I know that someone uses Saxon math with their EL kids but I can’t think who all uses it? I’d like to know how it is working for EL kids who are a couple of levels into it now.
To those who do use Saxon:
How are you guys finding Saxon Math at this point in your journey? (How long/many levels have you used Saxon for?)
What age did your kid start Saxon?
What did you use prior to Saxon?
What made you chose Saxon over other, equally popular programs?
Are you using the older editions or newer editions?
Do you use the “Warm up” and drill sheets that come with the Saxon books?
How do you teach it? Do you use the white board to present the lessons or does your child just read the lesson from the book?
Do you “tweak” Saxon to keep it fun–If so, what do you do to keep it “fun”?
Now that you’ve had more time and experience with the program, can you offer a review of it and give some tips about what you would and would not do if you had it to do all over?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can and does answer!
Was hoping others would reply to this… I know there are a few others who use Saxon here.
My 7 year old son is almost finished 7/6. Plan is to finish by the end of the year. We did 5/4 and 6/7 quite quickly but then we got about 1/2 way through 7/6 and pretty much dropped it for close to a year as my son was sick and it was just too much of a struggle to get him to do math or much of anything else until he was feeling better.
We never did the earlier years. All we did was a (American) kindergarten workbook that I had and than a (Australian) grade 2 and I think part of grade 3 workbooks that again were simply because I had them. Then we jumped into 5/4.
From memory I think he was a bit over 5 1/2 years old.
We chose Saxon because it was a solid program that was well recommended among homeschoolers and if we follow it through I know that he will be very solid in math. It was also relatively easy to get second hand copies of including solutions booklets which become important the higher you go.
I think I’m using the older editions but would have to double check. I know they are
recommended particularly as you get higher.
We don’t do the supplemental booklets. The drill sheets are beneficial but they are long for young children. For basic multiplication/division I think an ipad app would be easier and a lot more fun.
We just read the lesson together from the book.
We don’t tweak it or keep it fun
Which brings us to where we are at this point. It has been good but it is definitely not fun or inspiring a love of math in my child. We will definitely finish 7/6 but I’m not sure where we are going from there.
I also have a 4 year old daughter and I’m not sure whether I will use Saxon with her or not. She is just a different child and doesn’t seem to pick up math ideas as quickly as my son did. But I will see where she is in a year.
When you resumed after being away from Saxon math for so long–how did your son handle it? Had he forgotten a lot of the math work or was it easy for him to get back into the flow of things? (I ask because Saxon’s incremental approach is purported to develop and instill long term retention in students)
How long had you intended to use Saxon? Where you originally planning to do all of the elementary series (54/87) or where you going to use the Highschool level materials also?
Also, if you think that Saxon is worth finishing, then have you considered “tweaking” the way that you use the books? I know that you are supposed to do every exercise in every practice set everytime, but c’mon, what is EL for if not adapting higher level materials down to a kids needs/level. By tweaking you may find that it is easier to get through and it might make it possible and plausible for you to finish the Saxon series, or at least up to Saxon 8/7?
Why not do every lesson (reading, examples, and the “lesson practice”) but do every other review problem set? So teach and do the lesson practice for 1 and 2 on the same day, then do every problem in the problem set for Lesson 2?
It could help you move through the books a lot faster, and I find that once you have elementary math down pat, it is easier to spend time on other things like problem solving, and “fun” math.
He had forgotten some of it but you review everything all the time so it didn’t take too long. The hardest thing has been to try to get him back doing a majority of it independently. We haven’t got there yet…
I do have the next 2 or 3 levels of Saxon so I guess I had ‘planned’ to follow Saxon the whole way but they are pretty loose plans.
I know some people only do even/odd problems. Yes, I will consider how we can still use it without it being detrimental to our schooling. It is a good program but a lot of work especially for a 7 year old.
I had a quick look and I have 8/7 and algebra 1/2. I really only looked through them for a few minutes but it looks like the first 1/2 (60 lessons) of 8/7 are a review of 7/6. We will probably just read through those lessons and do the lesson practice and skip the mixed practice ( that saves 1800 questions just there!). If he needs more practice of something I will just find worksheets on whatever topic we need. The next 60 lessons I will decide when we get there:)
There seems to be quite a jump between 8/7 and Alg 1/2. The print is smaller and there seems to be less white space on the page. Also the language used seems to jump as well.
How are you guys finding Saxon Math at this point in your journey?
It is working well for us, it is not an “exciting” program but it is complete and I feel like he is getting a top notch math education. For us the spiral method is the right choice. I have found so many times that if kids take a break from a skill they forget it, and that is why we chose to stay away from mastery programs from the upper elementary years on. My 8 year old started 5/4 at age 6. My younger son who just turned 5 will start within the next year. What age did your kid start Saxon?
My older son started Saxon at age 6. I intend to start with my younger son after he completes the 3rd grade curriculum of the program he is using now (Singapore). What did you use prior to Saxon?
With my older son we used a mix of flashcards, Kumon and Jones Genius. I felt like although those programs really helped with the mechanics of math they didn’t instill the intrinsic number sense I was hoping he would have. So with my younger son we have done Singapore and I feel like he has the “number sense” that I was looking for. I plan on keeping him on Singapore until he finishes grade 3 then switching to Saxon 5/4. What made you chose Saxon over other, equally popular programs?
Spiral program, comprehensive, goes through calculus, proven track record. Are you using the older editions or newer editions?
Older editions written by John Saxon before they were sold to Houghton-Mifflin. Do you use the “Warm up” and drill sheets that come with the Saxon books?
Yes, we also have the boys do fact practice in a flashcard format using Sterling Math facts to make sure the facts are really internalized. The warm ups teach mental math strategies and offer one complex problem each day to test your problem solving skills. The drill sheets help with fact memorization. In the level my son is in now he is also memorizing conversions with them and measurement facts. How do you teach it? Do you use the white board to present the lessons or does your child just read the lesson from the book?
My son does his corrections from the day before and any that are still wrong we do together. He then reads the lesson, does the sample problems on scratch paper with the book, times himself on the drill sheet and then does the lesson. Do you “tweak” Saxon to keep it fun–If so, what do you do to keep it “fun”?
We do not tweak Saxon, but we do give him a reward whenever he finishes a book. He can also get “Wii time” by getting 100% on lessons/drill sheets. Now that you’ve had more time and experience with the program, can you offer a review of it and give some tips about what you would and would not do if you had it to do all over?
I plan on doing things the same way again next time.
