LanainMA
01-29-2009, 10:40 AM
I really need some advice on where to go with my dd, who will be in 8th grade next year. She has always struggled with math. She was still working on addition and subtraction at the beginning of 5th grade. Really. However, she opened up that year and was able to get multiplication without an issue. In 6th grade she actually completed TT6 and got excellent marks, but she did have to work hard for it. This year she is doing TT7. Again, she works hard but gets straight A's. For the first time she does not think she is terrible at math.
My problem is what to do next year. I don't really want to continue with TT but I am also afraid of changing because this is the first curriculum that ever worked. (Part of the reason I don't want to continue with TT is that I have a younger ds who gets math and, if possible, I would like to pass down the math program so I am not spending $500 a year on math.) However, that also could be because she was just ready, although I do think that TT is somewhat simplistic. She still doesn't really understand math. I don't think she really understands why she is doing something. She just knows this is how they did the last problem that was just like this and so just plugs in the numbers. The word problems are some of the easiest I've ever seen in a curriculum and, at times, she doesn't get what operation to use.
So, I could just continue with TT since she is successful with it, but this doesn't really address her lack of understanding.
I could use Chalkdust, but I am truly afraid that this would be too difficult and math would become excruciating again. I have not seen this program but I know that most consider this rigorous and I can't see her in a rigorous course.
Or I could do something like Life of Fred (Fractions and Decimals/Percents), which I think would appeal to her non-traditional nature and possibly help her to have a true understanding of math. But would those two books constitute a year of pre-algebra? Is there something I could add to it for extra practice? Could I use this all the way through without something else or perhaps with something else? But what?
Or I could use MUS, but could I begin the upper maths without having done the lower?
Something else?
She really has no idea what she wants to pursue in college so my view is to prepare her so that all options are open to her.
Thank you if you have read this whole thing! So what would you do with this student?
My problem is what to do next year. I don't really want to continue with TT but I am also afraid of changing because this is the first curriculum that ever worked. (Part of the reason I don't want to continue with TT is that I have a younger ds who gets math and, if possible, I would like to pass down the math program so I am not spending $500 a year on math.) However, that also could be because she was just ready, although I do think that TT is somewhat simplistic. She still doesn't really understand math. I don't think she really understands why she is doing something. She just knows this is how they did the last problem that was just like this and so just plugs in the numbers. The word problems are some of the easiest I've ever seen in a curriculum and, at times, she doesn't get what operation to use.
So, I could just continue with TT since she is successful with it, but this doesn't really address her lack of understanding.
I could use Chalkdust, but I am truly afraid that this would be too difficult and math would become excruciating again. I have not seen this program but I know that most consider this rigorous and I can't see her in a rigorous course.
Or I could do something like Life of Fred (Fractions and Decimals/Percents), which I think would appeal to her non-traditional nature and possibly help her to have a true understanding of math. But would those two books constitute a year of pre-algebra? Is there something I could add to it for extra practice? Could I use this all the way through without something else or perhaps with something else? But what?
Or I could use MUS, but could I begin the upper maths without having done the lower?
Something else?
She really has no idea what she wants to pursue in college so my view is to prepare her so that all options are open to her.
Thank you if you have read this whole thing! So what would you do with this student?