anyone used JUST life of fred for alg and up?

[ilovemy4kids]

I am curious if anyone has used JUST life of fred for algebra and up, and if so how did it work out for you? I'm thinking of having dd switch to fred after saxon 1/2 is finished.

 

Sandra

[Suzannah]

I'm afraid to say it, but yes, at the moment that's basically what we're doing. We supplement with KhanAcademy.com though so maybe that's not JUST LoF. Anyway, DS isn't much of a math type but LoF really got him through a rough patch when Saxon just became too confusing (somewhere along 87 I think it just started introducing things too quickly and then moving on to the next thing.) Anyway, we shopped around a bit, but I finally decided that the math we do will be the math we do. This year we're doing LoF:Beginning Algebra and about once every week or two DS will spend an hour on KhanAcademy.com. The time spent on KhanAcademy depends. If all is well with the regular math, he just flits around and works on either the suggestions or whatever catches his fancy. If a concept is proving difficult I'll assign specific videos and practice exercises for him to get a handle on it before returning to LoF.

 

I know there's a debate about whether LoF is "enough." I don't really think that's an issue. The author addresses this on his website and I've read enough reviews to convince me it is enough. I do think that learning style has a lot to do with whether or not it will work in your own situation. And DS has decided that he likes LoF so that helps too. This year his standardized test scores in math were much better than the usually are, if that means anything. But I think maturity has something to do with it. We began supplementing with LoF in 6th or 7th grade I think, starting with Fractions. He did Decimals & Percents and two of the Pre-Algebra books. All of these were alongside other programs (Saxon at first, then Teaching Textbooks, then Aleks.com) until this year when I sort of switched the emphasis around.

[Mama Lynx]

We're doing the same as Suzannah - Life of Fred and Khan Academy.

 

My 16 year old is probably average, or a little better than average, at math. He did Life of Fred Beginning Algebra and Geometry. I had him take our local school system's end of course exam (just printed it off the internet for our own information), and he scored well on both.

 

My 14 year old is very mathy. He loves the Fred books. He's used both Algebra books so far, and is working on the Geometry book. He uses Kahn Academy whenever he feels he wants to/it's necessary for better understanding.

 

For us, Life of Fred does seem to be "enough." My plan is to continue finding ways to test their understanding against comparable courses from schools. If we get into a situation where they don't match up well, we'll seek out ways to work on those skills. So far, we've not had to do that.

[BrotherAtticus]

Ive used LoF BA and 1/3 of LoF Geometry. This year i scored a 25 on the ACT

[laughing lioness]

ds17 is using LoF and just finishing Alg II.

He has a tutor (a former engineer who is currently teaching at U. and homeschooling) and she thinks it's good enough. He's not going into a math field, though she is encouraging him to think about engineering ;).

[ilovemy4kids]

Thanks for all the responses. Talked with the author today and he said that dd would need to do pre-alg 1 and pre alg 2 even though she had saxon alg 1/2 done. She was less than thrilled with having to do those before the beginning alg book, so I'm not sure if we will go that route or not.

 

Hmm... lots to think about.

[pjssully]

so what is a good score on ACT for math? we haven't gotten there yet? just curious as we haven't figured out geometry yet for my daughter and had thought of LOF awhile back.

pam

[BrotherAtticus]

so what is a good score on ACT for math? we haven't gotten there yet? just curious as we haven't figured out geometry yet for my daughter and had thought of LOF awhile back.

pam

 

Well, according to ACT's website a 25 is 78th percentile. Which isnt bad for as I scored that with 1 chapter of geometry.

I know a friend who did LoF Algebra1 and 2, and LoF Geometry and Trig. He got a 33 on his ACT for math.

Overall a 24 is decent

28 above is good!

[Suzannah]

Thanks for all the responses. Talked with the author today and he said that dd would need to do pre-alg 1 and pre alg 2 even though she had saxon alg 1/2 done. She was less than thrilled with having to do those before the beginning alg book, so I'm not sure if we will go that route or not.

 

Hmm... lots to think about.

 

That's interesting, because I believe he wrote the pre-algebra books (like about a year ago) after so many people clamored for them. He had initially said that anyone who had mastered Fractions and Decimals & Percents could go straight into Beginning Algebra. The pre-algebra books also state that there is no such thing as "pre-algebra" it's just the preparatory math that gets you into algebra.

 

Perhaps it has more to do with the scope of Saxon Alg. 1/2? Maybe they don't cover some things that he thinks should be done before Algebra.

 

How well did she do with Saxon 1/2? Maybe you could do some KhanAcademy.com over the summer (it's free) to lay some groundwork and just start with Beginning Algebra in the fall? Or see if you can look it over before you buy to figure out whether it would be suitable.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Suzannah

[susie in tx]

That's interesting, because I believe he wrote the pre-algebra books (like about a year ago) after so many people clamored for them. He had initially said that anyone who had mastered Fractions and Decimals & Percents could go straight into Beginning Algebra.

 

One of my daughter's went directly from the Fractions and Decimals and Percents books to Beginning Algebra.

[ilovemy4kids]

One of my daughter's went directly from the Fractions and Decimals and Percents books to Beginning Algebra.

 

I know! I asked him about it and he said that the need was there and now he thinks that you should do them first. Because too many kids got hung up on the word problems in beginning alg and in the second pre-alg book he shows a way to figure them out that isn't even in the beginning Algebra book. I'm a little discouraged, because I though that after alg 1/2 with saxon she'd surely be able to go to beginning algebra!

[susie in tx]

I'm a little discouraged, because I though that after alg 1/2 with saxon she'd surely be able to go to beginning algebra!

 

If you think that he can do it, why not try it?

[Suzannah]

I know! I asked him about it and he said that the need was there and now he thinks that you should do them first. Because too many kids got hung up on the word problems in beginning alg and in the second pre-alg book he shows a way to figure them out that isn't even in the beginning Algebra book. I'm a little discouraged, because I though that after alg 1/2 with saxon she'd surely be able to go to beginning algebra!

 

Well, maybe you could just do the 2nd pre-algebra book--is it Economics? Do it over the summer or at the beginning of the year as a review/intro and then go straight into Beginning Algebra. Since it'll mostly be review I would think you can probably get through it fairly quickly.

[nmoira]

Well, maybe you could just do the 2nd pre-algebra book--is it Economics? Do it over the summer or at the beginning of the year as a review/intro and then go straight into Beginning Algebra. Since it'll mostly be review I would think you can probably get through it fairly quickly.

This. Judging by what I've read in this board, kids sometimes hit a wall in LOF: BA at the single variable word problems. It's probably worth going through Economics as it's focus is word problems and it uses an different method to solve them than does BA. The worked solutions in Zillion of Problems include both methods.

[homeschoolally]

We gave it a really good try, went from Fractions, Dec%, 2 of the pre-alg, alg1 and geometry. I really wanted it to be our sole math curriculum.

What I found was that he would either get stuck on something over his head, or not understand the explanations and I was of little help. When I started getting worried about retention, I had him try a Saxon problem set midway through Alg 1 and he was :001_huh:

I love Fred, I really do. Hoping to pick back up with it after he gets through a little more traditional math. FWIW, we used the companion too, and this is a strong math student. Interested in reading other experiences here.

[mumto2]

I just want to say LOF is not the only math program we use but my Dd14 has used it as her spine for trigonometry and Calculus. She is very mathy and this is working great for her. She has a lot of other resourses which she uses occasionally. Her favorite supplement are the Dummies books. Quick and to the point according to her. Occasionally in Fred something will be referenced but not explanned fully. She likes to understand the whole picture and dummies is here resource for a more complete explanation.

 

I also agree you could probably go directly into the beginning algebra. I would advise doing the pre algebra books for the experience. Both of my kids really enjoyed them. They did a great job applying math to other interesting areas. They went very quickly. They really got the biology part too -- so that has made biology easier this year.:001_smile:

 

I do think it could be done with just LOF which is why I responded.

[susie in tx]

What I found was that he would either get stuck on something over his head, or not understand the explanations and I was of little help.

 

This has happened a few times with my girls. My older dd would either ask her dad or Dr. Schmidt. Often, it was something simple she overlooked. My younger dd goes to Kahn Academy to watch one of the videos for clarification on something she doesn't understand. She just started Advanced Algebra and has been to Kahn Academy more often since started the AA.

[marbel]

This is really interesting to me.

 

We used LoF exclusively for fractions, decimals and percents, and the first pre-algebra (w/bio). At that time, the pre-algebra books were optional, so we only did the first one. My son was anxious to move to "real" algebra.

 

But then my son, who is usually strong on math concepts though weak on computation, couldn't get very far in Algebra 1. He found the "your turn to play" sections very frustrating as he didn't feel he had enough information to "play." Even though he knew much of the teaching came from attempting the problems and reading the solutions, he was frustrated because he felt completely lost in them.

 

We figured LoF was just not a good fit for him anymore and moved to something else. (Great Courses Algebra 1, Schaum's Outlines for Elementary Algebra, and lots of tutoring from engineer Dad).

 

He does have some issues (AD/HD, deficient working memory) which make math hard anyway, and he is struggling still. But I wonder if the 2nd of the pre-Algebra books would have prevented some problems.

 

Margaret

[who is new and hopes to have a signature soon]

[BCeltics]

I plan on having my DD use LOF Beginning Algebra exclusively for 9th grade next year. She is currently finishing up MUS's Pre-Algebra and while she is doing that, I have her working through LOF Pre-Algebra Biology and Economics so she can get a feel for how LOF works. She is my "reader" and I understand the logic of LOF. I tell my kids all the time that "Life is world problem". You are not going to get very far knowing only how to do the math computation; you need to know WHEN to do each math computation and I think LOF addresses that by "doing math" in a story setting. I have my younger boys integrating LOF into their MUS work also in hopes that they will switch over completely to LOF when they get to Pre-Algebra.

[Bassoonaroo]

Well, according to ACT's website a 25 is 78th percentile. Which isnt bad for as I scored that with 1 chapter of geometry.

I know a friend who did LoF Algebra1 and 2, and LoF Geometry and Trig. He got a 33 on his ACT for math.

Overall a 24 is decent

28 above is good!

 

My dd got a 30 on ACT math using just LOF for three or four years. She was halfway through LOF trig at that point and math is not her strong suit. And she got 680 on SAT math. She said ACT math was a bit tougher than SAT math.

 

I believe both of those scores are about 90th percentile.

[ilovemy4kids]

Thanks everyone for your responses. We have opted to continue with Saxon for now AND add in the 2 pre-algebra books from LOF. After those are done, we will re-evaluate and see if we want to go to JUST LOF or continue with Saxon.

[Laura Corin]

I tried to use LOF algebra as our only maths programme. We had previously used LOF Fractions, and Decimals and Percents as supplements. It didn't suit Calvin at all: he wanted to be told explicitly how to work problems, as well as the reasons for the method. He was just confused by LOF algebra. We went back to Galore Park maths.

 

Laura

[4wildberrys]

I tried to use LOF algebra as our only maths programme. We had previously used LOF Fractions, and Decimals and Percents as supplements. It didn't suit Calvin at all: he wanted to be told explicitly how to work problems, as well as the reasons for the method. He was just confused by LOF algebra. We went back to Galore Park maths.

 

Laura

 

This is what my son says too! I have been using LoF alongside MUS and he says he doesn't like storytelling learning. Honestly---I LOVE it :tongue_smilie: It gives the 'why' behind using math that I am just not finding in MUs, which just seems to be nuts and bolts---and that's it.

[ThisIsTheDay]

Thanks for all the responses. Talked with the author today and he said that dd would need to do pre-alg 1 and pre alg 2 even though she had saxon alg 1/2 done. She was less than thrilled with having to do those before the beginning alg book, so I'm not sure if we will go that route or not.

 

Hmm... lots to think about.

 

Just want to say that the pre-alg books are easy.

 

My dd went from Singapore 6 into LOF algebra. LOF did not work for her, but it just wasn't a good fit. It had nothing to do with her not using LOF pre-alg. (It was before the pre-alg books were available.)

 

Ds did the pre-alg books this past year, but that's because **I** was not ready to do algebra quite so soon (after using Lial's with dd).

 

He flew through the pre-alg books and started algebra a few months ago. He's loving it. He's a different kid, and at this point, I believe LOF will be enough for him, and we can supplement with Khan if not.

 

All of this to say that I don't necessarily agree that your dd should do LOF pre-alg first. I just asked ds though, and he says he felt the pre-alg books made the alg easier so far, but that it probably wouldn't matter in the long run. Has your dd seen LOF yet? She'll find it so very different from Saxon and she might enjoy it. It will seem easy, yet it will help her get used to the way the material is presented throughout the series.

 

Obviously, I don't have a definitive answer for you.;)

[Susan in TN]

Thanks for all the responses. Talked with the author today and he said that dd would need to do pre-alg 1 and pre alg 2 even though she had saxon alg 1/2 done. She was less than thrilled with having to do those before the beginning alg book, so I'm not sure if we will go that route or not.

 

Hmm... lots to think about.

 

You dd will probably fly through the pre-algebra books. I'd probably go with the author's suggestion, but you don't have to. FWIW, this past year my very non-mathy dd did LoF Decimals and Percents and both pre-algebra books. I gave her the choice of doing Jacobs Algebra or LoF beginning algebra and she chose LoF hands down after looking through Jacobs for about 45 seconds. My oldest ds will be going through LoF Advanced Algebra and Trig next year (he's been doing TT Algebra 2 this past year but it seems he'll need more algebra than he's getting from TT). And if I can scrape the money together, I'd like to get the elementary series for the Littles :).

[ilovemy4kids]

Thanks ladies! DD has started the pre-alg with biology. She says it's easy, but only because she has not encountered anything "new" yet. She's not certain that she likes the storytelling approach. :( I asked her not to write it off until after she completes the two pre-algebra books, then if she wants to discontinue Fred, so be it.

 

I am working through the LOF algebra just for me! :001_smile: