Math help-What after TT Algebra 1?

[wonderfilled]

My son just finished Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1. He did really well and enjoyed it. He will be in 9th grade next school year. I like the looks of Carrie's plans for Geometry using Geometry A Guided Inquiry and the Math without Borders DVDs. However he will be in the World Geography guide and so I will not have her plans for math. I think I would like the plans since it doesn't look like it's very well scheduled out on its own. I'm considering different options, but am not sure what is the best.

1. I could buy the World History guides a year ahead to have the guide, but we would prefer to start the school year before September, and I really didn't want to buy the guide early.
2. I could try doing Geometry without the written plans.
3. I could have him do TT Algebra 2 and then he would be ready for geometry when he is in the World History guide. After that he could do TT Pre-Calculus. This would probably be more than enough math for him.
4. I could have him do some other Algebra to prepare him for Foerster's Algebra 2 after Geometry, but I'm not sure what, and I don't want to make him feel like he wasted his year of Algebra. The reason I'm considering this is that I understand it would be a tough leap from Teaching Textbooks to Foerster's. We have been happy with TT, though, and maybe we should just stick to it for Algebra.
5. I could even just do TT Geometry this coming year, but I (and he) sort of felt like a change of pace.

I'm not sure anybody can even help me with this. Maybe it's just a decision I have to make on my own, but if anybody has any advice or insight, I would be happy to hear it.

[StillJulie]

We are following the Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry sequence; so that is always an option. Some math-pros recommend it. It wouldn't be an unreasonable option.

In that case you could do TT Algebra 2...

[wonderfilled]

Thanks, StillJulie.

I guess I read that it's better to do Geometry first to give the student more time before he got into the harder concepts in Algebra 2, so I got a little scared of that route. But since he did great in Algebra 1 he probably would not have a problem.

And maybe because I loved Geometry so much during school I'm eager for him to get to it. But I know that's not a good reason.

[StephanieU]

I would say do Algebra 2 in your case. Then do the Geometry in the WH guide. Then I would see what Carrie has planned for Algebra 2 and advanced math. Also, you can see what career plans your son has. If it is anything that would require Calculus (business, anything science related, etc), then I would consider doing another year of algebra and calling it "advanced algebra" or something like that. The CC I teach at calls the class above College Algebra Advanced Algebra, and it is half of Pre-Calculus (other half is Trigonometry). So, it would be common name for something at that level. I would only do Trigonometry if your son is going into something that requires it - physics, engineering, math, and architecture are the only ones I can think of right now. Life sciences (medical fields) and business only require non-trig calculus normally. And then all other degrees normally don't require calculus at all.

[wonderfilled]

Thanks StefanieU!
Right now my son has no idea what he wants for the future. Maybe after we do TT Algebra 2 and Geometry we will have a clearer picture about the future and can make our decision from there concerning higher math.

[Tidbits of Learning]

Will the geometry actually have a schedule in WH? The Algebra doesn't in WG. It is just a suggested text to use and there isn't any type of scheduling within the HOD guide just a box that says to do it.

[wonderfilled]

You're probably right about the scheduling. I just assumed that there would be a schedule, but if there isn't one in the World Geography guide, then there probably isn't one in the World History guide.

[8arrows]

We did Alg. 1, Alg. 2, and then geometry. In your case, I might stick with the same publisher for Alg. 1 and 2. It would be no big deal to switch for geometry. However, you should know that we did use TT, so I could be biased. Carrie did not have the guides out when my older boys were in high school.