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Math – free school texts or buy a text? What's a no nonsense Math choice?
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Would you use a free textbook or buy a textbook for Math? I know all Math texts are not the same, but the Math is the same, right? I hate the sensory overload of modern textbooks. They are so busy and of course they’re more geared toward testing. I just wondered if anyone used old school textbooks for their child’s Math. Can anyone suggest a Math text for a child who likes a no nonsense approach? – here’s how it’s done, here are some examples, here is some practice – that type of style?
Claire, you might like the Strayer-upton texts. They cover everything well up until pre-algebra. Very strong on word problems!
Lial’s Basic College Math or Lial’s Pre-Algebra have been recommended to me as next step. My understanding is that that both can be pre-algebra, but bcm moves more slowly. Also, the latest edition is not needed. Lial’s algebra was also recommended.
Please take my info with a grain of salt. I haven’t used Lial’s but am seriously considering for ds11 for next year in 7th.
I would use free for younger grades but for a no nonsense approach Christian Light Education comes to my mind. I am using it for two of my four this year. We do cross out some of the problems because there are so many and it is a spiral approach. My 7th grader requested it this year because she wants to do better in math and thinks this will help her more. She was using Teaching Textbooks.
You might like SCM’s math DVD and book. I’m currently watching/reading the set and she suggests older texts like Ray’s and Strayer-Upton. There are tons of great ideas and it’s very no-nonsense. We’ll be doing a combination of MUS, Ray’s (for oral problems), and older texts for practical geometry and paper sloyd. I’m very impressed with the older texts I’ve been looking at!
I have run the gauntlet of math programs, with frustration and stress. I have read Richele’s Mathmatics book off this site it is was the first no-nonsense math information I have come across. I just ordered the DVD and am looking forward to it. I purchased Ray’s Arithmetic set to use as a guide for how Richele describes teaching math the CM way. I wish I would have discovered these texts from the start.
Mamas interested in Ray’s for algebra:
I recently came across this additional info on books higher up in the Ray’s series!
http://www.dollarhomeschool.com/Rays-sample/7-8%20Ray’s%20New%20Elementary%20Algebra%20sample.pdf
You can buy the series on CD or hunt online for a vintage copy.
I am going to look at Lials as well.
Claire, if your children do enjoy a workbook, Mott Media makes a series of workbooks for Ray’s Arithmetic that run years 1-4 and have 4 quarters in each series. All though the advice is to work with concepts, manipulatives, and orally in the beginnings. these work books may help the written stage I suppose. hope that helps!
Definitely Christian Light Education Sunrise edition elementary and middle materials, up through Alg. 1. My dd couldn’t handle the high sensory stuff either.
Basic, thorough (though maybe a little more word problems would be an improvement). High retention. No frills. To the point. daily review of previous material without the overkill found in Saxon.
I’m trying Tabletclass for my son for pre-Alg. this year. I’ve heard good stuff about Lial’s and there is an online class for that if you need it.
I’ve done an eclectic approach for K-6 years essentially with my son. It’s worked. He’s naturally strong in Math so the more straight forward the lesson the better. My issue really is that he’s so strong in Math that we’re ready for pre-Algebra now. I need a program that I can basically hand off to him – like a textbook – instead of “creating” a textbook via lots of freebies, lessons pulled here and there (btw, I’ve used a lot of the resources you all have mentioned in this post and loved them too). I just don’t want to do that this year. My older child had a Math textbook for the first time last year with Algebra 1 and it was awesome. She just read the lesson, asked or looked up questions, did the practice, took the tests. I never knew life could be so simple! I need that for my son this year. I can work the problems simultaneously to aid in any understanding issues. I just can’t “create” the book this year.
What to buy?
I have a free textbook from my husband’s public school – Glencoe. It looks good enough. We can probably ignore the insane amount of stimulation per page (seriously, ten different colors, text in several different fonts, boxes, geometric doo dads, etc.) … but is there something else?
That’s sort of my question. I’ll pop around and see what you all suggested again to see if any of it is pre-Algebra.
MUS mamas,
would this be a good time to pick up MUS with pre-algebra?
I have done a “here-you-go” year of R&S math with my daughter and she was able to read the instructions and do the lessons just fine. The only issue being, their math only goes to 8? 9? 10? and the top level is consumer math/life skills math.
Claire, I agree that so many texts go overboard in the fonts, colors, etc. Lial’s has more than I like, too, but the presentation is Lial’s Basic College Math is beginning Pre-Algebra with significant review of arithmetic. Lial’s Pre-Algebra starts a bit further along and would be more the right level, I think. The links are to the newest editions which aren’t necessary, but the only samples I could find.
Thanks Christie. Did you order these new or find them locally?
In the genre of “college texts for high school” …. The series my daughter loves is that by Elan Martin-Gay from the University of New Orleans. It’s comprehensive, clean and concise.
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