said... other than the question of the day, my middle son did very little prep for his sophomore ACT since I knew he probably would redo it junior year. In hindsight, I wish I had him prep 'cause if he'd matched his math/English scores with similar science/reading scores he'd have been done testing with an awesome score. Since I didn't have him prep, he was unprepared for the way those two were and scored lower bringing his composite down. Hence, I now recommend a prep book first in pretty much all cases.

 

Going back to TT, I seriously wouldn't recommend taking the SAT/ACT without having Pre-Calc first since some Alg 2 topics are in it.

 

And continually reviewing the basics (whether on their own or through subjects like Chemistry and Physics) is always good. It keeps the brain fresh.

 

So would I do TT 7 or TT Pre-Algebra in 7th Grade?

[Roxy Roller]

I think your schedule looks good. Unless she really enjoys geometry' date=' I'd recommend skipping doing a separate geometry course - it's all incorporated into the Saxon, and that would put her right on schedule too. When she gets to the point of taking the SAT, if there's something she hasn't covered in geometry yet, she can get some of that from the SAT prep books, but you have the majority of what's needed for the SAT covered at the end of Algebra II. If you skip a separate geometry, she'll be done with Algebra II at the end of 10th and will have part of Advanced done before she takes the PSAT or SAT (the ones that count anyway). :)[/quote']

 

This sounds good, but I am not sure what I would do in 12th Grade. I don't really think that she would want to do Pre-Calculus, but I guess it would give us choices. Is this too schedule too rigorous for someone that does not excel in math?

[Teachin'Mine]

The Advanced Math book is often done in two years. So she could do the first half in 11th and the second half in 12th.

 

I guess you won't know if it's too rigorous until you try. I think starting in 7/6 and following that up with 8/7 would give her an excellent foundation for algebra. If she does the work each day and corrects any she gets wrong, she should do fine, but you'll know better when you get to 8/7 and algebra. I think it's hard to carve a schedule in stone in 7th grade. :) Even if she only makes it through algebra 11, she'll have most of the math she'll need for the SAT. But it may not be enough to test out of college math, so she may need to take some classes in college. I think it's more important to thoroughly master each level rather than to worry about making it through a set number of levels, especially for a student who struggles with math.

[Roxy Roller]

The Advanced Math book is often done in two years. So she could do the first half in 11th and the second half in 12th.

 

I guess you won't know if it's too rigorous until you try. I think starting in 7/6 and following that up with 8/7 would give her an excellent foundation for algebra. If she does the work each day and corrects any she gets wrong' date=' she should do fine, but you'll know better when you get to 8/7 and algebra. I think it's hard to carve a schedule in stone in 7th grade. :) Even if she only makes it through algebra 11, she'll have most of the math she'll need for the SAT. But it may not be enough to test out of college math, so she may need to take some classes in college. I think it's more important to thoroughly master each level rather than to worry about making it through a set number of levels, especially for a student who struggles with math.[/quote']

 

Thank you for this. I did not know that Advanced Math is often done in two years.

 

I also agree that I am more concerned about mastery, but that silly little test called, SAT, keeps popping up and causing me concern.:tongue_smilie:

[Teachin'Mine]

I've done a lot of advance planning too. :tongue_smilie: My dd is getting other ideas. :lol:

[Roxy Roller]

I've done a lot of advance planning too. :tongue_smilie: My dd is getting other ideas. :lol:

 

:lol:That is exactly what I am worried about!

[creekland]

So would I do TT 7 or TT Pre-Algebra in 7th Grade?

 

I believe TT has a placement test on their website for each level. My guess would be Pre-Alg. Remember, even supporters of TT (like me) will easily say it is generally a year below/behind other curricula in names. It's not 100% that way, but enough that counts.

[rlugbill]

Hi,

 

Sounds like you are on top of things and understand the issues involved. Your plan to go with Saxon sounds good to me. Saxon has the continuous review so that you don't forget what you were taught.

 

TT isn't as rigorous as Saxon. I would recommend the Life of Fred or Saxon or Jacobs over TT if I were in your shoes. Life of Fred is a thorough program if you do the extra workbooks, or you can always supplement LOF with something else. The stories in the books help to connect the math to real life, so it's both more interesting and makes sense.

 

Jacobs is also a good program but I'm not sure why you added it in the middle of the Saxon books.

 

If your real concern is the SAT test, rather than learning math, I would suggest studying for the SAT. There are SAT prep books you can get from Barrons, College Board, Princeton Review, etc. with lots of practice questions. While your daughter probably isn't ready for these questions yet, if you add SAT prep as a subject a year or two before she has to take the actual SAT, her test results will be outstanding, regardless of which math curriculum she uses.

 

I have some of the SAT prep books and have looked at the questions. They aren't so much testing the knowledge as they are testing the applications, critical thinking and problem-solving. It's not as much content as it is higher-order thinking skills and problem-solving ability.

 

So, I think it's important to not just use a simple program that will teach you the rules, but to use a curriculum that will go deeper into more problem-solving and higher order thinking.

 

Best wishes.

[Roxy Roller]

Hi,

 

Sounds like you are on top of things and understand the issues involved. Your plan to go with Saxon sounds good to me. Saxon has the continuous review so that you don't forget what you were taught.

 

TT isn't as rigorous as Saxon. I would recommend the Life of Fred or Saxon or Jacobs over TT if I were in your shoes. Life of Fred is a thorough program if you do the extra workbooks, or you can always supplement LOF with something else. The stories in the books help to connect the math to real life, so it's both more interesting and makes sense.

 

Jacobs is also a good program but I'm not sure why you added it in the middle of the Saxon books.

 

If your real concern is the SAT test, rather than learning math, I would suggest studying for the SAT. There are SAT prep books you can get from Barrons, College Board, Princeton Review, etc. with lots of practice questions. While your daughter probably isn't ready for these questions yet, if you add SAT prep as a subject a year or two before she has to take the actual SAT, her test results will be outstanding, regardless of which math curriculum she uses.

 

I have some of the SAT prep books and have looked at the questions. They aren't so much testing the knowledge as they are testing the applications, critical thinking and problem-solving. It's not as much content as it is higher-order thinking skills and problem-solving ability.

 

So, I think it's important to not just use a simple program that will teach you the rules, but to use a curriculum that will go deeper into more problem-solving and higher order thinking.

 

Best wishes.

 

Thank you for your comments. I know it might sound like I am concerned about the SAT, and I am, but I am much more concerned that my DD learns and understands math and then can apply it. I am leaning towards Saxon. What are your thoughts on a sequence for Saxon. She is not strong in math and I am planning for next year, when she is in 7th Grade. Can I still put her in Saxon 7/6, because she will also have to get used to the format, as well. Then go on to Saxon 8/7 or Pre-Algebra for 8th and Algebra I for 9th, Algebra II for 10th and then possibly take 11th and 12th to complete Advanced Math(or move to Pre-Calculus if she is ready).