CLE math question...

[mommy25]

After level 6 in the CLE math program, are they ready for algebra or do they need a pre-algebra course? I know CLE is a little advanced so I wasn't sure.

[Insertcreativenamehere]

Grades 7 and 8 are CLE's two-year prealgebra course. We are working on the 6th grade level right now. 

[OneStepAtATime]

What poikar said.  :)

 

If you don't want to do two years of Pre-Algebra, you can combine them into one slightly extended year as long as you keep going at a pace that your student(s) won't start struggling significantly.  701 and 801, just like with other levels, are strictly review.  If you don't think they need all that review you can skip both of those light units.  That saves roughly 7 weeks.  To compress further, have them do the new material from two lessons but the review material from only the second lesson (or select problems from both) so two lessons are covered each day.  Skip the quizzes and lesson 17.  That means you can cover a light unit every week and a half or two.  Both levels could be covered in about 38 weeks.  Just make absolutely certain you are checking their work daily so if there is confusion you can help them clear it up before things become ingrained or the frustration level undermines their confidence.

[Storygirl]

Yes, you need a prealgebra program. We continued with CLE for 700 and 800 and found it prepared DD14 very well for algebra this year in a brick and mortar school, even though math has always been a weaker subject for her.

 

Some people do switch to a one-year prealgebra program after level 600. We decided to stick with CLE because it worked so well for DD. And if we had continued with homeschooling, we would have used their algebra 1 program.

[ondreeuh]

I would not consider CLE advanced! It hits some computation concepts earlier than a few other programs in the early years, but it is so weak on problem solving that I just couldn't consider it advanced in 6th grade. I would definitely do a pre-algebra program, but I would do a placement test first to make sure your child can make the transition. Each curriculum has its own way of wording things and presenting problems, and CLE has mostly computation rather than application types of problems which could take a child a while to get used to.

[Paige]

My DDs did CLE 6 and definitely need Pre-Agebra. There was no question about whether they were ready for Algebra or not. My DS, on the other hand worked through MM 3-6 and we went straight to Algebra and he did well. Different kids, and they needed different programs because of different strengths, but I don't think CLE is advanced. 

 

As we are doing PreAlgebra this year, I think most of the material was covered in CLE, but it was not always covered in a way that encouraged independent thinking. It was more of a "do this now" kind of thing. In MM, and in Algebra, I think students are expected to be able to pick the tools they need for a problem rather being told what they are practicing. The girls are finding some areas of PreA very easy, and I give CLE credit for that, but there are too many areas where things are combined in ways they aren't used to or with numbers that aren't so convenient that make me say they aren't ready for Algebra. 

 

ETA- We aren't doing CLE Prealgebra. 

Edited December 13, 2016 by Paige

[3andme]

I think transitioning after CLE 6 is too early for most students.  A solid math student should be able to transition well to any Algebra after CLE 7. For a less confident student, I would do as previously suggested and try to compress 7 and 8 to get more practice. You can also omit the final light unit 810 in CLE 800 since it's all practical consumer math (checking acct etc.). 

[sbgrace]

My kids have needed pre-algebra after the 600--both content and also just developmentally I think. We're in CLE 800's now, and I still love the program.

I did add word problem work (FAN math Process Skills and Problem Solving) and agree with the pp that it's a weakness in CLE over-all.