SebastianCat Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Which Pre-Algebra curriculum do you like best, and why? Which program would you recommend for a child who has done well in the past with a spiral approach, and who doesn't need a lot of hand-holding (which may or may not be the program you like best)? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I like AoPS Prealgebra - excellent math, thorough, can't get through the book without actually understanding it. AoPS is certainly not for everyone, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Check on the Logic board for the "Pre-Algebra Fence Straddlers" thread. I do not know how to post a link from the iPad, sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 This ginormous thread :) http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/342798-pre-algebra-fence-straddlers-master-thread/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 We seem to like Art of Problem Solving here. :unsure: But, it's really not for everyone (just need to say that again). I tried to interest my oldest daughter in Singapore's Discovering Mathematics. I even drove her to the homeschool store to look at it. But, she says she prefers AOPS for now. Singapore DM would be so much easier to deal with. Maybe next year. We do other things, too. She did about 8 of the Key to...series workbooks when she needed a break from AOPS. She's also almost finished with Hands-on Equations. She wants to try Life of Fred Pre-algebra with biology. We're going to do that on the side (continuing with AOPS). On the Math Mammoth website, there is a page where she recommends pre-algebra programs. She has some really good advice. Here's the link: http://www.mathmammoth.com/complete/prealgebra.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarcyM Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 We used Lial's and I guess we liked it because it got the job done. It's thorough, clear, good pace and progression. I don't like fussy curriculum. My husband taught/ monitored this and my son (12 at the time) mostly worked independently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I even drove her to the homeschool store to look at it. Wait, what? You have a homeschool store??? Please elaborate. I've never seen one before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 We liked Horizons pre-algebra. It seemed thorough, and has some examples of people using math in their careers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 Thank you all for the replies and links. I got through a couple pages of the huge thread today - will look at it more tomorrow. :) I don't know why that didn't show up when I searched earlier. I'm glad to know others have shared similar angst about pre-algebra. I've got some time before I need to make a decision, but it seems to be much harder than other curriculum choices have been. Maybe it's because of my DS's age, maybe it's because he's started having issues getting VERY distracted with math (Horizons 6) - but I feel like he might need a change, and the choices out there for secondary math seem to be so much more complicated than elementary math. He's done really well with Horizons up until this point, and I'm generally of the attitude that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Wait, what? You have a homeschool store??? Please elaborate. I've never seen one before. There is one about 75 min (one way) from where I live. It is not huge but does have a fairly decent selection. Most of the common HS materials are in stock for browsing. I usually make 1-2 trips there per year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Wait, what? You have a homeschool store??? Please elaborate. I've never seen one before. Lol! You have to drive to Texas to find one. :auto: I had never seen one either, before we moved here. It's nice, because you can actually see curriculum before you buy it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Wait, what? You have a homeschool store??? Please elaborate. I've never seen one before. About once every year or two, I make a trek to Adoremus Books. It is a "Catholic Bookstore" but half of it is homeschool materials. During their once or twice a year sales (always around a major Christian holy time like Easter), they offer 15-20% off everything. That brings them into the same price range as Christianbook or Rainbow Resources. They are the only place I've ever gotten All About Spelling materials on sale, for example. It doesn't look like they carry AAS stuff anymore, though. Absolutely awesome to be able to look at things in person without the chaos that is a homeschool conference. (Of course, I bring my own chaos with me in the shape of my kids.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Amanda~ Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Ohhh, man. all this looking and I still don't know which to pick!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 We have gone back and forth on Pre-A. Last year we did about 60% of Dolciani (started late) after trying out AoPS and seeing it wasn't a fit. This year, DS told me that while he will continue Dolciani, he finds it dull. So I have decided to try TabletClass math to finish up Pre A and then move to Tablet Class Algebra if it's a fit. I will be posting our experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 My kids have all done well going from Horizons 6 to MUS's alg and geo which we use as pre-alg and pre-geo. That combo has made an easy transition to Foersters alg (or could just as easily be AoPS) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted August 10, 2013 Author Share Posted August 10, 2013 My kids have all done well going from Horizons 6 to MUS's alg and geo which we use as pre-alg and pre-geo. That combo has made an easy transition to Foersters alg (or could just as easily be AoPS) Do you use MUS algebra & geometry in a single year, then transition to Foersters algebra? Or do you take 2 full years for MUS alg/geo? This option sounds interesting. My DS is in Horizons 6 this year (and has used Horizons since 1st grade, and done well with it). But my DD uses MUS (currently in Delta), so I'm familiar with MUS's approach. I wonder if this might work for DS as well. Definitely something to think about. I have a copy of Dolcani. I didn't end up using it. I think my son was overwhelmed by the number of problems in it. I didn't like it because I didn't have a solutions manual and only half the answers are in the book. I couldn't find a TM for it. That is a deal breaker for me really. I need support materials. That's also a consideration when you choose math books. If you happen to not need the support materials it probably doesn't matter as much. Otherwise it is frustrating to not have the solutions/helps. Excellent point - thank you for this. I have always felt pretty confident teaching elementary math, but when I look at the scope & sequence of various algebra & geometry programs, I know that I will also need teaching support. I tell my kids all the time, "I used to have a memory like yours, but I've forgotten more in my lifetime than you've learned in yours!" Ohhh, man. all this looking and I still don't know which to pick!! I feel the same way. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekster519 Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 Lol! You have to drive to Texas to find one. :auto: I had never seen one either, before we moved here. It's nice, because you can actually see curriculum before you buy it! We have 2 homeschool bookstores near us. Yes, we're in TX. I didn't realize they were uncommon in other states. I feel very fortunate. It really helps to see the books in person! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaya Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 I wish we had a hs store nearby. very jealous. we are in the middle of saxon 8/7, its ok. I didnt give it much thought because a) ds did well with saxon 7/6 and b)I am still relatively new to hs'ing and am limited in how much time I can spend obsessing over curricula. I'm still figuring out how to actually get through the day. I know SM won't work with my next ds, so I'm starting to obsess a bit more... thanks for the link to that ginormous thread. Its making my head spin, but that's part of the fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 Which Pre-Algebra curriculum do you like best, and why? Which program would you recommend for a child who has done well in the past with a spiral approach, and who doesn't need a lot of hand-holding (which may or may not be the program you like best)? Thanks! The only spiral programs I can think of are CLE and Saxon. We've used CLE for quite a few years and my son finished a large portion of CLE's prealgebra. The problem with their pre-a is that it spans two years. That's why I decided to move my dd to Saxon after CLE 6. I think that will be a good fit for her. I'm doing TC with my son over the summer and he really likes it, but it is definitely mastery based. If it had cumulative review at the end of each chapter, that would be awesome. So, we will be doing Lial's in the fall using Jann in TX's online class. I'm hoping that will be a success for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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