Saxon Math users - please tell me what level your logic stage student is on

[HSMom2One]

I'm very curious to see where most of the logic level students here are at with Saxon Math. Please list your student's grade level along with the level of math they are on this year. If you use any video instruction (i.e. DIVE into Math or Saxon Teacher), please list that as well.

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Joy at Home]

I'm very curious to see where most of the logic level students here are at with Saxon Math. Please list your student's grade level along with the level of math they are on this year. If you use any video instruction (i.e. DIVE into Math or Saxon Teacher), please list that as well.

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

Dd10, fifth grade, using 6/7 along with DIVE

 

Lisa

[ondreeuh]

DS 10 (4th grade) switched to Saxon this year and is reviewing with 54. There's really nothing new in the book we didn't cover in CLE 4th grade, but he didn't test out of 54 so he's cementing what he learned last year. He's doing a couple extra lessons a week, and he will move into 65 this spring.

[cheryl h]

We have dd13 (8th grade) working on reviewing and cementing concepts in Algebra 1/2 before starting Algebra 1. Our ds11 (6th grade) is working in the 8/7 book.

 

Forgot to mention that we use the Saxon Teacher CDs.

Edited October 15, 2011 by cheryl h

[Melissa B]

Dd 8th - Algebra I

 

Dd 6th - finishing up 6/5, will move into 7/6 after Christmas break

[HSMom2One]

Thank you, all. Please keep the info coming. And if anyone is below grade level for one reason or another, please don't feel embarrassed to list the info anyway. I'm trying to get a feel, if possible, for where most students are at each age and grade level. Knowing about both advanced students and less advanced students would be very helpful to me in this informal poll.

 

Thanks so much.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Elfinlady]

DD 5th is in 6/5. This is our first year with Saxon, and on the placement test she scored right on the edge between 6/5 and 7/6. I decided to go with 6/5 to ease into Saxon and make sure she has everything cemented well.

[RegularMom]

My dd is in 5th and uses Saxon 6/5. We use Saxon Teacher. Last year we used DIVE, but I bought it without realizing it wasn't secular, so I switched to Saxon Teacher this year.

[gingersmom]

Thank you, all. Please keep the info coming. And if anyone is below grade level for one reason or another, please don't feel embarrassed to list the info anyway. I'm trying to get a feel, if possible, for where most students are at each age and grade level. Knowing about both advanced students and less advanced students would be very helpful to me in this informal poll.

 

Thanks so much.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

Why are you interested?

[whitestavern]

dd, 11, 6th. Beginning 7/6; supplement with LoF. Math is not her strong subject, although she does quite well with it.

[JudoMom]

Ds12, 7th, Alg 1 w/DIVE

Ds11 6th, 8/7 w/DIVE

[regentrude]

We switched to another program after 8/7.

Saxon 8/7: DD in 6th grade, DS in 5th grade.

Book only, no DVD.

They are both advanced math students.

[creekmom]

DS (12 - 7th grade) used Saxon through last year (Saxon pre algebra). DD (10 -5th grade) is using Saxon 7/6 this year. Both children read the lesson themselves before attempting the lesson. I bought Art Reed's dvd for my son to use last year, but he preferred to just read the lesson bc it was quicker. Both kids started in K using Saxon 1.

[Chris in VA]

Dd will probably do Alg or prealg next year for 7th grade. --she's already doing so much prealg in school this year that I don't know where I'll place her.

She did 6/5 in 4th grade as well as a bit of 7/6 (but just the beginning 50 pages or so, which is "restated" review--old content taught at a faster pace and slightly deeper).

[HSMom2One]

Why are you interested?

 

It's for my own personal use, gingersmom. I am curious to see where kids are compared to where my own dd is. We used Saxon back in 3rd grade, then we left for a few years and used other curriculum. Now we're back to Saxon and using the DIVE videos. She was about to go into Pre-Algebra, in another math program, but I was concerned that she isn't ready yet and decided to hold her back. This was after I gave her the Saxon placement test in August, and learned that she should be at the 7/6 level as a 12 yo 7th grader.

 

Dd is a very bright kid, but she dislikes math and plugs along. (She is quite strong in language arts and history, and she is an artist and musician. Like me, she is more of a words and pictures kind of gal...). So anyway, I came back to this method because her retention has not been good. Despite getting good scores over the school year for the past few years, during a long break from school she'd forget concepts. This is when I finally realized that the spiral method might have been better for her all along, and I got to wondering where other kids that have used this method are at her age. So far it seems that she is behind other kids who've been using Saxon - although I do have a feeling that parent's of kids that are below the level of those that have posted so far are not going to speak up. But oh, I wish y'all would!! We can't be the only ones that are challenged in the math dept. :~)

 

Ironically, it seems that the very reason we moved away from Saxon is the same reason we should have stayed! Now I'm concerned about having dd ready to take Algebra I in at least 9th grade. Maybe I should start a thread asking for suggestions on how to best to catch her up. I have to rely on video instruction because I am not a good math teacher, it just isn't my strong subject either.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

Edited October 15, 2011 by HSMom2One

[coffeegal]

It's for my own personal use, gingersmom. I am curious to see where kids are compared to where my own dd is. We used Saxon back in 3rd grade, then we left for a few years and used other curriculum. Now we're back to Saxon and using the DIVE videos. She was about to go into Pre-Algebra, in another math program, but I was concerned that she isn't ready yet and decided to hold her back. This was after I gave her the Saxon placement test in August, and learned that she should be at the 7/6 level as a 12 yo 7th grader.

 

Dd is a very bright kid, but she dislikes math and plugs along. (She is quite strong in language arts and history, and she is an artist and musician. Like me, she is more of a words and pictures kind of gal...). So anyway, I came back to this method because her retention has not been good. Despite getting good scores over the school year for the past few years, during a long break from school she'd forget concepts. This is when I finally realized that the spiral method might have been better for her all along, and I got to wondering where other kids that have used this method are at her age. So far it seems that she is behind other kids who've been using Saxon. Ironically, it seems that the very reason we moved away from Saxon is the same reason we should have stayed!

 

I'm concerned now about having dd ready to take Algebra I in at least 9th grade. Maybe I should start a thread asking for suggestions on how to best to catch her up.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

My dd is similar to your dd, although we've used Saxon all along. She's using 65 as a 6th grader. My long term goal for her is: 76 - 7th grade, 87 - 8th grade, Algebra 1/2 - 9th grade, Algebra 1 - 10th grade, Algebra 2 - 11th grade, and Adv. Math - 12th grade. That should have her ready for calculus in college if she needs it. :001_smile: One note: if you're using the new editions of Saxon, you can skip algebra 1/2 or if you're using the old editions you can skip 87. We've chosen not to skip and my plans are made accordingly.

[HSMom2One]

My dd is similar to your dd, although we've used Saxon all along. She's using 65 as a 6th grader. My long term goal for her is: 76 - 7th grade, 87 - 8th grade, Algebra 1/2 - 9th grade, Algebra 1 - 10th grade, Algebra 2 - 11th grade, and Adv. Math - 12th grade. That should have her ready for calculus in college if she needs it. :001_smile: One note: if you're using the new editions of Saxon, you can skip algebra 1/2 or if you're using the old editions you can skip 87. We've chosen not to skip and my plans are made accordingly.

 

Thanks for your input, coffeegal! That made me feel better. We are using the new editions of Saxon and could skip the Algebra 1/2 if we continue hs'ing, but I'm trying to get dd ready to enroll in a private classical school for high school/rhetoric level. I realize I may have to get a tutor during 8th grade to work with her if that does transpire.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Abigail4476]

Well, mine are in private school this year, but last year it was:

 

DD15 (9th grade) - spending her 2nd year plodding through 8/7 (plus Business Math for a high school math credit and a pre-algebra course[not Saxon]) She was flunking Math when we took her out of public school 4 years ago, and apparently taking it slowly with Saxon worked; she's flying through Geometry this year with straight A's. (The private school also uses Saxon.)

 

DD13 (7th grade) - took 1.5 years going through 8/7, and did a quick pre-algebra course this summer before starting Algebra I this year. Also making straight A's.

 

DS8 (2nd grade) - Saxon Math 2 - we only completed about 75% of the course. He's doing fine with Saxon 3.

 

Making this list makes me a little sad. I miss having my kiddos at home. :(

[coffeegal]

Thanks for your input, coffeegal! That made me feel better. We are using the new editions of Saxon and could skip the Algebra 1/2 if we continue hs'ing, but I'm trying to get dd ready to enroll in a private classical school for high school/rhetoric level. I realize I may have to get a tutor during 8th grade to work with her if that does transpire.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

Even if you don't continue to homeschool, after 87 she should be ready for algebra. My suggestion is to work through the summer, and concentrate on knowing the math well. If she's maintaining 80% on the tests at the end of 87, she'll be ready for algebra in the 9th grade. :001_smile:

[Melanie]

My 7th grader just started Algebra 2. She worked through 5/4-8/7, but skipped Algebra 1/2.

[HSMom2One]

Even if you don't continue to homeschool, after 87 she should be ready for algebra. My suggestion is to work through the summer, and concentrate on knowing the math well. If she's maintaining 80% on the tests at the end of 87, she'll be ready for algebra in the 9th grade. :001_smile:

 

Excellent advice! Thank you so much, coffeegal.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[didadeewiththree]

My son is 11 almost 12 in Dec, is in 6th grade, and is working in 7/6 Saxon with Dive cd rom. He is breezing through and is on lesson 46 out of 120 something lessons so we might start pre-algebra after this and just skip 8/7. That's pretty much what the WTM book says to do anyway.

 

I have gotten Chalkdust Prealg real cheap on here, so I'm debating on either doing that next or keeping on with Saxon. I guess it could go either way.

[gingersmom]

It's for my own personal use, gingersmom. I am curious to see where kids are compared to where my own dd is. We used Saxon back in 3rd grade, then we left for a few years and used other curriculum. Now we're back to Saxon and using the DIVE videos. She was about to go into Pre-Algebra, in another math program, but I was concerned that she isn't ready yet and decided to hold her back. This was after I gave her the Saxon placement test in August, and learned that she should be at the 7/6 level as a 12 yo 7th grader.

 

Dd is a very bright kid, but she dislikes math and plugs along. (She is quite strong in language arts and history, and she is an artist and musician. Like me, she is more of a words and pictures kind of gal...). So anyway, I came back to this method because her retention has not been good. Despite getting good scores over the school year for the past few years, during a long break from school she'd forget concepts. This is when I finally realized that the spiral method might have been better for her all along, and I got to wondering where other kids that have used this method are at her age. So far it seems that she is behind other kids who've been using Saxon - although I do have a feeling that parent's of kids that are below the level of those that have posted so far are not going to speak up. But oh, I wish y'all would!! We can't be the only ones that are challenged in the math dept. :~)

 

Ironically, it seems that the very reason we moved away from Saxon is the same reason we should have stayed! Now I'm concerned about having dd ready to take Algebra I in at least 9th grade. Maybe I should start a thread asking for suggestions on how to best to catch her up. I have to rely on video instruction because I am not a good math teacher, it just isn't my strong subject either.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

Thanks for your response. Your question sounded as if you were using it for some other purpose than your own. :001_smile:

 

We started with Saxon 2 and my 6th grader is now in 7/6. We will do 8/7 in 7th and Algebra in 8th. Depending on how well he does we will do Algebra in one year or spread it out over two.

 

My goal is mastery, not just moving ahead to move ahead.

[HSMom2One]

Thanks for your response. Your question sounded as if you were using it for some other purpose than your own. :001_smile:

 

:001_huh: I've never even considered using these boards for business, so didn't think about coming across that way. Sorry to raise your suspicions.

 

My goal is mastery, not just moving ahead to move ahead.

 

Agreed. I want my dd to master as much in mathematics as possible. That is why we left the other curriculum and hopped over to Saxon and DIVE. The window of opportunity is so short and I don't want to miss out with this huge responsibility.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Hedgehog]

Rabbit (just turned 12) and Pooh (just turned 10) are both using 6/5. They'll probably finish it around Christmas, and start 7/6 in the New Year. I'm not using any of the DVD/video programs at the moment, but I'm planning on buying the DIVE CDs when I buy 7/6 so that they can use them if they want to. Math isn't my best subject. ;)

[mjbucks1]

My 11 year old dd (6th grade) is doing 8/7 (we have used Saxon all along). Although I have the D.I.V.E CDs, she prefers me to teach the lessons :tongue_smilie:.

[MamaT]

12yo (13 next week) DS 7th - Algebra 1, no CD

12yo DD 6th - Algebra 1/2, no CD

[Clover11]

DS13 is about 1/2 way through Saxon 1/2. We use Art Reed dvds (we used DIVE in the previous years).

[bethben]

My ds is 11 and 5th grade doing Algebra 1/2. He's my math guy. He dabbled in 7/6 for 2 months last year after finishing the Singapore series and because of his scores, Art Reed - Mr. Saxon, suggested he skip over 8/7 and go to algebra 1/2. He's done very well. I switched to Saxon because in those upper math levels, he was having trouble retaining what he learned with a mastery math program. It's worked well and he's been able to work through some issues about sloppy work because the problems he's doing are repetitive. I don't use any DVD's because I'm a math mommy. I just like that Saxon has such a variety of helps to choose from if I need it.

 

Beth

[mrs.m]

DD11, 8/7. No DIVE but gets lessons at Classical Conversations, challenge A course.

[Jlynn]

My 12yr old son (7th grade) is in 8/7

[Socalmom]

My 13 yo DD, 8th grade, is doing Algebra I and using the Art Reed DVDs.

 

Margie

[cjbeach]

UGH.. I just received an order and I definitely ordered the wrong level. Last year ds did MM4. He seemed to me to need more review, so we did the placement test for Saxon and he came in around a Saxon 65 but it's really review for him. He flipped through the new books and got really excited because it was review. So I may have him do 2 or 3 lessons a day, get through it, then move onto 76 pretty quickly.

[Brenda in FL]

dd 6th grade age 11 just starting 7/6

ds 8th grade 13 finishing 8/7 will begin Alg 1 soon.

[Brenda in FL]

It's for my own personal use, gingersmom. I am curious to see where kids are compared to where my own dd is. We used Saxon back in 3rd grade, then we left for a few years and used other curriculum. Now we're back to Saxon and using the DIVE videos. She was about to go into Pre-Algebra, in another math program, but I was concerned that she isn't ready yet and decided to hold her back. This was after I gave her the Saxon placement test in August, and learned that she should be at the 7/6 level as a 12 yo 7th grader.

 

Dd is a very bright kid, but she dislikes math and plugs along. (She is quite strong in language arts and history, and she is an artist and musician. Like me, she is more of a words and pictures kind of gal...). So anyway, I came back to this method because her retention has not been good. Despite getting good scores over the school year for the past few years, during a long break from school she'd forget concepts. This is when I finally realized that the spiral method might have been better for her all along, and I got to wondering where other kids that have used this method are at her age. So far it seems that she is behind other kids who've been using Saxon - although I do have a feeling that parent's of kids that are below the level of those that have posted so far are not going to speak up. But oh, I wish y'all would!! We can't be the only ones that are challenged in the math dept. :~)

 

Ironically, it seems that the very reason we moved away from Saxon is the same reason we should have stayed! Now I'm concerned about having dd ready to take Algebra I in at least 9th grade. Maybe I should start a thread asking for suggestions on how to best to catch her up. I have to rely on video instruction because I am not a good math teacher, it just isn't my strong subject either.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

If you keep math as a year round subject - you can probably get her caught up sooner than you think. At the start of each book - I have the kids take the tests until its obvious that they've reached new material! They can bypass a lot of the review that way or you can target on review lessons that are needed.

 

Saxon 87 will also hammer in the concepts needed prior to Algebra 1. It's tough! I encourage you to just stay consistent with math - It's what my son needs and when we go for over a week with no math - he has a hard time getting back into it.

 

Don't worry about comparing to other kids the same age/grade - just do what's best for you (which is what you are doing!)

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I'm very curious to see where most of the logic level students here are at with Saxon Math. Please list your student's grade level along with the level of math they are on this year. If you use any video instruction (i.e. DIVE into Math or Saxon Teacher), please list that as well.

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

We did the following

 

7th grade (6th for younger brother) Saxon Algebra 1/2

6th grade (5th) Saxon 8/7

5th grade (4th) Saxon 7/6

4th grade (3rd) Saxon 6/5

3rd grade (2nd) Saxon 3

2nd grade (1st) Saxon 2

1st grade (K) Saxon 1

Kindergarten (4) Saxon K

 

A couple caveats. We tended to do school year round K-3 grade. When we finished one book, we started on the next without taking time off. My middle son (currently 7th grade) is gifted in math and has hung in there with his brother from the very beginning. This is all him and not anything special that I did or that the math did. (Just to keep me humble, my youngest is not at these strasopheric math levels.)

We decided to skip Saxon 5/4 because 3 was so easy for them at the end. This worked out well for them, but I was also prepared to bail and go back to 5/4.

 

This year I've switched to Art of Problem Solving (AoPS), which has been a tremendous amount of work, but has also been showing great results with their reasoning and math skills.

 

My goal is to get ds #1 through calc as a senior and #2 through calc as a junior.

 

ETA: I didn't use anything but the Saxon books themselves.

Edited October 17, 2011 by Sebastian (a lady)

[Suzq]

I have a ds using Advanced math -- age 16 -- We use the Dive Cd's for teaching and the Saxon teacher for problems we get stuck on. He has completed 8/7,alg 1, and alg 2 using DIVE.

 

My second ds age 13 is using Alg. 1/2. He has completed 8/7 and with 80% or better most of the time. But I really felt he needed to solidify what he was learing and I thought that Alg 1 might move along too quickly. He also uses the DIVE CDs. I am hoping I have made the best decision for him. He has some agemates in Alg. 1 of Teaching Textbooks and so he feels behind. I tried to explain that different curriculums move at different paces. But now that we are around lesson 25 of Alg 1/2, it has been fairly easy for him. This is causing me some angst as to whether I made the right choice. So your topic interests me and I am glad to see that we are not the only 13 year old using 1/2.

[5 Hikers]

ds11, 6th grade, Saxon 7/6 no outside help

 

We started with Singapore 1A and went through 4A, we then switched in 4th grade to Saxon where he placed at 5/4.

[KarenNC]

DD 5th is in 6/5. This is our first year with Saxon, and on the placement test she scored right on the edge between 6/5 and 7/6. I decided to go with 6/5 to ease into Saxon and make sure she has everything cemented well.

 

My daughter did the same in mid-4th when we were switching from Singapore 4A, so I tried spending some time in the spring going over areas that she had missed on the placement test then began 7/6. I knew there was a chance we'd have to back up to 6/5, but wanted to give her the chance. Her test scores steadily declined, so we ended up dropping back to 6/5, testing through stopping and reinforcing any problem areas, then began 7/6 for 6th grade. Things are much better this time around. We're around lesson 30 and she still thinks it's pretty easy this time, but I want to cement the concepts (as many others mentioned) before going on to pre-algebra.

 

In addition to Saxon 7/6, we are using xtramath.com to work on math fact speed (a weak area) instead of the paper tests in Saxon, mostly for my convenience. When we get to the timed tests with fractions in 7/6 we'll go back to using the Saxon timed practice. I also have Life of Fred Decimals and Percents as a fun add in. She is 11, but on the very young end of the grade as her birthday is late summer.

Edited October 17, 2011 by KarenNC

[HollyDay]

dd just turned 12, in 7th grade, doing Saxon 87

[dani3boys]

My 7th graders are on lesson 80 of 8/7. They will probably move to algebra for the 2nd half of the year. My oldest ds started algebra at the beginning of 7th.

[Canadianmumof5]

Mr R is 10 (grade 5) and is doing 7/6 and assuming things continue smoothly - we will go right to Algebra 1/2 after this. He and math get along pretty well though.

[Meriwether]

Dd8 (4th) is working through 6/5 right now. She uses the DIVE dvds. The two boys are on track to start 5/4 as third graders, but Ds7, at least, will be a year older in 4th grade.

[Ann.without.an.e]

Dd - 7th grade, Alg. 1/2. No video instruction, just the old fashioned way :)

[amyco]

DS 11 is in 6th grade and using 76 with no video or other help besides me. :)

[Momma2Many66]

My son is in 7th grade and is doing 7/6 with Art Reed DVDs and he loves the DVDs. Art explains everything very well for us and we really gain so much from watching the DVDs. We also do a few other math programs along with Saxon like Math Mammoth, Life of Fred and Math U See to really cement the material and understand all the math concepts from various angles.

 

My son is going through it at a pretty fast clip and we will be in 8/7 come February of 2012. We school year round so we take our time and really go over lessons to be sure he understand them completely before we move on. We are all about mastery here, not just finishing the book. We do tons of extra practice problems and I make lots of extra worksheets so we are sure to learn everything well and get ALL the information down pat.

 

We do every lesson together, I sit with him and we work out each problem together and discuss any problems or fix any problems right away. We do it that way so I don't have to wonder why he is having a problem 3 or 4 months down the line and have to go back over material to find the gap.

This way I catch any problems right away and we learn the material together, so I always know where he is at and what he is doing. He really enjoys doing the math with me each day. He tends to get bored easily and daydreams a lot or doodles on his papers or takes strolls around the house (he's 13 ;) ).

 

So, I found by sitting with him each day and doing the lesson with him I can keep his concentration because he has a lot more fun with math. He loves to challenge mom and we have a competitive game where we race each other to finish our problems first and see who gets the right answer the quickest. By doing the math together and working as a team we get through it much quicker, he really focuses on the material, he does very well on all assignments and tests and If there is a problem, I can catch it immediately and correct it. Best of all, I am learning it all right along with him and I am realizing how much I really love math and this is from someone who in her previous educational life was a true math hater, now I am the exact opposite ! :001_smile:

[LunaLee]

DS 12/7th grade is doing 8/7 over 2 years.

[jolley]

dd 6th 7/6 with saxon teacher

ds 5th 6/5 with saxon teacher

[HSMom2One]

Thank you all for posting, and for those that offered suggestions. I have learned so much this past week! And best of all, I have a plan that I'm going to put in place to help my dd strengthen the foundation she's getting now in Saxon 67 & DIVE videos and then move into the next level without taking the full summer off.

 

For the rest of this year and next, I'm going to become more involved with dd's math lessons than I have been (but not to the point of actually doing math with her because she told me flat out that it would bother her for me to hover that closely). We are going to go over the missed problems together each week, then go to Khan Academy online to reinforce the areas she's struggling in at that point. From here I'm going to move right along to pre-algebra by again using the Khan Academy and another yet to be determined math curriculum. The goal will be to hopefully be at the Algebra I level at the beginning of next school year. I will either use Saxon Algebra I for 8th grade, or I may switch to the same math program that the school she'll be enrolling in for high school uses, which is Prentice Hall. Oh, and I also plan to hire a high school math tutor for next year at 8th grade level from the same private school. I'm on faculty there and have access to several resources that I didn't even know about until this week.

 

Between you wonderful people here, a dear hs'ing friend and mentor, and resources I've found at the school - I feel so much better and I have faith that my dd will have the support she needs.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda