Miss Tick Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 We are approaching the end of Saxon 3 and I need some advice from those of you further along. It is my understanding that Saxon 5/4 is fairly different from Saxon K-3. I have a copy of 6/5 but not 5/4, are they essentially the same in format and application (obviously content would be a bit different)? Are the students expected to copy out the problems and then solve them? Or do you just have them show work and the answer? I assume the lessons in the book are what they get (i.e. no separate teacher's manual with additional lesson discussion)? My dc are just 7, so second grade by age, and neither is independently attracted to math, although they both do fine. If 5/4 is like the 6/5 book I have, I would need to sit with them and walk them through each lesson to be sure they understood the intent and to keep everyone on task. I'm trying to gather information to help me decide what to do after we finish Saxon 3 (continue on, take a break to work on math facts, change approaches, etc.) Any thoughts on that are welcome, also! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edeemarie Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 We are using Saxon 5/4 right now and the format is the same as 6/5. We are using it with ds8. He does not copy the problem- just shows his work (if there is any to show) and writes the answer. A typical lesson for us goes like this: we do the mental math together, read through the lesson together, do the practice problems together, and then he does the lesson on his own. I actually find it to be a pretty independent program. The time I spend "teaching" him is 5-10 minutes at most. Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 edeemarie - That does help, thanks! The more I look at the lessons (6/5) the more I think that we really could just keep moving along. I had built it up to be a major change. I'll probably need two texts to keep the "I can't see the problems!" arguments to a minimum... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edeemarie Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 edeemarie - That does help, thanks! The more I look at the lessons (6/5) the more I think that we really could just keep moving along. I had built it up to be a major change. I'll probably need two texts to keep the "I can't see the problems!" arguments to a minimum... I like to build up change too:) well, I don't really like it - I just find a way to do it! I was the same way when we switched from McRuffy to Saxon and everything went very well. Saxon is relatively cheap to buy used so I am sure in your case it would probably be best to buy 2 book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I have two kids using Saxon 5/4 and we have two textbooks. If you have a photo copier you could get away with just one "Tests and worksheets" book. The practices tests consist of one addition, one subtraction, one multiplication and one division test that is reprinted repeatedly through the book. I opted to use http://www.xtramath.org to time test my kids everyday. This saved me time marking and I could clearly see what problems the kids were stumbling on quickly. With a photocopier you can copy the "activity pages" and the tests that you'll need for each child. In the back of the "Tests and worksheets" book you'll find a bunch of forms. I chose to use them. My girlfriend did not. She just used spiral notebooks. My son works better within a defined space, so that is why I photocopied the forms. Some people found it was cheaper to check with their local printer places where you can pre-purchase a large quanity of photocopies and use them up as you need them during the year. It would be easy to determine how many copies of each form you would need for the year per child, and copy them at the store to save wear and tear on your printer. Or go with those cheap spiral bound notebooks. Not every question needs to be written out, but if my child answers the question wrong the first time, then I require them to write it out. I give them a dry erase board to work on if they chose too. oh, don't toss out your money manipulative from Saxon 3, unless you want to cut them all out again for Saxon 5/4. :) I worked side by side with my kids for the first 5 lessons, then I stepped away. Within a week they were running full tilt themselves. It was very freeing for me! My dd 9 works by herself 4 days a week doing Saxon 5/4. She handles it great. Both kids know that if they have a question, I am right there to answer it. But, I'm finding that they will ask each other and they figure it out on their own. I assign every question in the Mental math, lesson practice and mixed practice. My girl friend does all the Mental Math, lesson practice questions and with the mixed practice she does odd numbers on the odd numbered days and even numbered questions on the even numbered days. My dd9 can finish usually in 45 mins every day with about 95% accuracy. My ds12 has been known to take 4 hours to complete a lesson. He attempts to do anything other than math during that time. But he knows he has to get it done before he can go with his dad for the day. When I finally get angry he can finish it all off in 45 mins. He just likes to drive me nuts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I would continue. My dd11 had no problems a few years ago with transitioning from Saxon 3 to Saxon 5/4. She was actually excited that she didn't have "workbooks" anymore.:) She felt like she was really grown up when she had a notebook and couldn't write in the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 We use graph paper for 5/4 and up. It helps keep the columns lined up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 We are approaching the end of Saxon 3 and I need some advice from those of you further along. It is my understanding that Saxon 5/4 is fairly different from Saxon K-3. I have a copy of 6/5 but not 5/4, are they essentially the same in format and application (obviously content would be a bit different)? Are the students expected to copy out the problems and then solve them? Or do you just have them show work and the answer? I assume the lessons in the book are what they get (i.e. no separate teacher's manual with additional lesson discussion)? My dc are just 7, so second grade by age, and neither is independently attracted to math, although they both do fine. If 5/4 is like the 6/5 book I have, I would need to sit with them and walk them through each lesson to be sure they understood the intent and to keep everyone on task. I'm trying to gather information to help me decide what to do after we finish Saxon 3 (continue on, take a break to work on math facts, change approaches, etc.) Any thoughts on that are welcome, also! Thanks. We are using 5/4 & 6/7. My only complaints is that I wish the kids did NOT have to copy out the problems. I don't mind it for my eldest, but the younger one.. Yeah, i wish it was more workbook style for him. It's one reason I moved him from TT to Saxon. He needed the more workbook style. I have the kids use Graph Paper. I break one sheet down into room for 12 problems or more to be worked out. I label each break down with the number of the problem that is to be worked in that area. I do rewrite some of the problems for the younger one & I have him rewrite some. I actually wish, honestly, that they had the student workbooks at that grade like they do at the younger grades. BUT, it's okay. I think it's challenging to them in a good way to prep them down the road, kwim? I think the big problem with my 8 year old is that he's so capable of doing the work in his head that I'll just have a number there & no proof of work. Drives me nutty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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