Question for Saxon and Foerster users

[Momling]

My daughter just a few weeks ago finished Foerster Algebra I. We'll start geometry next fall.  She has done pretty well throughout Algebra (usually 80-95% on chapter tests) but she has a tendency to forget things she hasn't used recently. She got a 75% on the end of the year final test.  I don't think she needs to repeat Algebra I, but I do want her to continue to review what she's done throughout the summers and next school year so that she doesn't forget. She will go to our public high school in the fall of 2016 and take Algebra II and I want her to feel solid and confident about Algebra. 

I was thinking that the spiral of Saxon might be a good fit for review, just doing maybe 2 lessons a week, but I'm not sure whether to get the Algebra I or the Algebra II book.  We wouldn't be doing the whole program, just using it to help prevent stuff falling out of her brain this year.  She's done great at the quadratic equations and graphing functions and trigonometry and can tackle some pretty tricky word problems, so I'm wondering if we might want to start at the beginning of Algebra II? How hard is it? On the other hand, easy review is confidence-building and maybe Algebra I would do the job better... but would she even encounter the harder stuff she learned from the end of Foerster Algebra I? How do they compare?  Which book should I get? Is there another spiral type book that's useful review during a year of geometry? Thoughts?

[LisaKinVA]

I don't think so. Mainly because Saxon includes Geometry, and expects certain concepts were covered in Pre-algebra. Those I know who went to Saxon after something else have not done well with it.

 

I'd recommend Aleks over the summer to review, or Keys to Algebra, or even Life of Fred, Khan Academy, or possibly the AoPS videos with something...but not Saxon

[Penguin]

It doesn't help with problem solving, but a spaced repetition program like Anki is great for reviewing vocabulary and facts.

 

We have been going through our Foerster book this week and making an Anki deck with questions such as:

 

How do you find the equation of a line if you know a coordinate and the slope?

 

State the quadratic formula.

 

Give an example of conjugate binomials.

 

It takes time to set it up, but then reviews are painless. Anki has a bit of a learning curve, but I like it.   There are plenty of tutorials online. You could look for other Spaced Repetition Software (SRS) options. I think there are several out there.

 

[OneStepAtATime]

I've never heard of Anki.  That looks really interesting, Penguin!

 

OP, you might look at combining Khan Academy with Keys to Algebra, as LisaK mentioned up thread, (along with some other good ideas).  Keys to Algebra would give some consistent targeted review and Khan could fill in any gaps and give practice through a different medium.

[Momling]

Thanks - she did Keys to Algebra two years ago, but there are other supplemental algebra stuff out there.

[Brad S]

It depends on age, DD's interest level in different approaches, etc., but KhanAcademy seems like a very good fit for at least part of the program. KhanAcademy does a nice job of "knowing" when the student will need review before forgetting concepts, has hints and linked videos to explain concepts when needed, and it's kinda fun. Another plus in your situation is that most subjects, including the basic algebra 1 and 2, link very nicely with what is typically taught in school. The one caveat, unless KhanAcademy has been enhanced, is that the data analysis was very thin and not well matched to what's typically taught in US schools in recent years. Your geometry book may cover data analysis, so that may not be an issue for you.

 

You could use either Saxon algebra 1 or 2 or Foerster's algebra 2, but a benefit of using Foerster's algebra 2 is that you'd have another familiar text for DD to refer to if she doesn't get the presentation in her algebra 2 class. Even if you only get through the beginning of the algebra 2 book, which is likely heavy on algebra 1 review, DD will have an extra reference book with which she's familiar when she heads to school. If you use KhanAcademy.org for review, which seems like a good idea, the Saxon algebra 1 might be too much review.