OK, dd14 is behind in math. Algebra has not gone well this year. She is still working through chapter 3. Mostly this is because *I* don't understand it myself and her dad hasn't had the time to take with her. This is the only subject we consistantly have a problem with. Now the problem: Instead of staying independent homeschoolers, she wants to join a local charter school next year so that she will have other opportunites that we cannot offer her here (such as a real graduation in 3 years, yearbook committee, etc). In the next 6 months I need to catch her up so when she goes into charter she will be at grade level or at least closer than she is right now. What do you suggest we do to get her up to speed through Algrbra 1? Should I ditch the textbook (just a public school textbook) and get her something else? Should I get some Spectrum or other brand pre and algebra 1 workbooks? Is there a series that was easier to understand?
We are going to do pre algebra this summer to make sure our 12 year old is ready for 8th grade in the public school she wants to attend next year. We are using Teaching Textbooks because it is all there on the computer screen and I don't have to know it first to help her. I watch the lecture with her and we both work on anything she doesn't get by herself. We love it. She has used TT6 and is finishing up TT7 soon. As soon as she finishes 7 we will start Pre A.
Did she take a pre-Algebra course first? We use Math-U-See here, which has each lesson given by the instructor on DVD and then you use a workbook. There are also free algebra lessons online I found a long time ago that might be helpful if she needs to learn certain concepts but understands others. One is www.algebra.com. It has lessons on all levels of Pre-Algebra through trig or calc, if I remember correctly. Hope this helps.
Get Teaching Textbooks. Expensive, but WELL worth the cost. It assumes there's no one there that has any understanding of higher math. Also, let her work at her own pace! Faythe is also 14, will be 15 in May. It has taken us almost two years to get through the pre-Algebra course. But I'd rather go slower and make sure it's understood instead of rushing through with no real understanding, which would make it harder for algebra next year. There is no such thing as "at grade level"!!! If she's in high school, they'll put her in where ever she belongs. I really wouldn't freak her out over this. If math gives her trouble now, why do you think she can reasonably get through a full year in six months and understand what she's doing. That understanding is absolutely necessary, or she'll be lost when it comes to Algebra II.
My husband does have the ability to teach the math, but he doesn't have the time. He works 12 hours a day. So he tries to help on the weekends but its not enough. As for Pre-algebra, dd had partial year. I am worried that with the charter school they won't be as flexible with putting her where she needs to be. That was one of the problems we had with the k-12 people. She needed to be in pre-algrbra but they refused and made her take algebra 1 because thats where the 8th graders are supposed to be, which she stumbled through. It's her choice to use the charter for the remainder of high school (3 years). Math is the only thing that would mess things up. I will look at Math-U-See and TT for her.
As an FYI, my son HATES teaching textbooks. He prefers Keys to Algebra, but it does not provide enough repetition to remember what was learned so we are doing both. Mostly just the shorter practice in TT, but every few weeks a full practice set for review. That has helped a lot. Keys to Algebra is a great way to get her cuaght up, and it starts each concept at the most base beginning - we are in workbook 5 out of 10 and it is working with the number line to reinforce the idea of integers. THat may work for her if she struggles withthe concepts. Plus the books are cheap and you can find them even at local teacher stores. We eventually had to get tutoring for my son (his is mostly confindence issues and then recall ability). That has helped a lot. Good luck.
Incidentally, how are things going with the calculus course? I remember you thought carefully about which one to take. Did it work out well?
Rachael says it's OK, but she likes TT better. Other than that, she's learned from it, and feels confident with her math. And I guess that's all that really matters.
