Talk to me about BJU/Saxon Math....6th, 3rd, & Algebra!

[Murrayshire]

Dd is almost finished with TT Alg. 1 for the year. We are taking a transition year next school year before 9th grade and have decided to do Algebra 1 again. So, I've been looking at Saxon and BJU. I have Saxon Art Reed Alg.1 Dvd's sitting on my shelf, but dd isn't sure she can stand the Saxon approach again (she used Saxon 7/6 and 8/7). She says she'll do it but she gets annoyed that every lesson jumps to a different topic. Does BJU Alg have much review like Saxon?


I'm open to other options..... But I would like to stay put with math and not bounce around with publishers. Would BJU math be a solid option to continue through high school? Being secular, would the religious content in BJU be overbearing in the math department?

If I decided to place my rising 6th grader and 3rd grader in BJU math, would they need to take a placement test?
Thanks everyone!

😃

[PeterPan]

BJU has released new editions of their math over the last few years that bump things dramatically.  It was good before, and it's extremely good now.  They have a paid placement test (odd, I agree), but you can probably gauge as well by looking at the long samples they have on the bjuphomeschool.com website.  BJU is mastery and includes sections of spiral review.  It's not going to be incremental instruction the way Saxon is, no.  It's going to include *some* review, but it's not going to be to the extent say TT is.

 

Hmm, religious content.  We used the old editions, but to me it wasn't overbearing.  Everyone has their sensitivities though, kwim?  Again, look at the samples, which are full chapters including the tms, and see if that helps you decide.  

 

They'll be at conventions, if you're hitting any...

[Murrayshire]

Thank you for helping.....
😉

[mom31257]

Are you comfortable with teaching high school math or will you use BJU's dvd/online option? Although the newer editions in 7th and up do look better, I feel it is still written to be used in a school setting assuming there is an actual math teacher teaching daily. I don't think it's written to the student as much as TT or other programs like that. BJU is a mastery approach, so you'll have chapters on topics instead of skipping around.

 

The Geometry looks like the same edition I used with my dd, and I didn't really care for it. I just think there were better things out there. My dh was laid off at the time and a friend gave it to me for free. I've used BJU with my ds through elementary, but I don't think I'll be using BJU for high school. I've really liked the Lial's series books I'm using with my dd. They have very thorough examples and a mastery approach with a cumulative review lesson at the end of each chapter. I'm not sure what I'll use with him for Alg 1 and beyond. He's my STEM kid, so I want to make sure I'll use something challenging enough for him.

 

 

[Murrayshire]

Are you comfortable with teaching high school math or will you use BJU's dvd/online option? Although the newer editions in 7th and up do look better, I feel it is still written to be used in a school setting assuming there is an actual math teacher teaching daily. I don't think it's written to the student as much as TT or other programs like that. BJU is a mastery approach, so you'll have chapters on topics instead of skipping around.

The Geometry looks like the same edition I used with my dd, and I didn't really care for it. I just think there were better things out there. My dh was laid off at the time and a friend gave it to me for free. I've used BJU with my ds through elementary, but I don't think I'll be using BJU for high school. I've really liked the Lial's series books I'm using with my dd. They have very thorough examples and a mastery approach with a cumulative review lesson at the end of each chapter. I'm not sure what I'll use with him for Alg 1 and beyond. He's my STEM kid, so I want to make sure I'll use something challenging enough for him.

I am NOT comfortable with teaching high school math! Over the last couple days I have come to the conclusion that BJU Math is not going to be our choice. The distance learning DVDs are just more than I can afford..... On top of everything else I am purchasing. I think for my older dd we are going to go back with Saxon for Algebra.... I have Art Reed but I'm wondering if the Saxon Teacher DVDs would help her more b/c it shows all the solutions to the problems like TT??
She will also continue with Khan Academy.....and MM gold series worksheets only if she needs more review with new concepts.

Also, for my rising 6th grader, we are going to go back to Saxon. I know she likes TT, but I feel like it isn't making her think too hard and she is using a grade level ahead.

What if we use Saxon for both dd's and take 2 days for each lesson? Example:

Day 1- Saxon Warm up, facts practice, Saxon lesson, lesson practice problems, then MM worksheet on that days topic for more practice.
Day 2- Saxon Review Set and more practice on lesson topic if needed either through Khan or MM

My kids, in the past, have told me that they don't feel like they have done enough practice with the daily lesson. So maybe this will help. Of course if they absolutely don't need the extra day for the new lesson, then they just do the whole lesson in one day instead of breaking up into two days.

For my rising 3rd grader, the best thing will probably stick with MM and continue to use it in a light spiral way. I've been using Saxon's morning meeting process before MM lessons...maybe I should just continue that since I have Saxon 3 book on the shelf from dd.

This thread went from BJU to Saxon in a blink of an eye! 😉

[mom31257]

Well, I actually am not a huge fan of Saxon, but I know people have to use something which teaches for them if they are not math oriented.  I've only taught Saxon Alg 2 and Advanced Math in a co-op setting and decided after that to never use it with my own children. If your children feel they don't have enough practice of the daily lesson in Saxon that will only get worse the higher it gets. Unless the books have new editions and have changed in the last few years, the Algebra 2 would have 2-4 problems from the daily lesson and then the review. I think the Advanced Math only had some mixed into the review and no lesson practice section at all.

 

I know it's easy for me to think about choosing a math program because of my math degree. Most of the math programs out there are going to get you where you want to be in the end, it's just that each takes a different road and some have guides along the way and others leave you to make it on your own.

 

There are a lot or programs out there which provide teaching, ChalkDust, Kinetic Books, Videotext, etc., but I'm not experienced with any of those. Have you already ruled out those of other's you've come across? By the way, I was actually going to use TT Geometry if we had the money. Of all their courses, Geometry is their one course about which I read the most good things. I would have just used the book because dd wouldn't have wanted to do a computer program. You might want to still consider it when it comes to that course.

 

I hope you can make whatever you choose work for you and your kids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Murrayshire]

Thank you Amy!
I think we were set on using TT for Geometry so I'm happy to hear that it has had great reviews.

There are plenty of Saxon resources out there as far as teaching goes.....seems like quite a bit of homeschoolers use it around me and offer classes. (Not to mention virtualhomeschooler site & DVDs.). Saxon may be a safe bet for me. I'll definitely keep looking for upper grade maths before making a decision!
Thanks for your help!