Ella Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 My 5th grader is doing Saxon 76. She is a good math student, but is not a "math whiz". What are my options for 6th-8th assuming she continues to do well the rest of this school year? I am not sure if Algebra 1 in 7th grade will be a good idea for her, but its probably too early to tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 If Saxon is working well for you and your daughter, I'd stick with it and move on to Saxon 87. At the end of next year, reassess to decide whether to move to Algebra 1/2 or Algebra 1. Given her age, I'd probably do both Saxon 87 and Algebra 1/2 unless she's particularly enthusiastic or finds it very easy. We did several years of "pre-algebra" here and I'm glad that we took our time. With a good foundation, algebra is a breeze! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Have you used Saxon since 54? Is there a reason you'd switch publishers? Saxon has Math 87 and Algebra1/2 after 76 and before Algebra 1. There is some criteria you use to judge whether you need 87, Alg12 or Alg1, but I'm not sure what it is. Do a board search. I think Ellie is the one who posted the guidelines for Saxons "prealgebra" books. Anyway, my vote is to continue in the same publisher until the books aren't working anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmerRex Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 We use Saxon 54 and it is great. We are very satisfied and intend to continue in the books for as long as we can. We have Math 54, Math 65 and Course 1, Course 2 and Course 3. You can read this to know that in the newer editions of Saxon, Math 76 = Course 1, Math 87 = Course 2 and Algebra 1/2 = Course 3. I hope to use Saxon straight on until Calculus with my son, but time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 My 5th grader is doing Saxon 76. She is a good math student, but is not a "math whiz". What are my options for 6th-8th assuming she continues to do well the rest of this school year? I am not sure if Algebra 1 in 7th grade will be a good idea for her, but its probably too early to tell. If she's doing well--at least an 80% average--then she would go to Math 87 when she finished 76, then Algebra 1. You could have her move more slowly through the texts if you don't want her in algebra before 7th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhappyjoyjoy Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 My 5th grader is doing 8/7. He's going to do both Alg 1/2 and Alg 1. My next son is not working ahead and will do 5/4 in 4th etc... and will probably skip 8/7 and do just Alg 1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 You could continue on for Saxon 8/7 if you like Saxon. It has worked well for DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 My 5th grader is doing 8/7. He's going to do both Alg 1/2 and Alg 1. My next son is not working ahead and will do 5/4 in 4th etc... and will probably skip 8/7 and do just Alg 1/2 Math 87 is pre-algebra. With the current editions, the publisher recommends Math 76, Math 87, Algebra 1. Algebra 1/2 is only recommended if the student has less than an 80% average in Math 76. If I had a very young child working through the Saxon series, I might have him do both 87 and 1/2 just because I don't know if I'd want him to be in algebra when he's 12, but I would not do 1/2 instead of 87 otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 There's no harm in having a 7th grader do Algebra if they know the material. There is no harm in repeating the same level twice to get a better understanding. You'll know when she hits a wall and be able to back up and repeat if necessary. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhappyjoyjoy Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Math 87 is pre-algebra. With the current editions, the publisher recommends Math 76, Math 87, Algebra 1. Algebra 1/2 is only recommended if the student has less than an 80% average in Math 76. If I had a very young child working through the Saxon series, I might have him do both 87 and 1/2 just because I don't know if I'd want him to be in algebra when he's 12, but I would not do 1/2 instead of 87 otherwise. You said exactly what I did. He's going to do both because he's so young. My next son won't do Alg 1/2 bec he won't be working ahead so young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 If Saxon is working well for you and your daughter, I'd stick with it and move on to Saxon 87. At the end of next year, reassess to decide whether to move to Algebra 1/2 or Algebra 1. Given her age, I'd probably do both Saxon 87 and Algebra 1/2 unless she's particularly enthusiastic or finds it very easy. This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Math 87 is pre-algebra. With the current editions, the publisher recommends Math 76, Math 87, Algebra 1. Algebra 1/2 is only recommended if the student has less than an 80% average in Math 76. Sorry, OP, for the derailment... Ellie, yes, this is true -- that was the advice I received when I contacted the publisher a few years ago, and I have always believed this and have given advice based on this information... Well, a few days ago, I spoke with Art Reed, and he maintains that the marketing team at Saxon just slapped on the words "with Prealgebra" onto 8/7 in an effort to sell the books. And that Algebra 1/2 is the real and much more meaty prealgebra book, and that it was always the preferred progression after 7/6. And that 8/7 was created for kids who weren't ready for the harder Algebra 1/2 book. Who knows? Just FYI. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Sorry, OP, for the derailment... Ellie, yes, this is true -- that was the advice I received when I contacted the publisher a few years ago, and I have always believed this and have given advice based on this information... Well, a few days ago, I spoke with Art Reed, and he maintains that the marketing team at Saxon just slapped on the words "with Prealgebra" onto 8/7 in an effort to sell the books. And that Algebra 1/2 is the real and much more meaty prealgebra book, and that it was always the preferred progression after 7/6. And that 8/7 was created for kids who weren't ready for the harder Algebra 1/2 book. Who knows? Just FYI. :) Art Reed is not the be-all and end-all of Saxon. Just sayin'... I have always preferred Math 87 over Alg. 1/2. To say that 87 was created for children who weren't ready for Alg. 1/2 is kind of silly, since children who complete 87 are perfectly capable of doing algebra 1, KWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omma Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 I heard that Saxon 8/7 was better if you wanted more arithmetic mixed in, but that it still brought you to the same point in the end as Saxon Alg. 1/2. We switched to Saxon just in time to use 8/7 and are now doing Alg. 1/2 (finishing it up this month), and I would mostly agree with this assessment. This time around we are using Art Reed DVDs. 8/7 has mental math practice and facts practice problems, in addition to the regular 30 problems in the mixed practice set. It has a completely different 'feel' to me than John Saxon's Alg. 1/2, maybe also because we have used a different DVD instructor each time. I have had both dc do both (although we did skip the 1st 20 lessons or so in Alg. 1/2), even though the younger one averaged 92 and the other 82 in Saxon's 8/7, and I really have no regrets. Both dc now have a great solid foundation for Alg. 1 and I am glad that we did not rush things. We all appreciate that math has not taken as long to get accomplished this time around and we are looking forward to jumping into Alg. 1 very soon. Even though I believe both might have technically been "capable" of doing Alg. 1 w/o doing Alg. 1/2, they can do the problems faster and with more confidence now...with math actually even being fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ella Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 Thank you all. A local hs friend who has older kids said that she greatly prefers Algebra 1/2 over 8/7. She has had a child go through both and then into Alg. 1 afterward. I noticed that Veritas Scholars Academy uses that also. So obviously opinions vary. I think I will just need to go look at both books and decide which seems best for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Thank you all. A local hs friend who has older kids said that she greatly prefers Algebra 1/2 over 8/7. She has had a child go through both and then into Alg. 1 afterward. I noticed that Veritas Scholars Academy uses that also. So obviously opinions vary. I think I will just need to go look at both books and decide which seems best for us. I still think that the recommendation of the publisher should be taken into consideration. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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