Would you do this?

[OnMyOwn]

I'm thinking if having my son repeat algebra II at the local coop because there aren't any other classes that work with our schedule and this coop offers him a minimal social connection. His only social connection at this point, really.

 

He did fine with algebra II, but he has some lds and I do not see a math degree in his future. Nor does he. He would still be able to take precalculus in 12th grade.

 

The only reason I feel torn about it is that this is a kid that needs lots of repetition and review to do well in math. If he does not take the class at the coop, I could potentially get him through calculus and that would make things easier for him in college if he decides to go with a major that requires that. They are not offering precalculus at the coop this year.

Edited April 8, 2016 by OnMyOwn

[MarkT]

Would this be a different text book?

If so he would probably learn some different topics and not be bored seeing the same problem sets.

It doesn't hurt and he would have a solid foundation.

[Lori D.]

Well, just me, but if the goal is social time, I'd work on re-arranging my schedule so DS could be in several classes where he'd actually get to do some socializing -- ballroom dance, theater, art, book club, filmmaking, gaming, yearbook, etc. -- rather than an academic class without the ability to socialize that will be about listening to instruction and doing homework.

 

I personally would find that depressing and a real blow to the self-esteem -- repeating a class I'd already taken, and then not even getting to have interactive time in class with friends.  :eek:

 

But the person to talk to is your DS -- what does HE want to do? Could you offer to oversee a social class at the co-op at that time frame?? Or if that doesn't work, can you schedule/host something at a time that fits your family schedule that would really be enjoyable social time for HIM, with friends from the co-op or other homeschoolers? Maybe a weekly movie night, or weekend paint balling or hiking. Or get involved in an after school club or group like after school bowling league, chess club, robotics group. Or get involved in a community group where DS can meet people with similar interests -- model railroading, community gardens, orienteering, history recreation group, etc.?

[OnMyOwn]

Would this be a different text book?

If so he would probably learn some different topics and not be bored seeing the same problem sets.

It doesn't hurt and he would have a solid foundation.

Thanks for bringing that up. He used Lial's Intermediate Algebra this year and the class next year uses Advanced Algebra http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Algebra-University-Chicago-Mathematics/dp/0130584169/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460160830&sr=8-1&keywords=0130584169. I know nothing about this book, so I guess I need to look into it.

[MarkT]

Thanks for bringing that up. He used Lial's Intermediate Algebra this year and the class next year uses Advanced Algebra http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Algebra-University-Chicago-Mathematics/dp/0130584169/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460160830&sr=8-1&keywords=0130584169. I know nothing about this book, so I guess I need to look into it.

 

http://cathyduffyreviews.com/math/advanced-algebra-ucsmp.htm

 

"This Advanced Algebra text would follow algebra and geometry (in their sequence), serving as an Algebra II course. However, the scope and sequence is advanced beyond some other second-year algebra courses, including Saxon's."

 

looks like a reasonable choice for a second go-around

[OnMyOwn]

Well, just me, but if the goal is social time, I'd work on re-arranging my schedule so DS could be in several classes where he'd actually get to do some socializing -- ballroom dance, theater, art, book club, filmmaking, gaming, yearbook, etc. -- rather than an academic class without the ability to socialize that will be about listening to instruction and doing homework.

 

I personally would find that depressing and a real blow to the self-esteem -- repeating a class I'd already taken, and then not even getting to have interactive time in class with friends. :eek:

 

But the person to talk to is your DS -- what does HE want to do? Could you offer to oversee a social class at the co-op at that time frame?? Or if that doesn't work, can you schedule/host something at a time that fits your family schedule that would really be enjoyable social time for HIM, with friends from the co-op or other homeschoolers? Maybe a weekly movie night, or weekend paint balling or hiking. Or get involved in an after school club or group like after school bowling league, chess club, robotics group. Or get involved in a community group where DS can meet people with similar interests -- model railroading, community gardens, orienteering, history recreation group, etc.?

I get what you are saying. It's not the actual class that offers socializing, though the kid who has been his best friend for many years will be in that class. He can eat lunch there with the couple of kids he's known for years and feels are friends. If he's attending the school, he can also participate in the dances and a few other activites they have during the year that he enjoys. He does do ball room dancing with some of these same kids. He has a very loose connection with some of these kids that I'm afraid will be lost if he stops attending.

 

Believe me, I try very hard to get him involved in social activities and have had large groups of kids over in the past for pizza and games and continue to offer to do that and anything and everything for this kid, but he is struggling right now. I have been his social director for years, even though I am an introvert myself, but he's 16 and I can't make social plans for him at this point. All I can do is offer to host, drive, encourage, and suggest, which I do on a regular basis. He has to actually invite people and be willing to take a risk and he's not right now.

 

I did ask him what he thought about it and I told him why I was suggesting it. He thought it was a good idea. He knows he did fine on algebra II this year and he understands the reason I'm suggesting that class. To keep him socially connected to the kids he likes.

[EKS]

Thanks for bringing that up. He used Lial's Intermediate Algebra this year and the class next year uses Advanced Algebra http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Algebra-University-Chicago-Mathematics/dp/0130584169/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460160830&sr=8-1&keywords=0130584169. I know nothing about this book, so I guess I need to look into it.

 

My opinion is that anyone (including my own children!) who used Lial's Intermediate Algebra would do well to go through Algebra II with a more rigorous text.

[OnMyOwn]

My opinion is that anyone (including my own children!) who used Lial's Intermediate Algebra would do well to go through Algebra II with a more rigorous text.

Thank you. I'm so worried about my son I kind of feel like crying right now and that makes me feel better.

[EKS]

Thank you. I'm so worried about my son I kind of feel like crying right now and that makes me feel better.

 

:grouphug:

 

ETA: I was a bit tired yesterday and didn't realize that this might be sarcasm.  I am truly sorry if you took my post to mean anything other than I thought your idea was a good one.  Both of my children used Lial's Intermediate Algebra and both got As.  I did not have my older son repeat Algebra II before moving on to precalculus, and I've regretted it.  I did have my younger one repeat Algebra II with Derek Owens.  That experience strengthened and deepened his understanding and he is now reaping the benefits in precalculus.

Edited April 9, 2016 by EKS

[foxbridgeacademy]

I'd put him in the class.  We'll be taking a "walk" through Algebra 2 this year for 10th grade.  I then intend DS to take College Algebra at CC in 11th (prefer 1st semester).  For 2nd semester 11th and through 1st half of 12th he'll do Pre-Calc at home so he can then take it at CC.  I don't trust that his brain will retain it if we don't do it at least 2X.  He's actually fairly mathy but also very forgetful.  He understands this and is actually happy to go "slow", he wants to learn the info in depth so later on he won't struggle with it.

 

Now what you really need to do is figure out what to call the classes so they don't look like you had him repeat Algebra 2. 

[yvonne]

:grouphug: (((OnMyOwn)))  :grouphug:   I so know how hard it is helping a child make and foster friendships, especially when you're both introverts. 

Yes, I would do it!  Life is so much more than whatever finite bit of content our children learn in one academic subject in one school year.  I would think the benefits to him of having the human connection, the friends!!!, far outweigh accumulating ten months of additional math knowledge. If taking this class will allow him to maintain/foster/nurture friendships that he's already started making, however tenuously, I'd sacrifice a lot more than just postponing Calculus until freshman year of college to let him take it.  You can find a thousand solutions for helping him with Calculus in college. Finding opportunities to make a new friend can be the hardest thing of all. 

 

AND, it's not like it would be a loss to make a second pass through something like Algebra II!  Maybe it will make Calculus a little easier when he does get to it. He'll have a more solid algebra foundation, and, if nothing else, he'll be another year older/more mature when he gets to it. I'd trust Mark and Kai's take on Lial's and the new text.

 

And since your son thinks it's a good idea, there's just no reason _not_ to take advantage of an opportunity for him to be with friends next year. One good friend can make all the difference in a person's quality of life.  (I don't know if calculus a year earlier is going to add that much to anyone's quality of life. LOL)

[OnMyOwn]

I'd put him in the class. We'll be taking a "walk" through Algebra 2 this year for 10th grade. I then intend DS to take College Algebra at CC in 11th (prefer 1st semester). For 2nd semester 11th and through 1st half of 12th he'll do Pre-Calc at home so he can then take it at CC. I don't trust that his brain will retain it if we don't do it at least 2X. He's actually fairly mathy but also very forgetful. He understands this and is actually happy to go "slow", he wants to learn the info in depth so later on he won't struggle with it.

 

Now what you really need to do is figure out what to call the classes so they don't look like you had him repeat Algebra 2.

Thanks. My ds seems to need a lot of repetition with math, too, even though he seems to get the concepts. He did CLE algebra in 8th and did very well, but I knew if we just moved on it wouldn't stick, so we took our time and went through Lial's algebra I in 9th and started MUS geometry. This year, he is finishing up geometry and he's got a couple of chapters left in Lial's algebra II. My plan had originally been to continue to practice algebra II in 11th while beginning precalculus and then to probably just keep working on precalculus his senior year unless I felt he was ready to move on.

 

I think his credits will all work out because I'll call his 9th grade year algebra I, this year geometry and next year algebra II.

[OnMyOwn]

:grouphug: (((OnMyOwn))) :grouphug: I so know how hard it is helping a child make and foster friendships, especially when you're both introverts.

 

Yes, I would do it! Life is so much more than whatever finite bit of content our children learn in one academic subject in one school year. I would think the benefits to him of having the human connection, the friends!!!, far outweigh accumulating ten months of additional math knowledge. If taking this class will allow him to maintain/foster/nurture friendships that he's already started making, however tenuously, I'd sacrifice a lot more than just postponing Calculus until freshman year of college to let him take it. You can find a thousand solutions for helping him with Calculus in college. Finding opportunities to make a new friend can be the hardest thing of all.

 

AND, it's not like it would be a loss to make a second pass through something like Algebra II! Maybe it will make Calculus a little easier when he does get to it. He'll have a more solid algebra foundation, and, if nothing else, he'll be another year older/more mature when he gets to it. I'd trust Mark and Kai's take on Lial's and the new text.

 

And since your son thinks it's a good idea, there's just no reason _not_ to take advantage of an opportunity for him to be with friends next year. One good friend can make all the difference in a person's quality of life. (I don't know if calculus a year earlier is going to add that much to anyone's quality of life. LOL)

Thanks, Yvonne. You are very sweet. What you said about about the importance of friendship and life being so much more than academics rings so true for me today.

[Lori D.]

I get what you are saying. It's not the actual class that offers socializing, though the kid who has been his best friend for many years will be in that class. He can eat lunch there with the couple of kids he's known for years and feels are friends. If he's attending the school, he can also participate in the dances and a few other activites they have during the year that he enjoys. He does do ball room dancing with some of these same kids. He has a very loose connection with some of these kids that I'm afraid will be lost if he stops attending.

 

Believe me, I try very hard to get him involved in social activities and have had large groups of kids over in the past for pizza and games and continue to offer to do that and anything and everything for this kid, but he is struggling right now. I have been his social director for years, even though I am an introvert myself, but he's 16 and I can't make social plans for him at this point. All I can do is offer to host, drive, encourage, and suggest, which I do on a regular basis. He has to actually invite people and be willing to take a risk and he's not right now.

 

I did ask him what he thought about it and I told him why I was suggesting it. He thought it was a good idea. He knows he did fine on algebra II this year and he understands the reason I'm suggesting that class. To keep him socially connected to the kids he likes.

 

Ahhh… Got it. :)

 

And since he's find with doing Alg. 2 again, and if that gives him the ability to do the social things, then go for it and enjoy! :)