Math....what would you do?

[kfeusse]

My non-mathy kid made it through Algebra 1 her Freshman year.  She did Geometry this past year, but it wasn't until she was done I realized it was a fairly lame program and I think she needs to retake geometry.  I am considering TT because it looks like it will cover the basics without being overwhelming to her.  She is college bound, but not in a math field nor will she need more than Algebra 2 to enter the college of her choice.

 

But this is my deal....if I have her retake Geo this year and Algebra 2 her senior year, (or even vice versa), when she goes to take the ACT (hoping she can do it sometime her JR year...which will give her time to retake as needed), she won't be ready for it in the math section.

 

So, I was wondering if it would be crazy for her to take both Geo and Algebra 2 at the same time.  The Algebra program we are planning on is Math Relief, since she did Math Relief Algebra 1 and did well.  She might even get to skip bits and pieces of the geometry, depending...especially the beginning stuff.

 

Here is the rest of the stuff I was hoping she could do next year: (keep in mind she is not an AP or honors student)

 

Conceptual Physics

Latin

World History using Great Courses and some other things I put together for her

Bible

Writing using EIW 11

Economics (although this could wait until her Sr year)

Organ

 

and then 1 or 2 math courses

 

what do you guys think?  

 

thanks.

Edited May 29, 2017 by NEprairiemom

[regentrude]

If she did geometry this year, a second pass through geometry with a different program should not take as much time as an entire course, and doing it concurrently with algebra 2 should nto be an issue. Also, since you say she won't need to cover math past algebra 2, she does not need to finish alg 2 this year and can finish it up over the summer or the following school year.

[kfeusse]

good points on the timing of Algebra 2.  thanks for those.

[FriedClams]

How critical are her ACT scores for her college options? The math portion covers through trig, so you're smart to consider your scope. Honestly, senior year math won't help her on the ACT, so I'd get algebra 2 done earlier. If she takes it in the fall she'll have only covered a small amount of material. I would not repeat geometry but maybe add a consumer math or accounting.

[kfeusse]

How critical are her ACT scores for her college options? The math portion covers through trig, so you're smart to consider your scope. Honestly, senior year math won't help her on the ACT, so I'd get algebra 2 done earlier. If she takes it in the fall she'll have only covered a small amount of material. I would not repeat geometry but maybe add a consumer math or accounting.

 

ACT not super important for College entrance...but for scholarship options.

 

If we do what you suggest, what about the geometry part of the ACT.  I already know the Trig part she will fail...so I want her to get as much of it as possible.

[regentrude]

How critical are her ACT scores for her college options? The math portion covers through trig, 

 

The trigonometry covered on the ACT is minimal and does not require an actual trig course. Its mostly SOHCAHTOA and Pythagoras.

Only approx 7% of the ACT questions are trig.

Some trig is introduced in geometry.

 

Edited May 29, 2017 by regentrude

[speedmom4]

  She is college bound, but not in a math field nor will she need more than Algebra 2 to enter the college of her choice.

 

 

 

Have you checked to make sure the colleges you are looking at don't need a credit above Algebra 2? The reason I ask is that we were surprised a couple of years ago when we made the discovery that in NC students must have a math credit above Algebra 2 to apply to state universities. It may not be a new requirement but I don't remember that when our older daughter went to college.

[kiana]

What about doing algebra 2 this year (as a break from geometry) and saving senior year for a second pass at geometry? Since I assume she'd be starting in the fall it'd have the added side effect of refreshing geometry knowledge before the test and she'd probably finish in time to do something else in the spring if desired. 

[Janeway]

Geometry is one of those programs where you can have a weak program and still be fine for the next level up. I know a mom whose child used SOS for geometry (Foersters for everything else) and her child is a senior in college as a math major and on the Deans list every semester. We used what people would consider a meatier program, but I do not think it mattered. We used Duke Tip's geometry which used Jurgenson's. Yes, my son perhaps got more out of it than if he used the weaker SOS program. But I think his ability to do well in algebra 2 was not affected by this as not much was covered that is needed for higher math. It was a lot of proofs, and of course the angles and such. 

 

What I am saying is, I would just move on to algebra 2. If she struggled with algebra 1, she may need to go slower with algebra 2 to complete it. 

[Julie of KY]

I'd argue that solid algebra skills are much more important in life than strong geometry skills for someone not going further in math. This said, you could just accept your weak geometry course and move on - I know many public school students locally who have very weak geometry courses.

 

I wouldn't postpone the algebra 2.

You can double up on the geometry and algebra 2 or postpone the geometry.

 

If it were my kid, I'd go down the route of algebra 2. If I though she could handle doing the geometry concurrently, then I'd do that, but I'd give her permission to postpone it until her senior year if needed.

[Murrayshire]

I would stick with Alg. II as well....... check out Mr. D Math's Summer courses. He has Readiness classes and 11 week full math courses. Would taking an 11 week Geometry course over the summer be feasible?

 

https://mrdmath.com/summer-programs/

[lmrich]

Use the summer. I know she will hate it, but it is needed. 
You can also start to prepare for the ACT math now by reviewing the basic math, algebra, and take a go at the basic geometry to see what she retained. 

[MamaSprout]

What Geometry did she use?

[kfeusse]

I can't use the summer because she has a full time summer job. 

 

She used Math Relief Geometry.  Although I felt that MR Algebra is great....the geometry just doesn't seem strong.  It took her way less than a year to complete (she started it in October and finished in March) and there just wasn't much work required.  And, when I realized this, I started having her do Khan and she struggled...so I know it was a weak program. 

[susanah4]

Is your main concern with geometry for the ACT?   What about working on the geometry portion of ACT practice tests instead of repeating the whole class.  I would want to go ahead and start algebra 2.   And we had no trig for ACT but I did teach my son SOHCAHTOA before taking it.  

[EKS]

What program did she use?  One difference between lighter and more rigorous geometry programs is how much they emphasize proofs.  Since the geometry on the ACT is basically algebra-with-shapes and no proofs, I wouldn't do another whole program just for that.

[katilac]

What about working on the geometry portion of ACT practice tests instead of repeating the whole class.  

 

This is probably what I would do. We would have collectively lost out minds in this house if we finished up geometry, and then started geometry again, lol. 

 

Or something like ALEKS online, which will assess her at the beginning and as she goes along.