Jumping ahead to Pre-A or Zaccaro Real World Algebra for DS8??

[Halcyon]

Ds8 dislikes math....except when doing CWP or Zaccaro. In fact, he much prefers algebra and geometry to basic math. How bad would it be to let him just doReal World Algebra, using MM as a supplement when he hits things he doesn't understand? He is still imperfect on his times tables, but grasps math on a conceptual level well above grade level.

 

I know he is bored with MM, but at the same time, he does need to "learn the basics". Thoughts?

[Halcyon]

So we could use that, and then "jump out" on occasion to cover concepts that are unclear, such as factoring? There would be So. much. less. Moaning. if we did that.

[crazyforlatin]

DD loves Real World Algebra due to the characters and Becoming A Problem-Solving Genius by the same author. We don't use it daily, switching among a few other books, but I definitely think your son will enjoy it more than MM. I love MM for the foundation it gives but it does need something more for certain kids.

[kiana]

This is close to what my mother did when homeschooling me.

 

After pulling me out of PS (where I had completed half of 2nd-grade math in utter frustration and boredom), she put me in an Arithmetic worktext that was designed for developmental university students. It was called Arithmetic and by Bittinger et al. I don't think it's published anymore -- these kinds of texts have been relabelled as 'basic college mathematics', but it's very similar. After working through that and hands-on equations, I did pre-algebra the next year and then algebra 1 and 2 the next.

[Julie of KY]

I'm not sure that I'd skip the basics however. I'd probably start with Zacarro. Then, I'd pick whatever curriculum I'm following and make sure my student can do each topic. I might skip to only the hard problems on the page or skip the chapter and just do the review at the end. I would spot check all the topics as too many students have trouble later because they don't know their facts or don't understand division of fractions, etc.

[go_go_gadget]

That's almost exactly what I'm doing with my DS8, for the same reason. He's working in Zaccaro right now (and BA as they're released), and only dipping into the MM topics books as needed. I plan to start him on MUS Algebra in the fall, but I'm going to count it as pre-algebra. He's a good fit for AoPS later on, but at eight, really isn't ready for a full-on textbook approach. I think he'll go through MUS pretty quickly, so at this point the plan is to do MUS Algebra I and II next year for third grade (still using BA as it's released), then ease into an AoPS Intro to Algebra/MUS Geometry combination for fourth grade. After that I plan to drop MUS, and use things like Euclid and competition problems to supplement (for variety, not because AoPS is insufficient).

[Dana]

This is close to what my mother did when homeschooling me.

 

After pulling me out of PS (where I had completed half of 2nd-grade math in utter frustration and boredom), she put me in an Arithmetic worktext that was designed for developmental university students. It was called Arithmetic and by Bittinger et al. I don't think it's published anymore -- these kinds of texts have been relabelled as 'basic college mathematics', but it's very similar. After working through that and hands-on equations, I did pre-algebra the next year and then algebra 1 and 2 the next.

Bittinger books are still in print...maybe by Pearson....I am currently disliking Lial (although I didn't get a course for fall from developmental department, so I don't need to worry about what I dislike in the text).

 

If you skipped to a developmental text, Halcyon, you can also use InterAct math software free online for extra practice. It won't save results and doesn't have videos, but it regenerates problems for extra practice and does include Help Me Solve This which gives a step by step explanation.

 

Do a google search and you should be able to find the link....

[kiana]

Bittinger books are still in print...maybe by Pearson....I am currently disliking Lial (although I didn't get a course for fall from developmental department, so I don't need to worry about what I dislike in the text).

 

Bittinger's are still in print, but not the one titled Arithmetic. I don't know whether it was renamed or reworked.