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Would this be dumb? Switching ds8 to Singapore from Saxon...


Sue G in PA
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only to switch back to Saxon for Alg. 1/2 in 3 years? He completed Saxon 3 this year w/out problems. Saxon 5/4 is much different...lots more problems, textbook instead of work pages, etc. I'm really liking what I see and hear about Singapore and ds8 is very math-minded. I think he'd do very well w/ it AND I love the mental math component. I already have 5/4, 6/5, 7/6, 8/7 and Alg. 1/2 texts, etc., but my other sons behind ds8 won't be using Saxon either. They will use MUS or Singapore. So, would it be dumb to switch him now only to go back when he reaches Alg. 1/2? I'm thinking this would be a GOOD time since the transition from Saxon 3 to 5/4 is a bit more "drastic", KWIM? Oh, if I do that, I'll probably sell all my Saxon books except Alg. 1/2 and 8/7. Honestly, I like Saxon, but I'm feeling more drawn to Singapore. Not sure why since I've never even really SEEN it except samples online!

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only to switch back to Saxon for Alg. 1/2 in 3 years? He completed Saxon 3 this year w/out problems. Saxon 5/4 is much different...lots more problems, textbook instead of work pages, etc. I'm really liking what I see and hear about Singapore and ds8 is very math-minded. I think he'd do very well w/ it AND I love the mental math component. I already have 5/4, 6/5, 7/6, 8/7 and Alg. 1/2 texts, etc., but my other sons behind ds8 won't be using Saxon either. They will use MUS or Singapore. So, would it be dumb to switch him now only to go back when he reaches Alg. 1/2? I'm thinking this would be a GOOD time since the transition from Saxon 3 to 5/4 is a bit more "drastic", KWIM? Oh, if I do that, I'll probably sell all my Saxon books except Alg. 1/2 and 8/7. Honestly, I like Saxon, but I'm feeling more drawn to Singapore. Not sure why since I've never even really SEEN it except samples online!

 

I'd stick with what I have, but that's just me :001_smile:. FWIW, both ds8 & ds7 did better than I expected with the transition to 5/4. They only do odd or even Mixed problems (odd on odd lessons, even on even lessons). I do supplement with Singapore's Challenging Word Problems.

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I'd switch in a heartbeat, but I'm biased. Singapore is a much better fit for me and my kids than Saxon. I like that it is concept based, rather than algorithm based. And, I like that it goes into depth in one topic before moving on to the next. All the incremental review in Saxon would make my kids nuts. But that's just us.

 

It definitely won't hurt him to get a different perspective, whether you go back to Saxon or find a different route. Does anyone really know with certainty what they'll be doing in three years? :) Anyway, a lot of people go from Singapore 6B into Saxon Algebra 1/2. It works really well, from what I understand.

 

I'd say, "Go for it!"

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For me to respond to a question about math right now is a bit like asking the cat to guard the mouse - not reliable at all! :D

 

But I agree with Suzanne. It is totally natural to change curriculums for algebra and up, so why not do what makes sense to you now and cross that bridge when you get there - even if you will likely use a curriculum you're leaving now. Like you said - with the change in Saxon from 3 to 5/4 it does make sense to change him now. Plus maybe selling so many levels of Saxon at once will make them sell better? Good time of year for it!

 

Another vote for "go for it!"

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I am also biased - I love SIngapore!! Many of our homeschool support group use Saxon still, but recently we have had a couple of discussions about math at high school level and every single mom (but one) who has used it in our group has said it is terrible and recommended people use something else - so I would perhaps rethink coming back to it.

After Singapore 6B your kids will be ready for Algebra - you do not need any pre-ALgebra. Mine (3 now) have all moved straight to ALgebra with no problems (Videotext for my first, Teaching Textbooks for next 2) ... my last is still in Singapore.

There have been some great math discussions on the Accelerated Learners board (and no - my kids aren't 'gifted') and as a result I have just bought Life of Fred ALgebra to try with my son who started Teaching Textbooks ALgebra about 2 months ago. It arrived today and looks WONDERFUL!!

Meryl

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As far as whether or not you switch back to Saxon later, I don't see a problem with that. When I was in school I took Saxon Math 8/7 (I think that's the one it was), Algebra I and Algebra II. But that was with a teacher teaching a class, and it wasn't the homeschool version, if that's any different.

 

I liked that there were a lot of practice problems. My teachers almost always had us do only the odd-numbered problems so we could check our work with the answer key in the back (answer key had answers for only odd-numbered problems). I also recall not being required to do all of the odd-numbered ones as well. So just because there's so much there doesn't mean it has to be used if the child masters the material.

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I use Miquon as well as Singapore ... it all depends on your child. I agree reinforcement is good - but my kids hate 'more of the same' which is why I rather use 2 different programs that approach the same concept very differently. And my kids liked the fact there was not too much practice in Singapore - though for kids who need more, they have extra practice problem books and also books with Challenging sums.

Meryl

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If you end up switching back to Saxon after Singapore 6B, your dd is more likely to be ready for Saxon Algebra than Saxon Algebra 1/2.

 

Saxon would not have worked for my kids and definitely wouldn't have worked for me. I need to be able to see the big picture. If concepts were presented to me piecemeal the way that Saxon does it, I never would have learned math. All the review would have driven me nuts as well. I'm math-intuitive though.

 

Singapore has been great for my kids. After 6B, my kids have used Jacobs Algebra and/or Kinetic Books Algebra. My oldest used just Jacobs. Kinetic Books came out with their algebra program last summer just in time for my middle dd, so she is using Kinetic Books and Jacobs.

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Y'know what's funny? Laura in VA gave me her Saxon 5/4 just for kicks (because she's such a sweetie), and I didn't think I'd use it, because dd8 is going to public school next year (she's done Saxon K-3). So I just picked it up and showed her what we WOULD have been using (maybe), and now she wants to go thru it this summer! She just sat beside me and we did the first 3 lessons pretty much orally. Now, that wouldn't keep happening, because I know it gets harder, quickly, but it strikes me as funny that she wants to do it.

 

I'd switch if you think it will work for your ds. I'm a little tired of Saxon, too. If you find it doesn't work, just go back. You've already got it--what have you got to lose?

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Thank you everybody for all your suggestions. It seems that the concensus is to switch to Singapore. I'm all for combining programs so I might just keep Saxon 5/4 and do both, although I'm not sure how to do that. I'll post another thread about that! Ds8 would do well with ANY math program really. What he doesn't like is the # of problems in Saxon. It takes too long to do, he says. I've tried doing even/odds but so many people say that b/c Saxon is spiral, the dc would miss something doing it that way. I'm not sure. Ds8 is now taking the placement tests for Singapore. He's doing 2A and doing well w/ all but the word problems (of course). He'll probably place into 2B. We'll see...

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If your child completes the Singapore series through 6B, your child will still need preAlgebra. There is a lot in Saxon 1/2 that your child will not have covered.

 

With my son who placed in to Saxon 54, placed in to Singapore 2B. BUT, 2B did not go well because he did not have the foundation of mental math that was unique to Singapore. Fortunately, at the time, younger DD was doing 1B. SO, I went back and had him do the textbook from 1B so he would get the mental math and then let him test out of 2A and then went back to 2B which he then breezed through the 2nd time around.

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