Pam Sorooshian

>>He has requested an algebra course. Is there a better way to do this?
<<

How old is he?

Do you think he's really interested in a formal algebra study or just
dabbling in it a little for now? When kids are interested, then algebra
can be learned in a variety of different ways. I like the book, Algebra
Unplugged, as a starting point - it is a math book for "word people" more
than any other, but even for us number-lovers it is a great introduction to
all the main ideas of algebra. I'd definitely read through that before
starting or along with starting any kind of more traditional algebra
program that involves just mostly learning "how to do" algebra.

Harold Jacobs algebra book is rigorous and good - perfect for pretty mature
people who enjoy delving into things, really investigating and thinking
about stuff. There is as much learning in the questions as in the content
of the text.

The Key to Algebra series is good for just plain old practice - it is "how
to do" algebra, with almost no information about why you'd ever want to do
it or why it works. Not very interesting - but friendly practice stuff.

I think getting really good conceptual understanding BEFORE doing the "how
to do" stuff is a good idea. You could get algebra puzzle stuff from
Critical Thinking Press and algebra games from other sources.

I personally do not think doing a formal algebra program before the age of
14 or 15 or even later is a good idea unless the kid is SO self-motivated
that he just does it himself and clearly loves it.

You might fool with Calculus by and for Kids as an alternative -- there is
also Calculus for Cats by the same author as Algebra Unplugged.

Also - he could fool with Astro Algebra -- the computer game in the Mighty
Math series - not a rigorous algebra course, but excellent for developing
conceptual understanding.

--pam


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Pam Sorooshian

>>I know I just used this analogy the other day, but algebra is taught in the
same way it would be to teach musical notation to someone who neither sang
nor made music, nor had really heard music.

<<

This is why I think 14 or 15 is plenty early enough to even think about
some kind of formal algebra program. EVEN that only for those kids who want
to do it for some specific reason - kids who are already highly motivated.

Before that, it is very unlikely that they've picked up all the underlying
concepts and stuff that they should already know BEFORE doing a
"notational" version of algebra.
Even those kids who picked up calculations and seem to be able to do it
STILL have a lot of internalizing of ideas to do during their early or even
late teen years. And - its more worthwhile to spend time in speculation on
things like why dividing by zero is not allowed or what happens when you
keep cutting something in half over and over and over and what does
"infinity" really mean, etc. Thinking about stuff like that and playing
LOTS of games and just being alive and time going by - will get kids READY
for the kind of thinking that it takes to get through the algebraic
equivalent of learning the structure of music, the notation, scales,
chords, etc.

--pam

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[email protected]

In a message dated 11/4/02 4:27:18 PM Central Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:

<< I remember someone's daughter looking for a Barbie skateboard (Ren? >>

Yes. That was my Sierra....she figured the boys would never want to borrow it
if it had Barbie as decoration!! We went to Toys-R-Us today and found one
that is both a scooter and skateboard, only $20.
Guess what Santa is bringing?

Thanks for the info.

Ren