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Guided Discovery Textbooks
for Student-Centered Learning
Summit Math books are designed to improve both teaching and learning by guiding students through topics in a logical order.
See what parents, teachers and students are saying about Summit Math Books.
Learn more about these books and how they can help teachers and students.
Algebra 1 Series
7 Books. 760+ pages. 1,900+ scenarios.
Algebra 2 Series
8 Books. 880+ pages. 2,100+ scenarios.
Parent Testimonials
“ I have two boys who are experiencing the Summit Math program at the same time, but one year apart. One is a more traditional visual/auditory learner and the other a disproportionately visual learner, so often they can have quite different experiences in the same program. With Summit Math, they have both said, “This is the best way to learn math.” When asked about the program, my visual learner said, “It just makes sense.” My auditory/visual said, “It walks you through it. The problems explain the work and when I don’t get it, my teacher can guide me. It’s totally different from the classroom where the teacher tells you how to do it.” Summit Math is instructive, visual, logical, a well thought out progression of math problems that lead to more comprehensive understanding. We are really impressed and grateful for our boys’ understanding of what the math means, not just how to get problems right. In my husband’s words (working in finance and a product of rote math), we should all learn to understand math this way.”
“ I am absolutely thrilled with this math program. The books are so well organized and the content builds from one lesson to the next. As a parent, I feel confident that these are covering all the critical concepts so that there are no gaps in knowledge. It is particularly helpful that children can go at their own pace. Of course, having the answers is also incredibly important to both the children and the parents. I hope these books can be used in many classrooms throughout the country because I believe that they are best in class.”
“ As the mother of a teenage daughter who previously had occasional difficulty in math, it was refreshing to watch her actually enjoy her math class and to understand the subject matter without struggling. Going at her own pace and not being stressed about keeping up if she did not understand a concept as quickly as another student helped to build her confidence and to encourage learning.”
“ I have three kids that have used Summit Math. Using these books, they have more freedom to learn and explore at their own pace during class, with notes already incorporated within the book. The act of figuring out the next step on their own clearly enhances their understanding of the material. The kids are also able to get direct help from their teacher when they have a specific question.”
“ Summit Math Books not only helped my daughter learn the math, they helped her to love learning math in and of itself! Summit Math books have a fun, self-paced way to explain math concepts, with interesting information about real-world applications and/or an introduction to math concepts kids will see in future years. Being good at math often requires practice; this book offered fun, real-world math problems that motivated my kid to WANT to understand concepts and look forward to solving more problems.”
“ The Summit Math books are fantastic. My son has always been a math wiz but doesn’t always want to learn the basics before moving on to more complex concepts. These books ensure that he builds the proper foundation and understands the concepts involved instead of just memorizing formulas. This results in a deeper understanding and also enables him to move ahead at an advanced pace without skipping the proper steps or having to wait on anyone. He likes the Summit Math books much better than any other math books that he has ever used.”
“ Summit Math has given my daughter confidence and strategies to make sense of math in a personal way and apply that learning to new concepts. She is no longer intimidated by math and is now confident in her abilities to problem solve.”
“ My son has learned Algebra using both the Summit Math Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 series. He finds he learns more and easier using these Summit Math books than the conventional math textbook, which normally is a lot thicker and more bulky to carry around. My son particularly enjoys his independence in learning from these workbooks because he can learn at his own pace. Each of these workbooks has ample math scenarios logically developed and carefully crafted to guide his learning step by step to understand, practice, and eventually master the math concepts in each workbook. He truly enjoys this innovative learning approach.”
Teacher Testimonials
“ Summit Math emphasizes understanding concepts rather than memorizing rules. Students are encouraged to share their thoughts to help classmates understand the underlying concepts of a problem. Students take ownership while acquiring the necessary skills to solve meaningful math problems, and they share great pride, and a sense of accomplishment, for their collaborative efforts.”
“ Summit Math allows students to work at their own pace which allows me the opportunity to provide individualized attention to those who need it. The collaborative nature of the curriculum has students speaking the language of math while sharing ideas with their classmates. I love that previously learned concepts are continually reinforced throughout the curriculum, and that exercises are also provided for those who want to try a greater challenge.”
“ Summit Math is a different approach to the way I have typically thought about teaching math. It is refreshing to switch things up and put learning in the students hands.”
“ It has been a real benefit having problem sets that are explicitly designed to guide students through the development of their understanding of the how and why behind the concepts they are studying.”
“ I like how each book uses an incremental learning approach to develop each topic.”
Student Testimonials
“ The Summit Math books are unlike typical textbooks. They allow students like myself to truly grasp the topics in each book. It doesn't matter how you learn or what speed you go at, these books are made so you can learn at your own pace while still understanding all the material. You have to make sure to check the answer key after each problem, try to figure out what you did right or wrong, and if needed, ask a teacher/peer for help. These books make learning math enjoyable.”
“ You don't just memorize, you actually understand it.”
“ It requires more thinking, more wit.”
“ The Summit Math Books have guided me through algebra. They are the stepping stones of what it takes to think like a mathematician, not only the how’s of a scenario, but also the why’s. I would definitely recommend the series to other inspired students. I look forward to seeing new content and I hope more books come out soon.”
“ I like how each book goes slowly.”
“ It's nice to work with other students.”
“ I really enjoy learning from these books instead of a traditional teacher-at-the-board, students-at-the-desk sort of method. They allow me to work at my own pace, which I am sure other students like as well and they clearly demonstrate how concepts are built over other concepts.”
“ You can get 1-on-1 help.”
“ The book explains everything.”
“ Learning math with the Summit Math books is an experience like no other thanks to the various types of scenarios and the clear way of explaining how to do each type of scenario. The scenarios are unique in the way that each and every one of them encourages you to explore the topic a little more. The explanations throughout the book explain multiple ways of solving a certain type of scenario, not just one way. Overall, if you like to learn at your own pace AND have a deep understanding of the topics you are learning, I would recommend the Summit Math books for you.”
“ It can be embarrassing to ask questions if you are confused because the entire class is watching. This way there is more privacy.”
“ Even if you work slow, the homework matches what you do.”
About the Books
Learning math through Guided Discovery:
Guided Discovery is designed to help you experience a sense of discovery as you learn each new topic.
Why this curriculum is named Summit Math:
Learning through Guided Discovery can be compared to climbing a mountain. Climbing and learning both require effort and persistence. In both activities, people naturally move at different paces, but they can reach the summit if they keep moving forward. Whether you race rapidly through these books or step slowly through each scenario, this curriculum is designed to keep advancing your learning until you reach the end of the book.
Guided Discovery Scenarios:
The Guided Discovery Scenarios in this book are written and arranged to show you that new math concepts are related to previous concepts you have already learned. Try to fully understand each scenario before moving on to the next one. To do this, try the scenario on your own first, check your answer when you finish, and then fix any mistakes, if needed. Making mistakes and struggling are essential parts of the learning process.
Homework and Extra Practice Scenarios:
After you complete the scenarios in each Guided Discovery section, you may think you know those topics well, but over time, you will forget what you have learned. Extra practice will help you develop better retention of each topic. Use the Homework and Extra Practice Scenarios to improve your understanding and to increase your ability to retain what you have learned.
The Answer Key:
The Answer Key is included to promote learning. When you finish a scenario, you can get immediate feedback. When the Answer Key is not enough to help you fully understand a scenario, you should try to get additional guidance from another student or a teacher.
Benefits for Teachers
Less full-class lecturing = More 1-on-1 helping. Move around the room as students learn.
Differentiate instruction. Diverse students naturally learn at diverse paces. While students work through the scenarios in each book, their readiness can determine their pace.
Facilitate cooperative learning groups. When students share their ideas, the teacher no longer needs to be the only person students go to for guidance.
New to teaching? The books arrange topics in a logical order. Let them help you plan your lessons.
When these books guide student learning, the class size can feel smaller, because some students may need minimal guidance.
The books spiral back to previous content, making students look back as they move forward.
Benefits for Students
Students can learn math at different paces and they can work in groups to learn with other students.
Students write in the books, reducing the challenge of taking notes while listening to a teacher talk.
Some students can learn each topic without additional guidance from a teacher.
Students who need extra help can get 1-on-1 help from their teacher or work through their classmates to resolve confusion.
About the Author
Alex Joujan, M.S.Ed
Alex Joujan is a faculty member at The Pingry School in Basking Ridge, NJ where he has been teaching since 2011. During this time he has been the recipient of two awards for his teaching. Alex started writing his own resources in 2013 to improve the learning experience in his classroom. This project developed into the Summit Math series of books, so named to reflect that his curriculum is like hiking; although hiking requires effort and persistence, people can hike at different paces and still reach the summit of the hike. Similarly, Summit Math books are designed to guide students toward a mastery of each topic, while allowing students to learn at their own pace.
Alex was born in Mukinge, Zambia and moved to Chattanooga, TN when he was 5. His family moved to TN after his father died in a car accident, and he is grateful to the many people who guided him through his childhood. His decision to pursue a career in teaching was partially motivated by his appreciation for the impact that his teachers had in his life. In 2005, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Muhlenberg College. In 2006, he earned his M.S. Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2006, he was also awarded a 5-year teaching fellowship from the Knowles Teacher Initiative.
Alex hopes his curriculum writing efforts play a part in improving the learning experience for both teachers and students.
