Algebra 1

[Kezia]

This is for a highly motivated student who says he loves math and has a high interest in challenging problems. He has done BA 3-5 and chapters 1-9 of AoPS pre-A. He also always chooses Algebra topics on Alcumus, because he likes to struggle through those problems. 

I am thinking of letting him officially move on to Algebra 1 and mingling the geometry/counting/problem solving chapters back in here and there as a break. I have AoPS and Foerster’s (because I have solutions manuals for both) and planned on AoPS as the spine with Foerster’s as backup (if needed) explanation. I have read so much about it that I don’t believe it would work as well the other way around. Also if the spine choice doesn’t work out, I can easily switch them out as I know I can work with Foerster’s. I like that I see “Think this” and “first write this” in Foerster’s. He will likely do public school next year and will likely do Algebra 1 again with them as 7th grader. 
 

Goals for this year have been just adding (not all math but just more than before) independently working through the pre-A (as in working through the problems, checking the answers and either realizing he solved them the same way or a different way and practice with following the logic of the explanations) and SHOWING his work is required! He is doing neither of these well. I thought seriously about a self paced course such as DO or AoPS, but I doubt either of those two would fix these issues, I don’t really want to shell out more $$ and this is something I prefer to keep total control of. He just isn’t meeting the goals. 
 

How can I move him toward these goals and keep him learning and enjoying math?

Does it make sense to add in at least tests from relevant parts of Foerster’s? 

Does this sound like a good Algebra 1 plan?

 

[EKS]

The only way my kids learned to show work in math was to have to do it for a teacher other than me.

If AoPS is working, I think it makes sense to see what happens when you add in their algebra book, and your plan of adding in the rest of AoPS prealgebra sounds like a good one.  If the algebra doesn't work out, you can always just spend some more time in prealgebra and then try again.  

One thing concerns me though:

53 minutes ago, Kezia said:

He will likely do public school next year and will likely do Algebra 1 again with them as 7th grader. 

This sounds like a good way to make him hate math, especially if he thrives on challenging problems.

[Kezia]

8 minutes ago, EKS said:

This sounds like a good way to make him hate math, especially if he thrives on challenging problems.

Specifically doing a second year of algebra 1 with public school because he may be bored? Algebra 1 in 7th is already a year advanced in this district, testing him out of Algebra 1 would put him into Geometry as a 7th grader, if they would even agree to let him test 2 grades advanced. That would be a disaster with his current work ethic, it would be too demanding. You think we should go more sideways instead?
 

I know the scope and sequence of whatever we use may be slightly different than any public school, so he can still learn new things. I could be mistaken, but wouldn’t it make a middle school transition easier for at least some of the material to be easy and the focus can be on meeting different demands? 
 

I would love to homeschool him through high school, but he doesn’t do his best for me and my husband feels the high school experience is beneficial in other ways besides academics. 

[EKS]

2 hours ago, Kezia said:

Specifically doing a second year of algebra 1 with public school because he may be bored? Algebra 1 in 7th is already a year advanced in this district, testing him out of Algebra 1 would put him into Geometry as a 7th grader, if they would even agree to let him test 2 grades advanced. That would be a disaster with his current work ethic, it would be too demanding. You think we should go more sideways instead?

Well, you're talking to someone whose son took geometry at a b&m school when he was 6th grade age (but officially in 8th grade), so I may not be the best judge of the situation!

If he is good enough at math, and enjoys it enough, to be doing AoPS algebra as a 6th grader, I think that repeating it in public school would not be inspiring.  As far as the workload of the geometry course, I can't speak to that.

With regard to going sideways, I don't think I'd do that.  It sounds like he is interested in and ready for algebra, and that is a good reason to do it!

Edited October 8, 2022 by EKS

[Miss Tick]

My dd started at B&M school this year. She did algebra last year at home with Derek Owens. The school placed her in their Honors Algebra 1. Perusing the book, there are no topics that will be new for her. There is an emphasis on attention to detail that I couldn't really pull off at home, but which is nonnegotiable in her current setting. I would have had to push HARD to get her in a different class, and then I would have to deal with any fallout and keep pushing them as needed, and that didn't seem worth. A similar scenario played out with German placement. In the end there is very little going on for her this year that is new. Enough of my slightly depressing personal experience!

Does your ds get the problems right without showing his work? I started requiring written work before I would help trouble shoot. Only marginally helpful if they get a majority of the problems right without writing anything down.

As for this year's math program, if he is going to ps next year and likely to take algebra 1 why not just really lean into variety this year. Let him do Alcumus regularly, rotate between AOPS algebra book, Counting and Probability, Number Theory, and some geometry. It will all be helpful, and interesting, and the last chance to do math according to his interests. I wouldn't add tests unless he was interested, what would be the purpose?

The only caveat I would add is that for math placement it is common (here) for the student to have to take a placement test. If that is the case where you live, you may want to keep some basic review in your lives, and have him take the test at the end of this school year, not at the beginning of the next.

[Malam]

I'm in favor of letting him start algebra if he can pass the placement test. Given the difficulty and multi-step nature of AoPS Algebra 1 problems, I would bet his issue with not showing his work would resolve. I would also keep copies of any starred/challenging problems he completes along with his solutions to make geometry placement easier. If you're not up for that kind of advocacy or worried he'd be held back, you could consider teaching the algebra required to pass the placement tests for Counting & Probability or Number Theory and then starting that.

[Kezia]

37 minutes ago, Malam said:

 

I'm in favor of letting him start algebra if he can pass the placement test.

 

He passed the AoPS “are you ready for Intro to Algebra?” test before we started Pre-A. I just worried about him not being solid. This is the same kid who in 5th grade “forgot” how to do simple division. I read on here that you don’t really want to skip the pre-A if you have the time to spend on it. 
 

1 hour ago, Miss Tick said:

The only caveat I would add is that for math placement it is common (here) for the student to have to take a placement test.

I do have to do a placement test. I actually had him take one in last June because we thought about him returning for 6th so for them, he has passed 6th grade math. He can go into 7th with no test, but I would want him to test to grade skip 7th this time around to place into their 8th grade algebra as a 7th grader next fall. 
 

I actually like him to be a little ahead because of the differences in scope and sequence with every course. I do see some slope questions on the 7th grade state testing practice tests, so I know they touch upon that earlier than he would with AoPS pre-Algebra alone. He has gone way further in other topics but he already knows topics they have thought about teaching such as Pythagorean theorem and a lot of exponent and radical work.