Heather in VA Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 My daughter struggles with math and it took a long time to find something that worked well. She's using R&S now and has made terrific improvements. The explanations, the doable word problems (she can not handle the bar drawing from Singapore) and the build in review sections have really brought her a long way. She's going to be ready for pre-algebra soon. Knowing that this setup works well for her, what do you think we should look at for Algebra and up (or pre-algebra if you like something in particular). She has issues with stamina so a program with 50+ problems a day and can not be reduced (I've heard that about Saxon - that you can't skip anything) would be a real problem. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 I am in the same boat as you and have ordered Lial's Basic College Mathematics for our pre-algebra course and also Introductory Algebra by Lial. I couldn't find any online samples so I am going purely by reviews only. I will update how it looks when it arrives. I purchased used off of abebooks . Com. So, if it doesn't work out I am not out much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 If you complete the 8 book you won't need prealg. If you're concerned about a more typical sequence but want to stick with R&S as long as possible, consider adding the Keys to Algebra workbooks. If she can handle a somewhat busy page, Lial could be a great option. BCM covers all the arithmetic you need to know for algebra. Lial prealg does that too, with negatives, exponents, and such mixed in from the beginning. Either one will lead to alg 1, though struggling students could do both. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Lial's looks ok and I am also considering College of the Redwoods Pre-algebra which Memoria Press recommends. But I'm wondering about the full high school sequence. Lial's doesn't have a full sequence and I really don't want to have to find another program for each year. I will if I have to but I'd rather pick one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 My particular kid who struggled with math and did well with R&S tried Lial, but it's not terribly ADHD friendly. Dolciani worked better. I switched him at the prealg level, because he doesn't take transitions well. In hindsight I wish I would have had him do R&S 8 > alg 1. It wasn't worth the early transition. For alg 1 he used Jacobs Elementary Algebra, got stuck halfway through, and ended up doing MUS with a tutor. (He took two years to get through alg 1, but we mixed Geo in too.) Now he is working with a more traditional alg 2 text, and we're just expecting it to take longer than a year. He gets it... he just needs more time for it to soak in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Changing publishers often for algebra+ isn't a bad thing like elementary. The courses have a more standard scope and sequence. Lial does have a geometry, but it doesn't get many good reviews on this board. Introductory Alg (Lial), Jacobs Geo, and Intermediate Alg (Lial) seems to be a common sequence. I've only heard positive remarks for College of the Redwoods. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 My daughter struggles with math and it took a long time to find something that worked well. She's using R&S now and has made terrific improvements. The explanations, the doable word problems (she can not handle the bar drawing from Singapore) and the build in review sections have really brought her a long way. She's going to be ready for pre-algebra soon. Knowing that this setup works well for her, what do you think we should look at for Algebra and up (or pre-algebra if you like something in particular). She has issues with stamina so a program with 50+ problems a day and can not be reduced (I've heard that about Saxon - that you can't skip anything) would be a real problem. Thoughts? FTR, many people have reported that their dc did R&S math through 8th and then went happily on to algebra--IOW, no need to do another publisher's "pre-algebra" before algebra. Although it is true that you canNOT skip anything in Saxon, some children do spend two days per lesson instead of one (although I don't think Saxon has 50 problems per lesson, does it?). At any rate, it is not recommended that algebra be the first Saxon text; you'd want Math 76 or 87 or 1/2 (depending on the placement test). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Changing publishers often for algebra+ isn't a bad thing like elementary. The courses have a more standard scope and sequence. Lial does have a geometry, but it doesn't get many good reviews on this board. Introductory Alg (Lial), Jacobs Geo, and Intermediate Alg (Lial) seems to be a common sequence. I've only heard positive remarks for College of the Redwoods. :) Yea I did a variety of publishers for my older two so I know it's fine content-wise. I just worry about transitions. Mine isn't good with them either and so if I could find a publisher that works well for her and then could stick with it I would love that. But it may not be possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Thanks for asking. I'm in a similar boat. We are going to go through R&S Math 8 and then I don't know what will happen. I believe R&S is still working on an Algebra book. I keep hoping it will be ready, but I've been waiting on it for years. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/545133-rod-staff-newsletteralgebra/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Yea I did a variety of publishers for my older two so I know it's fine content-wise. I just worry about transitions. Mine isn't good with them either and so if I could find a publisher that works well for her and then could stick with it I would love that. But it may not be possible. Boy do I know that story. To say mine didn't do transitions well around that first prealg attempt was the understatement of the year. :ack2: If it's any encouragement, by the time he made it deep into algebra he had matured enough that it was basically a non-issue. The alg 1 books got mild complaining, and by the time I handed him his alg 2 textbook (from yet another author/publisher) he didn't even bat an eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 I just wanted to update everyone... we made a math plan. We are going to stick with R&S until we are ready for Algebra. Then we are going to go with Fresh Approach Algebra. They have Alg 1, Geometry and Alg 2. I have looked at it several times over the years and like the look but this weekend I looked at it with my daughter at HEAV. My scared of math, hates math girl read through three lessons and told me she liked it. I like that it has clear, straight-forward explanations and the book is not cluttered or distracting. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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