How long for Saxon Math 8/7?

[lilredmom]

I know, it depends on the kid, but isn't 1-1/2 to 2 hours a bit much? DH (our main teacher, since he is retired) is telling me that our daughter will probably need at least 1-1/2 hours scheduled into each day for math. With all of the other subjects that need to be covered, I just can't see this as feasible unless she puts in 6-7 hour days 5 days per week. I know that my daughter can dawdle some, but all of her other subjects take an hour or less to complete. Should I enforce the "less than 1-1/2 hours" mandate?

 

Beth

[Brenda in FL]

I know, it depends on the kid, but isn't 1-1/2 to 2 hours a bit much? DH (our main teacher, since he is retired) is telling me that our daughter will probably need at least 1-1/2 hours scheduled into each day for math. With all of the other subjects that need to be covered, I just can't see this as feasible unless she puts in 6-7 hour days 5 days per week. I know that my daughter can dawdle some, but all of her other subjects take an hour or less to complete. Should I enforce the "less than 1-1/2 hours" mandate?

 

Beth

 

I think that 1 1/2 hours is reasonable. 8/7 increases in difficulty from 7/6. I've seen the suggestion here to break math into two periods each day. Do you remember math homework from middle school/high school? We spent about an hour in school and an hour with homework.

[Tasia]

My oldest used 8/7 last year and spent at least an hour on math every day, but I don't think it was ever even close to two hours. I'd schedule 75-90 minutes and assign anything else for "homework".

[Ellie]

I don't know how you could enforce such a mandate. :001_huh:

 

Your dh might tell her up front that she has 1½ hours to do her math, and where ever she stops is where she'll pick up the next day. For some reason, many children surprise themselves and their parents when told this and are miraculously able to finish everything in that time frame even when they didn't do it before.

[4kids13971]

My ds started 8/7 this year and I was wondering the same thing. It is taking him a little over an hour to do his work. He reads over the lessons, I help him if he needs it and then he does the lesson exercises. Right now, I have to split the lesson up into 2 days, 1 day for the reading and lessons and 1 day for the mixed review problems. I bought the DVD for him in hopes that he can learn better by watching that. If he does math any longer than an hour, he startes getting frustrated and loses focus.

[lilredmom]

Losing focus and not having enough time are my two biggest concerns about this. The longer a subject drags on, the more her attitude degrades (and so does DH patience). Too long of a school day doesn't help, either. I can't imagine where I could cut to get that extra time. Back to the drawing board, I guess.

[Brenda in FL]

Losing focus and not having enough time are my two biggest concerns about this. The longer a subject drags on, the more her attitude degrades (and so does DH patience). Too long of a school day doesn't help, either. I can't imagine where I could cut to get that extra time. Back to the drawing board, I guess.

 

Well, you could always just give her a time allotment and then she picks up where she left of the next day. You might have to plan for three lessons completed per week (or more/less depending on the length of the math period).

 

Additionally, you could offer incentives for completing more work than you expected to help motivate her. But be careful not to overdo it. You want to work to a new expectation independent of incentives. (Hmm - I just might try this . . .)

[Ellie]

Well, you could always just give her a time allotment and then she picks up where she left of the next day. You might have to plan for three lessons completed per week (or more/less depending on the length of the math period).

 

:iagree: Exactly.