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I have three always homeschooled boys (entering 7th, 9th, and 11th grades). I feel like I've let them down in the math department. I can do lots of math, but my oldest has no interest in learning from me. My middle really likes Khan Academy, but got stuck despite spending adequate time last year working on Algebra I topics. He also doesn't like to work with me on math. My youngest could be good at math, but isn't particularly motivated. He's not doing high school math yet, but I might have a chance to get him on track before 9th grade. I can't picture any of them learning from just a textbook.

 

So what is working for high school math at your house with your kids? 

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Textbooks are what work here.  In fact, public school textbooks.  I have a DD who HATES being taught the material.

 

I work the problems myself for the week on Sunday.  That gets me up to speed with the material.  Then, DD reads the lesson and works the sample problems.  Used to be she could just self-teach it all from the text, but as we have moved up past Algebra, the lessons require some explanation.  If she isn't getting it, I explain it or google an online video lesson on the subject (Khan is good, but there are lots of them out there) and we re-work the sample problems together.  She does the assignment - checking the answer with me after each problem (no point in getting too far down an assignment on the wrong track) and we go on to the next thing.

 

She has been home schooled since 1st grade.  She is definitely a math success story.  We have always used public school materials except for the year we used Saxon's home school Algebra, which has the lessons directed to the student.

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My oldest did Saxon up to Advanced Math. Switched to MUS Calculus (she didn't have enough time to complete Saxon Calculus). Took Calculus again at Vanderbilt and did well.

 

With my second child we hope to be able to complete Saxon Calculus (oldest said she wishes she had completed Calculus with Saxon). We will see.

 

 

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My oldest went through a whole world of math stuff. Teaching Textbooks Algebra, which he didn't fully utilize (would NOT use the computer or videos, annoyed the crap out of me). We ended up doing Algebra by white board; I would sit side by side, each of us with lap sized white boards, and I would work the practice problems from the textbook. He would copy me. Step by painful step. Then, after all the practice problems/explanation, we would work side by side, one problem at a time, on the white boards. We would then compare problems/answers, and he would find & correct any errors (by looking at mine) and move on. We would do just odds, or just evens, and that way if we needed more practice, or to show mastery, he would do the opposite set on his own. It was painful. He was a kid who had always been great at math, and never wrote stuff down. You hit algebra, you have to start writing down all the steps. He fought me the entire year on that, and thus Algebra became torture for both of us. 

 

The following year, HS'ing became more or less illegal in Brazil, so we switched to TTUISD and he did Geometry on-line. Only, it wasn't really "on line" in the sense of having any kind of instruction, and so once again, we sat and did math side by side. Not on the white board, because he had to turn in his assignments via this electronic notebook thing, but he'd work on that, I'd work beside him as needed, DH would tutor in the evenings (DS and I learn math in totally different ways, so I really truly cannot teach it to him). It was another hard year. 

 

The following year, we used Math U See Algebra II, because the live video format, of a real teacher, doing real problems, with a real class, seemed like a better fit (we were still in Brazil, and didn't have access to an actual outside class) (and it was still more or less illegal, but we used TTUISD for everything else and only did math "at home" which was sufficient to keep us in the parameters of the law)(and he had actually aged out of the mandatory school age for Brazil, so it was no longer an issue anyway). He did much better with Alg II, although it took him longer to complete, just because we moved during that year and so all the upheaval of packing for an international move, then moving, then living in temporary housing so not unpacking much, then moving to permanent housing.....Alg II took him a long time to finish, but due to interruptions, not difficulty levels. 

 

During the time he was doing Alg II, once we'd moved, we enrolled him in an outside Physics class; the Physics teacher tutored him in the math part of the physics problems, and really helped solidify his math. The following year (his senior year) he did Saxon Adv Math with an outside teacher (met once/week for instruction, and did problems at home) and did amazingly well. As on all the tests, etc. He's now enrolled in PreCalc for college; one of the placement tests used, he scored just a point or so below the cut-off for going straight into Calculus. He wanted to study and retake the test, but we encouraged him to stick with PreCalc for his first college math class. I assume he'll do well, but of course we don't know yet. 

 

I realize that isn't a cut & dried "success story" but just wanted to share to encourage you --- even if it wasn't working early on, it can be fixed/salvaged and still turn out a math-capable student. If what you're doing isn't working, switch (and I highly advocate outsourcing, even if it's just having your DH teach/tutor math; sometimes the problem is really just math learning styles being different), but don't lose hope -- even with a rocky start, your kiddos can succeed in math.

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What worked here was me teaching. We used some MUS early on then switched to Lial's which has all the instruction in the book. However, my kids just don't learn math on their own. They needed explanations and I had to provide those.

 

If your kids won't learn from you, I'd suggest an online class or a tutor. You could go with whatever program you like best and just use an tutor when they feel stuck. I work for Tutor.com and tutor algebra there and I tutor locally. You can get online tutoring for any level and it is convenient, but I don't necessarily think it is the best value because concepts often take longer to explain. I'd look for a local tutor or at least a consistent tutor (rather than a service like tutor.com), but there are many options. 

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My 2nd wasn't really all that interested in math in high school.  We kept plugging away at it, but if she'd had to take a test on the material, I don't know that she would have done that well.  She just wasn't all that motivated.

 

But then we started doing physics in her last year of high school and something just clicked.  So she decided to major in physics.  But she had to take a math placement test when starting college.  And discovered, to her horror, that she really couldn't answer many of the questions on the sample placement test.

 

She spent a couple weeks of the summer relearning (or maybe learning?) some of the math.  Did fine on the placement test and is now a physics major with a possible math major (if she can fit it in).

 

So, my advice would be to try something applied.  Maybe learning physics or statistics or chemistry will spark an interest in math (or maybe make the student learn it without realizing it's happening). 

 

I've never been very impressed with Khan.  I can't really follow where he's going.  Or even recognize when he gets there.

 

We did do some Thinkwell math.  The guy who does the calculus is pretty clear and actually kind of engaging.  I think he maybe does the lower level math too (?).  (Burger?  was that his name?)  That is pricey, but I think there are sample lessons on line at their site.  There really aren't enough practice problems with that though.  You'll still need a textbook and you'll still have to figure out what problems your student should do.

 

For lower level math, my kids used the online Singapore math.  It was free and they actually kind of liked it.  A google search brings up a number of sites to try.  At the least, it would be good for review.

Edited by flyingiguana
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Teaching Textbooks was life-changing for DD, not an exaggeration. DD hated math and thought she was terrible at it, completely changed after switching to TT with Pre-Algebra.  We did TT Pre-Algebra through Alg II and Geometry.  She scored 750 out of 800 on her SAT math section (I think she missed 3 questions?).  She is also peer tutoring math.  She now has a career goal of becoming a math/science teacher, and is "teacher's pet" of her Pre-Calc instructor.

Edited by goldberry
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Jann @ myhomeschoolmathclass (dot) com. I can't rave about these classes enough. And the price is very reasonable! She has a max per family so I basically had 3 taking her classes for the price of two. They get two live online math classes per week and free tutorials. Students grade their daily work and she grades the tests. No more math grading, just checking to make sure they are staying on track.

 

Prior to Jann's classes, my oldest taught himself Algebra 1 using Saxon and Khan videos. I knew my next two would not be able to do that and I was maxed out in my math knowledge. Jann uses Lial's texts.

 

PM me if you want any more specifics.

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We did do some Thinkwell math.  The guy who does the calculus is pretty clear and actually kind of engaging.  I think he maybe does the lower level math too (?).  (Burger?  was that his name?)  That is pricey, but I think there are sample lessons on line at their site.  T 

 

Yes, and the same guy does the online tutorials for the Holt math books, or at least some of them. 

 

I just googled Holt algebra 1 tutorials and easily found this as a top result, free access to homework help, including the videos: 

 

http://go.hrw.com/hrw.nd/gohrw_rls1/pKeywordResults?keyword=MA7+HWHelp

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Someone interviewed by the New York Times suggested these math tutorials:

http://patrickjmt.com/

 

I've never watched them myself.  But they do appear extensive.

 

It was in this article if you want the source:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/education/edlife/advice-for-new-students-from-those-who-know-old-students.html?_r=0

But it was just a passing mention

Edited by flyingiguana
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My ds13 and I are really enjoying Lial's Introductory Algebra. I say we because I bought myself a copy too, we are both students :-). We sit together and work through the same sections independently. Jann, mentioned upthread, does online classes using Lial's. I am considering that for next year, but so far we are fine on our own.

 

Ds chose Lial's after we used the pre-algebra last year. The book has very detailed steps explaining how to work the problems. Even a math phobic Mom can learn, Lol! I don't have to teach or explain anything. The problem sets at the end of the lessons indicate which section they are from, so if we get stuck it's easy to go back and take another look. These used texts are very inexpensive on Amazon, we just go ahead and write in them.

 

Since you said your kids didn't want to learn math from you, with Lial's they could probably figure it out on their own. Depending on their levels, maybe they might want to team up and work together?

 

Remember to have fun!

Edited by EMPgirl
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College textbooks such as Lial's.  Someone here once pointed out that they're designed to teach students who don't "get" what the professor said in lecture.  And they're available in Algebra 1 on up, featuring plenty of review of earlier topics to remediate college students who didn't learn in these things in high school.

 

Once we hit Calculus we outsource.  This time around we're also outsourcing Pre-Calc.

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