Recent Switch to Saxon...needs tweeking...help please.

[cheryl h]

So we are due to start Saxon Math on Monday. We came from Abeka, and as you would expect with any switch, the scope and sequences don't line up. It appears as if we should start 1/3 or 1/2 way into the book to find where we left off with their previous studies. Dd12 will be doing 8/7 and ds10 will be doing 7/6. So would it be a bad idea, say, if I gave them (mostly speaking of dd12 and ds10) the tests, say, one a day, until they got below an 85%, then started there in the book? OR I could just make it really easy on all of us and let them start at the beginning of the book, and call it review, let it be easy for a few months, and not look back? I would also love to hear any other ideas on how to do this. BTW, I love, love, love the teacher CD's for the older kids. This will be so helpful in having more "at the elbow" time with my ds/dd 7 twins. Next question, I am having dd12 do the 8/7 book because she needs a little more practice with percents. She does excellent with fractions, beg. geometry work, and solving for variables. I am wondering if it would be inappropriate to send her along to Alg.1/2 and work through LOF decimals for more practice. I could of course have her do LOF decimals with 8/7, but I don't want to hold her back from advancing just because of one weak area. Is it crucial to be solid in decimals before moving to Alg 1/2? I have both books on hand, so I wouldn't have to buy more to switch plans.

[Chris in VA]

Opinions are varied as to whether or not to test thru the book. If you do, I personally would shoot for 90-95%, but that's just me.

Have they taken the placement test? If not, see what they miss. Look at the index and note all the pages where the concept is taught--they will be scattered throughout the book and build on each other. If you are going to test thru the book, note which problems they miss and see the small notation that tells what lesson the problem concept comes from. If there's a pattern of missing the same type, redo the lesson.

 

Honestly, I think it's ok to test some, but I also like the way Saxon works--I like the use of easier problems to cement concepts, then really hard ones. I also like the incremental teaching; if you test thru, you may find you've missed the incremental steps, sometimes given one or two at a time in a lesson (then the next time that pops up, you get the next part, until you have the whole).

 

Bottom line is, I may test thru the first 20 lessons, but then start up.

[regentrude]

When my kids took up Saxon 8/7 after I pulled them out of school, we started at the beginning, but went through the lesson and lesson practice problems only, not the mixed practice, to see where they were at. It was a good review, and we went quickly through the first part of the book and slowed down a bit when we hit material that was new to them.

 

If your DD needs more practice in a specific area, you could pick out those lessons and topics (which is tedious to do because in Saxon one topic is divided into tiny bits and strewn throughout the book). It's more work for you, but might be less boring for her than slugging through the whole book.

[KLA]

I'm not exactly sure what you should do but I will add that I think the tests in Saxon are much easier than the problems in the mixed practice sets, so I would watch out for that.

Blessings,

KLA

[Homeschooling6]

Art Reed suggest not skipping anything. You can read the articles on his site. You need to scroll down.

[HollyDay]

There is much debate over skipping lessons, skipping problems, and skipping to tests. I've done all 3 at one time or another. If you give the test with the idea of skipping the lessons the test covers, I'd expect a near perfect score on the test. Even "sloppy" errors like carrying, borrowing, or "simple" addition mistakes indicate a need for "attention to detail" and accuracy.

 

The only time I've skipped chunks of lessons is if I am going from one book directly into the next with only a brief period of time off (if any). I thought I would be skipping lessons when we started 76 this Aug after a 2 month break from 65. But, this was not the case. There is bigger jump (IMHO) to new or harder material in 76.

 

If the placement tests indicate a solid need for 76 or 87, then I would hesitate to "test out" of lessons. I would perhaps skip some problems within each lesson if your dc has solid understanding, speed, and accuracy.

 

I found switching math programs to be initially frustrating. But, after a few months, the saxon pace kicks in and it clicks.

[cheryl h]

I knew it couldn't be that easy, but I thought I might throw it out there anyway. I had a suspicion that if we tested through there might be bits and pieces that would be missed, and you all have comfirmed that to be true. Furthermore, I had not thought about whether or not the test problems would be easier or harder that the tests...good info to know. Thank you for reminding me about Art Reeds page...it has been very helpful before...it just slipped my mind. I think we will start at the beginning and assess each lesson as it comes. Some we will just review the material, some we will do a little of the homework for practice/review, then eventually we will get to the material that we will do the lesson and the homework. According to Art Reed, once you have completed 8/7(which is the more remedial version of Alg.1/2), you should be ready for Algebra 1, so I am assuming that would be the next book if we finish early in the school year rather than going to the Alg. 1/2.

 

Thanks again for all your great advice. It's priceless to me.

[LindaOz]

My dd has just switched to Saxon and I started by giving her the tests inthe book. Some of what she missed in the first few tests was only because the terminology was expressed a little differently to her previous program, but she still understood the concept. I ended up starting her in at Lesson 26. I still may skip some along the way because her previous program had a different sequence and I may find that she is covering old ground.

[Chris in VA]

Just wanted to add that I find it very important to do all the problems in the lesson, because, in the upper levels of Saxon (beyond 5/4, I think), they actually introduce new content IN the problem set. I think it's basically things like extending the concept a bit. Anyway, it could be why the tests are easier.

Also, remember that the tests are 5 lessons behind--when you give test 3, for example, you give it after lesson 15, but it only tests to lesson 10, or something like that. (See the instructions in the solutions manual for what I'm trying to say! lol)

[EKS]

If she's coming from a different program, I wouldn't skip. However, if the only reason you've placed her in the 8/7 book is because of needing work on percents, I think it is overkill. Percents aren't that complicated and a few hours of direct instruction along with a bit of practice should be enough. Now if it is all of decimals that she's weak on, that's another story.

[yslek]

Art Reed suggest not skipping anything. You can read the articles on his site. You need to scroll down.

 

I highly recommend reading Art Reed's articles, and if possible, his book. I started out having ds test out of lessons, but won't be doing that any more after reading Art Reed's materials. He knew and worked with John Saxon and explains very well why and how to use the method correctly.

[cheryl h]

I spent a lot of time yesterday reading more in Art Reed's newsletters. I also have decided after reading Art Reed, that I also have the wrong edition book. Super. I got really excited over a really good used price, and didn't even pay attention that I was buying 1st edition, which Art Reed doesn't recommend. Perfect:tongue_smilie:. So I will be getting the proper edition this week...and going from there. Someone else previously noted that the terminology was a bit different from her previous program, and I think that is true here also. I do think that we will need to go through all the lessons to get the new terminology, as not to create more chaos. If the roads through 8/7 and Alg 1/2 both meet at Algebra 1, we will go with 8/7 to start, if we are able to get through it early...great, then we'll just do some of the Alg.1/2 book too. Next year I will be sure to get the correct edition of Algebra 1.:001_smile:

[regentrude]

I highly recommend reading Art Reed's articles, and if possible, his book. I started out having ds test out of lessons, but won't be doing that any more after reading Art Reed's materials. He knew and worked with John Saxon and explains very well why and how to use the method correctly.

 

Even so, one needs to keep in mind that children are different and that no curriculum works for every child. That also applies to Saxon Math.

So I have trouble with anybody who claims that a certain book/curriculum must be used a certain way without knowing the kid.