X-Post: Can anyone compare Chalkdust Basic Math with BJU Math 6 or 7 (Fundamentals)?

[Shari]

I tried posting this on the elementary boards and didn't really get a response, so I'm trying over here :)

I am looking at Math programs for my soon-to-be 6th grade struggler. We have used BJU since 1st (with a brief foray to Saxon in 3rd), and are on the whole happy with the program. However, I am looking toward the future and know I will want help teaching higher Maths (ie a DVD teacher). While waiting on word regarding the future of BJU Distance Learning, I have been looking at Chalkdust. A friend let me borrow her sampler DVD and is planning to loan me the CD Basic complete program to look at over Christmas break. I really like what I have seen.

While I'm waiting to do a side-by-side comparison, I am wondering if anyone here has experience with these two programs. Would you say that CD Basic is roughly the equivalent of BJU Math 6 or BJU Fundamentals of Math (7th)? The BJU site says that roughly half of all 7th graders will be able to skip Fundamentals and go straight to Pre-Algebra, so that's why I'm wondering, since CD Pre-Algebra follows CD Basic.

Clear as mud? LOL I hope someone understands the question and can shed some light!

[MorningGlory]

I am not going to be of much help, but I would say that BJU Math 6 is a vital part of BJU's math sequence...not one to be skipped. My son is going through it now, and it covers several topics that have not been completely addressed before this level (division of fractions and multiplication & division of + & - integers comes to mind).

Based on that, I would think that Chalkdust's Basic Math compares to BJU's Math 7. I *believe* that both of these programs are basically intense reviews of previously taught concepts (with maybe more application thrown in). That is why BJU says that Math 7 can be skipped if the student is competent. You might try comparing topic lists from both websites, but then of course, topic lists don't always tell the full story!

Just to let you know...My son will finish BJU Math 6 by February. Then he will go through Life of Fred's Decimals and Percents (he completed LOF Fractions last year). And then my plan is for him to go into Chalkdust's PreAlgebra. After completing Math 6 and LOF, I don't see the need for him to take Chalkdust's Basic Math before going into PreAlgebra. I think he will be ready!

HTH!

[Kathy in MD]

I can talk about CD's Basic Math and the first 4 chapters of CD's pre-algebra. Maybe between Morningglory's post and mine you can decide what you want to do.

CD's Basic Math is an intensive review of arithmitic, up to and including fractions and decimals. It also has an entire chapter devoted to real life application of fractions and decimals. The application problems do deal with more adult situations such auto loans, the various types of interest for mortgages and savings, etc. This you could chose to skip or use as an introduction. (I may have my ds redo this chapter this year as he's approaching driving age. It's good). Also included is a bit of geometry and basic statistics (mean, mode, average) with graphs.

CD Pre-Algebra starts with a complete, but fast review, of place value, addition, subtraction, mult., div., Order of Operations, and all the laws associated with basic math. It then delves into fractions and decimals, but adds more complexity by including variables, square roots and negative numbers. So it serves as both a review and presents new material.

The great thing about CD is the lectures. Dana Mosely (sp) is constantly tossing in mini-review lessons (reminders) as he does the examples. He shows multiple ways to both think about and to work a problem. He "thinks" outloud so the students can learn how to think. He adds cautions and hints. He has convinced my ds that being neat and showing your work is 50% of the battle of getting math correct! I breezed through math, but I can't teach it. Why? Because much of what Dana Mosely teaches - the hints, the cautions, the reminders - I've absorbed and forget to teach and reteach to my ds.

I'm a strong believer in not rushing students into algebra because of my personal experience. Though I excelled in math, I don't regret the retrenching and review I received in Jr. high math. So I don't consider delaying Algebra till the 9th grade torture. But for students who don't fully understand fractions, decimals and basic math and can't play with numbers, I consider this additional review essential. In high school chemistry, a classmate knew enough math to do chem math correctly, but she didn't trust herself enough to do it. During study period in class, she could do the math if I approved each step after she did it. But she failed on quizzes and tests. She needed a lot more work on doing problems and understanding the why of math so she could trust herself. In college I tutored a classmate in our engineering classes. He'd done well in all his high school math classes, but he had just performed the calculations. He didn't understand the why of math and so struggled to apply it.

My ds also struggled in math. So in the 7th grade I put him in CD's basic math. and then had him do Life of Fred to finish the school year for fun. This year, things are starting to click and he's now getting A's and B's in math. He's starting to build math confidence. In science, he's not gripping about the math portion. I feel far more confident that he'll handle Algebra well and be able to use it in real life.

I've never seen BJU math, but my ds and I have found the CD lectures invaluable. But no matter which product you select, I'd do one year of basic math review before doing pre-algebra.

[Michelle in AL]

I actually bought BJU 7 and Chalkdust basic math last yr. My dd is good in math, but the Chalkdust text intimidated her with its tiny print, massive amounts of problems and lack of color. We used it for about 2 weeks, then switched to BJU. BJU actually covered several important topics the Basic Math left out. I can't remember what they were, but if you compare the two you could easily see the difference.

We used the Chalkdust DVDs to explain topics in BJU, but this could be done much cheaper using Hotmath.com videos.