Is your 7th grader taking algebra I?

[Heather in Neverland]

At the rate we are and have been going, ds will be ready to take Algebra I in 7th grade. He is strong in math but I worry that he might not be ready "developmentally" for Algebra in 7th grade. Well, at least that's what others are telling me...that Algebra is too abstract for most 7th graders.

 

We are using MUS and my plan was to use it through pre-algebra then switch to Chalkdust (or something else) for Algebra I since MUS is not as strong a program in Algebra. Now I am thinking I should follow one of these three plans:

 

1. 6th- MUS pre-algebra

7th- Chalkdust algebra I

 

or

 

2. 6th- MUS pre algebra

7th- MUS algebra I (to get him started)

8th- Chalkdust algebra I

 

or

 

3. 6th grade- Chalkdust pre-algebra

7th grade- Chalkdust algebra I

 

what do you ladies think? Any other ideas?

[Beth in Central TX]

Hi Heather,

 

I struggled with the same dilemma for my current 7th grader. I decided to do R&S Math 8 in 7th grade and start Algebra I in 8th grade.

 

Here is our plan:

8th grade-Algebra I

9th grade-Geometry

10th grade-Algebra II

11th grade-Modern Introductory Analysis (Trig)

12th grade-Calculus

 

If my son started with Algebra in 7th grade, then that meant he would hit Geometry in 9th grade, but since we are doing a very proof-intensive program, I thought this was too early. In addition, he would hit Calculus in 11th grade, which again, I think is too early, and I'm not teaching anything past this level, so that left us hanging in 12th grade.

 

My son was a little disappointed, but this year he has been able to work diligently on showing all of his work and not making careless mistakes; two problems that would have made his Algebra I year miserable.

 

HTH!

Edited November 3, 2008 by Beth in Central TX

[chiguirre]

I took Alg. 1 in 7th grade and it was a disaster. I had to switch to pre-alg and retake it in 8th grade, that time went much better. I went on to take Calc in 12th grade.

 

Since you hs (duh!) I'd give Alg. 1 a try, but be prepared to hit a wall and have to back up. Or alternatively, go through Pre-alg quickly and start Alg. 1 in the spring. If your ds does whiz through all his hs math through Calc in 11th grade, you could do AP Statistics in 12th.

 

Good luck!

[Sunshine State Sue]

I am using MUS Algebra and Life of Fred Algebra this year with 7th grade ds. We are about 1/2 way through and it's going fine. I plan to use Foerster's Algebra with him next year. I do wonder if he'll be ready to move on instead though. But, I don't want to be doing Algebra II in 9th grade, etc.

[bettyandbob]

My oldest took algebra 1 in 6th and dd is on a similar track. We're kind of a math family. Ds took Geometry in seventh and Algebra 2/trig in 8th. Ds elected to attend the IB program at the public high--he is repeating alg 2/trig there. I didn't think there was any reason for him to continue accelerating his pace and I don't believe you can ever be too solid with algebra skills. The IB program is forcing ds to prove just about every step in every problem, so I think it's good he's repeating the course because the teacher he has is quite demanding and thorough.

 

Unless you have reason to believe you dc's basic math skills have gaps, my thought would be to proceed with algebra 1 in seventh. Be prepared to slow down and step back if it looks like you dc is having trouble with the abstract thinking or otherwise not grasping concepts. You may want to plan a slower pace from the get go with supplements from other programs.

[Jane]

I think you will know when the time comes. My current 7th grader is on the young side at age 11. I toyed with the idea of having her begin algebra this year and decided against it because she was still prone to silly mistakes. (Jann in TX has some great words about this issue.) So instead she is completing her second year of pre-algebra. She is not learning anything new this year, but it is an enjoyable and relaxing year of math. :) She will move on to algebra next year and will definitely be ready.

 

HTH.

Edited November 3, 2008 by Jane
typos

[Donna A.]

My oldest (just-turned 13 and 7th grade) is doing Abeka's 7th grade Basic Mathematics right now, and there's a LOT of pre-algebra and other higher math concepts in there. If she continues to do well this year, we'll probably go on to Algebra I for 8th grade BUT I'll be prepared to set it aside for a while if we have to.

 

We have the Key To Algebra books, and I may consider David Quine's Algebra text if we need something more gentle next year. (The Abeka DVD teacher moves pretty fast.) But I think we'll be able to skip a whole year of "Pre-Algebra" as a separate subject, after doing the mixed Basic Math/Pre-Algebra this year.

[Starr]

We used Jacobs Algebra over 7th and 8th grade. We also took a break and did a basic math review. It's clear if they are having any difficulty. You won't loose anything by giving it a try.

[Melanie]

My 7th grader is doing Saxon Algebra 1 right now, and I wish we had waited. He is on lesson 50 something out of 120, and we decided to slow down to half a lesson a day about 15 lessons ago because he started taking over two hours to complete the problems. He is doing well enough (high B average) but I'd like to see fewer silly mistakes (4 x 3 = 21, things like that). We might put algebra on hold after lesson 60 and spend a few months in review, perhaps using the Key to Algebra series.

 

That probably wasn't too helpful, but I thought you might like the perspective of someone who went ahead with algebra and is beginning to regret it!

[SkateLeft]

Some kids will be developmentally ready, and some won't.

 

My oldest daughter took Algebra I last year as an 11yo 7th grader through our charter school, and then took the CA state standardized test in Algebra I. She did just fine. It really just depends on the child.

[8filltheheart]

It is really child dependent. My current 7th grader is taking geometry this yr. He took MUS alg/geo in 5th and Foerster alg in 6th. He has been doing math with his older sister and often helps her understand concepts she is having difficulty with. I know he understands the material beyond his simple mastery of the problems b/c he explains the concepts to her in completely unique ways from how he has been taught.

 

Not all kids are going to be there. THe vast majority aren't. That doesn't mean that individual children won't be. You really need to gauge your decisions on the intellectual capabilities of your child. Having them do "teaching" to someone else is a good way to judge the processing skills they have mastered. Teaching requires synthesis/application beyond the skills of base knowledge.

[Lori D.]

And just my 2 cents worth on your 3 options of specific curricula and grades for using them: I would NOT recommend going from MUS Pre-Algebra to Chalkdust Algebra. BIG jump in rigorousness, and MUS Pre-Algebra just doesn't cover enough topics and cover them in depth enough, to go to a rigorous algebra.

 

If you find you want/need to slow things down, perhaps consider using the Keys to Algebra series (or Singapore 6A/B) for algebra-preparedness or as a supplement.

 

BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

[abbeyej]

Ds is a young 5th grader and doing Keys to Algebra and Geometry this year (along with a variety of other supplements and some Singapore CWP, etc)... So the plan will be to do "real" algebra next year in 6th. I really *don't* foresee any problems for him -- math comes fairly easily, and when he does have trouble, it hasn't been because anything is "too abstract" so far.

 

But as others have pointed out, *if* we have any problems, we'll slow down, take a step back, do something different for a while, whatever is necessary... But why *assume* problems before they arise?

 

I haven't decided which text to use next year yet... I guess that will be my big project after Christmas -- plan the next three years of math! :)

[EKS]

My 7th grader actually started algebra at the beginning of 5th grade. We did the first half of Jacobs Algebra that year and he seemed to understand the concepts and got 90% or better on all the chapter tests. When we moved into the second half of the book (where the harder concepts come) at the beginning of 6th grade, he was very resistant to writing out his work and so about three weeks into the year we stopped Jacobs and did Saxon 8/7 for about 3 months (any prealgebra program would have worked). Then we went back to Jacobs, but started over in January of 6th grade. He did very well, doing all of the problem sets independently (an issue the first time around). When we moved into the harder material at the end of the year last year he did just fine with it, continuing to be very independent doing the problem sets and getting >90% on tests. We just started the second to last chapter last week and he is doing wonderfully, his most recent test scores have been 100% and higher (with extra credit). I expected his scores to go down as he progressed to the more complicated material but they are stronger than ever.

 

If I had it to do over again, I would have had him do a solid prealgebra program in 5th grade. But I honestly think he truly gets algebra and that it is not too abstract. What I didn't understand back when we started algebra in 5th grade was that to be developmentally ready, it's not just about abstract thinking, it is also about having the maturity to deal with problems where the answer doesn't just materialize fully formed into one's mind, that things need to be carefully written out and care needs to be taken with "little" things like signs. Once my son was able to do these things, the rest took care of itself.

 

My point is that I think your son would probably do just fine in algebra in 7th grade. If he has trouble, you'll likely know pretty quickly.

[Patricia in WA]

I will just reiterate what others have said. It is very child dependent. Try it and if it doesn;t work out take a step back or add a different curriculum. DS started off using NEM but it was too much for him. Foersters is proving a better fit after trying several different things. We even went back to pre-algebra but that was a huge time waster. DD tried Lial's Algebra but that was too much for her. Life of Fred Algebra is so much better. It really is a matter of finding what works. I don't think holding a child back because others say they are not ready is beneficial. You will never know if you don't try it.

[Tap]

ds14 has a late summer birthday but he did:

 

Algebra 1 in 7th at 12yo

Algebra 2 in 8th at 13

Geometry in 9th at 14

 

And has done great.

[mom2att]

I have a 7th grader doing MUS Algebra I this year. She did the Singapore PM series, then switched to MUS Pre-Alg. last year with good success. I consider this year a sort of Pre-Alg. as well, though, since MUS is considered light on the Algebra scale. My plan is for dd to do Algebra through a virtual school program in 8th, having been introduced to it this year.

[KAR120C]

It depends on the kid!! (LOL... okay I didn't really count how many said that...)

 

IMO, the #1 best thing about homeschooling is that you can truly turn on a dime. If it doesn't work, drop it. If it works, run with it. You'll never know about your own child from anyone else's experience.

 

We did Algebra at a ridiculously early age. No one in their right mind would do it as young as we did, and I'd honestly discourage almost anyone from taking the same path... but for us it worked out great. If it hadn't, we'd have done something else and no one would have been traumatized. None of the dire warnings I had been given ever materialized -- he wasn't overwhelmed, he wasn't unprepared (coming off Singapore Primary), and he wrote out all his steps. That was all last year, and this year we're doing Statistics, again with no problem.

 

I don't think that every kid is ready for algebra early, but there's no harm in trying if you're willing to adapt on the fly.

[elegantlion]

I've been trying to answer this question all day but keep getting distracted!

 

We are in a similar boat. My ds will finish the Singapore PM series in 6th grade and I have debated about how to proceed.

 

My current plan is to do pre-algebra in 7th with an old Dolciani pre-algebra book (copyright 1972). He is dying to do algebra, so we will probably start LOF algebra in 6th and use it while we finish up Singapore.

 

I planned ahead and even with doing Algebra in 8th that gives up plenty of time to get through Calculus by 12th.

 

The other thing I considered were the level of other classes. My ds loves science and we are going to be doing some high school science in middle school. I want the maths requirements to line up with the science, but I don't want him to feel overwhelmed in 7th with too many difficult subjects.

 

hth

[Heather in Neverland]

OK, so I'm not crazy then. Well, not totally crazy. I think I will try MUS pre-algebra in 6th grade, MUS algebra I in 7th and then a stronger Algebra program after that. Hmmm....now to decide which one.....