My dd is really struggling with TT Geometry...can anyone help?

[Robin in DFW]

I don't know if it's the presentation, the lack of practice, or what...but, she is on Lesson 85 and has been struggling mightily for the past 10 lessons or so.

I am not able to help her at all...which is why we chose TT-for the teaching component.

I do know she is SICK of doing proofs. I think the course has become a drudgery for her because she knows she will have to do at least 4 proofs every day.

She is doing tests and select lessons from Saxon Algebra 1 right now in order to move into Saxon Algebra 2 in the fall...I relay this information because I'm wondering if she should just work diligently through the last few tests/lessons in Algebra 1 and go ahead and start Algebra 2 and hopefully will have enough geometry for PSAT in October. She will also be doing prep books and online prep.

She says she has already had more "normal" geometry in the Saxon Algebra 1 book than she has had this whole time in TT. TT puts too much emphasis on proofs, imho and not enough on regular ol' geometry...or at least what I remember being regular ol' geometry! :glare:

We are desperate for help, here!

Is there a brief, but adequate book, tutorial...something that she could work through VERY quickly to get the rest of the geometry in before moving on to Algebra 2?

TT is just not turning out to be what we had hoped...neither for Algebra or Geometry...which is why she is moving to Saxon.

Thanks,
Robin

[amtmcm]

:lurk5:

[Orthodox6]

Proofs are the "meat" of geometry. They aren't easy for many people.

Maybe reading this Q&A page (about proofs) will help (?):
http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.proof.html

This link addresses your specific question about "why work through so many proofs?"
http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/52353.html

If you buy one of the PSAT pre-books, available in bookstores, your dd can review the specific topics covered on the exam. That probably is the most "bare bones" approach.

[MBH]

A friend of mine whose son made 800 on the math portion of SAT using Saxon math and Alpha Omega Geometry told me that if she could do it over, she would have him do it in the following sequence:

Saxon Algebra I
Saxon Algebra II
Alpha Omega Geometry
Saxon Advanced Math
Saxon Pre-Calculus
Saxon Calculus

She said the above sequence would have been good enough for PSAT and SAT because Saxon has plenty enough Geometry that he would have done well on those tests.

She said by the time he moved to Algebra II after doing Geometry, he had forgotten some of his Algebra I.

She also said the Geometry in Saxon would have helped him understand Alpha Omega's Geometry better.

Just an added note: He was happy with his score on PSAT, SAT, ACT after he was done with Algebra II. The Advanced math he took for college prep, not for SAT and ACT.

I know my daughter was sick and tired of proofs in TT Geometry and had to take a break.

If you have stuck with Saxon all along, you have nothing to worry about come Oct. on PSAT.

I hope this helps.

[Alyce]

the approach is not much different than TT but it's not on the computer. It doesn't do proofs until the end of the book so there's a lot of non proof geometry. My dd did MUS and did well with geometry. My son did TT. He's good at logic and moved right through the proofs but hasn't retained much of the actual concepts. If I had it to do over again I'd go with MUS over TT. You could buy MUS and have her quickly go over the stuff she already knows. When she gets to a concept she says she knows have her take the test. If she doesn't do over 90% then she can go back and do the lesson. Perhaps that way you won't lose so much time and can move through it quicker.

[Robin in DFW]

At this point, so she says, dd just wants to finish the TT Geometry and be done with it!!!

I think we might get the CliffsNotes Geometry booklet for a quick review, she'll do PSAT Review as soon as she gets done with TT and will begin Saxon Algebra 2 when she's done with her Saxon Algebra 1 review. I think with all that under her belt she should do fine on the PSAT in October. By next May or June or sometime over the summer, she'll be done with Saxon Algebra 2 and will have been doing SAT prep for several months...I think she'll be fine!

As a side note....Although she completed TT Algebra 1, she felt she needed to work through the Saxon Algebra 1 tests. She has begun reading the lessons now (at lesson 84) and doing the practice problems as needed. Some lessons she already knows, others are new or weren't covered with much depth in TT. She tells me constantly how much more she likes Saxon now that's she's older. She appreciates the no-nonsense explanations. She says TT was great as an introductory course, but she prefers the more mature explanations and harder problems in the Saxon textbooks.

Go figure...two years ago, Saxon made her cry!!!:glare: She just wasn't ready for it, I guess. She seems to enjoy the problems in the Saxon text and tackles them with pleasure each day. Teenagers are so squirrelly!

Thanks again!
Robin

[Karin]

Proofs are the meat of Geometry. I haven't seen TT Geometry, so I was wondering if it includes constructions. Those help a lot. We bought a whole separate book on it. Of course, dd is going to start Geometry this fall, but I learned this tidbit from one or more of the math gurus on this board. We're doing it even though what we have has some constructions already; she's going to do the whole book before she starts her Geometry program.

Here's the link: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=717611&netp_id=273439&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers
We ended up buying a used copy I found somewhere. There are apparently only 3 left there.