Would Saxon + Miquon be terribly at odds with each other??

[diaperjoys]

Yes, I know they are polar opposites. But after looking through zillions of math programs for my rising 2nd grader, I keep coming back to Saxon. He thrives on sameness. He loves knowing exactly what to do. When faced with a new concept his understanding comes very slowly and gradually, but once it comes it is solid. This is an incremental kiddo, and I think an incremental approach would fit him like a glove.

 

At the same time, though, I'm concerned about conceptual understanding. So I thought some low-key, non-pressure Miquon exploration would be a plus.

 

Would Saxon + Miquon be a terrible combo for this fellow? Any other suggestions?

 

Other things we've used....for first grade we used CLE 100. He did great the first half of the year. The second half he became bogged down & dreaded math. He didn't know about number bonds, and wasn't given any strategies for figuring out the upper addition facts. (17-8, 13-6...this type of problem stood in his path like Mt. Everest.) So, he did quite poorly on the math computation section of his IOWA.

 

Through the summer we're using Math In Focus - the idea was to improve conceptual understanding. The number bond concept has been terrific & helpful. However, the mastery approach brings tears. New concept + several pages of new concept practice is a deadly combination for him. Each successive page is worse than the page before, and this little guy is not thriving with the system...

 

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[LinRTX]

I have used Saxon and Miquon together for my youngest. I actually like the combo. She is not mathy, needs the practice, and I like her to see things in a different way from Saxon sometimes.

 

Linda

[LinRTX]

Sorry. Double post.

[eloquacious]

I certainly hope so... if my son does the K co-op being offered at church next year, they'll be doing Saxon, and we'll do Miquon at home. ;)

[Five More Minutes]

Yes, I know they are polar opposites. But after looking through zillions of math programs for my rising 2nd grader, I keep coming back to Saxon. He thrives on sameness. He loves knowing exactly what to do. When faced with a new concept his understanding comes very slowly and gradually, but once it comes it is solid. This is an incremental kiddo, and I think an incremental approach would fit him like a glove.

 

At the same time, though, I'm concerned about conceptual understanding. So I thought some low-key, non-pressure Miquon exploration would be a plus.

 

Would Saxon + Miquon be a terrible combo for this fellow? Any other suggestions?

 

Other things we've used....for first grade we used CLE 100. He did great the first half of the year. The second half he became bogged down & dreaded math. He didn't know about number bonds, and wasn't given any strategies for figuring out the upper addition facts. (17-8, 13-6...this type of problem stood in his path like Mt. Everest.) So, he did quite poorly on the math computation section of his IOWA.

 

Through the summer we're using Math In Focus - the idea was to improve conceptual understanding. The number bond concept has been terrific & helpful. However, the mastery approach brings tears. New concept + several pages of new concept practice is a deadly combination for him. Each successive page is worse than the page before, and this little guy is not thriving with the system...

 

Based purely on a couple of short-term experiences with Saxon (I have used Saxon K, part of Saxon 1, and have tutored HS Saxon), I'd be hesitant to combine Saxon with Miquon.

 

My hesitation comes from my knowing how I would default to teaching if Saxon were in the mix. I tend to default to what is familiar to me, and would therefore probably find myself letting the conceptual understanding go in favour of the noticeably faster and more immediately apparent success of Saxon. Also, because Saxon is spiral, I personally would find it harder to use as a supplement, and would therefore end up making it my spine ... which would then push into the background that conceptual understanding that would be developed through Miquon.

 

So I think it may come down to choosing the most important aspect of math for you and your student: a conceptual understanding, or a spiral, incremental program?

 

If the conceptual understanding is most important, then Math Mammoth and MEP are alternative curricula to look at over Saxon -- MEP is very spiral; Math Mammoth is more mastery, but very incremental. Both would sync well with Miquon.

 

If the program itself is more important, and you judge Saxon to be the best fit for your student, then Saxon is it. To supplement with Miquon effectively in this case will, I think, take more work on your part in using it strategically to support learning.

[Farrar]

I have only limited experience with Saxon. It might be fine. They're very different, but sometimes that's what you need. And I think a lot of people use one main program and another supplemental program that allows them to present ideas in a different way.

 

However, given your description of your ds, does he enjoy Miquon? Miquon is all over the place. There's no sameness. And so much of my experience with Miquon has been that it's playful and fun... I'm not sure if a child who wasn't enjoying it would get as much out of it.

 

The way your described your ds sounded like MM would be perfect. It's super incremental and there's a sameness to it, but it's also very conceptual. However, maybe there are other reasons it wouldn't work... and I don't like Saxon really, so that's probably coloring my view.

[Farrar]

dp