New to Homeschooling - Need help finding a math program

[Guest kross]

I am new to homeschooling and trying to find a math program for my daughter. We are currently using Uzinggo online, but she hates the math part. It is causing all kinds of tears and breakdowns.

 

She is a VERY smart girl and was always in the gifted program while in B&M public schools. For some reason Algebra 1 is causing all kinds of headaches.

 

I'm looking for math suggestions that don't cost a fortune. I don't have a lot of money. She would like a book preferably with lots of practice.

 

Thank you for any suggestions.

 

Kari

[kiana]

How solid are her pre-algebra skills such as fractions?

What types of mistakes does she tend to make?

[Guest kross]

She basic skills are top notch. She doesn't have any problems at all with fractions, decimals, multi-digit multiplication or division. She doesn't have any problems with the basics of exponents. Today she started crying about some more difficult exponent problems. 

 

Her biggest mistakes in my opinions are giving up too quickly and trying to rush through. :)

[DragonFaerie]

Hi, Kari!  Welcome to the board! :seeya:

 

 

Shawn

[kiana]

OK, I'm not sure that a new curriculum is really the answer but it may be.

 

Lial's (beginning or introductory are both okay) has pretty good explanations and lots and lots of practice. Too much, as a matter of fact, doing about 1/4 of the problems should be about right. They're also cheap.

 

If she would like DVD lectures Chalkdust is well-regarded as well -- it goes with Larson's series of texts which are also widely used, but I've never personally used them.

[MomatHWTK]

Take a look at some of the free tutorials online, Khan offers some, as do HotMath and Sophia.  Sometimes seeing the problem worked by others in different formats can help. 

[PeterPan]

Homeschool algebra 1 curriculum ... - Math Mammoth  Here's the list from Math Mammoth, just to get you started.

 

 

[Guest kross]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'm looking at Saxon, but worried about the jumping around that Math Mammoth says that it does. I'll have to ask my friend Shawn about that. :)  I had her try out the AoPS Alcumus website last night and so far she really likes it, so I'm also considering AoPs starting with Intro to Algebra. Can I skip the others in that series and go straight to Intermediate Algebra after Intro?

 

Kari

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

Get an older version of Saxon (ebay, Amazon used), which was written before John Saxon died (I think edition 3 and earlier???).  Most complaints I've heard involve how the new publisher messed with the lesson order and just wrecked it.  We've done the original Saxon spiral throughout at are now in Alg 1, and I highly recommend it.

 

The Saxon Teacher DVD set is a nice addition, as is a subscription to IXL.com for spot practice.

[kiana]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'm looking at Saxon, but worried about the jumping around that Math Mammoth says that it does. I'll have to ask my friend Shawn about that. :)  I had her try out the AoPS Alcumus website last night and so far she really likes it, so I'm also considering AoPs starting with Intro to Algebra. Can I skip the others in that series and go straight to Intermediate Algebra after Intro?

 

Kari

 

Sure, but most people do geometry either before intermediate or during intermediate (i.e. work on geometry and intermediate algebra on alternate days). The issue might be that if you do beginning and then intermediate and then geometry, some of the intermediate may be forgotten by the time precalculus comes around.

 

Saxon teaches each concept in minute, bite-sized pieces, while providing loads of mixed review and slight extension. Some people really like this and do extremely well with his textbooks. Other people (including me) don't learn well from this approach and find it extremely frustrating. YMMV.