Math ?.... WWYD?

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

My 8th grade son is finishing TT7. I plan to go straight to TT Algebra 1 for 9th grade. I have Lial's PreAlgebra and Lial's Beginning and Intermediate on my shelf and will use those as needed. We'll also be doing "some" problems on Interactmath.com from the Lial's books.

 

What would you do? (about half finished with TT 7)

1. Do two lessons per day, one in morning and one in afternoon, to quickly finish TT7? We would then have more time for TT Algebra 1 and I could dedicate an hour of two each week to use the Lial's books. He is FINALLY completely understanding so I think he CAN do well with two lessons per day until Al 1.

 

OR

2. Continue doing TT7 one lesson per day until finished then do TT Algebra 1?

I would supplement the Lial's materials in the afternoons on days I'm not working, most likely Tuesday and Thursday.

 

The advantage of two lessons per day now is MORE time for Algebra 1 next year. The disadvantage is forcing the extra math time when we all have spring fever and alot of school interruptions for the next 3 or 4 weeks.

 

The advantage of doing one lesson per day now is to make completely SURE that all concepts of basic math are COMPLETELY understood now before moving on at all. The disadvantage is that we would not have many days next year for reinforcement or reteaching in Algebra 1, which I do think we will need.

 

I think all the "gaps" have been filled, that he does currently understand basic math, and that we just need to finish TT7. But, I do not want to rush it just to finish "on time." We will do math over the summer no matter which decision I make.

 

After doing some Lial's lessons with him, he decided that he would rather do TT as the main text and supplement with Lial's rather than the other way around. And since I work part time, he can do TT on his own completely if needed. I need to 'teach' Lial's.

 

You can go back and read old posts if you wonder why my soon to be 9th grade son is doing 7th grade math. I'm just thrilled that we've filled gaps, gotten consistent, and that his maturity and development have "caught up."

 

I plan on flowing from TT Algebra 1 in 9th to TT Algebra 2 in 10th. He can finish Al 2 in fall of 11th if he needs extra time. He'll do MUS Geometry in 11th and 12th grade math is To Be Announced later. I also plan on doing math every summer.

 

So: What Would YOU Do?

1. Two lessons of TT7 now with more time for Al 1 next?

OR

2. Keep plodding away with one lesson a day?

:bigear:

THANKS ! :D

[regentrude]

Can he concentrate well and would he be productive working two lessons a day? How much time does one lesson take?

I found that I can not hurry math with my kids. they can stay focused for a specific amount of time - anything more will not be productive.

 

How many lessons do you have left, i.e. when would you get done if you took it one a day?

[Teachin'Mine]

Try two and if it doesn't work, go back to one.

[Susan C.]

Pam,

The only problem I see is that you are rushing TT7 AND skipping prealgebra. That is too fast. Your plan will only work if he gets what he is doing now quickly and you see speed in doing the problems. Otherwise, I fear a bigger mess. I know you are "behind" but moving him too fast, and then putting him in "too deep" will not be a good experience. A good way to see if he is ready for algebra is to move to the prealgebra text and see how he does. FYI neither of my dc liked college texts at that age..... Any chance you can pick up BJU Prealgebra last edition cheaply and see how he does? Or move him to TT prealgebra now, removing any overlap between that and TT7?

 

I did peak at TT Alg. 1, it was a mix of what I saw in BJU Prealgebra (a very good text) and beginning Algebra 1. But I showed dd TT Alg. 1 at the time (she was not having trouble with math), and she still freaked out. It was very good for her to have a holding year of prealgebra to cement basic math concepts and gently introduce beginning algebra concepts.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

I can not hurry my kids with math either...which is why I'm asking the question.

 

He averages about 45 minutes per lesson. He watches the lecture, works the problems, watches solutions if he misses problems. The last few lessons he has gotten a 100 so he has not watched solutions.

 

He is finishing up other subjects now. He finished science last week, will finish literature this week, and will finish history next week. We are dropping French until next year. (Next year begins July 1) He'll be watching /listening to some online videos in those subjects for the next month. Just watch or listen, no assignments. So,there is extra time in our day for math.

 

If I do two lessons per day he will do a math lesson first thing in the morning and he'll do a math lesson right after lunch.

 

We will be taking some days off all school during the summer. With one lesson a day he'll finish mid August. With two lessons per day he could finish mid June. Grades are due June 15th. I'll turn in a grade on June 15th whether or not we are done. :)

 

Thanks Regent!

[regentrude]

I can not hurry my kids with math either...which is why I'm asking the question.

 

Go ahead and give it a try and see what he thinks.

 

Thanks Regent!

 

oops, I just realized my username can be read as Regent Rude. I hope I'm not rude ;-)

Regentrude is a fairy tale character by the German Romantic author Theodor Storm; she is the watcher over the rain (=regen)

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

Susan,

I have experience with TT Pre Algebra and TT Algebra 1. Both of my daughters used the first editions of those textbooks. Algebra 1 begins with a good review of all the PreAlgebra one needs. I think. And I think my son's maturity and brain development have reached the point of understanding well enough to skip TT PreAlgebra. This year we've supplemented with some of the "Keys to... " workbooks and I'll probably get Keys to Algebra to use next year as well. I forgot to mention also supplementing with Keys to Algebra in my original post.

 

Which makes me think of a third option.........

I could get the Keys to Algebra now, Do Keys to Algebra in the mornings, do one lesson a day of TT 7, and begin TT Al 1 in August.

 

:001_huh:

 

Why are some decisions so hard to make?

[mumto2]

I would go with the new option 3.:001_smile:

 

My dc's enjoy working on different topics with different texts. Plus if he finds a topic difficult this provides a bit more time for him to understand it. Instead of forging ahead. Key to is a good foundation and started now could serve as pre algebra. The first books are quite basic.

[webbeccjo]

the new option 3 is exactly what I'd suggest! :)

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

Today's math lesson did not go well. LOL

 

I'm dealing with "Boy Brain" for sure. That strange time where sometimes the male looks and acts and works like a mature grown up and the next day the same person reverts to childhood.

 

Today school was just really off schedule. My mom is visiting for 3 weeks, everyone has spring fever, I'm researching "next year" and trying to make decisions, I kept interrupting school to take care of other things.

 

I need to just chill about the whole math scheduling right now. We may not even get one lesson done per day over the next 3 weeks.

[Hope in God]

Could you finish TT7 this year (one or 2 lessons/day- however it works out for the day, just go with the flow).

 

Next year (whenever that begins) do TT pre-algebra and TT algebra. This way the concepts would be reinforced and your son would have more time to soak up the info (though more physical work as well).

 

My daugther was behind in Math (really behind) so this year she has done TT6, TT7 and TT pre algebra because I felt it was important to make sure she had all the teaching she could get as well as the reinforcement that comes at the beginning of each book. Next year she will do the next 2 books in the series (if all goes as planned).

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

Math today went a little better. He did a quiz, missed 3 problems because he really was not paying attention, but did the quiz in about 30 minutes.

 

I'm still thinking about everything. I have settled on using Teaching Textbooks with this boy. Scheduling decisions can wait. Now I am rethinking skipping TT PreAlgebra.

 

But if I do Keys to Algebra I don't think I really NEED TT PreAlgebra......

And I do have a Lial's PreAlgebra book already......

 

:001_huh:

:tongue_smilie:

[Susan C.]

If he does well with TT, then stay with that! Prealgebra seems to be repeat on a lot of things, but kids need that.

 

On one of the facebook homeschool used book selling sites, there is a thread about someone starting a "selling TT" facebook site. (But I don't know how to link here).