My son will be starting Pre algebra in the fall. We are currently using CLE and will need to switch to something else. He has used CLE since 100, so he has a great foundation and I'm not worried about PA at all. But I don't know where to jump too. Any suggestions. What should we stay away from? He doesn't love math, and has struggled to memorize the facts, but he is getting them all done. But the basics of how math works he gets that. Thanks
Up to this point, my go-to for high school has been Saxon and we may continue with that after CLE 800. I like the spiral build and that the algebra and geometry are integrated. I wish CLE had chosen to continue the algebra-and-geometry integration into high school. I have considered that if I don't switch to Saxon, doing CLE's algebra I and alternating a unit of it with a unit of their geometry, just to keep both going. I have heard of Math Without Borders, which I believe uses Foersters algebra. I have heard Jacobs algebra is popular. But I already have Saxon algebra 1 and 2 and may do Advanced Math after that - which makes 4 maths in high school in the space of three. But I have a ways to go before I'm forced to a decision because my grandson is a rising fifth grader.
I had such a horrible experience with Saxon as a child I shudder about even thinking about using it with my kids. I'm pretty sure it was the teaching of Saxon and not the books themselves. I have had my boy take a few of the Pre Algebra test for other books, and he has placed near the end of each of the books. Which I give complete credit to CLE, so we are going to move on to a Pre algebra and I would like to follow up with the same Alg1 and maybe Geometry.
I was going to suggest Saxon too. I used Saxon very successfully with sd and am now using it with dd. If you do decide to do Saxon just make sure you do the placement test. Every curriculum is different and you would want to see if he needs to do 87, Algebra 1/2 or is ready for Algebra 1. When doing Saxon I also recommend the older editions (2nd or 3rd editions) If you do that you do not need the separate Geometry course since that is built already in the sequence.
How strong are you in upper math? We went with Teaching Textbooks, simply because I felt I couldn't teach myself beyond Alg 1. It worked very well for us! It explains every single problem on CD, so that when a kid misses number eight and you've no idea why, he can pop in the CD, go straight to that, and have it explained step by step. I was OK with Alg 1 most the time (using an old retired public school text) and I probably could have done Geometry, but that's all the higher I went in math. So TT was wonderful for us.
Life of Fred. (I'm a broken record with this reply to math curriculum questions, but I LOVE Fred!) It's the opposite of Saxon.
Thanks for your responses. I think that we might do Math Mammoth 7th, and then we are going to do Foersters and Jacobs.
We love LOF, too. We tried many different math curriculum, and Saxon was the worst for us. Once we started using LOF, math changed, and Em finally was learning and retaining information.
Yesterday I was introduced to one called A Fresh Approach. It is Alg 1, 2, and Geometry (3 separate courses). The Algebra has some geometry within it. It is a consumable textbook - the first I'd hear of - with room to write in it. The answers to the odd numbered ones are in the back, and there's a separate solutions key for the even numbered ones. I believe it came from Rainbow Resource Center, for $46 for the book, and $16 for the evens-solutions. It looked quite good, and the author - a long time math teacher - included her email in it so you can ask her if you have problems/questions. It is a mastery, not a spiral, and I'm told it picks up right where Rod & Staff 8th grade math leaves off.
We're also using Life of Fred. It's made a world of difference... especially in my older son (who generally hates math but has learned to tolerate it through Fred).
I like Math Mammoth and Life of Fred equally. Educents has them for the lowest price I've found. They also have samples you can check out and see if your son responds well. Hope this helps!
My child THRIVED with Saxon even though I thought it was too much repetition but I finally understand their method. The new format they are using has NO Sequence. The learning is touch and go, her math skills are so shaken right now.
