Can I get some Saxon Math reviews, please?

[RainbowSprinkles]

I'm thinking of switching DS7 to Saxon after we finish Singapore 1B. He definitely needs something with more review and practice. We do SM right now, and he does work on math facts most mornings. He'll also work on the date and money. I come up with these on my own alongside SM. I'm thinking it will be easier if I just used a curriculum that already has this stuff added in and planned for me.

 

Please share your opinions on Saxon Math. I looked at CLE and Horizons, but I greatly prefer something secular. Also, what is the difference between a spiral program and a spiral incremental program?

 

Thank you!

[edeemarie]

If you are looking for something similar to Saxon in the spiral approach you might want to look into McRuffy. I looked into Saxon but kept reading that it moved too slow. We are going to start using Saxon in 5/4, but for the younger grades McRuffy has worked really well for us. They have a lot of samples on their website and it is reasonably priced. We use the Color Math and not the older black and white version.

[TracyR]

Saxon works great if your child needs the review. The difference between spiral and incremental and spiral is this:

 

Spiral, a new topic is introduced while other topics are reintroduced and reviewed throughout the book. Horizons is this.

 

Spiral and incremental is a new topic is introduced but in steps. Your child may start with learning how to add fractions with like denominators. Then your child will review other concepts in the meantime and learn new concepts a little at a time. Then it will come back around and next your child will now know how to add fractions but they will learn how to add but this time will have to find a common denominator. Its good for children who need to learn steps in small steps.

 

If you have a child that needs to focus on a concept one at a time Saxon will about kill them. My oldest is like this. She needs to focus on one thing at a time. Spiral works for her, such as Horizons. But spiral and incremental she could not wrap her brain around. To many things being thrown at her at one time.

 

All children are different. If your looking for a secular math program. Saxon is good. It really does prepare them and I don't agree it moves slowly. It does review though because its set up for schools and not homeschools. So the first 25 to 30 lessons are review but can easily be skipped. But once you reach new material it goes rather quickly into concepts.

[PentecostalMom]

I had asked for some because I tend to see more negatives than positives. I got a LOAD of responses which made me very happy!! Here is that thread. HTH!

[RainbowSprinkles]

Thank you! Anyone else? :lurk5:

[Meriwether]

My kids have used Saxon successfully. I don't love it, but I don't hate it either. You will hear lots of things about Saxon that are either untrue or exaggerated. My kids understand "why" they do things just fine. The only problem my Dd8 has had with a math concept was when she did LOF Fractions before she worked through fractions enough with Saxon. I started with Saxon because I started homeschooling unexpectedly when Dd was four. I knew about exactly two homeschool curricula - BJU and Veritas Press. I chose Veritas. I use Saxon now because I value consistency in math. I have recently started adding math from other sources to our day. I like for the children to get math from a variety of sources. They have no trouble with CWP, mental math, etc. We are creeping (because he is working through a Saxon lesson each day and then doing Singapore, CWP, Miquon, or BA after if we have time) through Beast Academy with DS7. It has been thought-provoking but not difficult yet. Saxon is not the best at everthing and it may not be what you are looking for, but it is a solid program.

[KarenNC]

We switched to Saxon from Singapore after using Singapore Earlybird to 4A. I can't speak to the early grades, which I understand are different than the later ones (5/4 and up), but the switch has been night and day for us. My daughter really does much, much better with the constant review in Saxon and the incremental approach isn't a problem for us. I wish we had made the switch much earlier. I saw a definite improvement in her math testing scores when we did her yearly testing scores.

[RainbowSprinkles]

I had asked for some because I tend to see more negatives than positives. I got a LOAD of responses which made me very happy!! Here is that thread. HTH!

 

 

Thank you for this link. :) I printed out the placement tests and then I'll be ready to purchase. :)

[kamom]

Neither of my kiddos likes it. That is putting it mildly. They both hated it and begged me to switch back to CLE. I did and never looked back.

Dd used Saxon 5/4 , she about flunked math with it. She did. not. get. it. She couldn't follow the wordy explainations ( though she was a good reader) She needed to 'see' it better laid out.

Ds could do it well, he also disliked the way they explained things and he hated writing out the problems. CLE has workbooks. I highly recommend CLE. Please check it out before you order.

Why I didn't just stick with CLE. Well, ds was a grade ahead, getting bogged down and I wanted to slow him down by repeating a grade or a half a grade and I knew Saxon went at a slower pace. It was a big waste of money for us.

[ChrissySC]

Before you switch, are you sure that he needs the review and practice?

 

Does he, maybe, lack number sense? Determine if he understands numbers. You might be surprised. :)

 

Just had to note ... and I love Saxon, but not before 5/4.

[ALB]

We have liked Saxon so far. I think the spiral approach is nice as it goes slowly and builds confidence over time. There have been lessons when my dd doesn't "get it" completely at first, but by the time we've come around to it again, that first introduction to the material seems to have taken root in her mind and she is ready to understand it by then. It works for us, obviously there are many families it doesn't work for.