Does anyone actually like Saxon Math?

[Chris in VA]

Love it--used it every year we've homeschooled dd, one level ahead. This year she went to ps for 5th grade, and has been moved to 6th grade math. I saw the book she is using, and it actually is still review, with just a couple of exceptions (she's not well-versed in exponents yet, for example). She likes Saxon a lot, and wishes she were still using it.

 

Unlike several other folks here, I LOVE the K-3 Saxon. I don't, however, have much to compare it to, since I didn't do a lot of investigating after finding it. I used Singapore's 1A and 1B after a fashion in dd's K, but didn't really like them. I also was trained in Miquon many, many years ago in college (BS Edu), but didn't want to go back to it.

 

I chose Saxon largely because of the teacher's manual being so clear, the recommendation from SWB and Jessie Wise in WTM, and the fact that I would not have to relearn math methods; Right Start, MUS and Miquon seemed to have a greater learning curve for me, and frankly, I was too overwhelmed and perhaps lazy to go there, when I felt Saxon would be fine.

[Jlynn]

I had originally planned to go all the way through gr. 8, but after looking at the 7th grade book I noticed that they didn't introduce concepts like Negative numbers or Exponents till the very last chapter and I liked that Saxon 7/6 interspersed those concepts throughout the year.

 

I also wanted him to get used to Saxon's way of presenting the material at a lower level rather than throwing him into it in Algebra. I can quickly explain any issues he might have in 7/6 just by looking at the problem, where in the Algebra book I would have to take a bit longer and that would eat up precious school time!

 

I also liked the font size in the Saxon books at this level...I have the Lial's books too - kind of went crazy this past summer looking at different math programs since it was the first time switching! If you don't have those books I would look at buying a really cheap used copy for a couple bucks just to preview it to make sure you want to use them. Though I did like them, it was hard for me to see us actually using them for some reason. I kept the Intro. to Algebra just in case because they do have good examples! But the font size in the books is small and my son is just a 6th grader after all.

 

He's really liked that the Saxon book has the word "homeschool" on the front :)

[Mom0012]

I had originally planned to go all the way through gr. 8, but after looking at the 7th grade book I noticed that they didn't introduce concepts like Negative numbers or Exponents till the very last chapter and I liked that Saxon 7/6 interspersed those concepts throughout the year.

 

I also wanted him to get used to Saxon's way of presenting the material at a lower level rather than throwing him into it in Algebra. I can quickly explain any issues he might have in 7/6 just by looking at the problem, where in the Algebra book I would have to take a bit longer and that would eat up precious school time!

 

I also liked the font size in the Saxon books at this level...I have the Lial's books too - kind of went crazy this past summer looking at different math programs since it was the first time switching! If you don't have those books I would look at buying a really cheap used copy for a couple bucks just to preview it to make sure you want to use them. Though I did like them, it was hard for me to see us actually using them for some reason. I kept the Intro. to Algebra just in case because they do have good examples! But the font size in the books is small and my son is just a 6th grader after all.

 

He's really liked that the Saxon book has the word "homeschool" on the front :)

 

Thank you!

 

Lisa

[persephone43]

I hated it. I did Saxon with my daughter for 2 years...5th and 6th and we finally tossed it and did Lial's. It was too much and it was boring. We dreaded it everyday. We are not very "mathy" though.

[Robin in DFW]

:D

[Melanie]

We have used Saxon from 5/4 through the 23rd lesson of Advanced Math. My kids have never been interested in math, but they are good at it!

 

We did not use the lower level books. I taught them basic arithmetic myself, along with how to tell time, how to use a calendar, and how to make change. When they had learned all of this plus their math facts (we used Math-It), I started them in 5/4. My son was in 3rd grade; my daughter was in 2nd.

 

The transition to 5/4 was rocky at first, but once they became accustomed to copying all the problems down, it was fine. My son hit another rough patch about 60 lessons into Algebra 1, and I still don't know what that was about. A missed concept? Hormones? Garden variety rebellion? After an insane amount of drama, I finally had him start over at lesson 1. Something must have clicked the second time around, because he still managed to successfully complete the book by the end of that year. I'm waiting to see if my daughter will have the same experience.

 

We complete every problem in every problem set. We did the mental math together in books 5/4 - 8/7, but they have always read the lesson and completed the problems on their own. We went from 8/7 to Algebra 1, skipping Algebra 1/2. I did not allow calculators until my son was about halfway through with Algebra 2, and then only occasionally. (My original plan was to not allow calculators until physics, but have since decided that it just isn't necessary for my headed-for-the-classics-department son. I still can't tell where my daughter will end up, so she will remain sans calculator for the time being.) We tried Art Reed's DVD lectures about three-quarters of the way through Algebra 2, and we liked them so much that we're now using them for Advanced Math and Algebra 1.

 

Every once in a while I have a panic attack (usually after reading posts describing how a child did well with Saxon but couldn't apply what he had learned to other situations), and make my children take placement tests for other publishers. I am pleased to report that they can do math outside of Saxon! They can do everyday math (measurements, tipping, compound interest, etc.) effortlessly, and their standardized test scores are very high. I have no complaints about Saxon (other than it being, well, math ;) ), and I would definitely use it again.

[ZeldaRules]

My oldest is 6. I have used Saxon phonics and Saxon math. In pre-K, I used Saxon K phonics and enjoyed it. I really liked how it was set up and told you what to say. It's a brainless lesson plan all laid out for you. I think everyone needs one or two of these in their lesson plans everyday. :)

In K, I tried Saxon 1 phonics and the lessons were too long. When my son was in K, I looked at Saxon K for math, but it was too easy for him. I had found something really cheap - SRA Math and used SRA Math 1 for K. This year I went back to using Saxon Math for math. I am using Saxon 2 for 1st grade.

 

What I like about Saxon...is it recommends you do all these little things daily that kids really do need to learn. You do calendar, clock, graphing, patterns, temperature and some other things. Then they have fact sheet reviews, and then they have the lesson. Math takes a while sometimes, so some days I don't do the meeting stuff. It definitely builds upon learning and I really like that.

 

I liked SRA math - it is definitely more visual for me and their workbook sheets are colorful and fun, but I really like the way Saxon is set up, and this is for K-3, which many people say they don't like.

 

I am very confident in teaching math, so maybe that is a variable in liking it or not. Maybe it isn't.

 

We definitely needed to do the first 30 lessons for Saxon 2. It is strengthening his adding skills and I'm hoping he will soon have some facts memorized. :)

[wanderer109]

My dd's (third grade) have completed Saxon K-3. I definitely think the lower levels are too easy for the grade level they are meant for (we just doubled up on the lessons and breezed through), but we all loved the variety of topics each day and both dd's learned their math facts inside and out! In addition, they can tell time, read charts, understand patterns, skip count, measure with a ruler, and work with simple fractions. I am very pleased with what they have learned. We will start 5/4 next week! For my younger child, we'll start with Saxon 1 or 2 and just skip K.

 

We've tried other maths, Rod and Staff, Singapore, Horizons. Saxon is preferred by both girls.

[Socalmom]

My DD went to a Catholic school through 5th grade and they used Saxon. Last year was our first year homeschooling and she did LOF and Aleks. This year we are back to Saxon - Algebra 1/2. It's a good fit for us.

 

Margie

[Love2Smile]

It is the ONLY math program we will ever use!

[tinkhs]

Thank you so much for all the positive experiences you've shared about Saxon!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I have a friend who swear by Saxon. She has used Saxon exclusively. Her 16yo DD scored in the high 30s in math on the ACT, placed in some crazy high math course in college where she is currently a sophomore (at the ripe old age of 17).

 

That speaks volumes to me.