New to Saxon math with some questions

[Janie Grace]

I am using Saxon for the first time (after Singapore for 5 years) and have some questions. We are using 7/6 with the DIVE CD. As suggested on the CD, I have my daughter watch the lesson, work the problems with the teacher, and then do all the Mixed Practice.

 

In correcting her MP, she consistently has 3-7 problems wrong out of 30. I circle them and have her go back and redo them (they are almost all careless errors -- miscopying, adding instead of subtracting, etc. -- rather than conceptual issues). Last night I checked her corrections and there are STILL a few wrong (out of the first ten lessons or so). I plan to now go back through them with her and get to the bottom of each mistake.

 

Is that what you do? Should I keep having her correct until she has done them right? Or at some point do you move on and just let her learn the hard way when she gets a low grade on her test due to carelessness?

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

My son does Math first thing in the morning, and after lunch I correct his work and then make him redo them. After he corrects the problems I sit with him and go over them to make sure he did them correctly the 2nd time.

I think it is important that they see the right answer and not get stuck thinking wrong.

[Janie Grace]

Hmmm, that sounds like a good idea -- going over it daily instead of having her do several days' worth of corrections at a time (on her own). Of course, that would take major organization on my part! ;) But I'll give it a whirl.

[Woodland_Mom]

Sounds like you're doing a fine job with math. I think correcting errors is very important. If problems are not correct, then you (and your child) will not know where deficiencies are occurring. Maybe you could reward your student in some small way for turning in accurate MP work -- or even for correcting the problems to 100% the first time. :)

 

 

[Chris in VA]

I had dd do the work on one day, and then, the next morning, look over her work before she "handed it in" to me. She usually caught nearly all her careless errors. I would look over ("grade") her work, hand it back to her, and have her do corrections. THEN we started the lesson.

 

Took some time, but I was amazed at how, in a matter of two weeks or so, her careless errors seemed to disappear. Not only did she catch nearly all of them, but also she actually stopped making so many.

[Janie Grace]

 

Took some time, but I was amazed at how, in a matter of two weeks or so, her careless errors seemed to disappear. Not only did she catch nearly all of them, but also she actually stopped making so many.

 

Now THAT would be wonderful! I do feel like it's a bigger issue, as it occurs in writing as well -- careless misspellings, leaving out words, etc. It would be great to see growth in this area this year! Thanks for the help - I like the idea of doing corrections first thing in the morning, as I think it's more realistic for me to correct in the evening (kids in bed) vs. during the day (5 kids being kids). :)

[Chris in VA]

I'm not sure, by your response, if I was completely clear. I *do* correct her work in the morning, but after she's had a chance to put it aside overnight and THEN go over it "one more time" before handing it in to me. So, she does the work Day 1, goes back over it Day 2 in the morning before I see it, THEN hands it to me. I correct it and give it back, and sit with her while she corrects anything she missed that I caught.

So, with my way, you would still have to do the checking of her work in the day time. Sorry!