Anyone else with a 9th grader doing pre-algebra?

[mama25angels]

I'm hoping we'll be able to move into algebra after Christmas but if we aren't we'll just keep plugging along. We will continue math through the summer so, we might be able to move on to algebra before them but, I don't want to rush and then we struggle later on.

Edited May 11, 2017 by mama25angels

[OneStepAtATime]

Agreed.  Don't rush and then find your child has to repeat material.  Is math the only subject that your child is having a bit of trouble in?  Is math a bit of a struggle across the board or are there specific areas of weakness?  Is it concepts or remembering algorithms or weakness in math facts or...?

[shinyhappypeople]

If things go according to plan  :smilielol5:  older DD will be starting pre-algebra next spring, so 2nd semester of 9th grade.  

 

It takes as long as it takes. 

[Julie of KY]

Just keep plugging along. Prealgebra skills and beginning algebra skills are foundational to any math and science beyond.

If you rush, you will just have problems later on.

[OneStepAtATime]

Have you tried anything like Hands On Equations?

[mama25angels]

Agreed. Don't rush and then find your child has to repeat material. Is math the only subject that your child is having a bit of trouble in? Is math a bit of a struggle across the board or are there specific areas of weakness? Is it concepts or remembering algorithms or weakness in math facts or...?

He's struggled a bit across the board but it's mostly a weakness in math facts and word problems. fractions really kicked our butt until I got the Key to Fractions books and LOF, I don't know why I didn't get those sweet little booklets to begin with, it would've saved so much time. I have LOF decimals and percents waiting for when he's finished fractions, well pair it with Systematic Math's decimals and percents book.

[mama25angels]

Have you tried anything like Hands On Equations?

I haven't but we do have the app that we're going to use a bit this summer. Also, planning to get the Key to Algebra books.

[OneStepAtATime]

How does he do if he has a math facts chart in front of him?

 

Have you ever had him create his own word problems from an existing math problem?  I found that DD started to be able to break down word problems better after she and I started working problems on the dry erase board together, actually creating our own word problems from an existing algorithmic problem.  

[mama25angels]

He's hasn't used a math fact chart. He's never made up his own word problems, I think I might try having him do that and see how it goes.

[Jilly]

My 9th grader will be doing a pre-algebra/beginning algebra mix in the fall. He worked through half of pre-algebra teaching textbooks this year and then burned out. Right now we are working through the Key to Algebra books which he really likes. He is almost done with book 1 and we will keep working through them over the summer. I am not sure what we will move on to after that but I don't see any major algebra work happening until 10th grade. 

[kiana]

If that's what he's ready for, that's what he's ready for. That being said, yes, I would work year-round to the best of your ability for as long as you can. Not even for acceleration but just to minimize brain drain which is huge for students who are already struggling. 

[Another Lynn]

My current 8th grader is finishing up pre-algebra.  But I'm not sure she's really ready for algebra in the fall.  We don't have a good history of accomplishing much school work over the summer because of other activities and the need for a break.  I think we'll be spending some time addressing weakness before we get algebra going in 9th.  

[mama25angels]

My 9th grader will be doing a pre-algebra/beginning algebra mix in the fall. He worked through half of pre-algebra teaching textbooks this year and then burned out. Right now we are working through the Key to Algebra books which he really likes. He is almost done with book 1 and we will keep working through them over the summer. I am not sure what we will move on to after that but I don't see any major algebra work happening until 10th grade.

May I ask what you'll be using for science?

[OneStepAtATime]

He's struggled a bit across the board but it's mostly a weakness in math facts and word problems. fractions really kicked our butt until I got the Key to Fractions books and LOF, I don't know why I didn't get those sweet little booklets to begin with, it would've saved so much time. I have LOF decimals and percents waiting for when he's finished fractions, well pair it with Systematic Math's decimals and percents book.

Struggled across the board in math or in most subjects?

 

Also, do you have Key to Decimals and Key to Percents?  It might help to run those concurrently with Life of Fred.  

[OneStepAtATime]

He's hasn't used a math fact chart. He's never made up his own word problems, I think I might try having him do that and see how it goes.

If he has low working memory/low processing speed he may not be able to keep the facts straight in his head while also processing the algorithms and decoding the word problems.  Can he skip count?  If he can skip count have him create a math fact chart (print out blank ones off the internet) and let him use one for his math lessons.  Work on math fact retention separately.  Also, you might look at something like Prodigy math for math fact practice.

 

This may seem like a strange set of questions but I was wondering....if you rolled two 6 sided die (that he can't see) and told him that you rolled a 5, would he be able to visualize that there are only two possible rolls?  Could he tell you that you either rolled a 2 and a 3 or a 1 and a 4?  If he rolled two die and rolled a 6 and a 4 would he be able to just glance at the dice and tell you immediately that he rolled 10 or would he need to count each dot?  I ask because his subitization skills may be weak.  That's kind of the foundation of math and if it is weak then things like fractions and decimals and percents and a whole host of things, including math facts, can be a struggle.  Bright kids with weak subitization skills can learn how to limp along in math but without targeted systematic instruction in how to break down numbers and put them back together again at the most basic level math may continue to be a struggle.  

 

Depending on how severe his math struggles you might look into dyscalculia as a possible underlying issue. 

[Jilly]

May I ask what you'll be using for science?

 

I haven't decided yet. I am hoping to have that figured out before we start up in the fall. 

[mama25angels]

If he has low working memory/low processing speed he may not be able to keep the facts straight in his head while also processing the algorithms and decoding the word problems. Can he skip count? If he can skip count have him create a math fact chart (print out blank ones off the internet) and let him use one for his math lessons. Work on math fact retention separately. Also, you might look at something like Prodigy math for math fact practice.

 

This may seem like a strange set of questions but I was wondering....if you rolled two 6 sided die (that he can't see) and told him that you rolled a 5, would he be able to visualize that there are only two possible rolls? Could he tell you that you either rolled a 2 and a 3 or a 1 and a 4? If he rolled two die and rolled a 6 and a 4 would he be able to just glance at the dice and tell you immediately that he rolled 10 or would he need to count each dot? I ask because his subitization skills may be weak. That's kind of the foundation of math and if it is weak then things like fractions and decimals and percents and a whole host of things, including math facts, can be a struggle. Bright kids with weak subitization skills can learn how to limp along in math but without targeted systematic instruction in how to break down numbers and put them back together again at the most basic level math may continue to be a struggle.

 

Depending on how severe his math struggles you might look into dyscalculia as a possible underlying issue.

He struggled a bit with reading and then took off, he can skip count and if I rolled two die and one was 6 and the other a 4 he would instantly know it was a 10. I know one his main problems is not writing the problem down and working it out, he tries to do all in his head and he misses steps doing that.

[mama25angels]

Thank you ladies! I'be been struggling with this bad.

[historymatters]

My son has done pre-Alg this past 9th grade year (of which he's not completed yet). He should complete by Aug. 31. So, 10th will be Alg. His slow-down was due to family turmoil/subsequent depression/migraines. So, since my state has a "Foundations of Algebra" credit available (just a renamed pre-alg, if you ask me), I'm still going to give him 1 credit in math.

 

For science, he'll have Biology part of 9th and then 10th, then by 11th, Chemistry (after the Alg. 1) then something else. He's not going into a science field. He's already taken Physical Sci., so as long as he gets his lab sciences in; I think of the required, 3 have to be lab. Also, his Formal logic can count towards math, as well, but he still needs to get through Alg. 2, which he will his senior year.

Edited May 13, 2017 by historymatters

[mama25angels]

My son has done pre-Alg this past 9th grade year (of which he's not completed yet). He should complete by Aug. 31. So, 10th will be Alg. His slow-down was due to family turmoil/subsequent depression/migraines. So, since my state has a "Foundations of Algebra" credit available (just a renamed pre-alg, if you ask me), I'm still going to give him 1 credit in math.

 

For science, he'll have Biology part of 9th and then 10th, then by 11th, Chemistry (after the Alg. 1) then something else. He's not going into a science field. He's already taken Physical Sci., so as long as he gets his lab sciences in; I think of the required, 3 have to be lab. Also, his Formal logic can count towards math, as well, but he still needs to get through Alg. 2, which he will his senior year.

Thank you!

Edited May 13, 2017 by mama25angels