Rebecca Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 I have some questions! I hope someone can answer. 1.) If I am using the DIVE CD- do I also need to teach the new concept section to my son OR should he read the new concept section himself and "do it" independently? Does the DIVE CD replace the new concept section? 2.) If I am using the math facts practice with saxon- is using calculadder also- unnecessary? We are very weak in math facts right now. 3.) The textbook is very strict about doing every problem and not skipping anything. Is this true? I thought I had read that some people don't assign every problem. From what I see in our book: everything is in the textbook: warmup, new concept, mixed practice. That is all, right? No extra worksheets other than warmup drills, tests, and investigations? 4.) Has anyone used Singapore prior to switching to Saxon? If so, have you "kept" anything of Singapore "going"? Such as CWP ( I see that they now have 70 word problems every one should know)? Is this too much? How have you kept that mental math component? We have used Singapore for two years and are now switching our oldest two to Saxon. That is why I am asking. Thank you very, very, very much for your help. Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekmom Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 I'm using Saxon 5/4 with my 3rd grader right now (we did Saxon 1 in Kindergarten). She listens to the Dive and does all the lesson practice (which I like to check before she does the mixed review); after lunch, she does the evens on even lessons and odds on odd lessons for the mixed review. I personally think that all the problems would be a bit much for a 3rd grader, and I don't want to spend the majority of the day on math! However, if she were missing a lot on the mixed review, I would have her do more of that specific type of problem she was having trouble with (there are supplemental problems in the back). I know how tempting it is to feel like your child should do all the problems presented, but you have to remember that YOU are the teacher and YOU know best what your child needs. If your child consistently does well on 1/2 of the mixed review, I'd say he/she is learning and retaining the material! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 Thank you! My son is fourth grade. Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moni Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 1--He should read the 'instruction' himself. Then work the problems You mark the wrong ones He reworks them on his own. repeat, repeat, when they are all correct, take a red marker and write 100% on the top. 2-- He should already know his facts before doing Math 54. Does he know his facts? If not, I'd stop and have him master the math facts, all of them, plus minus times and divide. Then he can start the Math 54 3-- The textbook is very strict about doing every problem and not skipping anything. Is this true? Yes, it is true. Do every problem, every correction, every book. 4-- Has anyone used Singapore prior to switching to Saxon? No, but we used both :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 Moni- How long did you continue using Saxon and Singapore... how did you line it up? Thanks for your answers. I appreciate it. Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 This is our third year using Saxon and we are using 54 with my 4th grader. I am making him do every problem now because I think it is good review. In the future I will probably pick and choose what problems he has to do. That is what I have done in the past. At this point you need to be fairly confident in your basic math skills...addition, subtraction, multiplication. I have found lots of free stuff on the internet that we use to practice basic math facts in addition to using Saxon. There is no "rule" that you must do every problem. Do whatever works for you and your child. I have even done lessons out of order when I think it will work better for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest janainaz Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 We just started 4th grade and are 10 lessons away from being done with 5/4. We do the mental math practice and I teach the new concept. We go through a few sample problems before my son begins doing the full lesson. I make him do all the problems - he is usually done with math in about 45 minutes to an hour. He is strong in math and can handle doing all the problems. I guess some would think it would be a reason to not make him do all of them, but I just have him do it. If I had a child that struggled a bit more, I would not overwhelm him/her with 30 problems a day - as long as the concept was truly sinking in. We do the facts practice also, but I've been wondering how long we need to continue that. My ds knows his facts inside out - it seems to be a bit of wasted time at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 Thanks for all these responses. I am "taking notes." We are going to be starting on 54 on Monday. Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 Still hoping others can chime in with answers to my questions. Thanks, Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Yes, it is important to do every single problem in every single lesson. It's what makes Saxon...Saxon. There is a method to the problems presented; it isn't like other publishers that includes lots of the same kinds of problems in the lessons and expect the teacher to assign as many or as few as she thinks are necessary. The concepts build on themselves, and when you skip problems, you are missing it. It's better to take two days to do a lesson than to try to do it all in one day by skipping problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 (edited) We've done Saxon from the beginning, and once they hit 5/4, my boys watch the DIVE and read the lesson (if needed). They do the mental math and all of the lesson practice, and half the mixed practice (odds on odd lessons, evens on even lesson). I check their work, and if they miss any they rework the problems again. If they still have any they missed (rare) we work through them together. I've debated whether or not to have them do all the problems, but I really don't see the need. My older two (the only two who are beyond 3) consistently score well on the tests, and they both score very well on the ITBS. They both love math and they both love Saxon, so I don't really see a reason to change the way we do the lessons. I do give them one of Evan Moor's Daily Word problems every day, and we have Quarter Mile Math for drilling math facts. They don't do QMM every day, but they enjoy it when I remember to assign it. Edited August 22, 2009 by JudoMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moni Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Saxon and Singapore... how did you line it up? I didn't line it up. We just did either or both, daily, weekly, whatever. No schedule. :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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