Jump to content

Menu

Khan Academy & Algebra 2


Recommended Posts

My 11th-grade daughter has almost finished Chapter 7 in Chalkdust Algebra 2. She HATES the videos, and I can no longer help her when she struggles. We've been using an online Chegg tutor, but according to her, that's not enough. She & I butt heads constantly because she feels like I'm trying to control her life, so I need to find a way to make Algebra 2 more independent to take the heat off our relationship, but she's too far in to start at the beginning of a new program, especially since she is passing it. (Not thriving, but doing okay) She's taking an online chemistry class and currently has a 98% average, so I know she's capable of doing well--if someone else is holding her accountable.

She DOES like the Khan Academy videos, so I've been thinking about just switching totally to it to get through the rest of the school year. I have some questions, though. I've also looked at ALEKS, but it has horrible ratings & reviews, so I probably won't go there.

1) Is the course content enough to prepare her for community college Prob & Stats?

2) I can't figure out how their courses work. Does it have some way to test the student so that she wouldn't have to start all over with concepts that she's already mastered?

3) How is progress/mastery measured?

I'm open to other suggestions, if anyone has any other bright ideas.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My son did very well with Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 last year and it was totally independent. A subscription is $67 and then she could start halfway through or wherever you think is appropriate. Khan would be nicer since it's free, but I don't know anything about it. Hopefully someone will answer those questions for you. I just wanted to suggest TT as an independent option. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, hollyhock2 said:

My son did very well with Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 last year and it was totally independent. A subscription is $67 and then she could start halfway through or wherever you think is appropriate. Khan would be nicer since it's free, but I don't know anything about it. Hopefully someone will answer those questions for you. I just wanted to suggest TT as an independent option. 

I didn't know Teaching Textbooks had a way to join halfway through a course. We've never used it, but I will certainly look at it! Thank you.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We did that with Derek Owens last year when we kind of bottomed out in the Algebra 2 program we chose, but we did self-grading. I had dd take the midterm and then went back and had her cover the 2 topics she missed/ hadn't seen. After that we had her take the first version of each chapter's test for a couple more chapters and covered what she needed in the chapter. She eventually did all of the Trig because that wasn't covered in her other program. You could email DO to see if something like that would be possible on the full-graded side, or maybe your dd would be willing to do the self-grading side with you to be able to move on from Chalkdust?

For that matter, does she need the videos? The Larson books are set up pretty well to "self teach". Read the lesson, do the example problems (there is usually a "Try This" or "Now Do #" after each example. Check the example problems. Missed something? Find a Khan video. Do the problem set (Chalkdust assigns a lot!). Check those. Maybe set up to see a tutor once a week for ones she is stuck on.

Edited by MamaSprout
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/2/2019 at 6:44 AM, MamaSprout said:

We did that with Derek Owens last year when we kind of bottomed out in the Algebra 2 program we chose, but we did self-grading. I had dd take the midterm and then went back and had her cover the 2 topics she missed/ hadn't seen. After that we had her take the first version of each chapter's test for a couple more chapters and covered what she needed in the chapter. She eventually did all of the Trig because that wasn't covered in her other program. You could email DO to see if something like that would be possible on the full-graded side, or maybe your dd would be willing to do the self-grading side with you to be able to move on from Chalkdust?

For that matter, does she need the videos? The Larson books are set up pretty well to "self teach". Read the lesson, do the example problems (there is usually a "Try This" or "Now Do #" after each example. Check the example problems. Missed something? Find a Khan video. Do the problem set (Chalkdust assigns a lot!). Check those. Maybe set up to see a tutor once a week for ones she is stuck on.

That's good to hear. I didn't realize that using Derek Owens in that way was even an option!

After a big cry-fest on Thursday, she pulled out a 90 on the end-of-chapter test on Friday, so we may just tough it out. She only has 3 chapters left!

I would like for her to have a tutor, but we live in a very rural area and have not been able to find a live tutor this year. She's been working with an online Chegg tutor, but she is fully convinced that a live tutor would be the perfect solution. 

She's tried skipping the videos & just studying the text before, but that hasn't really worked. She really needs more instruction than just the book text.

Thanks for your input!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We do see a live tutor once a week- they go over anything she missed and do a little recreational math if there's time. The tutor is a homeschool mom who used to teach middle school math. It has been very helpful to my dd, even though she usually is seeing her own errors as she's talking through with the tutor. Hopefully you can find someone eventually! If you have a library close by, ask the librarians if they see any tutors meeting with students. That's where a lot of tutors meet kids where we are.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...