jgoodal08 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 since i can't decide between them can I use both? would it be too much for a 3rd grader? would there be a way to make the lessons coorelate with eachother? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 From what I've read, yes, that would be too much. Saxon is very spiral and so you can't just skip over concepts the child already knows like you could in a mastery program. (Plus it DOES NOT focus on conceptual understanding which, IMO, is VERY important.) Math in Focus (again, from what I've read on here) is basically the same as Singapore Primary Mathematics, but it is meant for public schools and is more expensive. Have you looked at Singapore PM? We've used that and have been very happy with it! I'm sure someone will come along who has actually used both programs to help you more than I have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edeemarie Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 From our personal experience with Saxon, I can't imagine adding to it because to do the whole lesson with the mental math, drill practice, and all of the problems takes a good amount of time. We only briefly used Saxon 5/4 so I am not sure about 3rd grade, but unless your kids really love doing math I would think that would be a lot for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I think that would be too much. Between those two, I would choose MIF, but Saxon is one of those curricula that you either love or hate, and I'm in the hate camp. :lol: What kind of math student do you have? Do you know if he learns better with mastery or spiral? My oldest used Saxon at school. It was torture for him because he is the type where you explain something once and he understands. He does not need much repetition. The homework sheets that came home each day drove ME insane, as I think like my son. The problems were basically the same each day but with different numbers, and one tiny thing might be changed. Also, there were problems on the sheet that seemed way more basic than I thought should be on the page, given the other problems. If you couldn't do that basic problem, you wouldn't be able to do the more advanced problems, so why sill be practicing it? The more advanced problems (which weren't â€advanced†at all) used the concepts of the more basic problems, and the really basic problem was the last problem on the page, so it's not like it was a warmup for later problems. This was Saxon 1. I haven't looked at Saxon 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgoodal08 Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 this would be my first time homeschooling. he was in public school. hes going into gr 3. he's good in math....does alot of his math in his head. his teacher wanted him to how his work...or how he got the answer. I'm beyond stressed out over this. I've literally spent the majority of the last 5 days figuring out curriculum and I'm mentally exhausted beyond belief. I didn't think my ex was going to let me hs him and he just agreed and now I'm trying to figure all this out and order it asap so I can get it and sort it out in time. so sinagpore is better than math in focus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 If he's good at mental math like that, I'd suggest Singapore (it's cheaper than MIF and has a home instructor's guide with activities meant for one student rather than a group). You will gradually get him showing his work. That's not an uncommon problem, especially in kids that are good at mental math. It can be overcome. There probably isn't much in 2nd grade math that your son needed to show work for anyway. I don't think my son had to show much work until 4th grade math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerforest Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I agree that Singapore or Math in Focus would be a better choice on their own than combining with Saxon. But, there are some differences between Singapore and Math in Focus that folks don't always mention. They look differently, and sometimes that is important to kids. My DD hated Singapore--mostly because of how it looked. She likes the aesthetics of Math in Focus much more. I've bought all our Math in Focus materials used, and I usually just get the Student book (not the teacher's guide or workbook). I actually combine Math in Focus with Right Start, Beast Academy, and a bazillion other math supplements because that's what works best for her. She benefits from seeing slightly different perspectives. But, in our case, everything we use is heavy on conceptual or mental math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgoodal08 Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 If i did MIF how would I know what grade to start him at? Hes going into 3rd...if I started at 2A would he be taught all the fundamentals of how this math is done? Im guessing I shouldnt start him at grade level with this? Thanks for all the help ladies:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I think the scope and sequence is pretty similar, so how about taking the standards edition placement tests? Also, did you look at the full text of MIF online? The publisher let's you do that for all the books. It looks like the math is the same as PM, but a lot if the activities are geared toward groups. I do like that the student texts are hardback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystika1 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 My vote is for MIF. I don't hate Saxon. I just prefer the math strategies taught in programs like MIF. I don't think that you could do both. I have used Saxon and the lessons are a bit time consuming. I would estimate around 45 min. My dd would go on strike if I would add more math to a 45 min lesson...just sayin.' I have just switched to MIF from Singapore. My dd hates to even look at the SM materials but, MIF is fitting her nicely. They appear similar but presentation is slightly different and more gentle. I am using the third grade workbook and student text. I find no need for the TM's at this time. After all of the trouble she has had with math, I would gladly spend the money on the TM's if I felt I needed them. HTH, Penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgoodal08 Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 I guess its safer to start at 2A because theyve touched on multiplication and division in his 2nd grade at school but he doesnt know them and from what i see in the MIF samples its in Level 2. SO I would need: 2A & 2B student texts 2A & 2B workbooks and the Teachers book which I dont see on Rainbow Resource and the manipulatives? Is there a less expensive manipulative set than the one on Rainbow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerforest Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I think Rainbow only lets you buy the teacher's guide as part of their packages. I really don't think you'd need it at the 2a/b level. You can also save a lot of $$ buying them used. I've bought all my copies from the used book resellers on Amazon. We already owned a ton of manipulatives so I never bought any specifically for Math in Focus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 singaporemath.com has a pretest so you can check the levels for singapore, is there nothing like that for MIF? I agree either would be better than saxon for someone who likes doing math in their head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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