Eeek! My oldest is moving through Lial's Intro Algebra faster than I'd anticipated..

[Colleen]

My oldest used Lial's BCM and most of the Key to Algebra series before moving on to Lial's Intro Algebra a couple of months ago. He just turned 13 and will be an 8th grader this fall. I'd planned to have him just get his feet wet in the algebra text and use it throughout his 8th grade year. He'll wrap up the fourth chapter soon, though, and at this rate, he'll finish it long before I expected.

 

Here's the deal, though. I'm not feeling like he's actually getting enough exposure to the subject matter. He does well but I wouldn't describe him as unusually gifted with it. (Nor am I, for that matter; I need time to reacquaint myself with it all!:tongue_smilie:) I wish the answers to the even problems were included in the text or student solutions manual, because I'd actually prefer to slow the pace a bit by just spending more time on each chapter. I don't feel good about having plunge ahead so quickly.

 

What are your thoughts? Have any of you added something to Lial's (or another algebra course) to provide more reinforcement and slow the pace? Thanks for your input!

[Michelle in MO]

(which they have made much less navigable) and I found these additional resources for the 8th edition. I know you have the 7th edition.

 

I posted on this under the question about Lial's even problems, but they used to have a Teacher's solutions manual that covered all of the even problems. Check the back cover or possibly inside cover of your 7th edition. Does it list any additional resources or ISBN's? If so, type in the ISBN's for anything listed under "Teacher's Solutions Manual" or something like that, on a website like Amazon or addall.com or e-campus.com. You might come up with a 7th edition of the Teacher's Solutions Manual. If you can find one, doing the even problems would give your ds plenty of additional practice and slow down the process of learning.

 

It could be that he's a budding mathematician! If so---rejoice! That may be one less headache to handle in the high school years!

 

Good luck!

[Anna]

Colleen,

 

I don't have my copy before me but I know the first few chapters are basically review. It was natural for my kids to whiz through that review portion of the text. Give it some time and once your ds is moving on to new (to him) material, he may likely slow down his pace all on his own. For now, if he's doing well on his daily work and tests I wouldn't worry.

 

As for adding anything to Lial's--- nope. For us, nothing else was needed for either of my girls.

 

Fwiw--- In college this past year, both my girls have completed all the algebra they will need and have done well with it. Dd#2, my learning challenged dd, ended up with a "B" average in her CC class. Dd#1 finished math at her college with a "B+" average. Both of them only did Lial's in high school. Both of them hate math and are leaning in other directions for their declared majors but I was satisfied that they made B's in their college math work.

[Anna]

It could be that he's a budding mathematician! If so---rejoice! That may be one less headache to handle in the high school years!

 

Yes, to that! Colleen, if math comes naturally to your ds, he could easily fly through the entire text.

[Myra]

After my son finished Algebra I in Grade 7 we moved onto Geometry in Grade 8> But...once a week during Grade 8 my son watched the Teaching Company Algebra I DVD course ....I felt like it was good review of algebra, taught how to use the graphing calculator, heard a professor use terms pronounced "correctly" plus introduced some advanced concepts as well.

 

Myra

[Niebski]

My 7th grade 12 yo dd flew through Foerster's Alg 1... as a double check at the end of the book, she did the ALEKS algebra 1 course. There were just a few things she didn't know and she finished it in less than a month. I, too, worried she wasn't doing enough to really get it, but it looks like it sunk in!

 

Sue

[gardenschooler]

Colleen, the ISBN for the 7th ed. Annotated Instructor's Edition is 0321088697. I got mine from half.com for less than $10. It's been very helpful for me to have this, as I can use my copy to follow along (and try to keep up!)

 

I found it on Amazon marketplace, if you're interested in getting yourself a copy.

 

Are you having him do all of the problems for the chapter reviews? That would give more reinforcement to be sure it's sticking. It will get harder as he moves through the book.

 

My dd13 had an easy time with this text, as well, but I think it was due to the fact that the explanations are so crystal-clear. I did have her do some even problems when she needed more practice, so I think the purchase of the teacher's edition is a smart move.