Geometry Proofs - LOF

[Blossom'sGirl]

My oldest has been working through this book 3 days/week since last January.  He really likes geometry, the book, and all the logic, but his proofs are rarely written the same as the answer so I have no idea if he is right or not.  He is getting frustrated because when he sees his answers are different he automatically thinks he is wrong.  I am sure there is more than one way to prove many things, but I am  not able to tell him if he is really right or wrong (I despised geometry in high school).  When we go over the answers together, he seems very knowledgeable in the material, but just puts it together differently.

 

I have no idea how to grade this course.  Originally, I thought I would have him do all the city problems and count the last one as his grade.  Unlike other math books, each city is not more of the same in an obvious way, so many times he hits the last city and does worse because of one or two problems.

 

He does not want to switch curriculum.  I offered because  next ds, who doesn't like Fred, will do something differently, so I would be buying anyway.

 

We have also watched some Kahn Acd. videos.  They are helpful.

 

Anyway,  I would love to hear any ideas on grades with geometry.  

 

Michelle

[EKS]

This is why I'm using Derek Owens for geometry this time around with my younger son.  With the older one, I had to do all the proofs assigned in the book and thoroughly understand them so that I could see if his version was correct.  This time, Mr Owens has to deal with all that!

 

So my suggestion is for you to work through the book with your son (or ahead of your son) or to farm out the course/grading to someone else.

[kiana]

What EKS said. Either do the book with him or hire someone to grade his proofs.

[Julie of KY]

Agree with the above. Only someone who understands geometry can tell if his proof is accurate. Also, it it nice to be able to say "you're way is correct, but let me show you another way to prove this".

[JanetC]

The way I'm grading it, YMMV.  A lot of folks on this board consider me to be a soft grader.

 

1. Your Turn to Play -- she is responsible for doing these and grading them herself.  I give a completion grade only -- usually 100% but can mark off if notebook is a mess (or is lost).  She is responsible for keeping a neat list of theorems and definitions which also goes into the daily work grade.

 

2. Cities -- I grade these, and do detailed comments on her approach and proofs.  I was a math major, so I can handle it.  She does them one at a time, so she can use feedback to improve on future cities.  Four lowest scores count as "quizzes" and two highest scores count as the chapter test.

 

Weighting:

Daily work: 33%

Quizzes: 33%

Tests: 34%

 

--Janet

 

[pantone]

I contacted the author once for help with functions, and got this reply (in addition to the help, he really DID answer me!): 

 

 

"In terms of your preparation to help your daughter . . . For the books of the Elementary and Intermediate Series, one of the two of you can sit on the other's lap and have fun and help each other.  However, when she gets to the fifth grade and starts Life of Fred: Fractions, I ask that you do not help her/teach her/tutor her at all.  Not at all.  It is so important that she learn how to learn by reading.  

 

If you want to learn the material from that point onward, do it on your own.  She will be a much stronger student if she learns to learn on her own.  If she has a question, say, "Dr. Schmidt says that I'm not allowed to help."  [i'll be the bad guy!]

 

In the fifth grade, she'll be old enough to email me herself."

 

Maybe the author could lend a hand? 

 

It's Life of Fred at yahoo dot com, no caps or spaces.