King's Kid Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Is this the typical order that home and public schools use? If so, won't my dd forget a lot of her Algebra I, or is there lots of review once she'd return to Alg. II? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Most Geometry programs contain enough Algebra 1 that students are just fine moving into Algebra 2. Many good Geometry programs will take the students deeper into Algebra... The problem with taking Geometry after Algebra 2 is that 99% of Geometry programs only use Algebra 1--so by Pre-Calc the student will be 'behind' (having not used Algebra 2 in over a year) unless they take on extra review before they start the course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 but over 2 years, just for that reason. Check back with me in 3 years (after pre-calc.) and I'll let you know how it went. :) Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Buckin' Longhorn Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Algebra I, then Geometry, then Algebra II? That's how we're doing it. There was a pretty fair amount of Algebra in the Geometry so there was no way he would have forgotten it. I've already got my Algebra 2 text we'll be using this fall and it has a fair amount of Algebra 1 review built in - so I guess I'm saying "no," I don't think the Algebra will be forgotten if you use this line-up. Others disagree, so do whatever you feel is best for your child. My son doesn't care for math and Algebra in particular was not his favorite so he really enjoyed the break from it and Geometry was a big hit. I think he's had a little time to mature and he's more grounded and ready for Algebra 2 at this stage in his little lifetime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MO Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Most Geometry programs contain enough Algebra 1 that students are just fine moving into Algebra 2. Many good Geometry programs will take the students deeper into Algebra... The problem with taking Geometry after Algebra 2 is that 99% of Geometry programs only use Algebra 1--so by Pre-Calc the student will be 'behind' (having not used Algebra 2 in over a year) unless they take on extra review before they start the course. I have some hard-earned experience on this one. I had my oldest do Algebra I, Algebra II, and then Geometry. She simply was not ready for Algebra II in 9th grade, right after Algebra I in 8th grade. It was a miserable year in math. She got an "A" the first half of the year (which was essentially a review of Algebra II) and failed the second half. The whole experience left her really disliking math and feeling completely stupid, when in reality she's a bright kid and can be quite capable in math, when properly instructed and when she follows through on her own. Your student will get plenty of Algebra review in Geometry. Algebra I lays a good foundation for Geometry; Geometry uses many principles and concepts from Algebra II and prepares the student for Algebra II and Trig. It is a much, much better upper-level math sequence, IMO. I could not recommend strongly enough following this sequence. For the vast majority of students, this sequence works very well. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King's Kid Posted July 31, 2008 Author Share Posted July 31, 2008 I greatly appreciate everyone's input on this. Dd will go on to Geometry before Algebra II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Traditionally, geometry is a proof driven course whereas high school algebra is more algorithmic. Back in antiquity (when I was in high school), geometry was sweet relief for a subset for whom algebra just did not "click". Geometry should teach students not only spatial relationships but deductive reasoning skills which are then used in later math courses. Mathematics is not a collection of facts to be mastered but processes to be studied and built upon. Geometry for many students offers a completely new skill set with regard to logical skills and teaching students how to write a proof. Algebra II is often coupled with Trigonometry (depending on the curriculum). Students who have studied geometry will have a greater understanding of triangular relationships, properties of circles and how to prove an identity. I would go with geometry before Algebra II/Trig. Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 If your student has done Algebra I in 8th grade, it won't make as much of a difference. But the PSAT, taken in October of 11th grade, is pretty Geometry-intensive. So if they do Alg I 9th grade, they really do need to do Geometry next rather than Alg II, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 prep. for those tests would get messed up with an out-of-order sequence. My daughter is quite young for these courses. One of the factors in my decision was that she will not be taking the PSAT or SAT or ACT (for real, though she may start taking the ACT as her standardized test) any time soon. Accordingly, we are free to use whatever sequence works best for her. Of course I am well aware that she'll have to review all of these courses by the time she is ready for the real SAT. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev in B'ville Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 My dc are doing Alg. 2 concurrently with Geometry. I treat them as separate subjects. (As Jane mentioned, they are really separate subjects). My dd did this sequence last year and my ds is doing it this year. Both used different Alg. 2 texts (my dd used Saxon Alg. 2 and my son is using Lial's). My dd is doing Precalculus this year (Larson's) and doing well so far. No problems. By the way, my dd was 14 last year doing this program and my ds is 13. I think readiness varies by child so really the decision is yours because only you really know your dc's abilities. Of course, everyone's experience is anecdotal, what works for them or me may not work for you. You'll figure it out. As always, just my $.02. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myra Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 My son did Algebra I in 7th grade, then Geometry in 8th grade with once a week watching the Teaching Company's Algebra I course usings the graphic calculator to do the work, and then this year he'll be heading into Lial's Intermediate Algebra for grade 9(while doing Teaching Company's Geometry once a week.) This sequence has really worked well for us! Myra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.