Need your wisdom: Jacobs Geometry or something else?

[pjssully]

My twin 14 year olds boys just finished Jacob's algebra: Elementary algebra, and have done very well with this. I do not know much about geometry curriculums since my oldest daughter used math U see. Although this served her well as she has been accepted to electrical or mechanical engineering at a very good college I thought maybe Jacobs geometry would make sense for my boys. However, I don't know anything about it!!! Geometry is not a strong subject for me-give me any Algebra problem and I can do it. But proofs mess with my mind LOL.

 

So what is Jacobs like? Similar to their Algebra? Or do you have any other suggestions that might help ME with teaching proofs?

 

I know there is a wealth of wisdom here, which is why I always come here first!

 

Thanks so much!!

Pam

[Janeway]

I just love Jurgensens. I cannot say enough good,

[Brad S]

We used Jacobs for both algebra and geometry (3rd edition).  They are similar, but I think that his geometry book is better -- I think it's just more polished.  My son was not able to pick up his algebra and just read it himself and get everything but he was able to learn almost entirely from the geometry book.  Perhaps you can both learn from the book together.  

 

Did you use a course or videos, etc. with the algebra? Whatever learning style worked may work again, although, of course algebra and geometry are different.  I'd be sure to do enough problems with the basic proofs so that the logic is learned.  I would not use Jacobs algebra review problems, however; you might want to slowly start algebra 2 simultaneously so the algebra isn't forgotten.  Jacobs has recommended Foerster's algebra 2 as a follow on, and I think it's a good choice.  Of course, you'll need to go more slowly, but you may find that geometry doesn't take the whole year, if full time, and algebra 2 the following year would be shorter if you slowly start it with geometry.

[EKS]

I would say that Jacobs second edition geometry is more like the algebra than the third is.  I am a huge fan of Jacobs Algebra, but I could not teach from the third edition geometry.  For the first kid, this caused me to move to Teaching Textbooks (adequate, but not recommended).  For the second kid, we used Derek Owens, who uses Jacobs third edition, and I ended up having to watch the videos myself first then teach it using a combination of Mr. Owens' material and problems (mostly proofs) from the second edition.