Saxon Math vs others

[ProudGrandma]

I have 3 kids...and we are using Saxon 1,2, and 3. If I did everything in each teacher's book, each day, we wouldn't have much time for anything else in our day. So, I don't do anything more than the drill sheet and the worksheet...and any teaching of the new concepts. I have read here time and time again that if you don't do everything that Saxon offfers, then you are doing the kids a disservice...BUT, my question is, how is NOT doing all of the "extras" in Saxon any different than other programs that don't offer it at all. I like the spiral of Saxon and wasn't planning on switching...but I was just wondering.

[Chris in VA]

Quick answer--

Because the teaching of the new concept does not occur in isolation in the "lesson" portion itself.

[LinRTX]

In the early grades much teaching comes in the meeting, but doing the meeting with 3 each day would take quite a bit of time! You could rotate the meeting and do a separate child each day (so only one child a day) or you could look at the meeting for all and do a different part with each child (with all of the others listening). I would try to work the meeting in someway to get the maximum benefit from the program.

 

It does get easier in Saxon 54--this is so different than the younger programs.

 

Linda

[momee]

I understand. Just wait till they get to high school - :auto: and you're catching up on who Erasmus is at the same time you're explaining tangents and proofs.

 

Haha. It'll all work out. I do see your quandry and it's one we all face as hs moms.

 

Maybe try to combine that circle timey stuff into one group time. In the lower grades alot of that is similar anyway.

 

Sorry to not be helpful in the vein you're looking for. It really is helpful. Not crucial but they go over stuff so much it's kinda ingrained in their little brains at the time they need to know it. By the time your child is in 3 I think - they'll know their 7 times tables just from going over how many days are in 1 week, 2 week etc. It's stuff like that that creeps into those extra things.

[StartingOver]

Saxon is much more self directed after K-3. Just get in as much as you can. I like the idea of rotating the meeting books. I know when I had three in 1-3 it was stressful, but it got easier each year after. Well until the older grades, I was thrilled when the DIVE CD's first came out. ;-)

[ProudGrandma]

What are DIVE Cd's??

[StartingOver]

What are DIVE Cd's??

 

They are instructional CD's that go with Saxon math. Saxon has since put out their own I think. I bought them for Algebra and up. But I think they are available with 5/4 and up. The kids can watch the step by step DVD then do the work. It will free up your time a lot. My kids didn't need them for 5/4 - Algebra 1/2 though.

[ProudGrandma]

so, I am still getting the message that if I can't seem to find a way to fit in the meeting stuff, that a different program would be better....if so, what would that be?? I didn't like MUS becasue it seemed like too much wasted paper becasue my kids didn't need all of the practice...6 sheets per lesson was too much and I couldn't get over the fact that if my kids didn't use it, then it was wasted...can't afford to buy and not use. So what do you guys suggest??

[Carol in Cal.]

I tended to do them in the car. It's easy to skip count there, for instance, and to count with a number line. The calendar work can be done with all of the kids together. I think that rotating the meetings works pretty OK, and that older kids can walk younger ones through the easier stuff, but I have an only child and have only a little experience with multi level math teaching to the same group of kids (although I have done a bit of it, using math games mostly) but those are some tricks that can work. Another thing you can do is pick a number of the day and let each child come up with two ways to get to that number. Then you follow along on a white board and let them all see what each one did, and add your own way. This exercise helps with mental math and introduces processes to the youngers that they will learn later on. I have done this with K-2 graders together, and it works better than you might think.

[StartingOver]

so, I am still getting the message that if I can't seem to find a way to fit in the meeting stuff, that a different program would be better....if so, what would that be?? I didn't like MUS becasue it seemed like too much wasted paper becasue my kids didn't need all of the practice...6 sheets per lesson was too much and I couldn't get over the fact that if my kids didn't use it, then it was wasted...can't afford to buy and not use. So what do you guys suggest??

 

I wouldn't change math if you like it. Just do what you can. There are many people who don't even use the younger, more teacher intensive K - 3 and go right into 5/4 without major issues. Each year builds on the last, so it isn't like 5/4 won't go over what you have done in previous grades. I wouldn't worry to much, try doing a meeting from one of your children, rotating as you go. Sure they might miss a little, but the spiral method will come back to it.

 

I love Saxon though.

[Mynyel]

I use Saxon Math and used it for 1 and will use it for 3. I didn't use the meeting book for 1 and my son seems to be doing just fine.

I switched to A Beka for 2nd because we went to a material showing and the kids liked the colorful workbooks.

We are going back to Saxon for grade 3. I am going to try the meeting book with this one because my son like that stuff however, imo, if you don't do it every day it won't be a loss.

I have to say...and again, my opinion, some of the work in some of the curriculum's are geared for classrooms, so there is a lot of work to keep kids busy.

We don't have to worry about that because of the individual instruction and tailoring we can give our kids.

IF you like Saxon and your kids are learning (without is being extremely difficult) then madify the math to fit you don't switch or modify yourself to fit it.

 

There is my $.03 cents (I modified it for inflation :001_smile:)

 

:grouphug::grouphug:

[Lindy]

I'm doing Saxon with 3 kids too and you're right, you just can't do it all. So I don't. Much of the meeting time is repetition anyway, so once your child has it, I think you can skip it. I just started to teach it as it comes up in the lesson--helps a ton!

[selh09]

FWIW....We're finishing up saxon k and we didn't use the meeting book. My dd learned the *calendar* from a wall calendar and we didn't do it everyday.;) Plus, I just added the calendar, patterns, etc. into everyday things and she did fine with it. Again, that's my opinion. I agree with the OP, if you like saxon, just find ways to incorporate all the meetings into everyday things and don't be too concerned. The younger ones will catch on just fine and what they don't understand now, they will later on.

 

Hope this helps...:)

[bnneale]

I really like all the concepts in the "math meeting" but have struggled with the same problem. This year, I solved this problem quite nicely. I write all the portions of the math meeting on a white board (I have a 2nd grader, 3rd grader, and 4th grader who sits in on it). Then, we all do the math meeting together. We kill three birds with one stone. They take turns each day...one day one child does the clock, another one the temp, another one counts the money. We do all our skip counting out loud together, portions of the calendar activities, the problem of the day (from Saxon 3), and the number of the day. It has taken some tweeking, but is working very well.