Math for next year (3rd grader)

[Doodlebug]

My son (almost 8) is technically a second grader this year doing Saxon 3 (Larson).

 

He's doing the math, no problem. But the daily practice sheets require my help (for focus) and sometimes I write for him.

 

I want to keep going with Saxon, as it has become the "devil I know." But I know the step into fourth grade math is a big change with Saxon, and I don't want to bite off more than Ds is ready for in terms of independent work.

 

I know others have faced this... Please let's borrow your wisdom!

 

Stella

[SilverMoon]

I haven't used Saxon's early years, but I have had kids get further ahead in textbooks than their hands could keep up with. Have you tried whiteboards? They somehow have magical properties that make kids not realize how much work they're really doing.

 

Mine switched to Horizons, which has spiral instruction in workbooks. This way they're able to keep working at their level without the writing volume overwhelming them. My 5th grade ds has been using it for nearly two years now, and my 3rd and K DDs began using it this school year. I'm very pleased with their progress and they'll be sticking with Horizons again next year.

[lorisuewho]

I haven't used Saxon's early years, but I have had kids get further ahead in textbooks than their hands could keep up with. Have you tried whiteboards? They somehow have magical properties that make kids not realize how much work they're really doing.

 

Mine switched to Horizons, which has spiral instruction in workbooks. This way they're able to keep working at their level without the writing volume overwhelming them. My 5th grade ds has been using it for nearly two years now, and my 3rd and K DDs began using it this school year. I'm very pleased with their progress and they'll be sticking with Horizons again next year.

Did you switch from Rod and Staff because of the workbook factor vs. text book?

[alisoncooks]

If the writing is the only issue, then keep at it and just scribe for him.  Or if you're worried about going into Saxon 4 "early", side step into something else for a year...

 

My DD (7.5) is doing BJU 2 and loves it.  That said, I scribe the first side of the workbook page for her and she writes the back.  It has made our lives so much easier!  What used to take 15 minutes (the front page) is done in just a few minutes.  I had thought that she was struggling with math -- nope, it's a breeze.  She just doesn't like to write.  :001_rolleyes:

[SilverMoon]

Did you switch from Rod and Staff because of the workbook factor vs. text book?

Yes. DS was ready for the concepts in R&S 6 at 8.5yo. Math comes very natural to him and he is "ahead," but his hand doesn't share that talent. He started Horizons 5 in 4th grade. It was obvious my next one was going to have the same problem this year; she changed in fall 2013. My kindergartner switched with her just because. (She had already completed R&S 1.) I miss doing the R&S TM sessions with K DD, but she is continuing to thrive.

 

I'll at least do R&S 1 with my last DC (3yo). I love the duckie book, and it's already in the school closet waiting for him to be ready. With the felt pond even! The writing amount really is age appropriate if the DC is in intended grade by age.

[lorisuewho]

Yes. DS was ready for the concepts in R&S 6 at 8.5yo. Math comes very natural to him and he is "ahead," but his hand doesn't share that talent. He started Horizons 5 in 4th grade. It was obvious my next one was going to have the same problem this year; she changed in fall 2013. My kindergartner switched with her just because. (She had already completed R&S 1.) I miss doing the R&S TM sessions with K DD, but she is continuing to thrive.

 

I'll at least do R&S 1 with my last DC (3yo). I love the duckie book, and it's already in the school closet waiting for him to be ready. With the felt pond even! The writing amount really is age appropriate if the DC is in intended grade by age.

Thank you for this. I'm really struggling. I love Rod and Staff. LOVE it. But my oldest is finishing up grade 3 and I know he hates writing it all out. I'm worried he won't like the spiral though. My one son uses CLE, but my other son hated it because he felt like he was doing the same thing every. single. day. That's why he liked Rod and Staff because he felt like he was accomplishing something and moving on. I heard the spiral isn't quite as tight in Horizons, so maybe he would be good with that.

[Guest]

I don't have any wisdom, but we were in the same boat with my son. I will tell you that this is the reason I'm working with my daughter at grade level, even though I know she could be a year higher. (Live and learn and all that.) My son did most of Saxon 3 last year (2nd grade) and this year for 3rd, we sidestepped a bit and did Singapore. He did 2B and 3A. I just struggle so much with Singapore and am much more comfortable using Saxon. Now that it's closing on the end of the year, we are reviewing some things from Saxon 3 and going into 5/4 next year as a 4th grader.  We took advantage of this year, though, and worked on stamina, writing, obedience, etc. I don't think that was necessarily a bad thing.

[joyfulmomSDG]

I just wanted to second the Horizons recommendation.  We have used it with our youngers from K-4th now.  My oldest (who is not a math person at all) used Saxon for 4th-6th and was really overwhelmed by it.  Horizons seems to have a "reasonable" spiral if that makes sense??  With Saxon my daughter felt too all over the place to keep up.  I don't think she ever felt like she sufficiently understood a particular topic before it disappeared and reappeared as practice. But again, she isn't a math person so that may have had something to do with it.  

 

With Horizons, the main lessons cover a basic topic for a series of lessons (i.e. division, into long division, into division with decimals/money), but not for a long period of time.  For 4th grade my son just finished the series I mentioned in the previous example and has now moved into a geometry "series" for about 10 lessons with fractions coming after that.  I don't feel like the writing or workload is unreasonable at all.  One thing that I am not a huge fan of with Horizons is that for K-3rd, there is no lesson instruction in the student workbook.  Thankfully, 4th grade has the instruction directly on the student pages, so my son can work somewhat independently on it.