Thinking About Next Year
I'm trying to make decisions about high school courses for next year. My biggest question is math. Is Algebra II really necessary? Gabriel and Hannah have no plans for careers in engineering or other areas that require higher math. Gabriel is considering a degree in business administration or management. The college he is considering does not require Algebra II so I am asking those with more experience and insight than myself in this area, do we need to take it? Your input (i.e. comments) is highly appreciated.
Labels: Algebra, College, Gabriel, Hannah, High School, Lesson plans
posted by KarenW at
1:32 PM
5 Comments:
No, no, and NO!!! Unless the college required it (and you said it didn't), than no. We are training our girls to be keepers of the home and start them in a home-based cottage business, so we aren't even doing Algebra I. Just lots of practical math, consumer math, business/entrepreneurial stuff, and the Math-U-See Stewardship package.
Continuing on with math might be more about the SAT preparation than what they actually need in college. Kendra has started to work on Algebra II on her own - and is not finding it too difficult thus far - and she isn't even wanting to do anything math related. She wants it to prep for the math on the SAT.
Her goal is to be a writer.
I would encourage you to give him a good math foundation for these reasons:
1 - In my recent experience as an accounting major, many business admin majors end up doubling or changing to accounting majors and are required to take a more advanced algebra class. Even business admin majors generally take an algebra class along with a statistics class.
2 - there is a thought process that you are developing with math. I understand t hat most people do not go on to use much of the math that they learn in high school, however I think it develops a certain logical way of thinking that does stay with you.
About three years ago I took a beginning physics class for a science credit. I will be honest - I do not remember any formulas but the logic and step by step thought process that was required has helped me out in problem solving for other things.
3- If Gabe or your daughters are at all interested in taking any type of computer programming classes they will need good math skills. Some of those classes were killer with my poor math background.
With my oldest we went through Saxon Algebra I and II. She went through half of Advanced Mathematics, but it was beyond what I could teach, and at that point we called it quits - I felt that the solid algebra and geometry she had learned was enough. She will tell you that she is bad in math, but she did very well, sailed through the standardized tests and GED, and if I had to do it again I would do that part exactly the same.
One thing we did was to take our time with the more advanced books, like taking a year and a half with algebra II.
Just my $.02. Since you asked :)
And, yeah - go ahead and steal my memoir. I'll make up a new one when I start over tomorrow.
PS - I said something about advanced math being beyond what I could teach and realized that was wrong - I had not been teaching Algebra II - merely reading along and learning with her. So what I should have said was that the advanced mathematics was just too difficult for me.
The HS years were more about being a facilitator than a teacher - I didn't have the memory, time or inclination to do lesson plans at that stage of the game!
Karen - We listen to our young adults when we reach this point. Two took it - two did not. We've not seen it required at any college that our young uns were interested in. This teaches them to consider all sides, make a difficult choice, and live with the consequences....good lessons to learn at home. LOL
It was difficult for me NOT to require say Alg 2 or Chemistry....but Mike keeps reminding me that when they need it/ if they need it, they will have the tools to pick it up. And they have.
Our two that chose not to do upper science and math are simply not going that direction at all. One has written two books and is looking for a publisher....plans to pursue being an editor. The other plans to be a homemaker but is currently doing an intern at a Crisis Pregnancy Center.
Post a Comment
<< Home