Rebecca Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I am having to reevaluate our math for next year... I would like input and opinions on these two programs. Please tell me about them- what you like- what you don't- what works, etc. Are they similar? How are they different? Thank you for your help! This is for first grade, third grade, and fourth grade... but future third and future fourth graders are not that strong in math at this time... Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesa Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Abeka math is very advanced and can quickly overwhelm the non mathy types. Saxon is sllllooooow spiral method and can bring the "mathy" or more "advanced" children to tears. Both programs are good traditional math programs. It just depends on your childrens learning styles as to which one to go with. (These are just my experiences with these 2 programs. Please dont flame me if I've offended *your* math program here.) I happen to love Singapore math, and MUS used as my cores. I do use Saxon for my 6 yr old. He has finished most of Saxon 1 during his Kindy year of school. Saxon Kindy isnt worth using for Kindy, it's just basic calender work, shapes colors etc. (No worksheets.) Saxon 1st is more like Kindy math in other math programs. I've also used Horizons math and that was a really good program as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share Posted June 14, 2009 No flames here... :) Thank you. Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsacco Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 My now 4th grader just started with Saxon 5/4 and loves it. Right now it is a lot of review - but it's building her confidence. My son is older and doing Algebra I and would like to know if he can PLEASE stop doing fractions....but it is strengthening his ability just fine and he continues to work with it. Can't give opinions of younger grades - however after just LOOKING at the Saxon I am kicking myself we didn't do it from the start.... yes it repeats - but it is such a confidence builder for a slower math student and the faster math student can skip it or do every other one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I love love Saxon math. We have used Saxon Math, 2, 3, just began 4 and my daughter is using 76. The first 20 or so lessons are review before new concepts are introduced. I think it is so thorough and my kids have learned all concepts so thoroughly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I use Saxon 2 or 3 for a year then switch to Horizons/Singapore. IMO, the way Saxon teaches the math facts is fabulous and the constant review is great. I have the Abeka books for 3-6th but have never used them because after Saxon I use Singapore w/Horizons as daily review. Abeka is very intense; my 8yos is very math-strong yet he didn't like the Abeka book at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCoffeeChick Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Another family happy with Saxon. I love math, it is my favorite subject, always has been. My ds also picks up on math quickly, but being a 6 year old boy cannot stand to work on the same thing for very long. Saxon works for us because of the spiral format. He would get bored real quick if we had to cover the same concept everyday. Plus when we get back to something that has already been covered, he breezes right through it and is more confident doing math. I love the easy format of the lesson books in the lower grades, there is hardly any prep work and it goes step by step on how to introduce topics. I know there are people who do not like it because the meetings are long and drawn out, but we don't do them as written, we pick and choose different things to do each day. (Monday we might do skip counting, Tuesday we practice counting our coins, Wednesday we practice the days of the week and months of the year....) It could get a little tedious if you covered all the review topics in the meetings every day. Sorry this got a little long. To end it quick and summarize the above: I love Saxon!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarleneW Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 We used Saxon the last 4 years while homeschooling. Our kids are in a private school this year and using Abeka. Abeka is good, but it can be overwhelming. There is not much review along the way, it advances pretty fast. We liked Saxon much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avila Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 We use Abeka for 1-3, and then we switch to Saxon (either 54 or 65, depending on the results of the placement test). Abeka is great for younger kids because it is colorful and fun to do. But it is advanced, and it moves VERY fast, with a big jump forward in the third grade book, IMO. I went with it because I was new to homeschooling and wasn't sure how long we would do it, so I wanted something that I knew would prepare her to go back to school, if necessary, and Abeka is used in private schools. It is also very economical, and I had a good friend who used it. But if I had it to do over again for my first child, I would have chosen something else. I think Abeka is great for kids who love math and don't need the repetition, but for my oldest DD, who started in the 2nd grade book, it was too much. Abeka didn't give enough problems for the new concept for it to take, and so she was constantly frustrated. Even with that going on, she tested well on the CAT test and the placement test to Saxon. She tested into Saxon 65 (barely), but since she was so math-phobic by then, I put her in Saxon 54. She loves Saxon. My next DD started with Abeka and has not had that problem, and I have started my youngest in it as well. I don't think I would start a 3rd or 4th grader in Abeka, but if I did, I would definitely go at least a grade below (especially if your child is not strong in math to begin with). The first grader should be fine starting with Abeka Math 1. Good luck choosing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share Posted June 14, 2009 where would I start a first grader- in Saxon 1 or Saxon 2? How can I find a placement test? Thank you so much for all this help! Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Rebecca, The Sonlight website has a placement test for Saxon. Depending on past math, you may find your child places up a grade. Some unusual things are covered early in Saxon, but don't worry if your child doesn't test well on them--things like perfect squares and some geometry--they are covered again more deeply in the next level, so, if your child does well on the test except for those items, they should be ok. Also, the format for k-3 is much different that for 5/4 (the fourth grade). I loved the younger years because of the scripted TM and the unique way things are covered (DO THE MEETING...). 5/4 and above are written to the student and only have a tests/worksheets (fact sheets) and solutions. Also, the students have to copy out the problems starting in 5/4 (I will probably write out some for my dd, since we use it a year ahead). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Well, I'll have to be the nay-sayer and say, though I liked Saxon, my kids couldn't stand it. We gave it a go twice, at different levels, but it just did NOT work for them at all! In fact, it made my previously precocious mathy dd hate math! :( It's taken a long time to get past that, but she's back to liking it okay again, but she's still missing the joy she used to have with it. The other two didn't like it either. Anyway......... We love the A Beka K-2 math books, and 3 was not too bad, but didn't like them after that. Have you looked at CLE Math? I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard it's really good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 We use A Beka (started 3 at the end of the school year, spending the summer cementing math facts before getting back into it). If your child seems to balk at the quick pace, I'd spend plenty of time on each lesson. I found there was _too_ much review and drill in many cases. We don't do everything on the workbook pages because it was too much. I was able to speed up A Beka 2 by doing 1 1/2 lessons (or 2 lessons) per day at some points. At other points, we would stop to review things. It all depends on the kid. I am going through "half speed" with Child #2 through A Beka 1 because she is having a tough time with some of the basic math concepts (writing/reading two-digit numbers, isn't noticing the difference between subtraction vs. addition when reading the problem on the sheet, etc.). Each family (and possibly each kid) is going to feel differently about A Beka & Saxon. Some love one & dislike the other. Some dislike both. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderfilled Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I've been trying to decide between Saxon and A beka, too. I can't figure out how to post new questions so I'll ask my question here. (I was about to post a question about posting new questions when I realized I didn't know how to do that.:001_smile:) I'm sure I'm missing something very simple. Can anybody tell me when the A beka workbooks turn into something more like textbooks (the kind you're not supposed to write in)? I can't seem to tell from their website. Thanks a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUV2EDU Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I've been trying to decide between Saxon and A beka, too. I can't figure out how to post new questions so I'll ask my question here. (I was about to post a question about posting new questions when I realized I didn't know how to do that.:001_smile:) I'm sure I'm missing something very simple. Can anybody tell me when the A beka workbooks turn into something more like textbooks (the kind you're not supposed to write in)? I can't seem to tell from their website. Thanks a lot. To post a new thread, go to Parent's Forum K-8 Curriculum Board and click on New Thread. Abeka's website states that their Prealgebra book is a worktext. However, Algebra and above does not state this. Their samples appears to be in a textbook format. Algebra I https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/ViewSample.aspx?sbn=82406 Sample Page https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/SampleGallery.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicA Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I haven't used Abeka with my kids yet, but I went to a private school that used Abeka from K-8. I think it prepares you very well for high school and college. I even minored in math in college. I always had an easy time with math, and I think it was because of Abeka. I have seen a lot of people say that there is too much drill work, and I honestly can't remember if that is true. I just figure they provide more problems to solve in case you need them. My daughter will be doing Math K4 this year, and I am excited to use Abeka with her. I've looked into Saxon as well, and it looks pretty good. If we were to have a problem with Abeka, I would definitely consider using Saxon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderfilled Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Thanks for the help. So, if the book is labeled as a worktext it means that the student is supposed to write in it if I understand correctly. I've been using A beka for grades 1-3 but I'm considering switching to Saxon for 4th grade. I think A beka does a great job explaining things in the younger grades but I'm wondering if it doesn't move a little too fast for my ds. If I'm understanding correctly, Saxon moves more slowly. To post a new thread, go to Parent's Forum K-8 Curriculum Board and click on New Thread. Abeka's website states that their Prealgebra book is a worktext. However, Algebra and above does not state this. Their samples appears to be in a textbook format. Algebra I https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/ViewSample.aspx?sbn=82406 Sample Page https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/SampleGallery.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangearrow Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I like Saxon. Quite a lot, actually. But, those worksheets for the 1st-3rd grades! Oh my!!! After the 2nd daughter made it through the 2nd grade Saxon, we moved along to Saxon 5/4 (which is textbook based). DS is starting 1st grade, and we're using Abeka this year (we also used Abeka for K). We'll probably use Abeka for 2nd grade too. I just don't think I can bring myself to deal with those Saxon worksheets ever again. :001_unsure: They'll all use Saxon 5/4, though. Then, move to Teaching Textbooks 7 and PreAlgebra. I'm not sure if we'll use TT or Saxon for Algebra and up - I'm very tempted to use both when we reach those levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I'll also throw out a CLE recommendation. I used ABeka and Saxon at different grade levels and prefer CLE. It is a very thorough, strong math program with lots of review. Concepts are introduced more incrementally than ABeka, and the instruction in the workbook is much better. Speed drill are included in the workbook, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Have you looked at CLE Math? I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard it's really good! I'll also throw out a CLE recommendation. I used ABeka and Saxon at different grade levels and prefer CLE. It is a very thorough, strong math program with lots of review. Concepts are introduced more incrementally than ABeka, and the instruction in the workbook is much better. Speed drill are included in the workbook, too. I'm not a fan of Abeka, and I don't care for Saxon, but we've been using CLE for a month now and I really like it. It's simple for the parent to administer (very much a "do the next thing" type of curriculum), it's very rigorous (yet gentle at the same time at the lower grades), it has review built into each lesson, and it's inexpensive. I can do all three of my children with CLE for less than the cost of two levels of Saxon. I also like that while CLE is a Christian publisher, they don't fill the math with so much Bible study that it's drowning out the math like some I've seen. (*cough* ACE *cough*) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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