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Sigh...dropping AOPS


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I love AOPS and am doing the work for fun but ds hates it. He gave it a good try though, worked through 5 chapters with great anguish. Today I took heart and released my ds from AOPS, ordered TT Algebra 2 and am hoping it will be what my non mathy son needs to get this stuff.

 

Has anyone used TT Algebra 2? What are your thoughts on it being enough for SAT or other tests?

 

 

The good news is now I can keep the AOPS book on my desk. I was getting tired of tracking it down to play with it.

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I don't have any knowledge of TT, sorry, but just wanted to chip in that I feel your pain with dropping AOPS. We tried it last year and it nearly killed DD's love of math. We went back to Saxon this year and now math is her favorite subject again.

 

Kinda sad! But, DD wants to be an engineer, not a theoretical mathematician, so I guess I shouldn't be too shocked that AOPS was not a good fit. Hopefully it will be similar for your DS and he will get his math mojo back once you are back in a program that fits him better! :-)

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The good news is now I can keep the AOPS book on my desk. I was getting tired of tracking it down to play with it.

 

LOL! :D

 

Honestly, if he's not "getting" AOPS Algebra and it's causing him great anguish he's better off with a program he DOES understand.

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But, DD wants to be an engineer, not a theoretical mathematician

Opposite response here. My ds wanted to be an engineer, but after working with AoPS for numerous years, he wants to be a theoretical mathematician. :D

 

OP, choose what works. AoPS is NOT for everyone.

 

Ruth in NZ

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I never know exactly what people mean by "mathy" here but I have a daughter who loves math but never does well with discovery type programs. Singapore PM was mixed for her, DM was a frustrating disaster. I can only imagine AoPS would be a similar flop. She likes to be shown what to do and then have half a thousand problems to practice with. To her, that's where the fun comes in, not in the discovery bit.

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I never know exactly what people mean by "mathy" here but I have a daughter who loves math but never does well with discovery type programs. Singapore PM was mixed for her, DM was a frustrating disaster. I can only imagine AoPS would be a similar flop. She likes to be shown what to do and then have half a thousand problems to practice with. To her, that's where the fun comes in, not in the discovery bit.

Mathy to me means the student thrives in this subject. Ds has never thrived in math, he can do the work but it is not a natural thing for him and is painstakingly slow. This is why I thought AOPS might help, if he could see the progression of math as he figures it out, by seeing how it all fits together, then he could grasp it better. Boy was I wrong.

 

I had him sit try the sample problems in TT Algebra 2 and he worked them all without a problem, actually said they were easy. This has me concerned. Is TT too easy? Is it's Algebra 2 on level with other Algebra 2 curriculums? Will the work prepare him for SAT and other tests?

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I had him sit try the sample problems in TT Algebra 2 and he worked them all without a problem, actually said they were easy. This has me concerned. Is TT too easy? Is it's Algebra 2 on level with other Algebra 2 curriculums? Will the work prepare him for SAT and other tests?

 

 

If TT seems too easy for him from the sample problems, then it's probably not a good fit. Maybe you could look at Lial's or Foerster?

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I had him sit try the sample problems in TT Algebra 2 and he worked them all without a problem, actually said they were easy. This has me concerned. Is TT too easy? Is it's Algebra 2 on level with other Algebra 2 curriculums? Will the work prepare him for SAT and other tests?

 

Look at the Scope and Sequence. I've often heard TT is behind, but I've never seen it myself. I borrowed MUS Algebra I from a friend, thinking I might use it to supplement my dd who was struggling with the end of Lial's Algebra, and the topics I needed weren't even in MUS until their Algebra 2!

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Look at the Scope and Sequence. I've often heard TT is behind, but I've never seen it myself. I borrowed MUS Algebra I from a friend, thinking I might use it to supplement my dd who was struggling with the end of Lial's Algebra, and the topics I needed weren't even in MUS until their Algebra 2!

My main concern is SAT and ASVAB test he will be taking. If TT will get him ready for these then all will be good. Maybe TT just seemed easy after working on AOPS, I know it gave me a workout and I have been through Calc 2.

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I never know exactly what people mean by "mathy" here but I have a daughter who loves math but never does well with discovery type programs. Singapore PM was mixed for her, DM was a frustrating disaster. I can only imagine AoPS would be a similar flop. She likes to be shown what to do and then have half a thousand problems to practice with. To her, that's where the fun comes in, not in the discovery bit.

 

I would say she is not mathy. I and my husband were like your daughter. My dh even got a math degree, but knew math was not his higher calling.

 

An excellent resource to read on this is:http://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf

 

Here's the quote I think applies to both my husband and I and most likely your dd:

 

Many a graduate student has come to grief when they discover, after a decade of being told they were “good at math,†that in fact they have no real mathematical talent and are just very good at following directions. Math is not about following directions, it’s about making new directions.
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I had him sit try the sample problems in TT Algebra 2 and he worked them all without a problem, actually said they were easy. This has me concerned. Is TT too easy?

 

 

The samples on TT alg. 2 are a review of TT alg. 1; so yes they would be easy. It looks like the first 3-4 chap. of TT alg. 2 are a review of TT alg.1. I'm not sure; call TT and ask them.

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The samples on TT alg. 2 are a review of TT alg. 1; so yes they would be easy. It looks like the first 3-4 chap. of TT alg. 2 are a review of TT alg.1. I'm not sure; call TT and ask them.

This would make sense. I think at this point ds needs something that makes him feel like he has a grasp on math. His math esteem is pretty low.

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My daughter finished TT Alg 2 last spring. She tested into calculus at the local university, but we are opting for Derek Owens Pre-calc (her current grade is 97+, which has been earned with little difficulty. She feels well-prepared.) She is not old enough for the SAT, but took the PSAT today, and did not find it difficult. No scores yet though, of course.

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TT and AoPS are polar extremes in terms of math curriculum choices with regards to rigor. Why not consider something in the middle as well? There are many great algebra options to choose from. Most have demos.

A few additional worth considering are:

 

TabletClass

Derek Owens

Foerster/Math without Borders

KineticBooks

Edited by dereksurfs
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