GMB Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 What does one do if one has a strong background in math, but one's child resists Algebra 1 60% of the way through the curriculum? I am willing to explain, but dd14 refuses to fully engage and claims that she cannot understand the Harold Jacob's text. An artist acquaintance recently told me that she felt as if Algebra was a foreign language she could not learn in high school. Dd14 is incredibly artistic and highly intelligent. Dh steered clear of Algebra in high school and graduated from the Ivy league using a Logic course to satisfy a math requirement. I wonder if I should permit dd14 to abandon Algebra 1 as she desires. Perhaps I've been trying to push a square peg into a round hole. Has anyone else had a similar situation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dulcimeramy Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I wouldn't let any of my children abandon Algebra. Where is she getting stuck? How far in the book did she progress before she got confused? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMB Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 She started Algebra 1 in 8th grade using SOS in an online curriculum. The fit was not good and she earned only 1/2 credit in one year. I thought we could complete SOS at home this year, but the online or pc format does not fit her learning style. She asked to start the Jacob's text from the beginning as a review this year. Problems occurred with factoring polynomials. Getting her through Chapter 10 was a painful process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Try Jann in TX math tutor or class, she is the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-FL Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I wonder if I should permit dd14 to abandon Algebra 1 as she desires. Perhaps I've been trying to push a square peg into a round hole. If she wants to go to college, seems 3+ credits of hs math Alg. I and higher are required. Even for a BA, you have to have 2 college level maths so you better have some foundation to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kRenee Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Problems occurred with factoring polynomials. Getting her through Chapter 10 was a painful process. My dd had trouble with polynomials too. We got through by looking at ALL the online tutorials on polynomials. So maybe a live tutor would be helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Maybe she is a year too young? I have had that happen with math a couple of times, and everything resolved the next year. Also, be sure your curriculum is a good fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 A creative way to deal with this would be to put Algebra I away and do a half year of Geometry. Finish both Algebra I and Geometry next year. The extra six months of development may do her some good. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I wonder if I should permit dd14 to abandon Algebra 1 as she desires. Perhaps No. I would not decide that a 14 year old is incapable of learning algebra, thus closing the doors to a vast amount of professions and drastically limiting her options for a future career. I see several reasons why she may be unsuccessful: 1. Her pre-algebra may not be solid. If she is not proficient in arithmetic with integers and fractions, can work with exponents and the distributive property etc, algebra is painful to impossible. A thorough assessment and maybe a review may be in order. 2. the book may not fit her learning style.It may be that she needs a live person to teach her and that learning it from a book or even a video is not working. I would try out different materials and a tutor. 3. It may also be that she is not mature enough for the abstraction; in that case I would put algebra on ice and, as somebody else has suggested, insert a semester of other math, such as simple topics in geometry (plane geometry is easy, triangles are fun; postpone formal proofs if she is not ready). Whatever you do, I would not declare a 14 year old incapable of understanding algebra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in MN Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 My dd is very artistic and she really succeeded with Math Relief on video (sample here http://www.mathrelief.com/ ). All the algebra she had done before that I just called "pre-algebra." Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RENEEinVA Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Try switching curriculum. I know that's probably the last thing you want to do now, but my older dd ran into the same problem (& we happen to have been using Jacobs Algebra at the time). We switched over to another curriculum and it has been smooth sailing ever since. I think Jacobs was just a little too wordy for my dd. She just wants to see examples with explanations and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise Allen Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I didn't read all the replies- My 13 yr. old daughter is doing Algebra- she did not get or like the Jacobs text (though I did). She is using Foerster's Algebra & LOVES it (well, as much as one can love algebra). She is really getting it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4wildberrys Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I totally understand! How about supplementing with Key to Algebra for a while on the harder to understand concepts. Another option is to completely switch to something like Math U See---which was the 'saving' grace math for my dd and her total aversion to Algebra. And not getting Algebra in high school and not being able to complete those '3 credits' of Algebra 1 and above in high school will not shut doors in life! Sorry. Some kids just CAN NOT get beyond Geometry in high school but then go on to soar in college in their chosen field---even (gasp!) college algebra. I have heard this repeatedly on this board and others----so I honestly would not get too stressed if your dd needs more than one high school year to finish and understand Algebra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMB Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 I have offered to stop Algebra and pick up Geometry, but she claims that she will forget Algebra if she has to pick it up in the future. I'm reluctant to hire a tutor when I have successfully taught and tutored both university and high school math students. Monday I will put the text aside, and work through some problems with her to see if I can jump start interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I have offered to stop Algebra and pick up Geometry, but she claims that she will forget Algebra if she has to pick it up in the future. I'm reluctant to hire a tutor when I have successfully taught and tutored both university and high school math students. Monday I will put the text aside, and work through some problems with her to see if I can jump start interest. Sometimes the kids put up a block and it takes an outsider to get through. At least that is what happened here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 You could try Kinetic Books. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee. I really like their program. http://www.kineticbooks.com Another program that might work for you is Algebra I: A Fresh Approach http://www.aplusses.com/zencart/textbooks-c-1.html or Algebra the Easy Way (should be able to see this at most bookstores) http://www.amazon.com/Algebra-Easy-Way-Douglas-Downing/dp/0764119729/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300496461&sr=8-1 or even Hot X : Algebra Exposed (should be able to see this at most bookstores) http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Algebra-Exposed-Danica-McKellar/dp/1594630704/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1300496490&sr=1-1 These last two programs may appeal to her artsy side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love2Smile Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 We just purchased Art Reeds DVD's for Saxon. It is making a huge difference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Here is the method I was taught-- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMB Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 You could try Kinetic Books. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee. I really like their program.www.kineticbooks.com Another program that might work for you is Algebra I: A Fresh Approach http://www.aplusses.com/zencart/textbooks-c-1.html or Algebra the Easy Way (should be able to see this at most bookstores) http://www.amazon.com/Algebra-Easy-Way-Douglas-Downing/dp/0764119729/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300496461&sr=8-1 or even Hot X : Algebra Exposed (should be able to see this at most bookstores) http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Algebra-Exposed-Danica-McKellar/dp/1594630704/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1300496490&sr=1-1 These last two programs may appeal to her artsy side. AngieW: Thanks for the artsy suggestions. I will check out Hot X tomorrow at my local Barnes and Noble. The author's claim may spark her interest. All: Thanks for providing much food for thought. Gina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcurry Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Two thoughts... one is, I agree with the person who suggested "Key to Algebra" by Key Curriculum Press. They make it very easy to understand. I believe it was originally intended for those with learning disabilities, but is now used for gifted students too. We used some of the other books of the series, but not Algebra. Also, my son was having trouble, and we borrowed a copy of the Math U See DVD of Algebra. They are short lessons- I just had him watch the entire thing straight through to see if he understood. It explained algebra and polynomials in a way I've never seen. They actually made it visual, which I didn't think possible. It helped ME, who did fine in algebra in high school. I may wait a year or two, but I wouldn't abandon it all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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