chalk dust vs teaching textbooks geometry

[wyomom]

I am once again in a quandry over what to do about math. We started out in 1st grade with saxon till 8/7 and that's where we got lost. Dd just couldn't understand it anymore and it was taking her 3 hours a day to do math. So, after much research and deliberation, we went with TT alg 1 which she is doing well in, likes it and is done in 30 min a lesson. I worry of course about it not being thorough enough since she will be going on to college but she says she is plenty challenged by it. She is getting most of her problems right on the lessons and tests missing around 2 or 3 problems but never because she is stumped on the concept. Usually it is from silly mistakes and once we go over it with the instructor on the computer she knows where she went wrong.

 

Now, after reading alot more neg than good about TT I am wondering if we should just bite the bullet and finish her out with Chalk Dust through high school. She is 13 and in 7th grade so I was a little concerned with pushing her too fast with a more rigorous program compared to TT and end up with the same confusion and tears we got with Saxon. But then again, I don't want her to go all through high school with a math program that won't give her a solid foundation in college if she decided on a science major.

 

I did go with TT over chalk dust because #1 it was cheaper and #2 I have no time to teach her the new concepts. She just sits down at the computer, does the lesson and in the afternoon, I have an hour to go over all her work from that morning and we correct things if she got them wrong and clear up any confusion. This seems to be working well but I'm not sure we could do that with Chalk Dust.

 

I am just not sure what to do. She really likes TT and wants to stay with them for Geometry next year since she is about done with their Algebra 1 but of course I am worried about the thoroughness of the program. Then again, TT alg 1 has her very challenged she says so maybe putting her into something more rigorous for geom would be like the old days of saxon 8/7 when it took 3 hours to do one lesson and lots and lots of tears. I definately don't want that again. Our house can't survive that.

 

Those of you who have more experience with this sort of thing, I need some good advice. What should we do? I don't want to mess up a good thing but what if it is a good thing because it is so easy? Hmmmmm I just don't know. Like I said, I am in SUCH a quandry over this.

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[Beth in SW WA]

TT Geo is a great program. Some of us complain about the rigor of the TT Alg series. BUT the Geo has a good reputation. The price is right AND it has lots of proofs.

 

CD Geo doesn't get rave reviews here...

[wyomom]

Thank you so much. After reading so many neg posts about TT, I was certain CD would be the best choice for dd but what a relief to hear TT geometry would be BETTER than CD.

 

My dd will be thrilled with this news. She does like her TT Alg 1 and it is working for us which is a relief. Maybe I should get LOF to fill in the gaps though after she gets through this program from what I have read.

 

Now I have to decide whether to stick with TT for 6th grade for my 11 yr old dd next year or try CD for her through Alg and then TT for geom. Then back to CD.

 

It sounds like the TT algebra both 1 and 2 is what is lacking in the program compared to others. Would that be fair to assume? This is really a bummer because TT has really been a lifesaver for our family after having two babies in two years with horrible morning sickness, there is no way I could have stayed on top of teaching them math. My brain turned to mush.