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Teaching Textbooks…is it truly high quality? Opinions, please.

Tagged: teaching textbooks

This topic has 15 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 4 months ago by TailorMade.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 16 total)

Author
Posts
January 6, 2014 at 12:56 am
Mysterious Lady in Pink
Participant
The recent thread on TT and MUS has my thoughts turning to math once again. I am truly not trying to be contentious or stir up negativity or anything with this. Honestly. I know TT has some passionate followers (as do many other curricula when someone has found their “holy grail”) and I totally get that. But I’m wondering if someone can (somewhat objectively) speak to the thoroughness, quality, depth of the curriculum.
Many years ago I borrowed a copy of TT Pre-calculus because I really wanted to love it. I compared it with a couple other math programs and was really disappointed with the content — it was cute and visually appealing, but I felt like it was just really lacking in substance (topics, depth, etc). I can’t be specific because it was enough years ago that I really don’t remember. And now I know TT has the whole 2.0 thing — and I have no idea what that is or how/if the curriculum has changed, I’ll just say straight out. I think at the time I was comparing TT to the textbook used in Chalkdust and maybe to a more traditional math textbook like a Glencoe or something…maybe MUS, but maybe not. Maybe the lack of depth, rigor, topics, etc that I saw in TT isn’t a big deal if the student ends up really SOLID in what is covered??
I’m not entirely satisfied with the route I ended up taking with my older kids at that time, and will need to do something different with the younger crew.
Now I know there are those kids who could probably thrive with ANY math program, but I am interested in hearing some thoughts on this. Please don’t throw eggs at me! 😉
January 6, 2014 at 1:28 am
missceegee
Participant
I have not yet used it (save a brief stint with oldest a couple of years ago), but I know what you mean as I, too, have heard the positives and negatives about every program it seems. It makes my head spin.
For what it’s worth, my dearest friend has graduated 4 kids and all went on and are either currently enrolled or graduated from college. The first was the typical guinea pig, didn’t use TT but lots of programs, and not mathy. She scored well enough on the ACT for a college scholarship. The next 3 kids, used Singapore through 6th grade and TT from then on. All 3 scored high on their entrance exams, too. None of the 3 did anything extra, just TT.
Math, it drives me nuts.
Christie
January 6, 2014 at 2:17 am
greenebalts
Participant
I agree Christie!….math has been an ongoing problem in our home as well 🙁

I also hope no one casts stones my way, but we have a negative review on TT. Our friends carried on about how wonderful TT was so our dd wanted to switch. We tried TT Algebra (3 years ago so not sure if it was “new or old” version) and our dd hated it! She thought it had too many words and explanations. She said, …”just give me the math and let me do it”. We ended up switching to MUS, which went OK. (This is not my mathy kid.) However, on a side note, the family that was so in love with it, now has a dd at university and she’s really struggling with math and doesn’t feel TT prepared her for higher level so I’m glad we didn’t stick with it. There have been several other homeschool families in our area that used TT for remediation for students not university bound.

Our younger kiddos also used MUS. It totally did not work for our dyslexic son despite postive reviews for kids with special needs. It was going great with another child for the first three years until we hit multiple digit multiplication in Gamma. Since, we’ve tried several other programs without success and have finally settled on Singapore. Unfortunately, due to MUS’s non-tradtional scope & sequence, this dd was very behind with no exposure to division and very little measurement so she had to go back two grade levels in Singapore. We have both accepted this and are moving on. So far it’s going well. Lesson learned…if you begin MUS at the elemenary level, I would highly recommend finishing through Zeta so that your child has covered all areas of elementary math before moving on.

Hope you find that magic key

Blessings,
Melissa
http://reflectionsfromdrywoodcreek.blogspot.com/
January 6, 2014 at 7:55 pm
lookingupalr
Participant
With TT just like all curriculum, it is what is best for the individual child. My children thrive with TT. They love every minute of it and are ahead of their friends who attend public school. TT may not be for every child.
I have friends who chose Math U See and love it.
That is the beauty of homeschooling. We can find what works best for each child.
We tried Saxon and almost cried everyday. Abeka was too many worksheets with the same problems over and over and over.
When we hit on TT, the tears stopped and smiles began.
I pray you find something that works for your kiddos. Don’t let anyone pressure you into something you know just doesn’t work for them.
Have a wonderful day!!
Alberta
January 6, 2014 at 8:52 pm
art
Participant
Math makes us cry around here too. We did try TT for last year with my oldest daughter. We felt like it was full of little tricks and didn’t explain why you would do anything. It bothered her and me.
I try to have them understand why, but I do know sometimes some kids are just going to need to move on to procedures and not get why at the moment (like my next daughter). I think that’s terrible, but life is life sometimes.
Anyway, we really didn’t like TT, but we have yet to find a math program that actually makes math not painful; so maybe that’s just us.
January 6, 2014 at 9:16 pm
cherylramirez
Participant
We switched from MUS algegra to TT algebra in our house. my dd wasn’t “getting it” with Mr. Demme’s approach. She is doing much better with TT!
January 6, 2014 at 9:45 pm
Sue
Participant
Boy, if someone could put together a workshop with stations for a variety of math curricula, complete with a solid set of sample lessons & all of the materials (print or other media) to look at–and I mean a hands-on sort of station, not just vendor displays–they could probably charge admission for it & homeschooling families would come out in droves for it. It’s just so hard to choose the math program that’s right for each of your children.
I have one child who “gets” math fairly easily, and she has no problem with MUS. My older daughter, though, has struggled and struggled to get through pre-Algebra & Algebra, so I’m looking at TT for her. She needs a fair amount of explanation and practice. Although she complains about “Mr. Sal” & Khan Academy, she does eventually follow what he’s demonstrating and learns concepts after a lot of practice problems. I’m going to have her do a sample lesson on the TT website tomorrow to see how she gets on with it before purchasing it, though.
If TT doesn’t work for her, I’m not sure what I’ll try next. We’re certainly not made of money, and it is taking too long to settle into the right math for her! Any career choices I can push her towards that require a total lack of advanced math knowledge, LOL?
January 6, 2014 at 10:01 pm
Karen
Participant
My daughter is in 4th grade – we’ve been using Christian Light Education math, which we like. But I’ve been thinking about TT. So I printed off the placement test for 5th grade and it looks too easy! I printed off the placement test for 6th grade and I’ll give it to her today.
She’s not “fast” at math, but I think CLE is a good prep. I’m curious to see how she places for TT…..maybe I shouldn’t! But you know the lure of new curriculum! *L* And you’re all talking about it!
January 7, 2014 at 2:55 am
Karen
Participant
Well, my average 4th grader did well on the 1st portion of the 6th grade placement test – – 9/15 correct (you need 10/15) to place in 6th grade.
Does anyone know? Is TT on par with most other maths? Saxon, etc.?
January 9, 2014 at 12:41 am
JennyMN
Participant
Karen, did your 4th grader take the second portion of the test as well? The first part is always easier.
We’ve used TT for years. I’ve heard complaints that it isn’t as rigerous. My impression is that it takes things slower but they all hit Algebra at the same time.
I think the strength lies in its consistency. No matter what is happening in the family math always gets done. Period. And they never have an excuse for not getting it. Every time they get a problem wrong they can watch how to do it correctly – over and over again.
January 9, 2014 at 1:32 pm
Karen
Participant
Yes, she took the second part and didn’t do as well – I forget the exact score now.
What we’re using now is working (the CLE math) but looking ahead, I think it might be beneficial for her to have a “tutor” and if TT can do that, it’d be great.

January 9, 2014 at 5:48 pm
TailorMade
Participant
FWIW, I thought I’d post Lindafay’s review of TT here for those interested in this thread.
http://www.charlottemasonhelp.com/2009/07/teaching-textbooks.html
January 9, 2014 at 7:33 pm
Karen
Participant
What does FWIW stand for? I’ve seen it a lot and still don’t have it figured out….
January 9, 2014 at 8:04 pm
eawerner
Participant
For what it’s worth.
January 9, 2014 at 9:08 pm
ServingwithJoy
Participant
Ironically, my kids are mathy…
It is ironic because their mother is decidedly NOT. We have done basically the same thing with our first four kids, and it seems to work pretty well:
Age 4-6: Calendars, counters (manipulatives), practical math and games
Age 6-7: We blend hands on math with Singapore
About age 7 or 8: We started TT. Some of the kids started in the 4th grade level, some in 3rd. I consider TT about a year behind grade level, but I do the placement test and put them in where they fit (even if it is the middle of the grade level).
We continue to do math drills and supplement with some practical math and workbooks. So far, so good, for us. All of my kids are at or above grade level in math. My 10yo is doing TT7 and my 12yo is doing pre-algebra (placed at Algebra level, but I wanted her to have a good foundation, so that is where we put her).
I should point out that I do make them do the written problem before they enter the answer, and, if they make a score below 90% on a day’s assignment, they re-do the entire assignment.
I am very unconcerned that they won’t have ‘enough’ math continuing at this rate…but that is probably because I have never expected my kids to major in math or attempt college level trig, calculus, and the like. If they have a propensity in those areas in high school, I will turn them over to a tutor.
But I think that, for most homeschooled students, TT works well and is the next best thing to a real life tutor. And I think that if any child shows a skill beyond what your curriculum choice can provide, it is your responsibility to move on so that they can acheive as much as possible in thier education before leaving home. Seems like we would know that before they leave high school!

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 16 total)

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