After Alg 1 & 2 & Geom...senior yr for the challenged or math-phobic students (m)

[74Heaven]

My oldest dtr will be a senior next year. She has been thru several math curriculums and has completed Alg 1 & 2 and is doing BJU Geometry (VT, TT & Math Relief for Alg). She has seen some Fs on tests and lots of do-overs, re-reads, sit-downs with mom, etc. but she (with hard work and hours of overtime) manages a B in math.

 

So, what to do for next year? I think students should (generally) work to the best of their abilities and "do hard things" often as a matter of confidence-building, maturing and life experience. OTOH, I feel that consumer math is extremely helpful and relevant.

 

My dtr vacillates between being a nurse and a translator. Either are possible and I def. want her to be prepared for college pre-nursing courses.

 

My dtr is open to my guidance and shares my indecision. I have two competing goals.

#1 One is to contniue college prep coursework and press on towards more science and math exposure before college (i.e. precalculus next?). The "press on" option is that she will be very happy in college that she has been exposed to all this math in high school.

#2 The other goal is to make her senior year more "fun" and allow her several hours a week for some drama and music pursuits. This option suggests a consumer math course.

 

Just for reference, I think the rest of her senior schedule will be: English/Writing, Govt/Economics, Adv Biology-Apologia), Spanish (and maybe more Latin), drama, music and swim team/P.E. & math is actually optional in terms of her requirements are met for college. (And prob. a part time job)

 

What do you suggest? (I was thinking maybe TT Pre Calculus as the least painful "introduction". And btw, the Alg. 2 she finished with (Math Relief) was not as strenuous or as challenging as VT Alg. 2).

 

One other factoid is that she has averaged 6-7 credits per year so far and that is not counting piano, occasional church and other choirs, or 2x a week AWANA club & assisting, youth group, etc.

 

Thanks in advance!

Lisaj

[LisaKinVA]

You can often-times find out what math is required for the nursing degree. A BSN at Liberty (for example) requires Math 201, which is introduction to Probability and Statistics... but other Nursing schools and other degrees may have more difficult math requirements.

 

A College Algebra class may be a good fit, versus pre-calculus. Pre-Calc often includes College Algebra and Trigonometry.

[kiana]

Possibly try some sort of introduction to Statistics, as many nursing schools require it and it'd be nice to have an exposure before university. College Algebra is another good suggestion -- at least here, it generally covers the first half of precalculus so it'd be a slower pace, but she still wouldn't forget the algebra that she'd learned.

 

One thing that you definitely don't want to have happen is have her use this year to forget all the math she's learned and place into algebra I at university (happens fairly frequently) so I'd definitely incorporate algebra review into whatever you do.

[Karen in CO]

I let my ds skip math his senior year. He took an extra foreign language instead. He is currently working his way back through all of his math again on his own to study for a placement exam in math so he can maybe skip math in college since college alg. is all that is required for his major. But it has been a year since he touched a math book.

 

He hated math and pulled generous B's from me. I gave him some flexibility in his choice of courses his senior year to allow for some specialization. He loves languages so he chose to take Italian at the local CC instead of a math course.

 

So, is there something equally hard she can do? Nothing wrong with consumer math either. If she hasn't taken her SATs, then keep up SAT practice.

[Carol in Cal.]

I don't think that consumer math would be considered college prep, but I'm not sure. I would recommend checking on that before you decide. If she's looking to get into a pretty competitive college, even if consumer math meets their requirements, it may tip the admissions scale away from her in favor of someone who has selected a more rigorous math scope and sequence.

 

I agree with others who mentioned that statistics would be helpful, but it's not usually on the college prep track--more of a side trail for mathematically inclined students than a replacement for 'regular math' I think.

 

Trig is going to be important for college. My recollection is that I studied trig for one semester and pre-calculus for one semester during my very college prep senior year, and that pre-calculus was laughably easy compared to all of the other high school math I had had. So your DD may find that a semester of pre-calculus will leave her with plenty of time to work on other free choice items.

[Chris in VA]

I second the SAT prep if she still needs to take it. You can count it as half a math credit and couple it with consumer math, if you want to. My nursing major roommate at college had to take stats, so you may want to do that.

[Karen in CO]

I don't think that consumer math would be considered college prep, but I'm not sure. I would recommend checking on that before you decide. If she's looking to get into a pretty competitive college, even if consumer math meets their requirements, it may tip the admissions scale away from her in favor of someone who has selected a more rigorous math scope and sequence.

 

I agree with others who mentioned that statistics would be helpful, but it's not usually on the college prep track--more of a side trail for mathematically inclined students than a replacement for 'regular math' I think.

 

Trig is going to be important for college. My recollection is that I studied trig for one semester and pre-calculus for one semester during my very college prep senior year, and that pre-calculus was laughably easy compared to all of the other high school math I had had. So your DD may find that a semester of pre-calculus will leave her with plenty of time to work on other free choice items.

 

Yes, I am going to have to agree. I did forget to note that you need to check admissions requirements. Many colleges do specifically state X number of years of math above X level. And my ds did complete pre-calc in 11th. I keep forgetting that. Senior year and the admissions process has wiped my mind of everything that came before. So please check several colleges your dd is interested in and several colleges more prestigious than the ones she is interested in. My ds decided to go to a universitity a whole tier above where he started looking.

 

But I do still think that if she really hates math, that she should perhaps be able to do some research on her on for her senior year options and make some of these choices on her own. The consequences in the end will be hers. This is part of where you could start helping to be her college counselor and not just teacher/parent. As if you don't have enough hats to wear. :glare::D

[74Heaven]

Hi, thanks so much for all the good advice. I do need to do some more research. Dtr will likely attend a state university, community college or Bible college. She will not be attempting anything higher tier based on the general reason that we don't want her far from home for the first 1-2 years, to ensure more guidance, mentoring, maturity, etc.

 

So, I guess I am wondering how much a state or Bible college will care if she does the 3 reqd maths and then goes to consumer math. IF the competition isn't fierce, does the decision become more "either one is fine?

 

I do see the logic in not having her forget all her algebra before a CLEP or other enrollment test.

 

The statistics option was one i hadn't thought of - any curriculum suggestions? (With lots of help in the TMs for mom?) I enjoy algebra but am very busy with 5 kids and Alg 2 is new material for me along with my dtrs.)

 

I also hadn't thought of a semester of pre-calc instead of a whole year - anyone have an idea of a curric. that might easily address that option? (Do I just do half of a standard curriculum?)

 

I am fine with my dtr deciding her senior math course, but I know she will rely heavily on my input so I am trying to get some info to share with her and figure out the pros and cons of her decision. When it comes right down to it, I think she will choose to do the harder math, with the understanding that it will pay off later. However, I think pre-calculus will add an hour to her school day next year, so there will be a price to pay!!!

 

Also, we have decided against comm. college classes at this time for this dtr. We don't see her in a college environment until after her senior year of high school.

 

Thanks!

Lisa

Thanks again!

[K-FL]

I do see the logic in not having her forget all her algebra before a CLEP or other enrollment test.

 

 

Also, we have decided against comm. college classes at this time for this dtr. We don't see her in a college environment until after her senior year of high school.

 

Thanks!

Lisa

Thanks again!

 

 

If she's going to CLEP, why not just study for that & get it out of the way? It would be considered a college level class (obviously) & would keep her in a math-groove.

 

Re: cc classes. The way ours places students, based on their test scores (SAT/ACT/their test) Statistics req. a lower score than College Alg., but the same as Intermediate Algebra. Dd#1 tested at that level & took both Interm. Alg. & Stats & then College Alg. With a BA, she'll need 2 semesters of math so she's covered.:)

[danielle]

It's the only math I've continued to use through adulthood! Life of Fred has a very big Statistics book, which you might want to complement with "How to Lie With Statistics"--a more "fun" one. When I went to school "precalc" didn't exist--it was just Algebra 2 with trigonometry thrown in. If she's done that, why not just move into Calc or Statistics? LOF also has a Calculus book. Take a look at their samples online (or have her look!)

Danielle

[oakmom]

How about Mathamatics: A Human Endeavor by Harold Jacobs? I like this book.