HELP!! MUS Geo or TT Alg 2?

[bobbeym]

I need serious help with figuring out what math curric to get DS next. I've read tons of threads on both MUS and TT and am no closer to figuring out what we want to do.

 

For Alg 1 we used LOF/Khan Academy, rounded out with IXL.com to check mastery. Some areas he's done really well in, others not so much. DS would prefer Alg 2 first, but I worry that after this year he'll be burned out on Algebra. It also seems like it might be good to go ahead and do Geometry first to give him extra time to review the areas of Alg 1 that he's still struggling in.

 

DS is not at all strong in math so I think we need to switch to something video based. I just can't decide whether to go with TT or MUS.

 

TT is on the far edge of my budget, but I can make it work if necessary. Do you really need the textbooks for TT Alg 2 or are the CDs enough? We do have a printer. We could always supplement with LOF b/c it does help him understand why he's doing what he's doing. I'm just not sure it's enough as far as actual teaching goes.

 

MUS Geometry is better priced and I liked on the sample how it included a section for Alg review. Would I need to order the manipulatives at that level? Again, we'd probably supplement with LOF.

 

If I could justify doing it, I'd finish Alg 1, teach Consumer Math next year and be done with math entirely. But he'll at least need enough higher level math to get into CC so I don't really feel like I can justify not doing Geo or Alg 2 at some point.

 

Thoughts? Suggestions? Comments to just suck it up, buttercup?

[PeterPan]

This is for a 14 yo? Yeah, suck it up buttercup... You know it seems to me what you're really wanting is an inexpensive, traditional textbook that he could use alongside LoF for some more practice. Just noticing LoF was the only thing in your mix you seem to LIKE. You can pick up Foerster or Saxon pretty affordably (at least the Foerster) and either has video options (DIVE for Saxon, MWB for Foerster) to meet your criteria.

 

On the algebra vs. geometry, you might try doing both and alternate. Or let him do another algebra 1 text alongside his geometry, just to give him another run through since you said his alg. 1 was crunchy in spots. If you do that, you wouldn't need videos for the algebra 1 text. The MM lady has a bunch of algebra texts listed, so you might something very affordable to work for you (under $10 used).

 

Btw, when the TT Geometry 2.0 comes out, I would expect the 1.0 version to go down in price.

[bobbeym]

Oh I liked the samples videos I watched for both TT and MUS. I just don't like the price. LOL I'll pay it though if that's what works best for him. Traditional textbooks don't work for math. He was actually failing Alg 1 when he took it in 8th grade and did tremendously better once we finally landed on LOF.

 

Since then though, I've noticed that he does better with video-based teaching for math and science, thus my desire to switch him to either MUS or TT. I just don't know which one to switch too because I don't know much about them or know anyone IRL that used them for high school math.

[AngieW in Texas]

You don't need the manipulatives for MUS Geometry and I would definitely do geometry in between Algebra I and II for a student who struggled. I would actually recommend geometry in the middle for everybody, but especially for a student who struggled with Algebra I.

 

MUS Geometry is $89 new, which really isn't a bad price. TT is $185.

 

I haven't used TT at all. None of my kids liked the sample videos and I would only have used it with my youngest who struggles in math.

 

My youngest likes MUS, but hates the videos, so I never bought the videos. I found the teacher book used and then bought the student book new from MUS.