Guest mom2gr8kds Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I am wondering if any of you have heard of or used this math curriculum, and if so, what are your thoughts? Foerster Algebra 2/Trigonometry Thanks, Kindra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphispeg Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 We are using Foerster Pre-calc. this year. His Instructor Resource material was wonderful. The whole syllabus was laid out, timing and all. I liked his tests and quizzes. My dd enjoyed learning from the book. We will miss him next year when we change authors for calc. Foerster was the first one people mentioned when I was investigating curricula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendall Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I like his books. I use the Alg 2/Trig book with my children and his precalc book also. I do not do the trig sections of the Alg 2 book. When I get to them we move to the precalc book. If you are really short on time there are a few other chapters in the Alg 2 book that could wait until the precalc book, but if you have the time doing them both years doesn't hurt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 What kind of learner is your student when it comes to math? How much help would your student to do Algebra 2? How much help in the way of teacher resources would you need? Would an on-line class, a DVD course, or video lessons work best? What about an actual live classroom and teacher to allow your student instant interaction and answers to questions (i.e., community college course, or high school class just for math)? Does it help the student (or you!) to have every problem worked out either in a video or in a solutions manual? The answers to those questions would help you to determine how good of a "fit" any math program will be for you and your student. We found Foerster's Algebra 2 to be quite thorough and rigorous, compared to a few other Algebra 2 textbooks I looked at. It is mastery-based, rather than spiral-based. Each lesson presents a topic, and then the problems in the lesson grow increasingly more complex. It encourages -- requires -- an ability to problem-solve, rather than the reliance on memorization of formulas that I think Saxon encourages. Older DS who has always been math-minded, but not going into a math or science field did Foerster's Algebra 2/Trig. It was more rigorous than what DS needed for heading towards a humanities/digital arts field. We did not get through the entire book (due to taking our time through the text), but skipped some of the Trig chapters at the end, so I only gave DS credit for Algebra 2, not the Trig. No way younger DS who has always struggled with math, esp. the abstract concepts of algebra could have handled Foerster's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 We used Foerster's Algebra 1 last year and plan to use Foerster's Algebra 2 next year if ds doesn't take math at CC. Lori has made several good points as usual. Ds is a strong math student. Foerster's is a rigorous text and would likely be too challenging for a struggling math student. It's difficult to do a search on the boards for Foerster Algebra and not get many Algebra 1 posts. Here is some Algebra 2 posts I found helpful: Foersters Algebra Help with Foerster's Algebra II/Trigonometry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mom2gr8kds Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 My son is a math person. That was my fear in purchasing a curriculum that I know little about. I was afraid that it would be too easy. He does plan to get his undergrad in math, so I want to make sure that this math will do him justice. Although it would be ideal for me, he is too young to take any classes at the community college. Maybe that will be an option in his 10th grade year. Based on your comments, I think we may give it a try. Blessings, Kindra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca VA Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 There's a teaching CD-ROM that is designed to go with this textbook. It can be found at http://www.mathwithoutborders.com . My daughter used the Math Without Borders CD-ROM for Foerster's Algebra I and found it very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 I got an email about this awhile back, there are dvds to go with this: http://shop.askdrcallahan.com/categories/Math/Algebra-2-with-Trigonometry/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-sunflower Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 We are using Foerster's Alg 2 this year. The teaching CD has been helpful as has the solution manual with the problems all worked out for you. I supplement with Schaum's Outline Intermediate Algebra problems and formula summaries to make sure the basics are reinforced. Math comes easily to my son, but he is not bored with Foerster. Just make sure you cover the basic stuff thoroughly and only do the more advanced material if your child can handle it. I'm not sure what we're doing next year. I wanted to take a look at Lial or maybe the cc, but we may stay with Foerster pre-calc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 For those of you that have done Foerster Algebra and Trig., is the solutions manual enough or have you found the TE to be helpful as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-sunflower Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 We just use the student text with the solutions manual and CD. I'd recommend both resources. Don't have the teacher's ed of the text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyThrice Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 We found Foerster's Algebra 2 to be quite thorough and rigorous, compared to a few other Algebra 2 textbooks I looked at. It is mastery-based, rather than spiral-based. Each lesson presents a topic, and then the problems in the lesson grow increasingly more complex. It encourages -- requires -- an ability to problem-solve, rather than the reliance on memorization of formulas that I think Saxon encourages. Older DS who has always been math-minded, but not going into a math or science field did Foerster's Algebra 2/Trig. It was more rigorous than what DS needed for heading towards a humanities/digital arts field. We did not get through the entire book (due to taking our time through the text), but skipped some of the Trig chapters at the end, so I only gave DS credit for Algebra 2, not the Trig. No way younger DS who has always struggled with math, esp. the abstract concepts of algebra could have handled Foerster's. Thank you! I think in FINALLY understand what sets Foerster apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenberly Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Can you please tell me which cd this is, or provide a link? I realize this thread is old, but any help would be helpful,:) Jen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Can you please tell me which cd this is, or provide a link? I realize this thread is old, but any help would be helpful,:)Jen. Math Without Borders has a DVD to go along with Foerster's Algebra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenberly Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Thanks, is this the same thing that sunflower mentioned, the Cd with solutions manual? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 My children did not like the Math w/o Borders CD. I do math with my kids through alg 2 and I agreed w/them that they didn't need it. It simply replicates what is in the textbook. Foerster's explanations are very clear and really don't require someone demonstrating what is in the textbook itself. Lisa, we only use the SM, not the TE. Be prepared that the SM does not have full worked out solutions like the alg 1 sm. I finally learned......I kept ds notebook so now I do have full solutions!!! OP, another source to consider for a future math major is AoPS. Foerster is direct teaching and AoPS is discovery. However, AoPS is discovery designed for mathematically inclined kids and does contain complete instruction w/in the solutions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I've never used the DVD, but I have used the solutions manual (for Alg 1). I think sunflower mentions both. I don't think there is a solution manual on the DVD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Here is what I posted on another thread about this last fall: I have very mixed feelings about Foerster. We have only used his algebra 2 book here. I like the word problems; they're varied, numerous, and challenging. I don't like: The disconnect between the instruction in the book and the harder problems. The disconnect between the review exercises and the actual exams. That there is only one form of each exam. The lack of color. That the explanations aren't as clear as they might be (this is an understatement actually). I am in the process of switching my son over to Lial. He is halfway through Foerster, but it just isn't working on so many levels. The update to this is that Lial went *extremely* well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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