Homeschool Math curriculum (IEP, community college, public school, placement)

[lisdol]

OK homeschoolers...my public school child is interested in accelerating his math curriculum. He has an IEP for gifted ed in math, but the budget keeps getting cut and the gifted ed teacher is on half-time and has had a difficult time keeping up with making sure every kid on her "caseload" is at the right level. He is supposed to start sitting in on math classes at one grade level above his (not every day but at least once a week). He is in 4th grade and is very interested in accelerating so he can take Algebra 1 as early as the district will let him (hopefully prior to 8th grade). We are going to do some work over the summer, at his pace (I'm not going to force him but I do want to respond to his interest in getting ahead).

While I am going to talk to the gifted ed teacher about options, I am starting to research math curricula to help him over the summer. The problem with just moving him up to the next grade for math is I do not want him to miss out on any key concepts that are necessary. I would prefer to compact/accelerate the curriculum so that he can be placed above his grade level without having missed something.

I have not looked too much but have found and am considering Singapore Math. I like that they provide the placement test to print out from the site, so I can assess at which level we should start. For those familiar with Singapore, I am not sure whether the US edition or the Standards-Based edition is preferable, so if you have an opinion, please let me know.

If there are other curricula I should consider, please suggest them. I am looking for something that is flexible enough that once he knows the concept, we can move on - basically something that is amenable to accelerating and compacting.

He is using Chicago Math in school right now and there is no homeschool edition (though Chicago Math is not my favorite anyway).

Thanks for any suggestions. I am going to work out a final plan with his gifted ed teacher so we are on the same page for next year, but wanted to present her with some ideas instead of expecting her to figure it out for me.

[coneflower]

Okay, I don't homeschool yet and I supplement, but I like both Singapore math and Saxon. Saxon's pretty defined and tends to have a lot of review and drills, Singapore is a bit more visual, and sometimes I've had to add in a worksheet from another source. I'm using Saxon right now. I think it's from Sonlight, but I might have picked this particular level up from a resale.

I'm sure others can give you their experiences! Good luck. I have a the same issue with a child way ahead of his class in math and no real advanced program to help him.

[drjones96]

I grew up on Saxon. Nothing says you can't go out and buy the series of books and just do it at home.

I worry, though, that he may lose interest in his regular school math work because he views it as beneath him.

OT: We went to our oldest child's 6th grade orientation last night. I found it really cool that they offer 4 levels of math.
7th Grade Math (One full year ahead...which she qualified to take based on the results of a recent exam...YIPPIE!)
6th Grade Advanced Math
6th Grade Math
And the last one is basically for the kids who have trouble with it.

[lisdol]

Originally Posted by drjones96

...

I worry, though, that he may lose interest in his regular school math work because he views it as beneath him.

Well, they are talking about having him sit in one grade above his current level at least once a week. If he is capable of doing math at least one grade up, and the school is amenable to placing him above his grade, then I would like to cover the gap over the summer so they can do it instead of just having him sit in one day per week. I know they place high-readers in 5th grade in with the 6th grade reading groups, so they are willing to mingle grade levels by a year.

Right now he is stuck with simply getting his work done and then helping the kids who need help. Which is a valuable experience, but something some kids tire of and get bored with.

Thanks you guys for your ideas. I had thought about Saxon but not sure how well it would work as a compacted/accelerated supplement versus a primary math curriculum.

Funny thing is math, he is serious about finishing and doing more, but you have to turn the screw and force him to complete anything to do with language arts except for independent reading (he will read independently for hours).

[lisdol]

Originally Posted by drjones96

OT: We went to our oldest child's 6th grade orientation last night. I found it really cool that they offer 4 levels of math.
7th Grade Math (One full year ahead...which she qualified to take based on the results of a recent exam...YIPPIE!)

Congratulations to your daughter! Math was my best and favorite subject all through school and I wish they had been more interested in accelerating kids back then. I took Algebra 1 in 8th grade, then moved to a different state and they made me repeat it because they did not allow 8th graders to take Algebra 1. I believe when kids are good at something and can handle the work, challenging them by allowing them to move faster and do more advanced work can stoke the fire of interest in the subject in them.

[drjones96]

Originally Posted by lisdol

Congratulations to your daughter! Math was my best and favorite subject all through school and I wish they had been more interested in accelerating kids back then. I took Algebra 1 in 8th grade, then moved to a different state and they made me repeat it because they did not allow 8th graders to take Algebra 1. I believe when kids are good at something and can handle the work, challenging them by allowing them to move faster and do more advanced work can stoke the fire of interest in the subject in them.

Thanks. Back in the day when I was that age I was on the best path on offer.
And that was:
Algebra 1/2 in 8th grade (Intro to algebra basically)
Algebra 1 Freshman yr
Algebra 2 Sophomore yr
Advanced Math Jr yr (This included advanced geometry, trigonometry and algebra)
Calculus Sr yr.

I know that a lot of schools have taken this up a notch and are allowing 8th grade to take Algebra 1 and by Sr year they will be in the second year of Calculus....which more than qualifies them to jump into Calculus I in college.

[lisdol]

Our math sequence went as such (in MA in the 80s):

Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2 + Trigonometry
Advanced Math

My school was really tiny (13 seniors) so I had to choose between Advanced Math or Physics. I wanted to take both but figured Advanced Math was more important. My small school was excellent for teaching me to be a better writer (absolutely awesome English teacher), but was lacking in its ability to offer much due to the size. I'd have to say having 3 students in a senior year math class was a neat experience - unfortunately I was the only one who really enjoyed math - the others were just taking it because it was a 4th yr of math.

I am happy there are more options for kids these days, from AP Calc, to taking college level math for credit at the local community college.

[drjones96]

My school was small but not 13-small.

Probably a good move on the selection of Math over Physics (that is if your HS physics class was like mine).

My HS physics fell a little short on challenge. Phys I in college utilized concepts from Calculus and Trigonometry. I think they were afraid to go that far with it in HS for fear that we may not have been ready for it. Meaning we didn't have a strong enough math base for it. Admittedly there were some kids in there that flat did not have a strong enough base in math for real physics. So we ended up doing a bunch of hokey experiments with batteries and simple machines....stuff like that. Not that it was soooo bad but we really could have used some sort of introduction to what college physics was going to be like.

[lisdol]

I never did take Physics, unfortunately. I took some time off to work before college and "lost my way" as far as choosing a major. I'd love to take it, just for fun. I am not that skilled with spatial work (organic chem was difficult, even with the little molecular model kit), so I am not sure how well that would work out for me - perhaps as an audit/NC basis so nothing shows up on a transcript!

I went to a presentation by a member of the gifted advisory board in our district and the presenter's son was allowed to accelerate his math curriculum to the point that he took college Calculus and Calculus-based college Physics in HS. He was met with considerable resistance, but was finally allowed to do it.

[drjones96]

The gap between what a lot of HS Physics classes are and what Calc-based Physics is in college is huge.