Algebra I - I need a different curriculum

[BlsdMama]

Seriously I am DEEPLY concerned my daughter's SAT scores will be plummeted by her inability to grasp Algebra.

 

I'm INCREDIBLY comfortable with math & Algebra. My DH is extremely math capable, having gone onto extensive math classes throughout his college career.

 

She simply isn't grasping it. More than that, it takes us about 6-8 LESSONS (not problems) before she can grasp a new concept and then I don't feel she's understanding the "why and wherefore" but just doing rote math without any true comprehension. She constantly must go back and look up formulas.

 

I'm concerned. I'm DEEPLY concerned. She's a freshman, this is Algebra I. We must get through Algebra I & II and Geometry before her SATs and honestly, I was hoping before her PSATs.

 

We are willing to start utterly & totally from scratch with a new program. Plus if we start over, I can scratch the current grade which will drag down her GPA and begin again.

 

Someone, please, tell me, what have you loved for your math hater?

 

(Please don't tell me Teaching Textbooks. This one I've already removed from a list of possibilities for a different reason.)

 

I'm open to all other suggestions.

[Christyinco]

Teaching Textbooks was what worked wonders for my non-math kid. I had to accept that math was not her strong suit and if we were going to do it, at least "understand" and "remember" what she was learning. Prior to that we did Math-U-See. It really depends on what kind of learner you have. Is she visual, hands on, need to know the "why" before it sinks in?

 

Unfortunately, I see the frustration a lot between parents that just "get" math and can't understand why their child doesn't. I was not a kid that got math. It's something hard to explain other than the explanations need to get through in a different way for understanding. Until it does, you will not be able to apply it to anything else.. even another Alg. book.

 

So, if you aren't fond of TT, then maybe something that has a visual/hands-on feel to it. Sorry I couldn't be more help, but I spent many years going through different math programs and felt TT was a breath of fresh air.

[hscherger]

Well, my daughter is not a math hater, but it is by no means her favorite subject. I am convinced that Saxon math with Art Reed DVD's (available at Rainbow Resource) is what keeps her math average at 85% or better. We do every lesson and every problem, which is very important with Saxon. Saxon keeps concepts fresh through constant review. I also ordered the optional solution manual so that we can see all the problems worked out in the event that she misses one and has no idea why :0)

 

Hang in there!

[BlsdMama]

 

Unfortunately, I see the frustration a lot between parents that just "get" math and can't understand why their child doesn't.

 

Strangely, I was never a child that "got" math. :) I struggled with it viciously in high school and fully expected to struggle teaching it. I was shocked when Algebra made SENSE to me. :P

 

I'm sympathetic to her plight, but deeply concerned I'll excuse this as a "readiness" factor when she can't afford to not do it. I wish it were a matter of a lack of effort but this is a child who is bent on doing things right & doing them right the first time and school has always been cake for her, so this is truly disheartening for her.

 

Perhaps it IS my teaching? I'm concerned.

 

Currently she is assigned a lesson.

 

She will work the lesson and not do anything she has a question on. This is generally about 10-12 questions in a 30 question set. Currently we are using Saxon.

 

Then she'll check the ones she was confident in doing. This generally results in about 6 more wrong.

 

We'll work the ones she was unsure of together - I feel this is superior to her trying to do ones she isn't sure of and ingraining wrong actions.

 

Then we re-work the ones she has gotten wrong for 1/2 credit.

 

She feels doubtful, but more confident, at the end. Generally she at least feels more clarification though newly introduced concepts are still very foggy.

 

I'm not fond of the entire IDEA of Teaching Textbooks because I've not seen it, but I have seen friends grow dependent on it and then when their children have questions, they aren't able to answer or work out the problems because they've not been following along with the teaching as it advances. I'd like to not ever be in that situation as we walk into advanced math. Does that make sense?

[siloam]

Kelly,

 

I wanted to let you know my experience. I did well in math simply because I loved numbers. (Still do.) They would give me a formula I would memorize it and use it. I didn't understand how math worked and yet I did well in math, and on the ACT (didn't take the SAT) and did well in my college courses. It was all memorization. I didn't get the why of math till I started to teach it to my kids.

 

If she isn't getting why, fine, maybe let go of that for now and focus on just being able to consistently memorize and use the formulas. Understanding can come down the road.

 

I would recommend Hands on Equations, for a concrete explanation of how Algebra works. In addition Kinetic Algebra might be a good choice because it won't let them move on till they get it correct.

 

Heather

[BlsdMama]

Kinetic Algebra looks fascinating... I'd not seen it before this.

 

I'm hoping I'm not just throwing a new curriculum at the problem. I'm normally a fan of "stick with it" and "be consistent" but it's just causing consistent frustration at this point. :D

 

Part of me thinks just purely by switching the book she'll hate it less. :tongue_smilie:

[AngieW in Texas]

I really like Kinetic Books. I used it for Algebra I and Algebra II for my middle dd. My oldest had it only for Algebra II (Algebra I came out too late for her).

 

On the other hand, if your dd needs a lot of hand-holding through Algebra I, Algebra I: A Fresh Approach may be a good fit for her. My youngest won't have anything to do with math on the computer, so she's not using KB. I'm looking at A Fresh Approach for her for next year if she doesn't end up going to ps.

 

http://www.aplusses.com/zencart/

[Guest]

Hands-On Equations is really a marvelous way of getting the concepts of balancing equations and "legal moves" to stick. It doesn't take all that long to go through.

 

The Key to Algebra are useful little paperback workbooks. They break things down into very, very small elements and give lots of practice for each one.

[Carol in Cal.]

Maybe she should back up to Algebra 1/2. There is no shame in that.

 

My math hater got through algebra with Saxon, and she really learned it. She still makes dumb mistakes, but the hard stuff she can do. (so annoying.) It has plenty of practice, which is what math haters need.

 

You might want to look for the author of 'Math Doesn't Suck' (hate that title) and get her book about algebra. Her stuff is well written, catchy, and empowering.

[MIch elle]

 

She will work the lesson and not do anything she has a question on. This is generally about 10-12 questions in a 30 question set. Currently we are using Saxon.

 

 

 

Contact Art Reed. He will give you suggestions even if you do not buy his products. http://www.homeschoolwithsaxon.com/contact.php

 

I recommend his dvds.

[kiana]

I will also say that if she gets through, understands, and CAN WORK WELL with Algebra I and Geometry, she will do far better on exams than if she gets through Algebra II with only a superficial understanding. Don't worry as much about the pace but focus on going at the speed where she can actually understand.

 

I like the look of keys to algebra for a slow and clear progression but haven't used them myself.

[Corraleno]

Kinetic Algebra looks fascinating... I'd not seen it before this.

 

I'm hoping I'm not just throwing a new curriculum at the problem. I'm normally a fan of "stick with it" and "be consistent" but it's just causing consistent frustration at this point. :D

 

Part of me thinks just purely by switching the book she'll hate it less. :tongue_smilie:

 

If the reason you don't want to use TT is because the parent isn't involved enough, then Kinetic Books will be worse. With the HS levels of TT, the student does the problems on paper and the parent has to correct the work. With the KB homeschool program, the work is entirely done (and graded) online; no parent involvement required. Also, IMO the problems in KB are harder, it moves faster, and has less explanation, than TT.

 

If your goal is to prepare her for the PSAT/SAT, that's actually what TT was designed for, so you might want to take another look at it.

 

Jackie

[Matryoshka]

You might want to look for the author of 'Math Doesn't Suck' (hate that title) and get her book about algebra. Her stuff is well written, catchy, and empowering.

 

:iagree: I also hate the names of the books in this series, but I bought my dd the Pre-Algebra book (Kiss My Math) in utter desperation for anything about math that might engage her - even LOF wasn't doing it. She's reading it without my asking, and liking it! :001_huh: She even asked me to get her the earlier book in the series (that's Math Doesn't Suck). :svengo: There's a new Algebra-level one out now: Hot X: Algebra Exposed. The titles are intended to catch attention, but the books are actually full of... math. And teen-magazine type quizzes and such. What an odd combo!

 

I am at the point of "whatever works". :tongue_smilie:

[BlsdMama]

Maybe she should back up to Algebra 1/2. There is no shame in that.

 

We did. Originally Algebra I was slated for eighth grade. But we repeated the second half of Algebra 1/2. Then we re-began Algrebra I in October. :(

 

I think I need to try something else.

[BlsdMama]

If the reason you don't want to use TT is because the parent isn't involved enough, then Kinetic Books will be worse. With the HS levels of TT, the student does the problems on paper and the parent has to correct the work. With the KB homeschool program, the work is entirely done (and graded) online; no parent involvement required. Also, IMO the problems in KB are harder, it moves faster, and has less explanation, than TT.

 

If your goal is to prepare her for the PSAT/SAT, that's actually what TT was designed for, so you might want to take another look at it.

 

Jackie

 

Jackie,

 

Thank you so much for adding input to this. I really appreciate it.

 

I wonder though - taking a child who is currently struggling and then taking my hands OFF of Algebra in ANY curriculum - does that seem wise?

[Susan C.]

I'll go another way. I don't think either of my kids would have done well on the SAT test after Algebra 1. There is a reason there is an Algebra 2, another pass at it.

 

I really really like BJU Algebra 1 (and 2 and geometry) with the dvds/online dvds. There is a teacher and a class every day, a lot of explanation, a lot of going over problems, and a lot of review.

[Lolly]

As far as TT goes, you don't have to use it by just handing it over to her. You can still be the teacher. One of my dc prefers me to the dvds; she thinks they take too much time.

 

But, I have to admit that as much as I do like TT I think I like BJU better. Okay, they are both good. I have only used it without the dvd's, but my experience with other subjects would indicate that for a child who is struggling they could really be beneficial. It actually slows the lessons down from how I use them. It provides review that is not in the book. It gives little pop quizzes. It questions the students about material on a very regular basis.

[ereks mom]

I'm not fond of the entire IDEA of Teaching Textbooks because I've not seen it, but I have seen friends grow dependent on it and then when their children have questions, they aren't able to answer or work out the problems because they've not been following along with the teaching as it advances. I'd like to not ever be in that situation as we walk into advanced math. Does that make sense?

 

I was also hesitant to use Teaching Textbooks, but my very non-mathy dd was SO not getting Algebra with other math curricula. I finally broke down and bought Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1. I was not willing to simply hand her the book and turn on the computer and let her do it on her own, so we actually go through the lessons together. We never use the CD's at all. We read throught each lesson together, and then work the Practice Set together. Then she works throught he Problem Set on her own, and I check her answers when she is finished. She is required to show all her work so that if she misses a problem I can tell exactly where she went wrong. If she does miss one, we work through it together to make sure she understands the correct way to work the problem. We've been using Teaching Textbooks for a year and a half now, and to my surprise and delight, EK has actually begun to ENJOY math!

[Christyinco]

when we take a hands off approach. Knowing math was a struggle I always kept up on the lessons so that I could be available to answer questions. She usually only needed little reminders, but I as able to give her those. Since you struggled with math a bit when you were younger you may really appreciate TT.

 

Just a note about TT and its style... Your dd would listen to the lecture and see the notes on the screen. Then there are approx. 3-4 practice problems that explain the process and how they got their answer. Then on to the problems. She would do these in the book. Any that she got wrong would be explained and worked through on a cd provided. This is designed to be self-teaching and for them to take responsibility for their work. I just set up my expectations before she started (have to look at the cd on those you got wrong and understand why you did) and let her go. In the beginning I sat next to her every lesson to watch her work and see what type of mistakes she was making. After awhile I only sat with her during the new problems (4-5) then let her work on her own with the review problems.

[Corraleno]

Jackie,

 

Thank you so much for adding input to this. I really appreciate it.

 

I wonder though - taking a child who is currently struggling and then taking my hands OFF of Algebra in ANY curriculum - does that seem wise?

TT doesn't have to be hands-off, it's really not that different from any other textbook except that you can choose to have the explanations "read" to you and watch the example problems done step by step. Everything in the "teaching" part of the CD-rom lesson is also written in the textbook; some kids actually prefer to just read the explanations in the text, and skip the CD lessons, because it's faster.

 

The Solutions CDs can be very helpful if a child gets stuck and doesn't see where they went wrong, but there's no reason the parent can't handle that part either. Many people choose TT because the parent can't help if the student gets stuck, so they like having a solutions manual the student can access directly. But if you understand the math yourself, there's no reason you can't help your child yourself and skip the CD solutions.

 

The big advantages of TT for kids who are struggling are that it moves in very small increments, it includes a lot of built-in review, the problem sets are on the easier side (especially the word problems), and it really focuses on covering the topics necessary for the SAT, so it bumps more difficult concepts (which aren't on the SAT) to later levels.

 

The people you know who you described as being "dependent" on TT — are they using the HS courses, or elementary? Grade 7 and below are a different format, done entirely on the computer, and it is quite possible to lose track of where your kids are if you don't pay attention. But the HS levels are just textbooks with "talking" explanations rather than a "computer math program." If your friends are using HS level texts, can you borrow some of the books for a few days, to see if the lesson format and level of explanations would work for your DD?

 

(I'm not trying to talk you into TT, just explaining how it works so you don't reject it based on a misunderstanding.)

 

Jackie

[BlsdMama]

Thank you and yes, they've been using below the 7th grade. I've never actually even seen TT... I will hesitantly admit I've been against them since the idea came out... I hated the idea of homeschooling parents being "hands off" and I wondered what would happen as the kids got older and there became math issues.

 

One of my beloved best friends was telling me a few weeks ago that after loving TT for the few years she's been doing it, her DD is now doing a pre-Algebra or Algebra I (I'm sorry I can't remember) and is struggling with it. She hasn't been following along because things had been going smoothly and now is running into the wall I was afraid would happen.

 

Interesting to me that someone would say they prefer BJU over TT. Is that a common consensus or unusual?

 

I feel so strange about all of this. We used Rod & Staff - it worked beautifully for us. We switched to Saxon for the older grades, it worked beautifully for us. I've never LOVED my math program, but neither have I ever disliked it. It always seemed to me that you just "stuck with it" then all would go smoothly - a slow & steady philosophy. Sigh. I hate re-evaluating curriculum choices. Truly.

[Corraleno]

There are lots of sample pages on the TT website you can check out. The text with tests & answer key but no CDs is $80; the set with text + CDs is $185, but you can generally resell the set in good condition for at least $150, so your end cost isn't that high.

 

Jackie

[Brenda in MA]

Kelly,

 

I would strongly suggest that you find something other than Saxon. I don't have any experience with TT, but it's spiral style looks too much like Saxon to be appealing to me. If you have a child that tends to "hook on" to procedures, he/she can appear to be doing very well with Saxon and can score well on the tests, but he/she might not really understand the underlying principles.

 

I have a son like this who went through Saxon up through 1/2 of Advanced Math. He was getting As on the exams, and it wasn't until he started needing to apply higher math in the sciences (Chemistry & Physics), that we discovered he really didn't understand much algebra. I had him do an assessment with Aleks (the on-line supplement program), and he scored as not knowing about 1/2 the Algebra 1 & 2 concepts.

 

I ended up switching him over to Chalkdust and he did much better with that. He needed to spend several days grinding away on one concept to be able to really grasp it before moving ahead. He also enjoyed the DVDs with Dana Mosely as the instructor. (BTW, this same son is now in engineering school and just earned an A in Differential Equations, so there is hope even when they struggle with Algebra!)

 

Saxon's method works well for some, but not for everyone. I'm not sure what else I'd suggest other than Chalkdust or maybe Lials. I'm using Dolciani with my younger son, and we like that a lot, but the TM only has answers and not worked out solutions, and there is no video instruction.

 

I think you're right to stop and switch to something that will be more effective. She might have to work on math year-round for a while so she can catch up on the "missed" semester.

 

Best wishes on finding the right fit for your dd and your family!

Brenda

[Jann in TX]

It sounds like your daughter may benefit from camping out on the same concept for a while--then building on it.

 

With Saxon the students don't stay on topic from one lesson to another-- and they do not 'see' the whole picture at one time...those students that do well with Saxon are able to NATURALLY put the different pieces together-- but there is a large percentage of students who really need a different type of program.

 

I used to teach from Saxon exclusively-- and I used it with my own children until my oldest got to 8/7 and BOMBED big time! Even Math teacher's children have trouble grasping concepts sometimes...

 

I still like Saxon-- but I acknowledge that it just does not work for every student (I don't know of ANY program that does).

 

Most students I've worked with who bombed at Saxon did much better (noticeably better) with a more traditional program. My picks would be the Lial series or something like BJU.

[2cents]

You might check into Prentice Hall Classic math. We're using Foerster Alg 1 along with the Math Without Borders videos and it is working well for us. I like it because it has very good reviews and is straightforward math. No bells and whistles or color but we like it that way. No distractions-just math.

http://www.phschool.com/classics/math.html

http://www.mathwithoutborders.com/

Good luck with your decision. :)

[rlugbill]

Many people have had good luck starting out with the Key To Algebra book (workbooks) and then going on to Saxon Algebra or a different math curriculum.

 

Also, there is a new book- Algebra Survival Guide. I haven't used it but have seen it. It has gotten good reviews also. It's not a stand-alone, but has an optional workbook that you can get for additional practice.

 

Also, I recommend the Life of Fred Algebra because it has a little story that captures your attention and then uses the every day event from the story to explain the algebra concept. The stories are great. It also is not a stand-alone, but if you get the optional workbook, it can be used as a stand-alone curriculum.

 

I don't recommend the Teaching Textbooks though. It's not as rigorous as other Algebra programs.

 

I agree with the poster who said that it's important to really get Algebra I before moving on to Geometry, Algebra II, etc. It's more important to stay with Algebra I until you get it than moving on, even if it means spending two years in Algebra I.

 

I'd suggest trying one of the above resources for a month or so alone, then start using two curriculums at once. Use one as a supplement and the other as a main program.

 

I also agree with the previous poster who said that Saxon is good for some, but not all. Some kids get confused by jumping around to different topics and do better with a standard sort of Algebra Text.

 

Jacobs is a good program you might consider once you get your daughter started using the Key To books or Life of Fred or the Algebra Survival Guide.

 

Best wishes.

[Alyce]

Jann in TX likes them. My son was struggling in Alg 1 with MUS. I realized he needed something different. We tried TT for Geometry and forgot almost everything he was taught over the summer break. We did Lial's for Alg 2 and Pre-Calc and he loved it, and bloomed with it. It explains things very well and shows them step by step. The answer book is also step by step so they and you can see where they went wrong. The ease of teaching is a very big plus for me but there was also a plus. The older editions work as well as the new ones so I used a 7th edition and got what I needed for $30. He's now at CC and just made a B in calculus and said a lot of what he was being taught he already knew because he had learned it in Lial's.

[BlsdMama]

Well $8 to try Lials certainly wouldn't hurt anything at this point. We'd know in a month if we have to jump ship. The 8th edition out there can be picked up for under a $1.

 

I had considered it when I was looking at options just because part of me wonders if she hasn't developed an aversion simply to the book. ;) But this particular child has a work ethic that doesn't stop until things are done & done right, so I can be sure she simply isn't getting it.

 

 

I can't tell you how grateful I am on everyone adding their $0.02. It truly helps to see from everyone's perspective. We'll start here for a month or two and then re-evaluate.

 

I will agree with the couple posters who said she doesn't do well with the spiral approach. That's a little ironic as that is what *I* liked about Saxon. She really needs to feel some level of mastery before moving on and not having a good grasp on a new concept before learning something else frustrates her. This I have noticed in her so far this year.

 

Thank you again!

[Robin in DFW]

my dd (now 17), but 9th grade at the time, tried and tried to use Saxon Algebra 1 (she had unsuccessfully tried Saxon Algebra 1/2 before that and had moved on to Lials BCM)...anyway, after many struggles and tears with Saxon, we decided to try Teaching Textbooks for Algebra 1. It was just the thing to help her grasp Algebra 1. She ended up using TT Geometry, also.

 

TT appears to be a bit like Saxon, but the lessons are in order. There are chapters on specific topics and all the lessons within that chapter go together. There is review in each lesson, but there are also plenty of problems on the new concept. It is not as difficult as Saxon, but we've decided Saxon makes things unnecessarily complicated sometimes.

 

It was a great program for dd for those 2 years. She scored reasonably well on her PSAT (not National Merit or anything, but much better than the average). She went on to use an Intermediate Algebra text that belonged to my older dd (from Community College). It was not Lials, but almost identical (Tobey & Slater). She did extremely well, made an A and is now doing Lials Pre-Calculus and doing well.

 

I don't think using TT harmed her at all. If anything, it slowed things down a bit while her brain matured, allowed her to learn those pesky Algebra topics in a simpler way and helped her realize she could do math quite successfully.

 

She did do the TT completely on her own. It is definitely an independent program. She did not want my input. With Lials, she needs help occasionally, but Dad has to help her with that!

 

Just wanted to let you know that using TT will not ruin your child's life. My dd has been accepted to the University of her choice, made a very good SAT score (but...she has taken it again and will take it once more in January because she's a perfectionist) and will probably be just fine!

 

Good luck with your decision.

[Jann in TX]

Chapter 1 is Pre-Algebra.

 

Chapter 2 is a modge-podge of stuff with mostly introductory word problems...

It is IMPORTANT to note that chapter 2 is NOT a teaching chapter-- it is an EVALUTATION tool for the classroom teacher-- so the teacher can get a 'feel' for where the class is at..

 

The text really begins with chapter 3.

 

Chapter 3 begins linear equations-- this concept uses BASIC Algebra (moving from one side to the other) so it is a nice place to start.

The section on writing the equation of a line given two points is a bit rushed for some students--I would make sure to stretch that lesson out over 3 days (at least) instead of 2. Read the example then assign the corresponding ODD problems... read the next example then assign those corresponding homework problems-- also, don't forget to take advantage of the practice problems in the side bar as you read through the examples.

 

Make sure to get the INTRODUCTORY ALGEBRA 8e PAPERBACK-- the font and layout is so much better with the paperback edition!!!

[Julie in MN]

We are willing to start utterly & totally from scratch with a new program. Plus if we start over, I can scratch the current grade which will drag down her GPA and begin again.

 

Someone, please, tell me, what have you loved for your math hater?

 

(Please don't tell me Teaching Textbooks. This one I've already removed from a list of possibilities for a different reason.)

 

I'm open to all other suggestions.

 

I don't see Math Relief mentioned on this thread. It's done by a math teacher who is truly gifted in his one area -- teaching Algebra. It did the trick for my dd, and my mathy ds for that matter. You can watch the teacher on his website. We call him the Mr. Rogers of Algebra :) He takes the kids in Algebra I all the way into advanced material, so I would think your dd would be fine on the SATs with only his Algebra I, plus a solid geometry course.

 

Julie

[Storm Bay]

Hands-On Equations is really a marvelous way of getting the concepts of balancing equations and "legal moves" to stick. It doesn't take all that long to go through.

 

The Key to Algebra are useful little paperback workbooks. They break things down into very, very small elements and give lots of practice for each one.

 

These can be helpful, but I'm with Jann in TX. I do have one or two other suggestions in addition to hers if you don't like Lial's (Lial's is good, btw)

 

It sounds like your daughter may benefit from camping out on the same concept for a while--then building on it.

 

Most students I've worked with who bombed at Saxon did much better (noticeably better) with a more traditional program. My picks would be the Lial series or something like BJU.

 

Another text that is more traditional is Foerster's, but only if you are prepared to teach it, and it sounds as though you are. My second dd chose this one and it's working well so far.

 

We have found that doing Algebra 1 twice is a great thing even with mathy dc. My eldest did Lial's and then Dolciani, but Dolciani was the only one she did all he way through because first we tried Jacob's and then Gelfand's. We do have TT Algebra 1, and it's our least favourite of the ones we have. We LOVE Life of Fred, but it doesn't sound as though there would be enough practice problems in it for your dd.

[BlsdMama]

If after reading this anyone is looking for the book and the teacher edition I was able to find the ISBN's in another post about Lial.

 

Thank you all!

 

8th edition paperback

 

Teacher Edition

[EKS]

I really like Lial. We are using the Intermediate Algebra book and it's extremely clear. We also enjoyed Jacobs Elementary Algebra, but since the bulk of the instruction is in the problem sets, it may not be a good fit.

[Alyce]

I think if you use these ISBN's and look on abebooks.com, you'll find them for A LOT less. I've never had any trouble with the sellers on this site and their descriptions are usually spot on.

[smilesonly]

If after reading this anyone is looking for the book and the teacher edition I was able to find the ISBN's in another post about Lial.

 

Thank you all!

 

8th edition paperback

 

Teacher Edition

 

Hello,

 

I'm wondering which Algebra curriculum you chose, and if you and your dd are liking it?

 

Thank you!:)

[asta]

I'll second Lial's.

 

Kid did Systematic Mathematics all of the way through (LOVE that program) and then picked up Lial's where SM left off. SM stops at formulating the quadratic equation from the ground up, BTW.

 

 

a

[WistfulRidge]

Wow, your dd sounds exactly like me when I was in high school.

 

Have you considered taking a break from Saxon for a little bit and maybe trying Life of Fred as a supplement? I wish, desperately, that I had discovered it when I was in your dd's place. It seems to make math very "un-mathy". I'm very much a literature/writing mind. The story aspect of the text appeals to me so much. It broke math down into my brain language.

[Storm Bay]

Wow, your dd sounds exactly like me when I was in high school.

 

Have you considered taking a break from Saxon for a little bit and maybe trying Life of Fred as a supplement? I wish, desperately, that I had discovered it when I was in your dd's place. It seems to make math very "un-mathy". I'm very much a literature/writing mind. The story aspect of the text appeals to me so much. It broke math down into my brain language.

This is OT, but I love that Groucho Marx line you have in your sig line. Which movie does it come from?