Saxon Algebra 2 question - Jann in TX or others

[Chris in PA]

We worked through the Saxon Algebra 2 text this past school year. With issues that I posted about in the fall, we fell short of completing the text by 17 lessons (we spent some time dividing the lessons up over 2 days). The last lesson we completed was 112. I want to move on to geometry this fall (using TT) and then we are planning on using Chalkdust Precalculus next year. My question is this, if we don't complete lessons 112-122 (we are skipping the geometry construction lessons at the end) will she be lacking something that will cause us problems moving into precalculus next fall?

TIA

[Jann in TX]

Since the majority of the last lessons are Geometry topics you should be fine. You would probably miss the introduction to Logs but that will probably work out too (you may need to go a bit slower in Pre-Calc when you get to them--so you can figure out how to use the calculator to solve them--calculator here is not optional!).

I generally do not recommend skipping the last lessons in a book because 'most PS teachers never get to them'--my dd's PS teachers always seemed to--and I did too... but in this case you will be fine.

I've had a few Saxon students switch over to traditional texts for Pre-Calc instead of using Advanced Math. I actually prefer it that way. There may be a period of transition--Saxon uses a VERY different approach so the terms will not be the same and the way the problems are worked in any 'review' the Chalkdust texts has will be very different. Almost all of my students were HAPPY they switched.

[Brenda in MA]

I've had a few Saxon students switch over to traditional texts for Pre-Calc instead of using Advanced Math. I actually prefer it that way. There may be a period of transition--Saxon uses a VERY different approach so the terms will not be the same and the way the problems are worked in any 'review' the Chalkdust texts has will be very different. Almost all of my students were HAPPY they switched.

who switched to CD PreCalc after using Saxon, and he was/is really glad we switched. The transition was a little tough, mostly because Saxon is so easy with scheduling -- you just do all the lessons and all the problems in order. The CD books are not designed like that. They have way more problems than the average student needs to do, so you have to pick and choose which ones to do. Through the year, I worked with my son to have him begin to use some discretion with which problems he did. I gave him a basic assignment, which was usually to do every 3rd or 4th problem (the sets often had over 100 problems), and then I encouraged him to do more problems in areas that he found difficult. It also took him a little while to get comfortable with the graphing calculator, but now he's really good with it, and it helped him do well on the ACT & SAT2 math sections.

I don't think your child will have any troubles skipping the last few lessons in Algebra 2 if he/she will be doing a whole Geometry course anyway.

HTH,
Brenda

[Chris in PA]

I was so dreading telling my dd that we needed to do a few more weeks of Saxon. I really want to get the school year off to a good start and now we will be able to do it.

It will be ok for us to go slowly through the precalculus course. I am planning on using it during the 11th and 12th grade years. She wants to go to nursing school and only needs up to Algebra 2.

Thanks Brenda and Jann for the encouragement. I do think she will be very happy making the switch. :001_smile: