Math questions - how to progress?

[lgliser]

Cross-posting this... I think maybe this is the better place to post about this?

 

I’ve looked a lot at old posts here but many of them are older so I thought I’d ask, even though it’s been asked a lot.

 

Sam will be doing 6th grade math in our 5th grade year. I’m strongly considering having him do CLE 700/800 in our 6th grade year. Obviously if he struggles, we’ll slow it down, but he’s always been so good at math, I imagine he’ll do fine. Actually if I didn’t think we could do 700/800 in one year, I’d think more about another curriculum.

 

I read that some people do 700 and then go straight into Algebra 1 but I like the idea of consumer math in 800.  (Speaking of consumer math… when do most kids do that? I didn’t even realize it had an official name. That’s how much I don’t know about math). Then do people still like CLE for Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2? I thought I read that at least their Algebra is good (and maybe geometry??) but nothing after that? Or am I remembering wrong. If CLE isn’t well regarded for Algebra, then I would not do 700/800 in our 6th grade year. I’d find another program.

 

And if this is the case, PLEASE help me think about what might be a good program. I am not a mathy person at all so something like a video would be good. Video Text? WTM recommends it but I feel like I’ve seen mixed reviews on here.  Derek Owens? Is Teaching Textbooks any good? Or something like CLE because we’ve just really enjoyed how the BOOKS teach the kids really well and they don’t need me much. I’m open to any suggestions though. DH is mathy and can certainly help.

 

I’m really trying to educate myself on what the kids are going to need as we are getting closer to upper level learning. I know we’re not there yet but I feel like we need to be getting on the right path now.

Oh, I’m also wondering - if Sam ends up doing Algebra 1 in 7th or 8th grade, that can’t be counted as high school, can it? Will he have to take it again in high school (surely not…) or will he just take Algebra 2, geometry, and then go higher?

[EKS]

I think Derek Owens is excellent.  I'd recommend that you use his prealgebra course next year if your son has gone through arithmetic through decimals and percents.  In the prealgebra course, DO reviews arithmetic and ties it into algebra in just about every chapter/unit.

 

You can most certainly count Algebra I as a high school course even if he takes it in middle school.  My older son finished Algebra I in 6th grade and I put it on his transcript.  The younger one finished it in 5th grade, and if he were still homeschooling, it would be on his transcript too.

[TracyP]

I switch to prealgebra after the 600s. Algebra is the only higher CLE level that is well regarded and even it gets mixed reviews. So far my kids have moved on to AoPS. If you want to be out of the picture, I'd look into Derek Owens. That has been my plan B.

 

I plan to put algebra on the transcript, but will not give credit for it. 8th grade is the normal age for algebra in my state. My oldest will also take geometry before high school; I may give credit for that one. I'm not sure yet. Either way you'll want a minimum of 3 math credits taken during the high school years.

[Julie of KY]

I second the suggestion of Derek Owens for outsourcing math with video teaching.

 

As far as algebra done in middle school, you can list it on a transcript under middle school courses or leave it off. Either way colleges generally want 3-4 years of math done DURING high school. My son did Algebra 1 and 2 as well as geometry in middle school and none of it appeared on his high school transcript. We just listed the math courses starting with 9th grade.

 

Consumer math - when it appears as a course in high school, it is usually taken by students that do not want to take higher maths. You can simply teach these skills on your own and never call it a math class, but call it life. I teach all about personal finance, bills, wages, taxes, checking and savings, insurance as general family knowledge that is not a school subject.

[OneStepAtATime]

It would be easy to combine cle 700/800 and do both in one year IF your student is strong in math. 800 goes into some depth in areas that will be helpful in higher math later on plus if you want the consumer math that is also in there . CLE Algebra I actually has a good reputation and many have posted on here about using it successfully before their student moved on to something else. Nothing beyond that level for CLE is actually CLE. It is from another program that is not well regarded. They are working on updating the other high school math offerings but no idea when they will be completed.

[lgliser]

Thank you guys SO much!