5parkers Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 I'll try to make this short. Last year was our first year homeschooling- we used Abeka Grade 5 math. My daughter always got straight A's in public school, but as soon as she did Abeka she now hates math! It wasn't really too hard for her (she still made good grades), we just didn't like the program, how it was laid out, etc. Everyone says Saxon, so I borrowed a friend's Saxon 7/6. I like how it explains everything to you, but she thought it looked very easy. So I thought maybe try level 8/7? Or do I even bother? I want to find the "right" math program for us and not have to switch her again thru middle school years. Singapore looked like too much to handle. We like the idea behind Teaching Textbooks- their rep told me to put her in grade 7 coming from Abeka 5. Has anyone used TT or had great success in another math program? It would be greatly appreciated!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlotteb Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 From my experience, Abeka is more advanced than Saxon. So, I would say that you could skip a level if moving to Saxon. Maybe use 8/7. Saxon is a very good math program imo and I hope it would work for you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 math is very good. Join the CLE families yahoo group to see samples in the photos section of the group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest themyers7 Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Our family has used Teaching Textbooks 6 & 7 and absolutely loved them. I have used at least one grade level ahead for each of my children. My son completed Abeka 3 Arithmetic last year and will be doing Teaching Textbooks 5 this year. Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We have used Teaching Textbooks 5 and pre-algebra and loved them both. No complaints and my children look forward to doing math every day. I cannot say that about any other program I have used (A Beka, Saxon, Rod and Staff, BJU) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 A Beka and Saxon are both variations of spiral programs. Perhaps she is reacting to the spiral approach, especially if they used mastery in school, and you might try something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We didnt care for Abeka either. We did have much success with TT 7 last year and will be using both their pre-algebra and TT5 next year. My youngest responded well to BJU math, but that might wind up being similar to Abeka, I dont know. I would look at their table of contents on the BJUP website and compare the 2. I can tell you Saxon was a very poor fit for us. We used it with my oldest 1 semester coming out of MUS. It was great for that 1 semester. It tied everything together in a way MUS does not. It prepared her for the next step. But, Saxon was a terrible fit long term. When we tried it the next year, it was a complete failure. It was just too tedious. With regard to TT, take the placement exam for a starting point. IF you have any more questions, contact the rep again - they are very helpful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathie in VA Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 If you want to find the best program for you to teach and your daughter to learn from let's first go over what you too need/want and what types of programs are out there. You can eliminate lots of programs easily after you see ways that they are similar and ways they differ. With math, programs tend to fall under spiral, incremental, or mastery methods and then within that some offer DVDs with an instructor for each lesson. Spiral prgms tend to teach a new topic each day, give some work on it, then give more problems that review past work. If the student doesn't get the new info that day it's considered okay since they will see it again and again in the reviews. I think Abeka and RightStart are spiral. Incremental prgms are like spiral but they (I think) they teach in smaller increments... breaking a new topic down into parts for a lesson. I think Saxon is incremental. Mastery based programs will teach new topic and work on it for a few days before teaching the next new topic. Review is included as the lessons do build on each other. Some do include separate review but it is used as as review of material already mastered not as a tool to learn the material. Some progrms that use this method are: Math U See, Singapore, Mastery Math. There are others but I can't think of them at the moment. There are also other differences. Some come with an instructor via a DVD like Chaulkdust & VideoText. Lial's Basic College Math is a mastery program that some use to finnish up arithmatic and do PreAlegra (all in one book). I found it a good one to use when switching programs because it covers all arithmatic after learning the basic facts. So it starts at about 5th or 6th grade level. You can pretty easily skim thru anything your dc already knows or take the test and skip it without worrying about gaps. After Lial's BCM you can get the next Lial's bk on Algebra or pick a different one. hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 If you like the format of Saxon I would say try Christian Light Math. Its set up sort of like Saxon but more challenging. Or you could have her take the Saxon diagnostic test to find out the proper level to put her in so you aren't guessing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I took my dd out of public school, 5th grade and Everyday Math (bleah!) mid-year. I stuck her in TT 6...she has gotten mostly 95% on each lesson, so possibly could have used TT7 instead. You can jump a year ahead into TT. I will be jumping dd into TT prealgebra a week after she finished TT6 (ah, summer school. That is what happens when you switch gears mid-year - something overlaps into summer to get finished.) I like the look of Chalkdust, too - just can't afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2GirlsTX Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I loved Saxon but my dd HATED it, so she went to I hate math status. This was at Second grade. We switched over to Singapore (which she loves) and have also been using Life of Fred Fractions and recently starting TT6. I probably should have gotten her TT7 but we will work through at quicker pace if it is to easy. The best program is the one that works for your child and their learning style. Have you read Cathy Duffy's 100 Best Homeschool picks where she describes your child's learning style? Also what math did she use in Public School? If that style (spiral or mastery depending on what they used) worked for her, then maybe continue it. I don't think you could go wrong with using TT with her if you want a computer type program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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