Can I get some positive reviews of Saxon Math please? :)

[RainbowSprinkles]

I'm considering SaxonMath again for ds7 who will be going into 2nd grade. I'd really love to hear some positive reviews for the program. :)

[Ellen in PA]

I used Saxon 1 through 8/7 with dd. Saxon is a thorough program that covers money, time, calendar, facts, etc daily. My dd scored great on standardized tests. Math concepts/terminology is also included. It has a spiral approach.

[*Lulu*]

We are happy Saxon users here!

 

I use a combination of things until around 3rd grade, then we move into Saxon. (We are using Beast Academy as a supplement to Saxon, and I have Math Mammoth to pull from for extra practice when needed.)

 

My oldest has had great success with Saxon where other programs/approaches were a bust. I have also seen great success with it in classroom settings in my pre-mommy days.

Edited June 18, 2012 by BLA5

[lulubelle]

We have been working with Saxon K-6/5 so far and plan to go all the way. It is great for my "in the box" kids. I challenge them outside the box with SM Challenging Word Problems and I just picked up Zaccaro's Primary Grade Math Challenge.

Edited June 18, 2012 by lauren

[JudoMom]

Saxon has been our main math program since oldest was in K. He's now in Algebra 1, Ds11 is in 8/7, ds8 is in 3, and ds6 is in 1. Ds9 was in 6/5, but he's my math wild card and for various reasons he's now doing Rod & Staff 5 (I hope to put him back in Saxon when he's done with R&S).

 

Saxon is thorough. Books K-3 are fun, as long as you aren't a slave to the script. My boys have all loved the manipulatives, and I let them use markers, crayons, colored pencils, and stickers on the worksheets.

 

My boys who have tested have all scored really well on the ITBS. They all enjoy math. They don't always enjoy Saxon, but they know they are learning and that's worth it to them.

 

Make sure that your child takes the placement test for Saxon. Being placed in the right level makes all the difference.

[MommaOfalotta]

We have only had experience with the K book, but DD and I loved it! I am planning on using Saxon every year as long as it is still working for us.

 

My cousin (who was my homeschool inspiration) used it with her DD all the way through graduation-and loved it. With her son, they needed something else. Once you get higher in the Saxon books its more for those who are able to read directions and multi task (and her son was a more visual hands on learner.)

 

But we love Saxon and my daughter is always excited to do math:) I used Saxon all through public school and I hated it, but Im sure it had nothing to do with the program itself:)

[mommyto2]

I used Saxon in 5th grade through 12th grade and while I wouldn't necessarily call it "fun" (I am not a mathy person!) I do feel like I got a very solid math education. We used Saxon k with our oldest, and decided to switch to horizons math in 1st grade. It was a nightmare! Horizons worksheets were so distracting to her that all of a sudden math was taking me 1 1/2 hours. So back to Saxon we went. We love the spiral approach. (I don't worry that she is forgetting something.) And the incremental approach works for us. If she is struggling with something then we can take things slow and if she gets it really quickly then I skip to the next lesson. We don't do the meeting book in the early years. And I don't feel tied to the script. But for the days that I am not in the mood to do math I know I can read the script and know that I haven't shortchanged her. I also don't do the back of the worksheets, and sometimes we do the answers orally if we have been doing a lot of writing that day.

 

One last thing, at least the early years are set up to do 3-4 lessons a week. So on Fridays we do Fred Fridays. (life of Fred and a few miquon worksheets.) That keeps things changed up a bit. But really I think I am the one with the problem of doing the same thing everyday. :)

[Karen in CO]

I switched my oldest dd to Saxon in 5/4 after a string of math failures. Her best friend also switched shortly after we did. Both of them went from feeling like failures at math to loving it and feeling confident. Both will tell you they hate Saxon, BUT it turned them both from insecure math-haters to confident math-lovers.

[Guest]

We have used K-2 and plan to continue with it. I love that it holds my hand while teaching. I feel my son is getting solid math. He did awesome on his testing this last year, even on tbe word problem section, which everyone seems to say is an area Saxon lacks. I think it is a well rounded, traditional program that works great in our house.

[AmyontheFarm]

We love Saxon Math here! We started Saxon 3 on the third week of September, finished that book doing every question, front and back and moved onto Saxon 5/4 and my son is on Lesson 54.

 

Now, we were and are doing Math 6 days a week with our son because he is supposed to be in grade 5 and he was so far behind from being in the spec ed class at school, where they had just given up on him.

 

My dd on the other hand, is in grade 3. She is now doing Math (Saxon 5/4) only 4 days a week, because I didn't feel the need to get her any farther ahead at this time.

[AmyontheFarm]

We love Saxon Math here! We started Saxon 3 on the third week of September, finished that book doing every question, front and back and moved onto Saxon 5/4 and my son is on Lesson 54.

 

Now, we were and are doing Math 6 days a week with our son because he is supposed to be in grade 5 and he was so far behind from being in the spec ed class at school, where they had just given up on him.

 

My dd on the other hand, is in grade 3. She is now doing Math (Saxon 5/4) only 4 days a week, because I didn't feel the need to get her any farther ahead at this time.

 

So, to sum things up! We love Saxon!

[Jim]

After using Saxon 3 and starting 5/4 I went ahead and bought the rest of the series. That says all I can say.

[Alte Veste Academy]

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76406&highlight=Saxon+love

 

:)

[sillymommy]

I was taught with Saxon books beginning in 7th grade with Algebra I. I LOVE math & have always been great at algebra. I didn't really struggle with math until the end of Calculus during my Sr. yr of public high school.

 

Based on my personal experience, I use Saxon for all my kids. It works, they know their stuff, and, as I like to tell them, they are "math masters!" :D

[*Michelle*]

We have only had experience with the K book, but DD and I loved it! I am planning on using Saxon every year as long as it is still working for us.

:iagree:

[bttrflyvld]

I'm so happy to ready all your positive responses. I've been torn on which math to use. I just bought Saxon K. it's coming in the mail and I was worried that I made the made a mistake. I feel so much better now that I've heard your positive feedback. Thank you all!

[fourisenough]

My older two girls have done Saxon through Algebra 1 (DD 1) and 7/6 (DD 2). DD 2 will continue working through 8/7 even while taking pre-algebra via Live Online Math. I feel like she needs the consistent skills practice Saxon offers, in addition to the challenge of LOM. DD1 will go to public school for 9th grade and placed solidly into geometry after her experience with Saxon.

 

My 7 year old has been well-served by Math Mammoth, but will likely switch to Saxon at the higher levels.

 

Good luck!

[Classically Minded]

I had Saxon math in private school and I believe it is the best there is and chose to use it for my daughter. We have done Saxon 1 and 2 and starting 3 soon. We BOTH love it, it is her favorite subject! It is thorough and constantly reviews as you learn new concepts, so the child doesn't forget old concepts. The saying is that if you do Saxon math, your child will KNOW math! ;)

[4Kiddos]

My MIL has used Saxon math with all seven of her kids, including my husband. My husband is Mechanical Engineer who double majored in math for his Bachelors and finished his Masters in 1 1/2 years. The next son has a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and is starting his Master's in the fall. The next son is finishing up his high school year and is in the Advanced Mathematics books. Needless to say, all of them including the girls know their math well. She starts Saxon at 5/4 with her kids (because when she started using Saxon they did not have the lower grades).

[hsmom10]

We are switching to Saxon this year (from Horizons) and I am really excited about it. I think I may have ordered one level too low for my oldest, but I also think the review/having it easier for a bit will be beneficial to her, too. For my middle daughter we will go from Horizons 2 to Saxon Int. 3, but I haven't received it yet to see how it compares!

 

We will also supplement with Life of Fred.

[Moniksca]

We did saxon 3 and 5/4 and I made the switch this year to Singapore and MM. We're heading back to Saxon for next and will start 7/6. I'm already using 1 with my preschooler. I thought ds needed as switch but realized he needed me to work with him more. I plan on sticking with it. I love it, and never stick to the script in the early years, I just use it as a guide.

[KarenNC]

I can't speak for the early grades, but 6/5 and up now to Alg 1/2 have been great for us. We switched after years of trying to slog through Singapore because the only thing I ever heard was that Singapore was the ONLY math program to use with bright kids.:rolleyes: Took me several years to realize there is no ONLY program for anything!;)

[vjivascu]

I've used Math Mammoth for the lower levels and then proceeded to Saxon Math. Math Mammoth is good, however, the drawback is that it doesn't give a lot of direction and enough practice (in my opinion). My kids are thriving and retaining a lot of the concepts due to the Saxon spiral approach. Thus, for grades 1-3 I use Math Mammoth, and from 4th grade I start Saxon 5/4. One daughter just completed Saxon Math 8/7 and told me it was easier for her than the Math Mammoth 6th grade that she did in the previous year. The most critical thing one must do to ensure success when using the Saxon curriculum is to NOT allow your child to skip over any lessons and/or problems.

 

Viorica

[momtokea]

We have used Singapore and Teaching Textbooks. These programs are really strong in some areas, but seriously lacking in other areas. This past year we used Saxon and my kids finally KNOW their math. Saxon is strong in ALL areas, and is not lacking in any area. Saxon is the best math program there is.

 

My kids are 14, 12 and 10. I wish I had used Saxon from the beginning.

[ALB]

I love it so far! We've used K- middle of 2. I actually do think the lessons are pretty fun. There is a good mix of activities and games throughout. Math is not my dd's favorite subject, but right now she is feeling pretty encouraged by how certain concepts have become easier and easier for her. I love seeing the "lightbulb" moments!

[Guest c3chap]

My 4th and 2nd graders have only used Saxon- although we have done some Singapore this summer. I have found their math skills to be above average (Iowa Testing this year). Saxon's main weakness, in my opinion, would be word problems. However, that can be addressed by adding in Singapore or Primary Grade Challenge Math or similar. No program will be perfect for every child, but I wouldn't consider switching to another math. The first 1-3 years in Saxon are very through and incremental, while I think the K program is fun and gentle, my Kindergartener starts in Saxon 1.

 

We move into the DIVE videos at Saxon 5/4 and my ds loves this method. We are trying out Singapore over the summer and it cemented my appreciation of Saxon for the review every lesson. I did not purchase Singapore as school curriculum just as a summer refresher and to get a different perspective for them- so it wouldn't seem so much like their school math-:001_huh:

 

My 7 y/o does get tired of Saxon's drill- it's not as easy for him- I need to come up with some incentives to make some of the drill more fun and pare it down, too. There might be a thread for that somewhere.

 

I'd say find something you like or appreciate for it's effectiveness and stick with it- that way your not missing concepts by switching or stopping and restarting- that can be discouraging too. You can always change the way something is presented to meet your child's needs. Saxon does use a lot of manipulates, but doesn't show them in their workbooks.

 

That's my thought. Hope it helps.

[Beach Mom]

My DD used Saxon from k - 7/8. She then easily completed Chalkdust Pre-Algebra, Lial's Algebra and Geometry. She scored a 93% on the math portion of her high school entrance exam. The math chair was very impressed with her skills. I attribute much of this to Saxon, as this is not my most mathy child.

 

It was boring at times, but it worked.