August 21, 2007
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~Homeschooling question~
I don’t really want to teach Saxon Math- I find it really blah and boring. However the boys have done several years of Saxon at Mars Hill Academy. Should I just stick with it? How is Math U See? Also what spelling curriculum would you recommend for second and fourth grade?
Comments (8)
I have the exact same impressions of Saxon Math – boring!! We’ve tried other curriculums that were more “colorful” and “interesting”, but ultimately, as of this fall, we will be back with Saxon again. Why? Because my husband, who happens to have a MS in Math, says that none of the others include enough repetition, and it is only repetition that establishes the proper foundation of skill at the elementary level. I have to trust him because I have zero degrees in math!
So … sigh. We’re going back to the drab, colorless, repetetive, yet effective Saxon.
Thanks, that really helped. I am about to order their Saxon books ~sigh~ because I know what you said is true! :spinning:
I have a friend that LOVES Horizons math. I use Mastering Mathematics but it’s because I have 2 children that struggle with math and MM is helpful for them. We are going to try Teaching Textbooks this year which I am so excited about but right now they only have the higher grades although they are working on the lower grades. ;o)
Last year was our first year using Math U See. My 14yo and my 7yo both loved it. My 12yo son, though, hated it. He has a “math brain” and felt very talked down to in the dvd’s. Saxon is on my list of ones to look at for him for this year. {sigh}
We use Saxon math but it is boring if you do all of it. I have usually skipped the meeting part unless there was something there to go over. We never did the flashcards either. I also went ahead quite a bit. I had the kids take the tests to see where we could start. There is enough repetition that we could always start 20-30 lessons in the book each year. 4th grade and up the book is different than the lower grades and enables the student to work very independently. I think Saxon is the best out there but not every kid will like it. If you can tailor to your needs then it is very very good and useful. It did take me a few months to find out how I could tailor it to the kids, but it works now. I think what I mostly end up doing is have the kids do their lesson until they get to the part that was the lesson of the day. If I can explain it in a few words and they get the concept, we leave it at that, if not, we go over the lesson in more detail. My oldest learns better when he does manipulatives, and my dd is very cerebral. I have found it easy to adapt to their needs. I like having the Saxon frame to fall back on if need be and since I am no math genius, to have this system, one that I can understand so far, will be helpful to me I think.
For spelling, we use Spelling Workout and Explode the Code.
We used Horizons and switched to something else because I thought there was too much repition – so maybe you’d love it
Horizons is a spiral approach like Saxon, and is very colorful. This year, Emily (our rising 5th grader) is doing Teaching Textbooks Pre-lgebra. So far she really likes it.
Saxon graduate here speaking… Saxon IS boring!
I settled for Horizons with my children for the spiral approach. That would be my suggestion if you wanted to change. If you stay with Saxon then I would suggest that you tailor the textbooks to your dc’s needs. If they got it then move on type of thing without expecting them to do all the work.
I have a homeschooling friend who has a degree in engineering (as does her husband). They love Singapore Math. I’ve got several of the books, but I’m so used to Saxon I find myself
I just got off the phone with my daughter’s Language Therapist who raved about Math-U-See. I will be using the online testing to place my highschooler and then purchase the right program for her. Apparently it is rich with manipulatives.
Most of my kids do very, very well with Saxon. For those of my kids who “get it” quickly, we will have them do either odd or even questions, or I’ll go thru the lesson and select those they actually need to practice. When I have kids that are really flying, I may even let them do lessons and practice, and skip the problem set. This is motivating for the students that would otherwise become bored.
The only way for math to be “fun” is to be applying it to other subjects. Some of the more “fun” ways we’ve used math is to get an outside tape measure and measure off shark sizes in the driveway (whale sharks are fun!); figuring out how much our girls are worth if they were
“worth their weight” in rubies (or gold, or diamonds); measuring out the solar system on a football field; figuring out time and measurements, etc. when cooking and adjusting recipes; and “planning” a trip: mileage, how much money we’d need for food, activities, gas, lodging, airfare, car rental, and going to Sea World or ???.
Hope this helps!
Anna-Paraskeva
Alaskan Orthodox Mommy to 13
(homeschooling 7 this year)