Need LOF advice

[Coffeemama]

My DD finished LOF Fractions and wants to jump over Decimals and Percents and go straight to the LOF Pre -Algebra books. She also just finished Singapore 5B and says she is sick of decimals and percents and has already "mastered" them. Is there anything important she'll miss if she skips ahead? I know Fred sprinkles all kinds of other concepts, so if you're familiar with Decimals and Percents and also the pre algebra books, do you think it would be doable? We are also continuing through SM 6A and 6B at an accelerated pace to cover the few chunks of new material. She is certainly a mastery learner and despises too much review.

TIA!

[Miss Mousie]

If she is enjoying the story, can she just read it for fun? Is she the type to notice and figure out something she doesn't already know?

 

My DS, who has some whole-to-parts tendencies and is in PS, has read the pre-alg books for entertainment. I have decided to leave it at that, at least for now, because I don't want to ruin something fun. I can see us using LOF as a reference down the road, for an alternative explanation of a concept if necessary, but for me, right now, it is enough that he A. enjoys a math story and B.* sees some practical applications of math.

 

As long as you are doing another math program alongside, I wouldn't worry about it. In fact, I think I would actively try to avoid overkill.

 

 

* ETA: Can't get the darned smiley to leave my parenthetical B alone!

[Coffeemama]

Thanks Miss Mousie. She doesn't enjoy math, but thinks LOF is better than SM so she wouldn't be reading Fred for enjoyment. We are going to try using the LOF pre-algebra (and possibly the rest of their high school series) as her primary math once we finish 6B.

 

Did your son read Decimals and Percents? I'm trying to figure out if there is anything in that book necessary for success in the pre-algebra books.

 

Thanks for your input!

 

 

[Miss Mousie]

He read D&P, but we weren't doing any exercises. And, to be honest, even though I read the books myself about a year ago, I don't remember them well enough to say off-hand what is absolute necessity. I would think you could start working in the pre-alg book and pull out D&P if a sticking point emerges.

 

ETA: I should clarify: my son is in public school, so he already has a daily math curriculum. My goal with LOF (and with all our afterschooling) is to show him that there is so much more to it than what he is getting there. He is still rather stuck on the notion that "math" equals "arithmetic" and nothing else. We have never tried using LOF as a sole, or even main, curriculum.

[mom2boys030507]

My oldest is in Singapore 4B. With that in mind, this is what I would do if I were in your situation.

 

Option 1:Let her skip LOF Decimals, with the understanding that if she is struggling she will need to go back to the book.

Option 2: Have her take the bridges in Decimals to prove that she understands the material.

 

Then have her start the pre-A books so that she is learning from Fred. I think there is a big difference of reading Fred and it being review and reading Fred to learn new topics. My oldest wanted badly to start fractions. He was ready according to the site but I didn't think he was quite ready to learn from Fred. I let him start, it took alot of work on his part but he did learn. However, after I got the 3 new new books, he requested to do those to help him be able to do Fractions better.

 

I guess my point is at some point we need to listen to our kids about our curriculum choices for them. Are they going to make some mistakes? Yes, just like we do. If she thinks she can do it why not let her try? What is the worst case scenario I think going back to do Decimals. How this is handled I think is a lot on how you present it her and let her own the decision and the consequences - good or bad. This is just my opinion. Hopefully something will help you in your decision.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I've recently gone through all three books you are talking about - Fractions, Decimals, and PreA w/ Algebra. Here's the thing: everything gets repeated - a lot - and then it gets built upon. You never leave any concept behind with Fred. So if your dd tries the Pre-A book, and she can't figure out the percent problems in the YTTP, maybe she needs to go back to Decimals. But if she's fine with it, and is able to handle the new material in PreA, then good for her! PreA adds some tricky stuff - a lot more unit conversions, and the stoichiometry is really hard (for me, at least!) but it also has a lot of chapter that aren't really any "new" math - they are mostly talking about botany or genetics.

 

If she's solid on percents, let her try it! You can always go back.

 

ETA: although I like the idea of just making her do the Bridges in Decimals - if she passes them, she passes the book. Maybe just make her do the Final Bridge in decimals? and if she aces it, she has tested out?

[Coffeemama]

Thanks! I like the idea of having her do the final bridge in decimals. I have two youngers who adore Fred, so it will eventually get used. I'll buy it at the same time as Pre-algebra, with the hope that she can start on pre-algebra right away.

 

I did notice that Fred revisits concepts in the elementary books (we have up to Farming). It's good to know that he does that with the middle school books as well.