Can you all tell me why you like Jacob's Elem. Algebra., or Lial's Algebra, or Teaching Textbook? How about NEM? Foerster's? (sm)

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Posted by karenciavo on 20:49 Jun 10

Ds12 will be completing Lial's BCM by September. He's also done Singapore 4B-6B, Saxon 65 & 76 since we have been home-schooling. I know he's ready for algebra, but even though he's very good at math he doesn't like it. He does like LBCM. I was going to switch to Jacob's because Veritas speaks so highly of it. Is Jacob's Elem Algebra as good as Veritas says it is? Should I just stick with Lial's? What about the other choices, what makes them unique?

Is there a place to see samples of any of these? Is there a curriculum guide (Cathy Duffy's?) that reviews these?

Thanks,
Karen

Follow Ups:

• Why I use Foerster's Algebra... - LaJuana 12:06 Jun 11 (4)
  • I just read a review of this on Mathematically Correct... - LisaNY 9:16 Jun 12 (0)
  • I am not as far as LaJuana, but I couldn't agree more. One strong vote for Foerster's. If only he had a Geometry text too!! (NT) - Lene in CO 22:22 Jun 11 (0)
  • Thank you LaJuana. This was very helpful... (sm) - karenciavo 17:08 Jun 11 (1)
    • The different editions vary little.... - LaJuana 22:54 Jun 11 (0)
• The only thing I didn't like about Jacobs was the lack of a solution manual. (nt) - Kim in ON 10:27 Jun 11 (3)
  • What is there just an answer key? nt - karenciavo 10:39 Jun 11 (2)
    • Answers, yes; solutions, no. (m) - Kim in ON 13:26 Jun 11 (0)
    • There is a teacher's manual with teaching ideas and answers. nt - Laura in CT 11:22 Jun 11 (0)
• Re: Can you all tell me why you like Jacob's Elem. Algebra., or Lial's Algebra, or Teaching Textbook? How about NEM? Foerster's? (sm) - Christina in ME 9:24 Jun 11 (1)
  • Thanks Christina. Yes my son sounds like your son. He wrote the word "Very" on all his Intensive Practice books and quoted Gandalf when he fought the Balrog on his Workbook cover. The one where Gandalf says "Go back to the Abyss..." nt - karenciavo 10:02 Jun 11 (0)
• Possible caution re: Jacobs - Kim in NH 7:09 Jun 11 (1)
  • I agree. The Geometry Book is exclusively "real life" application problems. m - Beth S 8:34 Jun 11 (0)
• We use Jacobs... - Laura in CT 6:29 Jun 11 (0)
• We checked out Lial's and Jacob's from the library... - Annette in WA 3:18 Jun 11 (4)
  • Question about Lial's page layout. - Linda (CT) 8:32 Jun 12 (1)
    • The copy I looked at... - Annette in WA 13:20 Jun 12 (0)
  • I totally agree with your daughter! Struggling right now to figure out how to use Lial for Algebra II. It's a muddle to me...nm - Anita in PA 11:36 Jun 11 (0)
  • So funny how people see things differently. I've looked at both and Jacobs was muddled to me, whereas Lial's was crystal clear. nt - gr8tful4grace 8:31 Jun 11 (0)
• Do you happen to have a large college or university nearby? I was able to see some of these in the closest university's curriculum collection. Or try inter-library loan. (nm) - Kareni 0:25 Jun 11 (1)
  • Great idea Karen. nt - karenciavo 17:09 Jun 11 (0)
• I would say stick with Lial's.... - Georgia in WA 23:13 Jun 10 (0)
• Did not like Foerster's nor Jacob's, like Lials and looking into NEM. nt - Donna S 21:23 Jun 10 (0)
• Karen.... - Anna 21:20 Jun 10 (2)
  • Everyone I know uses Saxon or they are younger :-(. I'll have to ask around when my co-op starts back up (sm) - karenciavo 21:24 Jun 10 (1)
    • Karen, I have the TT Algebra 1 book & CD's. We could get together so you can see them :-) - DB in NJ 13:29 Jun 11 (0)
• I have the same questions ... (more) - Martha in GA 21:14 Jun 10 (0)

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