Why
is algebra and other advanced mathematics necessary? Consider
this: the computer technology that we have today, the precision-guided
missiles used in the Iraq war that saved so many of our soldier's
lives, the medical technology that helps us to live longer
and have better quality lives, the current exploration of
Mars, all are possible because of advanced math and science.
Students who have a gift in math will be able to use their
gift to enable the people of the world to accomplish even
more in the coming years. (See Raising
an Isaac Newton.)
However,
not all students are endowed with the gift of math. Other
students are gifted in art, music, business, and other very
important skills. Depending on your child's gifts and career
goals, your child may not need advanced math. Instead, he
may need more consumer and/or business math. Select your curriculum
to suit your child's needs, not the needs of someone else's
child. For more information, see Math
Curriculum Recommendations and Homeschooling
High School.
Here
are the curriculums I recommend for high school mathematics.
If
you prefer a textbook series, I highly recommend the Math-U-See
program. I wish this were available when I was teaching
homeschool! It espeically works well for kids (and teaching
moms) of Visual, Kinesthetic,
and Auditory learning styles. (For your
traditional Read/Write or advanced math students, see
below.) It teaches with manipulatives for the Kinesthetic
and Visual Learners and video instructions (VHS or DVD)
& music (skip counting songs on cassette or CD) for
the Auditory & Visual Learners. The teacher's manual
includes instructions and the answers. The student workbook
includes practice pages and review. There are three practice
pages for each lesson so that you child can do one or
more depending on his particular needs to understand the
lesson. Following the practice pages, there are three
review pages which includes one or more problems from
the current lesson and from all the previous lessons so
that your child will not forget what he learned earlier
in the year. Again, your child may or may not need to
do all the pages.
Video-Text
Interactive. This six-video course covers Pre-algebra
through Algebra II. The graphics make this a real winner
for your Visual learner,
but all learners will benefit
from this course. The
program is set up to take two years, but you can begin as
soon as your child is ready for pre-algebra. Spread the
videos out over three years or more if your start early.
This is an expensive curriculum, but if you want your child
to really learn algebra and not just plug in the numbers,
this is the program to buy.
Recommended
Alternatives to Video-Text Algebra:
Math 87, Third Edition, Home School Kit The Saxon
math program is an excellent math program for the Read/Write
learner and
advanced student. It's also a lot less expensive.
This is a pre-algebra course. If your child does not need
the extra practice, you could skip to the Saxon Algebra
1/2 textbook.
Most
math textbooks integrate geometry into their algebra program.
Video Text Interactive; however, does NOT include geometry
in their algebra curriculum. (They are working on a geometry/trigonometry
video series projected to be completed by summer 2004.) In
the meantime, you can use the following for a geometry course.
If your child is using the Saxon Algebra textbooks, he will
benefit from taking a brief detour from the textbook and completing
any of the following:
Blueprint for Geometry Book . This book presents a two
to three week project where students become junior architects.
They learn how to read and draw blueprints and elevations,
how to take measurements and reduce them to scale, how to
compute building costs, and about the skills needed by architects,
engineers, and builders. This project will help students
develop thinking skills as they solve problems with measurement,
scale, and architectural symbols. Highly recommended for
the Visual and Kinesthetic learners
as it will help them move from the concrete to the abstract.
Saxon Advanced Math, Home Study Kit . The Saxon math
program is an excellent math program for the Read/Write
learner and
advanced student. Topics include algebra,
geometry, trigonometry, discrete mathematics, and mathematical
analysis. A rigorous treatment of Euclidean geometry is
also presented. Conceptually oriented problems that prepare
students for college entrance exams (such as ACT and SAT)
are included in the problem sets.
Try
Don Cohen's Calculus
By and For Young People. This program is designed
for ages 7 and up, but even at this age, it would be a
good introduction in calculus. He also recommends this
for kids who are interested in computer graphics and morphs.
Great for the Visual learner. Purchase
at his website.
Calc
for the Clueless series by Bob Miller. Here's a
book that every calculus student should read. It's a simple-to-understand
book that was written to the student, not to teachers. It
makes calculus more appealing to everyone, even the child
hates math.
-Calc
for the Clueless, Precalc,
-Calc
for the Clueless, Calc I,
Work
with Probability and Statistics . This
48-page workbook is an introduction to probability and
statistics created for students in grades 4 - 6; however,
I recommend it for any age. The easy-to-read text, charts,
and other visual aids will benefit Visual
learners of all ages.
Probability,
Statistics and Graphing . This 48-page workbook is
an introduction to probability, statistics, & graphing
created for students in grades 4 - 6; however, I recommend
it for any age. The easy-to-read text, hands-on activities,
charts, and other visual aids will benefit Visual
and Kinethetic learners of all ages.
Saxon Calculus, Home Study Kit . This textbook prepares
students for careers in physics, engineering, finance, or
life science. It includes an intensive review of algebra,
trigonometry, and analytic geometry, as well as an in-depth
coverage of all the topics normally taught in the first
two semesters of a three-semester calculus sequence. This
is the best calculus curriculum available to all learners
at this time.
Consumer Math Success Kit . It's hard to find a good
consumer math textbook. They tend to cover things that
are not relevant to consumer math or they are a disguise
for more traditional mathematics. After looking at several,
this one appears to be the most useful. It covers banking,
budget, credit cards, eating out, grocery shopping, heating
costs, housing, income taxes, interest, investment, property
taxes, utility bills, travel and a few other items that
may or may not be relevant. I recommend that your child
complete Larry Burkett's,
Money Matters Workbook for Teens, Ages 15-18 . in
addition to, or instead of this curriculum.
Lifepac
Electives Accounting Complete Set . Students first
get a general overview of accounting, then learn about
specifics such as debits and credits; journalizing and
posting transactions; financial statements for a proprietorship;
payroll
accounting, tax recording, and payment; business simulation
activity; and more. This is a very good program that the
student can go through on his own.
The Accounting Game. This book provides
a first step to understanding accounting by using the
world of a kid's lemonade stand. I highly recommend it
to anyone who wants to understand concepts like assets,
liabilities, earnings, inventory and notes payable. You'll
learn about advertising, borrowing money, purchasing inventory,
and selling as well as create and understand an income
statement and balance sheet, track inventory using LIFO
and FIFO, and create cash statements and understand cash
flow and liquidity. A simplified approach that works,
especially for the Visual and Kinesthetic
learner.
There
are lots of resources on the internet that can help reinforce
your child's math skills. Check here fora
list of my favorite Internet
Resources for Math
Calc
for the Clueless series by Bob Miller. Here's a
book that every calculus student should read. It's a simple-to-understand
book that was written to the student, not to teachers. It
makes calculus more appealing to everyone, even the child
hates math.
BUSINESS
& CONSUMER MATH
payroll
accounting, tax recording, and payment; business simulation
activity; and more. This is a very good program that the
student can go through on his own.