The most basic, Self teaching easy to use Geometry you can think of ....

[...................]

is....?

My daughter will be an English major and only needs one college level math, which at the CC's here is Pre-Calculus.  She will double up this coming year on Geometry and Algebra 2.  I'd like her to have a super firm foundation in Algebra 2 so she will take that at Mathnasium.  This way she will breeze through the placement test at the college and take Pre-Calc for credit and get it out of the way.

At home, I would like her to take Geometry, and a high school level one, but a simple one.  I'm looking at the new Teaching Textbooks online.  I would consider something like developmental math for Geometry, or something else similar.  Keep in mind I CANNOT help her AT ALL.  She can take her Geometry to Mathnasium to get help whenever she needs it, but every day she does that will set her back on her Algebra 2 lessons, so it's not something we want to do all the time.  

My son can help a little but he will be very busy taking very intense math courses, so I don't want to rely on him too much.

Remember, this is just so that we can put it on her transcript, and so that she has the joy of learning a little bit of the logic of Geometry.  She is good at math, and is right-brained so I expect it will not be a problem for her.  But I want something very hand-holding and very step by step.

[HomeAgain]

I would do Math U See.

[HollyDay]

Life of Fred?

[...................]

I am looking at Teaching Textbooks 3.0, and Developmental Math actually has a sequence.  

Life of Fred is out...too hard to keep someone accountable with that program.  You have to do it because you want to :)

Math U See is too time consuming....she's very smart and also impatient.  She couldn't even get through the sample video. 

 

Keep up the suggestions!  Thank you!

 

[HomeAgain]

Videotext?

She might not like many of them if she thinks MUS is too time consuming.  It's a once a week short video and then short worksheets the rest of the week.

[...................]

I thought it was a video every day...

I think Teaching Textbooks is pretty high in the running.  The lessons speak slowly ,but she liked the visuals that went with it...

I will have her look at ALEKS next.  I like it that ALEKS will move on when the topic is mastered.  

[hollyhock2]

MUS is only one video per week and they are usually 10-15 minutes. You can also skip the video and just read the lesson in the book, too. The worksheets are also pretty short. My son was sometimes done in 20 minutes, and probably never spent longer than 45. I believe TT is a lot more proof-heavy than MUS. MUS only introduces proofs toward the end of the book, if that makes a difference.

[GoodGrief]

Teaching Textbooks is open and go. It worked well for both my engineering major and my no-math-in-college daughters. I recommend it.

[SebastianCat]

Mr. D. Math has a standalone option where you purchase access to the curriculum.  Each lesson has pre-recorded videos, then coursework for the student to complete, check their answers, then an online quiz.   After every 3 lessons is a spiral review.   Twice a week help sessions are available with a live teacher.

[fourisenough]

I know! I know! I know! Unlock Math Geometry!

My DD started it a couple of weeks ago. She's progressing much faster than the pacing guide suggests because she's motivated to finish by the end of June (currently finishing Unit 4 of 15). It couldn't be more straightforward and easy for her to use completely on her own (although, just out of curiosity I worked the first two units side-by-side with her). I'm very impressed. I spoke with the owner/programmer about it and they said their goal was to create a very rigorous program, second only to AOPS in challenge level; the one exception is Geometry because it is 'proof light' due to the fact that it is all software graded. Sounds like this will meet your needs. I'm okay with this as we're using it as a quick run-through for her before taking online Geometry next year with WHA; she's mathy and may be STEM-leaning, so I want her to have very rigorous math all the way through.

Anyway, take a look. I totally love it so far and will likely use it for DD8 when the time comes for middle/high school math. Can't remember who, but it was recommended by someone on these forums.

[katilac]

4 hours ago, Calming Tea said:

 I will have her look at ALEKS next.  I like it that ALEKS will move on when the topic is mastered.  

 

 

imo, ALEKS will be the fastest for that reason, and meets the criteria of self-teaching and no prep. 

How busy is her summer? Even if she takes a month completely off, she could get quite a bit done if she works into June and starts back in early August, the advantage being not having to double up on math for nearly as long (but still having most of her day free). 

[Mom22ns]

MUS is easier than TT or Life of Fred. I can't compare to all the others. There is a only a very light introduction to proofs. Both my kids used it, the English major and the nurse. Neither planned to do math beyond college algebra, so more emphasis on proofs as preparation for calculus was unnecessary. It can easily be done by an average math student in 30-45 min/day across a standard school year. 

ETA: MUS is also designed for students to move on as they master a topic. There is just one lesson/week and when the student has it down, they move on. No need to complete every practice page.

[teachermom2834]

I have had two high schoolers who just needed to get through geometry and check the box. The are bright and were college bound but not STEM and it just didn't need to be a focus.

One used TT. One used MUS. To do it again I would choose MUS hands down, no contest. TT was so so many lessons. And proofs. And my son learned nothing. (Or virtually nothing in my mind. He took the ACT pre-geometry and post-geometry and did not improve even one question on the geometry section. My second son did MUS and it was so much faster and easier to get through and he learned more. 

I haven't used MUS for anything else and I'm not planning to use it for the two kids I have left so I'm not in love with MUS. But to check the box and get it done and learn something along the way I would do it again for sure.

(Full disclosure- I wouldn't be surprised if ds didn't watch the videos or only watched them if he got really stuck.)

[6wildhorses]

I really like Math U See Geometry. However, I think Key to Geometry might be more basic and easier to self-study. 

[Aloha2U]

VideoText recommends "Keys to Geometry," but not as a full credit course for high school.  

Quote

...As an afterthought, if you are just looking to get a student “ready” for Geometry, you might look at “Keys to Geometry” from Key Curriculum Press. This is not at all a high school credit course in Geometry, but it does introduce most of the terms and concepts found in the course, without any formal proof.  This would allow the student to prepare well for SAT or ACT testing, and concentrate later on the logic building skills that are introduced in a formal course.   

 

[2_girls_mommy]

We went with Mr. D's here for geometry. It is amazing. My dd watches the video, does her own work, can go back and watch a problem worked out if she needs to, and is doing FANTASTICally! I will stick with it for Alg. 2 next year. 

[Renaissance Mom]

I just want to chime in about curricula which require proofs. In my opinion, one of the long term benefits of taking a proof-heavy geometry course is to learn a logical and systematic approach to problem solving. I want my students to be able to not just regurgitate what they’ve been given but to be able to apply it to different situations. Proofs require them to understand the principles, think through which ones are relevant in a given situation, and apply problem solving skills to get from the beginning to the end. I don’t care if they memorize theorems, but I do want them to be able to argue coherently for the approaches they choose to take in their proofs. (I allow them to look up theorems on a master list to use in proofs.) This is why I have all of my kids work through a geometry program heavy in proofs regardless of whether or not they will ever go beyond college algebra.

[Mbelle]

My DD did MUS without using the video's for her geometry.  She also went to mathnasium and did DE for college algebra.  She will be a history major and is getting her one math class requirement out of the way.  She will be finished this week!!!

[Serenade]

On 4/25/2018 at 6:24 AM, Renaissance Mom said:

 This is why I have all of my kids work through a geometry program heavy in proofs regardless of whether or not they will ever go beyond college algebra.

 

Proofs are so time-consuming to grade if you are not a mathy sort of person.  I think I would roll over with my feet in the air if I had to grade a lot of proofs.  Do you just let the student see the answer key and grade their own stuff?

[klmama]

LOL!  I can't speak for RenaissanceMom, but that's how I felt some days grading proofs.  You can't just hand them the answer key.   There are always multiple ways to get to the answer, so an answer key may tell them their order of steps is incorrect when it's not.  So, you have to decide between using a curriculum that's not proof-heavy, outsourcing the course, or reworking a lot of proofs yourself to verify their answers.  

[Frances]

On 4/19/2018 at 10:38 AM, hollyhock2 said:

MUS is only one video per week and they are usually 10-15 minutes. You can also skip the video and just read the lesson in the book, too. The worksheets are also pretty short. My son was sometimes done in 20 minutes, and probably never spent longer than 45. I believe TT is a lot more proof-heavy than MUS. MUS only introduces proofs toward the end of the book, if that makes a difference.

I think this is the only potential downside to TT. It is much more proof heavy than lots of other programs, even ones that are considered more rigorous. 

[Frances]

On 4/25/2018 at 3:24 AM, Renaissance Mom said:

I just want to chime in about curricula which require proofs. In my opinion, one of the long term benefits of taking a proof-heavy geometry course is to learn a logical and systematic approach to problem solving. I want my students to be able to not just regurgitate what they’ve been given but to be able to apply it to different situations. Proofs require them to understand the principles, think through which ones are relevant in a given situation, and apply problem solving skills to get from the beginning to the end. I don’t care if they memorize theorems, but I do want them to be able to argue coherently for the approaches they choose to take in their proofs. (I allow them to look up theorems on a master list to use in proofs.) This is why I have all of my kids work through a geometry program heavy in proofs regardless of whether or not they will ever go beyond college algebra.

I totally agree with all of the great benefits of a proof-heavy geometry course. However, for some people I just don’t think it’s a good fit. I really liked math, especially algebra, and even have a master’s degree in statistics. But I’m not a visual spatial type person and I really, really disliked geometry. It’s actually the only math course I didn’t like. So I don’t think I got very much out of all the proof work because I just had such an inherent dislike of the subject matter. On the other hand, I loved doing proofs in my grad level stats classes. Before that, I think my programming classes really helped me with problem solving and logic.

 

[frogger]

4 hours ago, klmama said:

LOL!  I can't speak for RenaissanceMom, but that's how I felt some days grading proofs.  You can't just hand them the answer key.   There are always multiple ways to get to the answer, so an answer key may tell them their order of steps is incorrect when it's not.  So, you have to decide between using a curriculum that's not proof-heavy, outsourcing the course, or reworking a lot of proofs yourself to verify their answers.  

 

This is why I outsourced my son when he got to Geometry. I didn't want to work through all the proofs.

Thank you for starting this thread OP. I'm looking at MUS Geometry for my daughter now. I'm still wavering because I'd like her to do a reasonable, whatever that is, amount of proofs though but the outsourced class my son took is too much for her currently. She is taking the Algebra version and it is moving fast, for her specifically, so we end up supplementing from other books. Despite all her work we will be glad if we finish it before the fall semester starts. So considering the cost to her other classes we may need to scale back. 

 

 

 

[Renaissance Mom]

On 4/26/2018 at 9:58 AM, Serenade said:

 

Proofs are so time-consuming to grade if you are not a mathy sort of person.  I think I would roll over with my feet in the air if I had to grade a lot of proofs.  Do you just let the student see the answer key and grade their own stuff?

No, I don’t allow my kids access to the solutions until we have gone over them. I handle grading proofs just like I handle our Socratic discussions for history, literature, philosophy, etc. If a proof step or a reason isn’t correct, I ask questions that hopefully spark a thought. Once my student has grasped basic proofs but he or she has a different solution than the answer key, I allow him or her to explain the answer all the way through. Sometimes I give credit if their answers actually arrive at the proof step logically. However, I do want them to see how the teacher guide arrived at the same endpoint as that is often more direct.

We use the first version of TT Geometry without the automated grading. When TT first launched the self-graded version, I asked a question at the TT booth at a homeschool conference. The rep whipped her phone out, called one of the Sabouri brothers, and handed me the phone. He told me that the self-graded version started teaching proofs by providing some of the statements and some of the reasons in the proof and then allowed the student to choose from multiple choice lists to fill in the missing pieces. As the student grows more confident with proofs, he suggested gradually weaning the student off the multiple choice component and then off the partially completed proofs until the student could complete proofs from start to finish without these prompts. I did not upgrade to the self-graded version, but I did adapt that strategy to use with my kids. They ALWAYS struggle with and hate proofs at the beginning of the year. However, we sit side by side and do them together with me asking leading questions and prompting where necessary at the beginning. After a chapter or two, my kids typically do most of the proofs on their own, and then we sit together to grade them. I’m fairly lenient and give credit for second chances too. That builds confidence. Let me say that I am not a geometry expert...I am not even really competent! I teach writing, grammar, and literature in our co-op and for an online academy.

Truthfully, teaching and learning proofs requires the exact same skill set as teaching and learning essay writing does. Have a clear view of where you begin, have a clear view of where you want to end up, break down the middle so that it logically gets from the beginning to the end, and then work on accomplishing all that clearly, concisely, and elegantly. I wouldn’t start teaching a beginning student how to write an essay without plenty of examples, without modeling, and without lots of opportunities to succeed with shorter pieces, so I approach proofs in the same way. I don’t need to be an expert in geometry, but I do need to be willing to work alongside my student for a time.

Edited to add: Two proofs a day are certainly not time-consuming considering that my kids rarely need help with any other component of their geometry lessons. I don’t consider it onerous to devote 5-20 minutes a day to working through whatever questions or issues they have for proofs. Even if we have to do both proofs together from scratch, it never takes more than 15-20 minutes. 

[smfmommy]

schoolyourself.org  has geometry.  Critical Thinking Company has a geometry course as well. 

[Reefgazer]

On ‎4‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 11:48 AM, HollyDay said:

Life of Fred?

In my experience, LOF isn't easy; it's actually rather challenging, so if she needs help she wouldn't be able to get it from the OP.

[EKS]

MUS.

That said, our CC does not have geometry in its math sequence.  It's Algebra I, Algebra II, and precalculus.  And to satisfy the math requirement, students just need the first part of precalculus, which is the algebra part, or a liberal arts math course, called "math in society" or some such thing.

My point here is that unless she is planning to take the ACT, which, as far as I know, still has some geometry (the SAT has hardly any now), she may not even need geometry.

[katilac]

On 4/26/2018 at 8:58 AM, Serenade said:

 

Proofs are so time-consuming to grade if you are not a mathy sort of person.  I think I would roll over with my feet in the air if I had to grade a lot of proofs.  Do you just let the student see the answer key and grade their own stuff?

 

Kid 1, I handed her the solution manual. Between that and the internet, she was able to see whether or not her answer was correct in spite of being somewhat different. She got stuck on a few and used the library's online tutoring. 

Kid 2 was graded by Kid 1, lol. 

Both of them claim they could have finished geometry in a month if it weren't for proofs. An exaggeration, I'm sure, but proofs most definitely took the lion's share of time. 

[...................]

Hi, so this is our plan:

We looked at teaching Textbooks and really like it. She still has some Algebra 2 left, but Teaching Textbooks won't work for that as she has already completed a lot of Algebra 2. 

we are going to Try ALEKS for the next few weeks.  If that goes well we will Stick with ALEKS.

If not, then she will go back to Mathnasium and we will consider her doing Algebra 2 at Mathnasium and Geometry at home with Teaching Textbooks.  

[Serenade]

On 4/29/2018 at 12:31 PM, katilac said:

 

 

Kid 2 was graded by Kid 1, lol. 

 

 

Love this!

[Murrayshire]

I agree with those above about using Mr. D "at your own pace"..... the twice weekly "live" help sessions are a bonus, too! .... and he has a login code for ixl.com so your dc can have more practice time!

My middle dd will be using TT Geometry at our co-op this year with a math teacher, no dvds. We may buy the dvds for home use just in case. 

Good luck on your search!

[madteaparty]

On 4/24/2018 at 3:25 PM, 2_girls_mommy said:

We went with Mr. D's here for geometry. It is amazing. My dd watches the video, does her own work, can go back and watch a problem worked out if she needs to, and is doing FANTASTICally! I will stick with it for Alg. 2 next year. 

I just want to confirm that for Mr. D geometry, there’s no physical curriculum, right? We will be on the road again...

[freesia]

Teaching Textbooks has worked great for 2 kids.  Very easy to use and straight forward.

[Janeway]

Alpha Omega has geometry that can be done alone and can be done on the computer. It has proofs, but the way they are done is enough to give exposure without really requiring a lot. As in..different boxes of letter shapes and they pull the theorum or such in to the box. I have known people to use Alpha Omega whose children went on to college and have now graduated or are about to graduate in STEM careers. I have not used it for geometry myself, but am shocked that my 8th grader is using it now for other subjects and really likes it. This is not a curriculum usually suggested on these boards so I did not want to use it, but it is working out.

[Murrayshire]

20 hours ago, madteaparty said:

I just want to confirm that for Mr. D geometry, there’s no physical curriculum, right? We will be on the road again...

 

Right, there is no printed book to purchase. You can either print out the worksheets or jot problems/answers down in a spiral notebook. 

[2_girls_mommy]

On 5/17/2018 at 4:06 PM, madteaparty said:

I just want to confirm that for Mr. D geometry, there’s no physical curriculum, right? We will be on the road again...

Well, like PP said, no actual textbook besides online, but we did print out all of the work, so it is like having a textbook. I printed it all out and put in a binder to start the year. It helped her tremendously. The pages had spots for working through the problems they were working online and had spots for the definitions that she could write as they went over them in the video. So we found having them preprinted to do as she watched the video lesson the best way to do it.

[aaplank]

5 hours ago, 2_girls_mommy said:

Well, like PP said, no actual textbook besides online, but we did print out all of the work, so it is like having a textbook. I printed it all out and put in a binder to start the year. It helped her tremendously. The pages had spots for working through the problems they were working online and had spots for the definitions that she could write as they went over them in the video. So we found having them preprinted to do as she watched the video lesson the best way to do it.

 

I was wondering if there was an option to print out all the materials ahead of time. Thanks!

[2_girls_mommy]

I did the self paced, so I had access to all of the lessons and tests from the beginning. I haven't paid to do the live classes, so I don't know if you can preprint there or not.