Geometry Suggestions Needed ASAP

[1shortmomto4]

Yes, I sound panicked because I must admit that I am. My dd is a high school junior and has dyslexia (in the stealth mode as I like to describe it). We had, for the most part, success with the Fresh Approach Algebra last year although towards the end of the year we were both going "what?" but she did well and retained so that was great. So I figured we'll just use the geometry book but oh dear, oh me, oh my the first chapters and onwards is all proofs, proofs and more proofs. Yes, I know proofs are geometry but there has to be a program that focuses less on proofs and more on the skills needed, describing angles, more "mathy" and light on the logic. There is no way we're going to be able to slog through this as I read a bit and then we both go- what?

 

On a side note, my ds took his placement tests at the CC and it was all algebra, algebra and more algebra) so how deep and wide must the geometry be? My dd will follow along to CC when she graduates and cover those 2 years before heading off to a 4 year university (mostly due to cost) and she wants to be an elementary ed teacher of the K/1 grade levels (although I wouldn't be surprised that she ends up working somewhere in special ed because she has a gift working with autistic kids (she has taught them dance). I need something that is easy for mom to work with - that will get the basics covered in geometry (I guess) unless I should move on to Alg. 2. She needs more mastery but with the option of skipping problems once she gets it (I've never been a fan of drill and repeat).

 

Help? I know there is the high school board but because of her dyslexia the regular choices aren't necessarily a good fit.

[PeterPan]

Have you looked at Teaching Textbooks?

[1shortmomto4]

Unfortunately TT is spiral and that is not a good fit. Going to check out Kinetic math - saw it recommended in the new 101 Top Picks/Cathy Duffy book.

[EKS]

Unfortunately TT is spiral and that is not a good fit. Going to check out Kinetic math - saw it recommended in the new 101 Top Picks/Cathy Duffy book.

 

TT Geometry is *not* spiral though it does have review in each problem set. It is very traditional, actually.

 

I used TT Geometry with my dyslexic son and it worked well. It is not honors level but it is solid.

[Guest]

Have you seen the Key to... series? They are grade 4-12 and work the different areas independently. It can also be used very independently by the student as he/ she progresses through it at their own pace. My oldest is strong in Geometry so besides our regular math program I added the first 3 Geometry books for him to work on independently. It sounds like it may fit the bill, based on your description. Here's a link from the Rainbow website:

 

http://www.rainbowresource.com/searchspring.php?q=key+to+geometry

 

Hope you find something that will work for your girl :)

[AngieW in Texas]

I'm using MUS Geometry with my dyslexic dd. MUS Prealgebra didn't go over well with her, but she was still suffering from severe sleep deprivation that year. She got sleep meds shortly after starting MUS Algebra I and it went pretty well last year. Now she is working in MUS Geometry (just started it on Monday).

 

I would love to use Kinetic Books with her, but it is too rigorous for her to deal with at this point and she won't touch a math program on the computer.

 

Kinetic Books was great for my other girls though.

[Guest]

I just reread my previous post and realized that it came out wrong. I'm good at that it seems :tongue_smilie:! Anyway, what I was trying to say is that the genius of the way the program is set up, I find, is that it can work for remedial students, to help target areas that they need to work on, specifically. It can also work really well for students that are good in one area and want to move forward in that area without having to wait to progress through a standard program. In the second case, I would not use it as a standalone (which is why I am not) but in the first case it should work well as a standalone also. I hope I did a bit better at explaining in this post ;).

[1shortmomto4]

Thanks so much for all the responses. I did look at some samples of the Key to Geometry and I remember reading that it wasn't complete but maybe, just maybe enough to build off of and add other components rather than a one publisher curriculum option? I hate piecing things together but this may just have to be the case for this child. I have a BJU Geometry books (used for older ds) and I can gauge a pretty good idea of what basics she should have and work from there? before sinking in more money in something that will be a flop. I had originally considered MUS but she doesn't particularly learn well from a lecture - she's a sociable sue. Needs interaction and perhaps more hands-on - but mostly the interaction. I looked at Kinetics but the downside (before having her even try it is that the geometry is not for sale - yet) but Algebra II is available which brings me back to the other option and that is to do Algebra II this year and attempt geometry (minus lots of heavy logic/proofs) with Trig. I will have her try out the sample lessons on kinetic and gather some feedback. I'm going to hit the local used bookstore over the weekend because maybe there is a gem to found on one of those shelves - one never knows, right?

[Guest]

I did look at some samples of the Key to Geometry and I remember reading that it wasn't complete but maybe, just maybe enough to build off of and add other components rather than a one publisher curriculum option?

 

Well, I can't comment on whether it is complete or not since we just got our books about a week or so ago, and I am using it as a supplement with a soon to be 9 year old. It is an area he excels in (he just gets it) and has a passion for structures, especially bridges. I felt these would be a good intro for him. I am not sure which sets I will end up getting. So far I got the three Geometry books and a couple of others that I was interested in and will most likely get those three series. My goal is for my son to finish them before starting AoPs, while continuing with Math in Focus (if we stick with MiF and don't switch back to SM). Anyway, I am rambling now but given the gentle introduction, I thought I would suggest them to you. You, can only judge what will work best in your case :).

Edited September 15, 2012 by Guest

[Tiramisu]

I'm using MUS Geometry with my dyslexic dd. MUS Prealgebra didn't go over well with her, but she was still suffering from severe sleep deprivation that year. She got sleep meds shortly after starting MUS Algebra I and it went pretty well last year. Now she is working in MUS Geometry (just started it on Monday).

 

I would love to use Kinetic Books with her, but it is too rigorous for her to deal with at this point and she won't touch a math program on the computer.

 

Kinetic Books was great for my other girls though.

 

I think the MUS is the best bet. No proofs. Straightforward.

 

Thanks so much for all the responses. I did look at some samples of the Key to Geometry and I remember reading that it wasn't complete but maybe, just maybe enough to build off of and add other components rather than a one publisher curriculum option? I hate piecing things together but this may just have to be the case for this child. I have a BJU Geometry books (used for older ds) and I can gauge a pretty good idea of what basics she should have and work from there? before sinking in more money in something that will be a flop. I had originally considered MUS but she doesn't particularly learn well from a lecture - she's a sociable sue. Needs interaction and perhaps more hands-on - but mostly the interaction. I looked at Kinetics but the downside (before having her even try it is that the geometry is not for sale - yet) but Algebra II is available which brings me back to the other option and that is to do Algebra II this year and attempt geometry (minus lots of heavy logic/proofs) with Trig. I will have her try out the sample lessons on kinetic and gather some feedback. I'm going to hit the local used bookstore over the weekend because maybe there is a gem to found on one of those shelves - one never knows, right?

 

I don't think the MUS lectures would be a worry. The lectures are once a week and not long at all. And, if you used the instructors manual, you might be able to bypass them altogether, and just explain it yourself.

 

I once helped out a bit in a coop class that used MUS geometry and my impression was that it could be very interactive. I think the model of MUS is interaction. Isn't it? The kids watches the lecture (or the parent can explain the concept) and then the kid demonstrates it for the parent. From what I remember there was some making of constructions so it's hands on, too.

 

I would see if you could take a look at it and see if it might fit the bill.

[Tiramisu]

Yes, I sound panicked because I must admit that I am. My dd is a high school junior and has dyslexia (in the stealth mode as I like to describe it). We had, for the most part, success with the Fresh Approach Algebra last year although towards the end of the year we were both going "what?" but she did well and retained so that was great. So I figured we'll just use the geometry book but oh dear, oh me, oh my the first chapters and onwards is all proofs, proofs and more proofs. Yes, I know proofs are geometry but there has to be a program that focuses less on proofs and more on the skills needed, describing angles, more "mathy" and light on the logic. There is no way we're going to be able to slog through this as I read a bit and then we both go- what?

 

On a side note, my ds took his placement tests at the CC and it was all algebra, algebra and more algebra) so how deep and wide must the geometry be? My dd will follow along to CC when she graduates and cover those 2 years before heading off to a 4 year university (mostly due to cost) and she wants to be an elementary ed teacher of the K/1 grade levels (although I wouldn't be surprised that she ends up working somewhere in special ed because she has a gift working with autistic kids (she has taught them dance). I need something that is easy for mom to work with - that will get the basics covered in geometry (I guess) unless I should move on to Alg. 2. She needs more mastery but with the option of skipping problems once she gets it (I've never been a fan of drill and repeat).

 

Help? I know there is the high school board but because of her dyslexia the regular choices aren't necessarily a good fit.

 

Thanks for the helpful review of A Fresh Approach! No one talks about it much but I like what I've seen of it.

[1shortmomto4]

I was under the impression that the MUS geometry had proofs - I don't mind some but not a whole program full of them like the Fresh Approach was not going to help her with retention of at least the basic knowledge she'll need to succeed at the college level math (which after helping my ds work through his first few weeks of college/precal has been a review of Algebra 1 that I taught my dd last year) - just the foundation would be great as we can work on logic skills in other ways. kwim? Our budget is very tight these days so I want to be sure I spend it wisely.

[Tiramisu]

I was under the impression that the MUS geometry had proofs - I don't mind some but not a whole program full of them like the Fresh Approach was not going to help her with retention of at least the basic knowledge she'll need to succeed at the college level math (which after helping my ds work through his first few weeks of college/precal has been a review of Algebra 1 that I taught my dd last year) - just the foundation would be great as we can work on logic skills in other ways. kwim? Our budget is very tight these days so I want to be sure I spend it wisely.

 

I think in the old MUS books the proofs were in the honors book, but now the honors book is integrated. Those sections are marked honors, I think, so you could just skip them.

 

FWIW, dd used TT, but MUS may have worked just as well. She struggled through proofs for three quarters and now I'm thinking it was a total waste of time. I stopped having her do them in the last quarter but I should have stopped earlier. Perhaps it's a cop out, but it just wasn't worth the time and they didn't help her ascend to a higher plane of geometric understanding. ;)

[1shortmomto4]

I checked out MUS again and I think that is the way I'm going. I was worried about the proof stuff but, being the hurrying/panic/knee-jerk reaction I originally had to MUS I totally missed the nice video that explains the geometry program - and about the proofs, and about the more mature teen brain, and algebra 2 and how he waits until lesson 22 to get to proofs....okay, next time check for info videos. Totally made sense and I'm going to order. My dd needs to get used to listening and learning from a lecture since she is college-bound and we'll navigate this together. I've switched one of my ds (7th) into MUS this year (oh why didn't I do this sooner) so the expense will pay off because he'll be able to use it when the time comes and hey, I'll be more familiar with the topic, too. Oh if you guys only knew all the math I'm doing these days (math for a 4th grader, fractions for the 7th grader, geometry and oh, college precalculus (only because I'm helping my ds work into the whole college learning thing and for now he needs me (he has a major hearing impairment that affects his learning abilities) - all this brain stimulation should hold off the dementia for a little longer than normal. ;-)

[Guest]

Glad you found a solution that makes you happy :)! Just to clarify, when I suggested the Key to Geometry series, I meant to use as an intro before you move onto something more challenging. I was not trying to imply that you should use just that for a child that is college bound.

 

The Key to series allows the student to figure out the theorems on their own, through discovery. I felt that this may have helped your daughter get to the level of handing the amount of theorems thrown at her in a more challenging program, a lot sooner. I went to school primarily in Greece, and we started intro to Geometry (just like I am trying to do with my son) a lot sooner than here in North America (although, I am not sure if things are the same there now).

 

MUS however is probably a good choice also. I did briefly look into MUS about a year ago but it was not the way I personally chose to go, knowing my son (both my husband and I were very independent learners and our oldest is that way also). You know your daughter best and if this is the way you feel you should go then let your instinct guide you :).

 

All the best to your and your daughter :)!