Saxon Math questions

[momto2Cs]

Hi,

 

My oldest will be starting high school in a couple of years, so I am looking ahead. We're using Saxon Math right now, which both he and I like. I'm just trying to decide on the best approach/sequence for high school.

 

I see that they have released a separate Geometry book. Is it worthwhile, or would we be better off with the older books that integrate it? And what traditionally comes after the old Advanced Mathematics -- Calculus or Physics?

 

Thanks!

[KarenNC]

Check out Art Reed's website on using Saxon in homeschooling---great resource. http://www.homeschoolwithsaxon.com/

 

Here's his take on the geometry book

http://www.homeschoolwithsaxon.com/newsletterpage-2013.php#0113

 

I'm looking at the following sequence:

7th---Alg 1/2

8th--Alg 1

9th---Alg 2

10th---Adv Math pt. 1

11th--Adv Math pt. 2

12th---Calculus

[momto2Cs]

Check out Art Reed's website on using Saxon in homeschooling---great resource. http://www.homeschoolwithsaxon.com/

 

Here's his take on the geometry book

http://www.homeschoo...e-2013.php#0113

 

I'm looking at the following sequence:

7th---Alg 1/2

8th--Alg 1

9th---Alg 2

10th---Adv Math pt. 1

11th--Adv Math pt. 2

12th---Calculus

 

 

Thanks!

[momofkhm]

http://www.homeschoo...e-2013.php#0113

 

I'm looking at the following sequence:

7th---Alg 1/2

8th--Alg 1

9th---Alg 2

10th---Adv Math pt. 1

11th--Adv Math pt. 2

12th---Calculus

 

Keep in mind this won't work for all students. My oldest did Advanced Math in one year. My middle took longer all around. I think she needed both 8/7 and Alg 1/2. Algebra 1 took longer and she will finish Alg 2 over the summer. Then Adv math will be 11th and 12th. Youngest will hopefully fit the above sequence. It's what I'm planning anyway.

 

Oh, oldest taught herself. Middle is using Art Reed's DVD. Youngest is still learning from me.

[KarenNC]

Keep in mind this won't work for all students. My oldest did Advanced Math in one year. My middle took longer all around. I think she needed both 8/7 and Alg 1/2. Algebra 1 took longer and she will finish Alg 2 over the summer. Then Adv math will be 11th and 12th. Youngest will hopefully fit the above sequence. It's what I'm planning anyway.

 

Oh, oldest taught herself. Middle is using Art Reed's DVD. Youngest is still learning from me.

 

Very true. That's the schedule I'm hoping we will be able to follow with an relatively average math student (typically tests right around grade level in math, slightly ahead at best). We started Mr. Reed's videos this year (Alg 1/2) and they've been very helpful. It helps that we go year-round, so we have a little longer to finish a book if needed. We do a combination of the videos and me. She reads the lesson, watches the video and does the problem sets. If it's a section that I expect will be a bit harder for her, we do the practice problems together and then she does the problem set independently. The next day I correct her homework and have her rework any she missed (but I don't grade it). Usually, she gets the right answer on the reworking. If not, I have her guide me through step by step (gotta love the solutions manual!) so that we can identify what went wrong, sometimes having her go back and re-read the relevant lesson for the problem.

 

If you have questions, Mr. Reed really does mean call him and he will call you back (see below). I did so when we started with Saxon and had a rough patch. He spent 20 minutes with me, absolutely no charge and I had not bought a single one of his products at that point. He's an invaluable resource.

 

If you look at Mr. Reed's newsletter here http://www.homeschoo...e-2012.php#0112, he gives the following suggested tracks depending on the student. Now I've seen folks talk about their students who would definitely fall on an even faster track he lists.

 

FAST MATH TRACK: Math 76 - Algebra 1/2 - Algebra 1 - Algebra 2 - Geometry with Advanced Algebra - Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus - Calculus. NOTE: The Saxon Advanced Mathematics textbook was used over a two year period allowing the above underlined two full math credits after completing Saxon Algebra 2. (TOTAL High School Math Credits: 5)

 

AVERAGE MATH TRACK: Math 76 - Math 87 - Algebra 1/2 - Algebra 1 - Algebra 2 - Geometry with Advanced Algebra - Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus. (TOTAL High School Math Credits: 4)

 

SLOWER MATH TRACK: Math 76 - Math 87 - Algebra 1/2 - Algebra 1 - Introduction to Algebra 2 - Algebra 2 - Geometry with Advanced Algebra. (TOTAL High School Math Credits: 4)

 

 

NOTE 1: YOU SHOULD USE THE FOLLOWING EDITIONS AS THEY ARE ACADEMICALLY STRONGER THAN THE EARLIER EDITIONS ARE, AND MIXING THE OLDER EDITIONS WITH THE NEWER EDITIONS WILL RESULT IN FRUSTRATION OR FAILURE FOR THE STUDENT.

 

Math 76*: Either the hardback 3rd Ed or the new soft cover 4th Ed. (The Math content of both editions is the same)

Math 87: Either the hardback 2nd Ed or the new soft cover 3rd Ed. (The Math content of both editions is the same)

Algebra 1/2: Use only the 3rd Edition. (Book has the lesson reference numbers added)

Algebra 1: Use only the 3rd Edition. (Book has the lesson reference numbers added)

Algebra 2: Use either the 2nd or 3rd Editions. (Content is identical. Lesson reference numbers added to the 3rd Ed)

Advanced Mathematics: Use only the 2nd Edition: (Lesson reference numbers are found in the solutions manual, not in the textbook)

Calculus: Either the 1st or 2nd Edition will work. However, if the student uses my DVD tutorials, they will need the 2nd Edition textbook.

 

 

NOTE 2: WHEN RECORDING COURSE TITLES ON TRANSCRIPTS, USE THE FOLLOWING TITLES:

 

Math 76: Record "Sixth Grade Math."

Math 87: Record "Pre-Algebra."(If student must also take Algebra 1/2, then use "Seventh Grade Math")

Algebra 1/2: Record "Pre-Algebra."

Algebra 1 & Algebra 2: Self explanatory.

Advanced Mathematics: Record "Geometry with Advanced Algebra" (1 credit) if they only complete the first 60 - 70 lessons of that textbook.

Record "Trigonometry and Pre-calculus" (1 credit) if they have completed the entirety of the Advanced mathematics textbook. Under no circumstances should you record the title *Advanced Mathematics" on the student's transcript as the colleges and universities will not know what math this course contains, and they will ask you for a syllabus for the course.

Calculus: Self explanatory.

Each child is unique and what works for one will not always work for another. Whatever track you use, you must decide early to allow students sufficient time to overcome any hurdles they might encounter in their math journey before they take the ACT or SAT. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at art.reed@usingsaxon.com or call me at (580) 234-0064 (CST) and leave your telephone number and a brief message and I will return your call.

 

* Note: I added the asterisk--The videos he's done for 7/6 line up with the 4th edition and I had the 3rd when they came out. When I emailed asking if the videos would still work, he offered to send me a syllabus lining up the videos with the material I already had. We ended up not using the videos that year, but I can't recommend him enough. I suggest looking through the back issues of the newsletter as they are all online and have lots of good information.

[momto2Cs]

So he recommends both 8/7 AND Algebra 1/2? I'm just asking to clarify since many recommendations I've seen say one or the other.

 

Thanks!

[KarenNC]

So he recommends both 8/7 AND Algebra 1/2? I'm just asking to clarify since many recommendations I've seen say one or the other.

 

Thanks!

 

Depends on the child and how they do in the last part of 7/6. My daughter did fine on the last portion of 7/6 so we went on to Alg 1/2. We did encounter a bit of a wall a few weeks ago (around lesson 100 -102), so I gave her a couple of weeks off to just play with Khan Academy. I find she sometimes needs a break for things to "gel," particularly when she's going through a growth spurt.

 

http://www.homeschoolwithsaxon.com/newsletterpage-2012.php#0412

So what Saxon math book does a student who has completed Math 76 use? Well, that depends upon how well the student did in the Math 76 book. The key word is "successfully completed," not just "completed" Math 76. If a student completed the entirety of the Math 76 textbook and his last five tests in that book were eighty or better, he would have "successfully completed" Math 76 and he could move on to the Algebra 1/2 book. However, if the student's last five test grades were all less than seventy-five, that student has indicated that he will in all likelihood experience difficulty in the Algebra 1/2 materials and should therefore proceed first through the Math 87 textbook.

 

While both the Math 87 and the Algebra textbooks will get the student ready for the Algebra 1 course, the Math 87 book starts off a bit slower with more review, allowing the student to "catch up." The student who then moves successfully through the Math 87 textbook, receiving eighties or better on the last five tests, can then skip the Algebra 1/2 book and move directly to the Algebra 1 textbook.

 

However, if the student finishes the Math 87 book and the last five test grades reflect difficulty with the material, that student should then be moved into the Algebra 1/2 book to receive another - but different - look at "pre-algebra" before attempting the Algebra 1 course. Students fail algebra because they do not understand fractions, decimals and percents; they fail calculus because they do not understand the basics of algebra. Attempting to "fast track" a student who had weak Math 76 test scores - into Algebra 1/2 - then on to Algebra 1, will most certainly result in frustration if not failure in either Algebra 1/2, or Algebra 1.

[momto2Cs]

Thank you so much!