Saxon math?

[twoxcell]

I'm trying to help my sister in-law out with starting to home school her son this fall. She has limited funds and doesn't know anything about homeschooling or curriculum. I was thinking perhaps that Saxon math might work for her ds. He will be going into 6th grade and has always gone to PS. Anyways my question was do the older editions of Saxon math have any answers/solutions in the back of the textbooks or do you need a TM? Also is Saxon 7/6 the one for 6th grade? TIA

[Ellie]

I'm trying to help my sister in-law out with starting to home school her son this fall. She has limited funds and doesn't know anything about homeschooling or curriculum. I was thinking perhaps that Saxon math might work for her ds. He will be going into 6th grade and has always gone to PS. Anyways my question was do the older editions of Saxon math have any answers/solutions in the back of the textbooks or do you need a TM? Also is Saxon 7/6 the one for 6th grade? TIA

 

You always have dc take the placement test, rather than picking one based on grade level. :-)

 

The older editions should have answer key booklets (and another one that has masters for the tests and drills; the answers for those are in the answer key booklets). The TMs used to be difficult to come by, and they were an expense that was not necessary, since the homeschool packets were less expensive.

[twoxcell]

Thanks. Yes I'm going to send her a link to the placement test. Right now I am just trying to come up with a few options that she can afford. Do you think the older Saxon editions would work ok for then. I saw some on eBay for fairly inexpensive prices.

[Ellie]

Yes, they should be fine. The current placement tests might be a little off, but I don't think it will make much of a difference.

[Hunter]

I like the older editions better than the newer editions. But try and stay with the same edition all the way through. The older texts are dirt cheap and easy to find. The matching Homeschool packets are a bit trickier to get ahold of, though. And I think there were public school texts that were slightly different than the homeschool texts, but the covers look the same, and just the ISBN#s are different. So I think that sometimes the homeschool packets answers don't match the PS textbooks.

 

I think you are likely to do better on eBay that Amazon, to get a whole matching kit.

 

Don't worry about the tests. There really is no need for them for homeschooled students. And skipping them helps to get the LONG books completed. Any daily lesson can be a "test" as long as mom knows the child was supervised while completing it.

[Hunter]

Some kids from PS are going to need to start with 54. Do not assume the child is ready for 65 or 76.

[twoxcell]

Thanks Hunter. I honestly have no clue what level of math he is at. I sent her a link for a Saxon Placement test and also the Singapore Primary Math US placement test. I was thinking if she did both then we could get an idea of where he is at so I can give her some recommendations. :)

[FriedClams]

One thing I have to have with Saxon (we use 3rd edition) is the "solutions manual". It's the breakdown of how to solve every problem in the book. Awesome. The test answer key is a different book, too. It's annoying but I switch to Saxon after horizon 6 and we love it here.

[Hunter]

I would not suggest Singapore for this mom. I wouldn't even use their test.

[twoxcell]

 

I would not suggest Singapore for this mom. I wouldn't even use their test.

Yeah I don't think so either she just wanted to know what I use. ;)

[twoxcell]

Hunter do you have any other suggestions for math curriculum that is fairly straight forward and that I could help her find that isn't too expensive?

[Hunter]

Open and go math is expensive. Sigh!

 

For a new homeschooler, who is not up to piecing things together or tweaking, I'd hunt down old Saxon. And unless that child were strong in math, even as a 6th grader, I'd be prepared to need to start him in 54. The new tests are a bit harder than the old series, as the series has gotten "stronger" and wider. So if the test is borderline and you are using are using an older version, it's okay to place him closer to grade level.

 

But in general, Saxon needs to be EASY. The first 20-60 lessons should be all review. Seriously. I know that sounds crazy, but the mixed problem sets are brutal unless MOST of the set is maintenance.

 

My first year, I had a gifted 5th grader and $100.00. I bought a $50.00 Saxon Algebra 1 kit, and it was the absolutely best choice I could have made. Then a bought a little grammar and spelling and handwriting and content, all of which I didn't use. We mostly did Bible, Saxon and the library, and a little Latin, from a library book. The next year I bought Henle Latin, which again was a good purchase for him.

 

When money is tight, a good time consuming math book, that doesn't need to be rushed through, because there is little else to complete, just works.

 

If you find some Rod and Staff for a good price, that would be another option. I have not used R&S, but I have used the Amish workbooks, and R&S doesn't look too different.

 

I'd stay away from the vintage maths, unless she truly has no money. It's really anxiety producing to skim ahead and pick and choose, when you have no confidence or bigger plan that you know you want to accomplish. The Ruth Beechick books, do provide a map, that could be used to guide through vintage and free texts, but in the end, you will be spending more than hunting down older Saxon texts.

 

I used nothing but yard sale  and library books until Algebra, but...it was with a gifted kid, and I was really in tune with what he knew and didn't know. And because we were so far ahead, it didn't matter if there were gaps. This was all play.

 

:grouphug: to both of you.

[twoxcell]

Thanks Hunter. I don't know exactly how much she has to work with but I know that they have a smallish income and she hadn't planned ahead for buying curriculum. I'm sure we can find something that will work. I just really want to help her get started with something that will work for them. ;) Math is always the hardest for me to recommend to others. It was hard enough for me to find what I like. Lol

[Hunter]

Saxon gets so slammed now a days, and there are so many other options now, but it produced some solid students back in the 90s when the average mom was broke, unconnected, and clueless. 

 

Back then, moms spent 50% to 100% of their budget on math. The smaller the budget, and the more unconfident the mom, the larger the percentage of the budget goes to math. And LONG lessons are a GOOD thing, in this situation.

 

Good luck. Choosing for someone in a different situation than yourself is very difficult.