Saxon higher maths...is it necessary to do a separate geometry course?

[Robin in DFW]

We have finally settled in with Saxon for high school for dd after trying several other programs. She has been doing extremely well and at this point we must stick with it for the duration of high school.

 

Is it necessary to add in a separate geometry course? I know the geometry is integrated and once a student completes Advanced Math the geometry course is also complete.

 

I purchased TT geometry when I was *sure* my dd would love the program...well, she worked through quite a bit of the Algebra 1 book only to inform me it moved too slow and she didn't really feel it challenged her...she actually asked for something more difficult, which is why she now uses Saxon.

 

So we are *planning* to just use Saxon until graduation. I honestly don't know if she needs to do additional geometry or not. I would prefer she only use one program. Our plan, if we use a separate geometry course, would be to have her finish Algebra 1 in the fall (she must now work over the summer and into fall to finish since we switched), when the fall semester starts she would start geometry while also completing Algebra 1. As soon as she completes Algebra 1, she would then move into Algebra 2 while continuing the additional geometry program. Then, the following fall she would begin Advanced Math and after that take a CC class for math in the Spring semester of 12th. I have heard the Adv. Math book can take 1 1/2 years to complete.

 

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance,

Robin in (very hot) DFW

[langfam]

2 of my children had done only up to Saxon Advanced Math (no geometry) before they took the PSAT and both noticeably did worse on geometry type questions. DD decide she wanted to do geomertry this year separately and did comment that it did help her when she took the SAT this past May. DS decided he didn't want to do geometry separately, because he want to get to Calculus. Both DC scored in the 600s, but DD surprisingly scored better than DS who is my mathy one and has always scored better than her. We had also prepped with Chalkdust SAT Math Review.

 

HTHs

[LisaCA]

In California it is not. We chose not to do a separate geometry course. I feel that when they get through the Saxon series they will be competent in Geometry. With one of my daughters we may go over some geometry over the summer to strengthen this area. I'm afraid that if we took a whole year off of Algebra she would lose valuable skills.

As a side note: Saxon is coming out with a separate geometry book that looks pretty good.

[Brenda in MA]

but you might want to have your dc do a Geometry course for the practice in logical thinking with the proofs. The Geometry tested on the standardized tests doesn't involve proofs, just basic relationships with things like lines, angles, triangles, circles, etc. IMO, Saxon covers all of those things pretty well.

 

My older son used Saxon through the first half of Advanced Math (thus earning a Geometry credit) and then went on to Chalkdust PreCalc, so he never had a formal Geometry course. He did very well on the math portion of the ACT, so not having the full Geometry course didn't adversely effect his test scores.

 

He did use the Chalkdust SAT math review, but that was back in the fall before the PSAT, so I'm not sure that had anything to do with his math ACT score.

 

I am going to have my younger son use a Geometry course, though, for the proofs/critical thinking aspect.

 

Brenda

[LinRTX]

Robin

 

My son just graduated with an EE degree from UTA. He only did Saxon for high school, no extra geometry course. Both his SAT and PSAT math scores were near perfect. My daughter also did well on the SAT and PSAT math sections with only Saxon and nothing else (except some SAT review books). So it is possible to do well with no additional geometry. I think it just depends on the child.

[Ellie]

in Alg. 1, Alg. 2, and Advanced Math.

 

Janet in WA listed these courses as Algebra 1 with Geometry, Algebra 2 with Geometry, and Precalculus with Geometry.

[jayfromcleveland]

My 14yob is in 8th grade finishing Saxon Algebra 2. We have no plans for him to do a separate course in Euclidian geometry, based especially on my own high school experience.

 

I flunked high school geometry yet went on to get a degree in Physics (very math-intensive). Geometry is very formalistic and old fashioned with proofs and all. I think it would be a fine math elective for a kid who can't get enough of math, or who wishes to learn symbolic logic, or who is perhaps planning a career in mechanical engineering or architecture or another such field.

 

The public schools have always used geometry as a weed-out course to winnow out the class size for Algebra 2 and higher math. (And the social darministic schools say "tough noogies" to those who can't cut it.) Geometry is a digression from the main math series, and after one advances into algebra, trig, and calc, geometry "goes away" forever.

 

My remedial college math program did not include geometry, and it is not in any way a prereq for any college math series or science degree. Also, the Physics program, required several classes in vector analysis, which essentially encompasses the content of a Euclidean geometry course, minus the skull-cracking proofs and rote memorization of theorems.

 

If you want your kid to learn that content, get the excellent "Key to Geometry" series from Key Press, which is very hands-on and practical, and is more a drawing program than a math course. Otherwise, just stick with the Saxon track.

 

My $0.02, -jay

[Robin in DFW]

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