We recently changed schools and my daughter was placed into Honors Algebra 2 (for 9th grade) at a new school. In 8th grade she was in Honors Algebra 1. The school does not need any credit for the Algebra 2 but we would just like to have a summer school Geometry class just to be safe. She has free time this summer and would also be willing to do an Algebra 2 shorter course just to do better this year in school than last year, and get better grades. We are willing to do summer school locally, but I’m just looking into summer school online, or any programs like that as we might be going overseas (she would still have time though). Does anyone have any experience with any programs like this? How do they work, teach the students and how do they test the students? How are these programs in comparison to regular summer schools? Thanks!!
Most schools teach Geometry after Algebra1. Is this school expecting her to take it after Algebra2? Or why didn’t they place her in Geometry?
@mathyone At the school, most people do Algebra 2 after Geometry. However, she did really well on the placement test. At her previous school, we tried to get her placed above but the regulations were very strict. She did outside math classes which may have helped her.
Is she taking Geometry in summer school to replace Geometry in high school? Or is she taking Algebra 2 in summer school to give her a base when she takes Algebra 2 in high school? If the former, why the acceleration in math? Her current pace (Geometry in 9th, Algebra 2 in 10th, and so on) places her in Calculus in 12th grade.
@SlackerMomMD the new school is a magnet school that has only geometry and algebra 2 available in 9th grade, and one would have to take algebra 2 in order to take Math HL in the 11th and 12th grades, which she wants to do. The school only offers the IB diploma, so AP classes aren’t an option. She gets pretty good grades in math (95 test avg), but we would just like to make sure that she doesn’t miss anything in geometry. If she has time in the summer, we would like to take some form of algebra 2 to give a base for the school year, but we should still be fine if this isn’t possible.
She can take this:
http://artofproblemsolving.com/school/schedule
She can participate in one 90 minute online session each week. If she miss the class she can use the complete transcript of the session. She will work and submit HW via email. She will receive detailed comments from the grader. There will be also an online board for students to discuss about the HWs.
It will be challenging but she will learn a lot.
@coolweather We will look into this option, but the only thing I didn’t like is that the class ends in November, well after school starts.
Florida virtual school allows all Florida residents to take classes for free, but there is a charge for OOS students. Geometry and Alg 2 are both offered. She can work at her own pace, finishing in weeks or months.
Another option is taking classes at the tutoring places, Kumon or Math+, or Silvan Learning. No credit, but most can run them through the courses and back track for any missing units. Some kids find it fun to go run the worksheets every day. My friend’s kids, all three now engineers and all three IB grads, did Kumon for years.
A solid foundation in Alegebra !, alegebra II, and Geometry is important to perform well on the SAT exam. I wouldn’t rush it. By the time she gets to 11th grade she may have to refresh this material to do well on the math portion of the SAT. HL math is very challenging. In our high school only 6 students got recommendation to take HL Math in 11th grade. My daughter earned an IB Diploma in high school. It is my understanding that in Kumon they don’t teach geometry.
What state are you in? If it is CA, the UC system has special rules about Geometry being specifically required as a transcripted class.
@twoinanddone the only problem with this I think is that only one semester is covered in the summer course, and I don’t know if they can be taken concurrently or what ways to do that. Thanks for the response though!
We are looking into summer school in our school district but the hard part is that a lot of them are only one semester’s worth in the summer. Have any of you guys had experience with taking a full course in the summer somehow? Thanks!
Florida virtual moves at whatever pace the student wants. You could sign up for two semesters, but the students would have to move very quickly. You said you don’t want credit, so if she only does a semester, is that bad? My nephew is taking Calc II at a local college this summer. It is a ton of work to fit into 8 weeks of the summer, even for a college kid.
https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-geometry-schoolyourself-geometryx
EdX is great. I understand your dilemma too. I took Algebra I in 8th grade, then transferred to a high school with the IB program. I had to take a math placement test which put me in Algebra II with sophomores as a freshman - essentially skipping Geometry. I was able to change my schedule to have both at the same time. Is that an option? I thought it was great, personally.
@twoinanddone @undeuxtroiscat since you have experience with both of these courses, I was just wondering how the testing/assessments and teaching is conducted. Are there videos by teachers, or are they teaching live, and how are the testing or quizzes conducted? Thanks for your responses!!!
For Florida Virtual, there are lessons online that the student completes, and then discusses with the teacher by phone, email or live chat. Some classes have group projects that the students are put in contact to complete.
My daughter took two classes online, a health class/PE and French. The PE class was easy. She kept a log of physical activity, did the online modules, took a CPR class on a Saturday, and took the test. French was a lot harder and she didn’t like it. There were online listen exercises, oral tests with the teacher, written quizzes, etc. She’d do a bunch, then wait, then more. She didn’t like it and I didn’t either.
Many of her friends took online classes, and in fact it is now a requirement that every high school student take one to graduate. The good students in the classroom were good students online. Kids who struggled in school struggled online. I saw one kid doing her homework at a lacrosse game and I don’t believe she was focused.
She can get a peak at geometry at:
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/geometry
they also have Algebra II on there. I’d also recommend Coursera but it does not offer geometry
I was just going to suggest Khan Academy. It’s fantastic.
I would not suggest EdX.
Other possibilities: Virtual High School or Aventa Learning have online algebra 2 classes, which are graded. Many community colleges do too (sometimes with one class on campus for orientation).