OK. I am an outward proponont of better late than early ESPECIALLY when it comes to Algebra. I struggled and struggled with Algebra myself in 9th and 10th grades...then in College it was easy. hmmmm. BUT I have to admit to getting a bit of a thrill when ds tested a year ahead into Algebra in both TT and Saxon. So what to do. I have both programs. We started with a workbook (Survival Guide to Algebra) which he likes...but it is not a program. It is a supplement. He doesn't like TT...and I am a bit overwhelmed by Saxon. (I really don't want to teach it. I really want him to do the lectures on cd.) But he prefers me. sigh. Should I move back to Saxon 8/7? Should I get out the Saxon Algebra and just start it? (hoping that college algebra will come back to me?) Also thinking about trying ALEKS...which he did NOT test into Algebra in. But will wait until after my business trip and fall break...don't want to pay for a week that he isn't going to use. Any ideas?
If he tested into Saxon Algebra 1, I wouldn't go back to 87. That would be a waste. You could, I suppose, get the Teacher CDs (I've heard they're much better than the DIVE cd) for Saxon, watch them yourself, and THEN teach them to him?????
What about Math U See? I changed over to it this year and so far he is doing well. We aren't in algebra yet. I would suggest that if it is too much and you agree with the better late than early philosophy, maybe you could stretch it our over two years. This would give an opportunity to go slower and do more practice over concepts he struggles with. I have come to an (almost) perfect peace about the pace at which we are covering math. We are on year 2 1/2 of pre-algebra and review. I guess the only thing that keeps me from having perfect peace is the fact that the world out there is not as flexible as we are.
We use a program called Keys To Algebra, but it is not a full curriculum, so we supplement with teaching textbooks any areas where it is missing. My ds "get" the keys to . . .program, so it is totally worth it.
What doesn't he like about TT? The lectures? If so, don't use them. My daughter would read the book and do the assignment from that. Then if she found she missed a lot or didn't really understand, she would go back through, listening to the lecture. Maybe if you sat down with him and the TT book, he's be OK with it. And if YOU were confused, the two of you could listen to the lecture together. Rachael tested into Saxon Alg. 1 early, too. So DH brought home this algebra program his school was throwing away. Well, there was a REASON the school was getting rid of it!!! After dealing with my griping about it for nearly 2 months (..but it was FREE!!!), he finally let us change to some pre-algebra book he had a copy of (I had to get on-line for the TM), and that worked wonderfully. Am using it now with Faythe.
I am sure that one solution to the problem is more of my time. I just was hoping to get math to where he could do it on his own. He doesn't like the lectures...but he won't read the intro either so we are at a bit of a standstill there. I know that they won't baby him next year in high school (and he wants to go) So one of our projects was to really get him independent on his assignments. sigh. I watched a lecture with him. and I get it, it was sooooooooo slow. he had the answer in a flash and it took the teacher about 5 minutes to get there. But then if he doesn't do the lecture (or at least the intro) and he misses a bunch he gets angry. I am thinking that this week I will have him do the assignments as he likes, and we will have to correct them right away and redo the missed ones. If he misses too many, then he has to watch the lecture. ?? maybe. Then when I get back from my trip and fall break (we take fall break with the ps) we might try ALEKS.
It sounds like he is a lot like my son. He wants to get done, not matter how he does. I think your idea of letting him do it his way is Ok, as long as you make him read/watch the lecture if he gets too many wrong. With my son, re-doing problems is not fun, so I am hoping that he puts more effort into the first attempt.
I chose MUS because we get to use it for free, cause we traded off with someone. ALG1 is going okay, we had that little bit of attitude problem last week and this week he said " Wow I just learned an easier way to do what I knew how to do!" cool! My dh and I like to watch the videos with ds in case he questions anything but he is actualy going independantly for the most part with it and getting great grades! I was upset at first cause he got 4 wrong on one test, but after corrections he got two wrong for attitude lol, so we are good! My friend said why are you complaining yoru son only got two wrong on an algebra test??? hahah IT feels good, I recomend MUS alg!1
To the OP with the impatient son, have him try Khan Academy. I highly recommend it, there are videos and (infinite) online examples. Its extremely versatile and I use it with students I tutor at the library and I use it for myself. It starts with things like 1+1=2. but you can skip directly to the module/skill that you need. The videos range from about 3-9 minutes in length, but he works several examples in that time. You can pause after the first example and see if you've go it.
