remedial algebra?

[mom2jjka]

My DD has been struggling through TT Algebra for more than a year and a half. 

Both her father and I have tried to sit with her and walk her through the lessons...but it just ends up with her in a puddle of tears.

 

We need something different.   Something easier that will still give her a credit of algebra, and hopefully help her to pass an entrance exam for technical college. (Accuplacer)

 

ANY suggestions are welcome.

 

 

[kiana]

What has she done so far math-wise (before algebra), and how did she do in that? Do you see her as a visual learner? 

[mom2jjka]

She did CLE up until level 6 and then switched to TT.  She did great in TT 7 and got an 'A' in TT Pre-Algebra, but once we hit Algebra she just stalled out.  (She did get some diagnoses this past year of ASD and ADHD - and I think those are playing a factor in her learning difficulties)

[kiana]

Does she just Not Get It At All, or does she appear to get it at first and then forget what she's doing a few days later? 

[mom2jjka]

She gets overwhelmed with trying to remember the large amount of steps needed to work each problem.  And then she just shuts down

[kiana]

I think you might consider Math U See. The problems are simpler, with fewer steps.

 

Key to Algebra might be another option but I'd try MUS first. 

[OneStepAtATime]

O.k. take what I am saying with the understanding that we are still trying to prep for pre-Algebra here (with a child that is going into 8th grade), but this is what has been recommended to many, including me, who have been in your situation .

 

1.  Hands On Equations (I now own this and it is really awesome)

 

2.  MUS

 

3.  Key to series (including doing Fractions/Percents/Decimals then Algebra to help solidify any missing steps

 

4.  Zaccaro's Real World Algebra

 

5.  Jacob's Elementary Algebra

 

6.  Kahn Academy

 

7.  Lots of games

 

8.  Great Courses DVD's for Mastering the Fundamental of Mathematics/The Secrets of Mental Math/Algebra I

 

FWIW, my kids struggled with TT.  It moved too fast for them, it didn't have enough practice before introducing a new concept, there was not enough review for them, etc.  Love it, but for the kids I had to put in lots of extra practice in other systems and have them do the work in the workbook before entering anything on the computer for them to retain anything.  

 

You could possibly write down the steps and laminate the lists so she can refer to it when needed.  Keep a notebook.  DD and DS have notebooks with math notes and they have a number chart and a multiplication chart (they recreate these each week).

 

Best wishes...

[mom2jjka]

Thank you all for the info.  I had thought about MUS for her, but I am not familiar with their upper levels.  Do they use the blocks for the upper levels?

[Heathermomster]

DS is currently four weeks into MUS Algebra.  MUS sells blocks specifically for algebra but we have not used them so far.  I'm planning two years of algebra broken down into 1A and 1B.  

 

Products that have helped DS so far include HOE, area model of multiplication as demonstrated by Ronit Bird in her book Overcoming Difficulties with Number, and ideas from James Tanton.  DS doesn't actually use the MUS video instructs.  I teach him one on one.  If a problem comes up, I use manipulatives to express the problems and then we work sideways drawing from other algebra books and resources until he knows the concept.  A solid foundation with fractions and multiplication facts helps tremendously.

 

You could take a look at Power Basics Algebra too.  

[Timberly]

.

[mom2jjka]

Thank you all for your replies. 

 

I think I will look into MUS for her - but I admit Hands On Equations looks fascinating. 

I have seen Algebra Tiles at our local teacher store, too, and I was wondering if those might help as well?

[Timberly]

O.k. take what I am saying with the understanding that we are still trying to prep for pre-Algebra here (with a child that is going into 8th grade), but this is what has been recommended to many, including me, who have been in your situation .

 

1. Hands On Equations (I now own this and it is really awesome)

 

2. MUS

 

3. Key to series (including doing Fractions/Percents/Decimals then Algebra to help solidify any missing steps

 

4. Zaccaro's Real World Algebra

 

5. Jacob's Elementary Algebra

 

6. Kahn Academy

 

7. Lots of games

 

8. Great Courses DVD's for Mastering the Fundamental of Mathematics/The Secrets of Mental Math/Algebra I

 

FWIW, my kids struggled with TT. It moved too fast for them, it didn't have enough practice before introducing a new concept, there was not enough review for them, etc. Love it, but for the kids I had to put in lots of extra practice in other systems and have them do the work in the workbook before entering anything on the computer for them to retain anything.

 

You could possibly write down the steps and laminate the lists so she can refer to it when needed. Keep a notebook. DD and DS have notebooks with math notes and they have a number chart and a multiplication chart (they recreate these each week).

 

Best wishes...

 

.

[Timberly]

 

I think I will look into MUS for her - but I admit Hands On Equations looks fascinating.

 

.

[Heathermomster]

Thank you all for your replies. 

 

I think I will look into MUS for her - but I admit Hands On Equations looks fascinating. 

I have seen Algebra Tiles at our local teacher store, too, and I was wondering if those might help as well?

Use them both.  HOE's approach to solving for a single variable equation is very straight forward and visual.  It's outside the norm and novel, which is what our kiddos need after repeatedly taking bites unsuccessfully at more traditional approaches.

 

HOE goes on sale over at the Homeschool Buyers Co-op.  Dragonbox software for the Ipad may be something else to consider too.

 

You may also want to explore Algebra Gear.  I cut the manipulatives from craft foam using my rotary cutter and mat. 

[mom2jjka]

I was really interested in AlgeBlocks at one time, but I couldn't find them for sale except large classroom sets.

[Timberly]

.

[kiana]

Thank you all for your replies. 

 

I think I will look into MUS for her - but I admit Hands On Equations looks fascinating. 

I have seen Algebra Tiles at our local teacher store, too, and I was wondering if those might help as well?

 

HOE is awesome. It's not a high school credit but it is awesome prep and I seriously think that's why algebra 1, 2, and precalc were so easy for me. 

[Heathermomster]

Heather, I need you to Skype me a week of your son's math lessons so I can copycat everything.

 

This summer the only math my son did was:

 

- Timez Attack (addition on Mondays, subtraction on Tuesdays, multiplication on Wednesdays, and division on Thursdays with settings at 10 seconds per problem)

 

- filling in a skip counting chart Mon- Thur

 

- Fridays were Dragonbox 5+, Dragon Box 12+, and Dragonbox Elements

 

Now it's time to work differently and we're not in our groove yet.

Try to get the RB book that I mentioned up thread from the library.  We rely heavily on the info explained in the back portion of that book.

 

ETA:  I think that you would be disappointed if you saw what we do.  There is a lot of wash, rinse, and repeat.

[geodob]

But what first needs to be understood, is the Algebraic thinking process?

Which can involve math.

But it is really a thinking process, that having identified an outcome.

Looks at the variables to arrive at that outcome?

For example we could take the instance of going to a meeting.

But as the driver, having to pick up 5 people on the way to the meeting?

A,B,C,D and E.

But B doesn't like E, and A argues with C ?

 

So the question is?

What order to pick each one up?

So that B isn't sitting next to E and A doesn't sit next C ?

 

People often question the value of Algebra?

Stating that as adults, they never used it?

 

But what they would have made use of, is Algebraic thinking.

Which is essentially a thinking process. Where having defined an outcome.

We then look back at how this outcome was arrived ?

Where the steps to arrive at the outcome can be seen as 'variables'.

 

While Math can be used for Algebraic thinking?

Algebraic thinking can be used in Quantitative and Qualitative way.

 

Where we have this absurd situation?

Where the use of math for Algebraic thinking?

Is taught without first establishing a foundation of understanding Algebraic thinking?

[Heathermomster]

Unfortunately, not all math teachers are mathematicians and many curricula stress the steps and not the underlying concept/property or how to apply that property.  I never thought about it much until recently, but one-on-one teaching over a prolonged period of time has made a difference with DS.  He still struggles with math and always will.  He is only now firm enough for basic middle school math.  DS has been using the distributive property since late 5th grade via area model.  The early RB work is helping tremendously now.

 

I have never used TT; however, the chiefest complaint that I ever hear about it relates to problem solving.  TT is supposedly known to be weak in this area.  I don't believe there is a perfect math program.  I basically pick apart whatever works.  You do what you can.

[Heathermomster]

OP, here's a link to a thread I started in the spring..

[Mom22ns]

I'm a fan of MUS, but I don't love the way they teach Algebra and we found their manipulatives useless for Algebra. It was fine to watch him, but since we didn't know how to do multiplication with the manipulatives, the learning curve was too high for it to really help the understanding of factoring polynomials.

 

We used MUS for Epsilon-Geometry. Dd left at Algebra, came back just long enough for Geometry and left again. If you like the looks of HOE, I haven't used that, but it might be easy to jump into mid stream. I think MUS is hard to come into at the high school level, although not impossible. We left it there for many reasons. As much as I love MUS, I can't recommend it for Algebra.

[Heathermomster]

I just read an old thread that recommends the website Coolmath for extra algebra problems. A link follows:

http://www.coolmath.com/algebra/index.html