TT Pre-Calc

[Chris in VA]

Is anyone going to go with Teaching Textbooks PreCalc course this year? Can someone compare it to Chalkdust (except for the cost and the fact that there are no dvd's yet for TT) re scope and sequence?

 

I've seen TT as being a little different in scope and sequence--parts of Algebra and Geom were easier than, say, Lial's, but I really have no idea if TT will be redundant in any way for ds, who is using a text no one here has even heard of (believe me).

[Guest Katia]

I am using TT Pre/Calc this coming year for my 11th grade dd, along with LOF Adv. Algebra and LOF Trig. I am not a 'mathy' person at all, so I can't compare LL to any other program, but a lot of what is in the Table of Contents in the TT Pre/Calc program is the same as the TOC for the LOF Advanced Algebra.

 

Now, they do have some different things; Trig things that are not in the LOF Adv. Algebra, but........a majority of the topics look to be the same as the LOF Adv. Algebra. I'm not sure exactly what that means, so maybe some one with more math savvy could interpret this for you.

 

For me, my dd likes TT and understands the way it teaches. She has used TT from Algebra 1 up so far and wants to continue, so we are. However, I think LOF covers more topics and more in-depth than TT, so we are using both. DD loves LOF so it's not a problem.

 

She is doing TT on Monday, Tues, and Wed. and LOF on Thurs. and Fridays during the school year. This lets her complete a TT course and since she does LOF all during the summer ("It's just FUN mom!") she can complete a LOF text as well.

 

Opps, forgot to say: We are calling this course Algebra 2, not Trig. Once she completes the LOF Trig and a lot of the LOF Calc, then we'll call that course Trig/Pre-Calc.

 

So, I don't know if all that helps you at all, but....you did ask who was using TT Trig/PreCalc and we are. :001_smile:

[Chris in VA]

LOF=Life of Fred?

 

Ds has had Algebra 1, Geom and Alg 2. I know he's forgotten a lot of geometry, but dh wants him to plunge into Trig. I thought TT Precalc would be trig and analytic geo combined with advanced algebra, leading to some of the calculus ideas in a light way, if that makes sense. It seems, tho, to be more advanced algebra that ds has already had.

 

sigh. I don't know what to do now.

[Guest Katia]

Yes, LOF is Life of Fred. Sorry I didn't make that clear.

 

The problem your ds is having is the reason I started using LOF. DD was doing Geometry last year and I wanted her to not forget the algebra she had already learned, so we started LOF Adv. Algebra along side of the TT Geometry, but at a very relaxed pace.

 

She will finish LOF Adv. Algebra early next year, but it has really helped her to solidify her algebra skills and to not forget them. I highly recommend LOF as a seriously 'fun' way to either teach or re-teach these upper level math skills. Both of my dds just love it.

 

Maybe start with LOF Adv. Algebra and see how he does, and then either stick with just LOF if he is doing well and understanding, OR add TT Trig/PreCalc onto your math schedule and scale back on the LOF but don't drop it.

 

Sorry you are having these problems. Figuring out math is a bear for each child, I know.

[kortney in AL]

We're going to use it this fall. We have used several of the TT courses. I'm disappointed that the CD lectures aren't ready yet to go with the book, but we're going to use it anyway. My dh (who is the math person in this household) had looked at Thinkwell, but was really put off by the price.