Teaching Textbooks Math and Standardized Test Results (which we got back)

[NanceXToo]

Just in case some of you on the "Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges" board don't look at the K-8 Curriculum Board much anymore, I really wanted to share this link to a thread that I started fairly recently on that board regarding Teaching Textbooks math after getting our standardized test results back from this year:

 

http://welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=259625

 

Being as it's curriculum-buying/fall-planning season, I thought that it might be a good thread for those of you who are considering and/or concerned about Teaching Textbooks.

 

I know a LOT of people love the concept of TT but worry that it's too "behind." But in my experience, it's NOT "behind" and I think it would really be a shame for people whose kids would really enjoy and benefit from TT to miss out just because of negative hype about a good program. So check out the link if you're so inclined. :)

[Rebecca VA]

My daughter is using TT Geometry this spring. The teacher is so careful and thorough, and he has a very pleasant way of presenting the material. The problem sets (which include tons of proofs) are just the right degree of difficulty. When she doesn't understand a problem (usually a proof) after she's tried and tried, she turns the CD-ROM back on again and watches the teacher solve the problem.

 

I'm going to have her repeat geometry after TT using Jurgensen's Geometry, which is much more difficult. That's because I can see her possibly going into a math-related field and want her to use challenging textbooks that will be familiar to admissions officers. Since almost all the topics in Jurgensen's will have already been covered in TT Geometry, she will be going into a rigorous program quite well-prepared. (And she *definitely* wasn't prepared for Jurgensen's when I looked it over last fall. I almost fainted at the thought of her trying to master that material without someone holding her hand all the way through. Now that she's finishing up TT, I can envision her working through Jurgensen's very happily.)

 

There are only 110 lessons in TT Geometry. There are 130 lessons in TT Algebra 2. I don't know how many lessons per year other grades have, but I wonder if the reason it's not considered as rigorous or comprehensive is because there are just fewer lessons?

[NanceXToo]

There are only 110 lessons in TT Geometry. There are 130 lessons in TT Algebra 2. I don't know how many lessons per year other grades have, but I wonder if the reason it's not considered as rigorous or comprehensive is because there are just fewer lessons?

 

I really don't know! That could be one reason. I've also heard people say that it seems "too easy" but if you ask me, it's not that it's "too easy," it's that it's SO well-explained and easy to grasp with the way this program is set up that the kids don't struggle with it. This is a GOOD thing. You don't have to struggle with math, hate math, or dread math for it to be effective. I promise, you don't lol. With TT, my daughter has fun, she easily gets it the majority of the time, she's built SO much confidence, and even though she's not a very mathy kid and I'm not a very mathy parent, she then turned around and got good scores on the math portion of her test. Just from a year of TT- used at grade-level with no supplementing of anything else.

 

You'll never hear me say anything but good things about this program! :)

[Capt_Uhura]

I"m so happy it has worked out well for her. :001_smile: I love reading success stories, especially about girls and math.

[Paintedlady]

Just wanted to chime in that we've been bitten by the Teaching Textbooks bug here. ;)

 

11yr old DD is dyslexic and a very unsure of herself, struggling student in most areas. She's been doing MUS since we started homeschooling her in 2nd grade and we've loved it. It's done an amazingly good job of baby stepping her through the process and has given her a solid foundation.

 

The problem is that she needs me for every single problem, holding her hand constantly, and it is so draining! I am very patient with her (most of the time :ack2:) but after 4 years of constantly sitting at her side, I felt she needed a small level of independence, especially as she is firmly in the early logic stage. I've been intrigued by TT for a while but I'm not a curriculum hopper and tend to stick with something when I know it's a solid program. I kept feeling like it had to be one program or the other and didn't want to change. I was doing a lot of reading about math here on the forums and saw how often people recommended doing 2 different maths at once and was intrigued.

 

Long story short(er) but I finally decided to try TT5 and continue on with MUS and see how it went. We've only been using TT for about a month so far but I can't begin to tell you how much she's been enjoying it!!! :hurray: She calls it her fun math and is very anxious to do it every day. Now I recognize that she's in the early part of the program and it's easy for her, but I think she's the kind of kid who needs to be eased in. She's continuing with MUS and TT and will keep doing that unless I see it's no longer working.

 

Funny thing is now DS, who is very good at math and a bit advanced, wants to do TT too! He just thinks it's fun review at this point, but I figure extra math at any level is never a bad thing.