R&S or Saxon math

[Guest]

What are the pros and cons? Which is better at preparing the child for higher math? Do your kids write in the books? Does R&S have a placement test? We are using Saxon 5/4 at lesson 16. I am thinking it skips around a lot and the kids hate the warmup section and it takes FOREVER to do a lesson. What says the Hive?

 

BTW, we tried their grammar and did not like the format. Is the math the same as far as wordiness/religious content?

[Unicorn.]

Have you looked at Abeka? My ds did Saxon 5/4 last year and liked it until we got near the end, and then he hit a wall. He chose R&S for this year for 5th, that lasted about a month. He is now doing Horizons, and likes it ok, but I think it is lacking something at this age. Oh, and we like R&S grammar (as much as you can like grammar!).

 

You can look at samples of R&S online at http://www.Rodandstaffbooks.com

 

HTH

[Ellie]

What are the pros and cons? Which is better at preparing the child for higher math? Do your kids write in the books? Does R&S have a placement test? We are using Saxon 5/4 at lesson 16. I am thinking it skips around a lot and the kids hate the warmup section and it takes FOREVER to do a lesson. What says the Hive?

 

BTW, we tried their grammar and did not like the format. Is the math the same as far as wordiness/religious content?

 

I think both are good preparation for higher maths.

 

R&S does not have a placement test.

 

I do not allow children to write in the text.

 

Saxon doesn't skip around. It constantly reviews every concept previously taught.

[Sue G in PA]

b/c it takes me son so long to do the reg. lesson. We do drill work on a different day (4 days Saxon/1 day drill). He also plays Timez Attack almost every day. I don't find that Saxon skips around as much as it just goes over a lot of concepts in one lesson. Personally, I like this approach. I hated Saxon at first (just started using it this year). I mean really hated it. I've grown to appreciate it a lot since then. My advice (same advice given to me when I asked about 5/4!) is to stick it out unless your dc is really having problems. My ds9 doesn't like the long lessons, but he does well. I'm not fixing what ain't broke, KWIM? The only problem I had was when SAxon introduces a new concept, there are only about 5 problems that cover that in the lesson. Not enough to cement it. BUT, I've found that b/c it is revisited in each lesson after, it eventually gets cemented. HTH

[Karen in CO]

I was trying to decide between R&S because of its strong focus on facts and Singapore because of its focus on mental math and Saxon because it is what is used by local classical schools. I am loving BJU math. Fewer problems per lesson than Saxon or R&S. Not as many topics per lesson as Horizons. Strong focus on facts and problem solving. Detailed teacher manual, but it works well with out it. Plenty of thinking strategies and alternate ways of solving problems.

[Beth in Central TX]

What are the pros and cons? Which is better at preparing the child for higher math? Do your kids write in the books? Does R&S have a placement test? We are using Saxon 5/4 at lesson 16. I am thinking it skips around a lot and the kids hate the warmup section and it takes FOREVER to do a lesson. What says the Hive?

 

BTW, we tried their grammar and did not like the format. Is the math the same as far as wordiness/religious content?

 

In my experience, Saxon did not provide adequate practice on the current lesson taught, but focused more on review. Because the new concept was not grounded, my middle son really struggled with math. A new concept would be introduced, and the lesson would include a few new problems, but not enough to solidify the concept for him. Therefore, by the time the concept came back around as a review problem, he couldn't remember how to work it.

 

R&S Math provides (1) mental math problems, (2) plenty of current concept problems, and (3) plenty of review problems in each lesson. It's a solid program. No, my boys do not write in the book.

 

R&S staff does not have a placement test, but you can call them for a 4th and 5th grade curriculum sample which will give you a table of contents and sample pages of their math program for each grade. I would also ask them for a copy of the scope & sequence booklet.

 

If you didn't like their grammar for wordiness and religious content, then I'm not sure you will like their math. Word problems are taught from 1st grade. It's not as religious in nature as the Grammar sentences, but it definitely reflects their Mennonite lifestyle.

 

R&S has prepared my boys very well. They know their math facts, and they score well, especially in math, on their standarized tests.

[Penny]

I think Saxon is for a somewhat mathy child who gets bored easily. It is spiral, and it keeps introducing new concepts before previous ones are solidified. This kept my ds extremely frustrated as he never felt like he knew anything. Saxon may be great for other children. It depends on your child and their learning style. For instance, my dd would be fine in any math program.

 

We are currently using R&S (grade 4) and are going to stick with it. It leads up to new concepts by gradually introducing the steps lesson by lesson. For instance, one wouldn't learn to simplify improper fractions all in one lesson. First, one would recognize to identify and name improper fractions. Only after this is done would one simply them (next lesson or possibly two lessons later). AND, the problems begin quite easy and lead up to difficult. The same would go for adding unlike fractions. First, lessons are given on identifying the lowest common multiple of two numbers. Then, a lesson is given on making equivalent fractions such that both have the lowest common denominator. After this is understood, then the fractions are added and subtracted beginning with EASY problems where only one of the denominator needs to be changed. The next lesson gives harder problems where both must be changed.

 

In a nutshell, R&S very meticulously leads the child through the steps of being able to solve problems. Nothing is left to figure out on their own. It is all explained in detail with much repetition. The book continuously reviews previous concepts.

 

I love the word problems because some (perhaps half) are not to be solved, but the child must give the information missing to be able to solve the problem, then tell what operation(s) would be necessary to solve the problem.

 

R&S has too many problems per lesson for a child to complete in my opinion. So, I simply assign 1/3 to 1/2 of the problems. If my child is having trouble understanding, I will spend 2 days on that lesson and he may do all of the problems. One would never run out of problems to assign with R&S.

 

R&S seems to be about 1 year behind Abeka but right on track with Saxon. In other words, Saxon 5/4 would be equivalent to R&S 4.

 

Blessings,

 

Penny