WTMA AoPS Geometry - feedback? (X-posted)

[Porridge]

Hello, I'm looking for feedback on the AoPS Geometry class offered by WTMA. The teacher will be Heather Quintero. DD11 is finishing up AoPS Online Intro to Alg B, and while she did fine, we are xploring other options for the following reasons:

I don't see any particular need to cram all of Geometry into 16 weeks.  We treated AoPS Online Intro to Alg B like a 4-5 unit college class, and cut out a lot of other subjects so that she had time to devote to the material. That worked, but I didn't think it was ideal for her age.

It would be nice to have readier access to the teacher for questions. AoPS ONline office hours are still chat based, so there was often a long lag between her posting her question, and getting feedback. We also usually had conflicts in our schedule that made accessing office hours difficult.

What we liked about AopS online:

DD really likes alcumus and the feedback and "game" like nature of it

DD really likes challenge problems (we looked into another option but that teacher doesn't give the kids any challenge probs, or any feedback on challenge probs).

Writing problems - DD learned a lot and grew so much in having to write proofs. I'd love for her to continue in this.

 

I'm wondering whether WTMA Geometry (AoPS) might suit our needs better.

I'm also wondering how intense AOPS Online Intro to Geometry is, compared to Aops ONline INtro to Alg B. If it's roughly the same workload, we could make AOPS ONline work. But if it's an even heavier workload, I fear it will suck the joy out of math. DD loves math

I'm open to other suggestions as well! (I am not able to teach it myself. DD could teach herself from the book, but it was not easy and I felt like she needed more support than I could give).

Thanks in advance for your feedback and advice!

 

[SoCal_Bear]

I haven't taken it, but I am just coming in to let you know that WTMA AOPS assumes you have AOPS Algebra II completed. It covers the second half of Intro to Algebra and parts of the Intermediate Algebra book. I am attaching the pdf of the syllabus for you to see what the instructor expects you to have covered. When I asked about these classes via PM, I was told that Quintero does not teach it using the discovery approach and will explicitly teach and demonstrate the concepts. They also do some challenge problems. I was also told that is the pace is slowed down to be that of a rigorous high school math course with a manageable workload without the intensity and pace of the online AOPS classes. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12WwhrH7Z8BPh24kZelazK2tpaE5Vand0Sf8Kj3zHYas/edit

 

[Porridge]

38 minutes ago, calbear said:

I haven't taken it, but I am just coming in to let you know that WTMA AOPS assumes you have AOPS Algebra II completed. It covers the second half of Intro to Algebra and parts of the Intermediate Algebra book. I am attaching the pdf of the syllabus for you to see what the instructor expects you to have covered. When I asked about these classes via PM, I was told that Quintero does not teach it using the discovery approach and will explicitly teach and demonstrate the concepts. They also do some challenge problems. I was also told that is the pace is slowed down to be that of a rigorous high school math course with a manageable workload without the intensity and pace of the online AOPS classes. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12WwhrH7Z8BPh24kZelazK2tpaE5Vand0Sf8Kj3zHYas/edit

 

Thank you, @calbear.  Hmm, the WTMA website says that the prereq for Geometry is just completion of the Intro to Alg book (that would be equivalent to AoPs Online Intro to Alg A and B), which DD has done. It did not mention needing to have completed anything in the Intermediate Alg book. Thank you for attaching the WTMA Algebra II syllabus - it looks like the parts of the Intermediate Alg book are review of old concepts. To be safe, I will have her take the placement test.

I don't know whether DD will like the explicit teaching. She likes problem solving. I wish they had clips of a sample class...

Thank you so much for your feedback!!

[SoCal_Bear]

T think if you had the Intermediate book, you could just do the chapters that show up in the syllabus over the summer. From what I understand, it's because those additional chapters were intended to provide a fuller coverage of Algebra II. This is an option I am considering. The Intermediate book is only partially used at WTMA in their Algebra II course and then they move onto pre-calculus after Geometry. So I guess it depends on whether you want to have her cover what the other students would have covered. 

This is the one clip for Heather Quintero here: