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Saxon Algebra without DVDs


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I'm looking for the confidence to purchase Saxon Algebra and use it without the DVDs. My oldest used VideoText Algebra and it was a wonderful fit but my son is having a difficult time with it.  I would like to use Saxon as I think the Spiral method is a good fit for him, but many reviews seem to list the DVDs as if they are necessary. 

I would love to hear from someone (preferably with multiple children) who successfully taught their child with Saxon Math and did NOT use the DVDs or other Video teaching. Was it difficult and time consuming? How involved were you?

Thanks in advance for answering my questions!

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I have used it twice, taught be me, no DVDs.  Totally different learners!

DD1- loves math, did Algebra 1 in 8th grade.  We first tried Jacob's, then switched back to Saxon.  She is usually really quick to pick up on math.   I would start each day with her, teaching the lesson- normally 30 minutes or less.  If she had any questions from the day before I would go over those.  For Algebra 2, I bought the teacher DVDs for ME when I get stuck.  Same thing, took me about 20-30 minutes to teach daily. I tired to stay 3-5 lessons ahead, so add a few hours per week to review and refresh myself.  I told her she was on her own for Advanced Math and got the Art Reed DVDs *much easier to watch*.  She did about half the book and then took college algebra.

DD2- a math struggler for life- hates math.  Did Algebra 1 In 9th grade, only got to lesson 100.  Daily I blocked off a full hour for her math (still do).  The new lesson takes 20-30 minutes to teach, then I do about half of the lessons questions with her.  She needs the Saxon spiral and the slow build up of concepts.   If I notice she gets behind or is struggling,  I back up 10 lessons and we do those again.  I know we had to do that about 3 times in Algebra 1.  I expect Algebra 2 to take 1.5-2 years for her.  

They keep the answer book, and they are to check their daily work as they go.  If they cannot get the right answer, then they should get my help.  Both were only required to do about 20 problems per lesson, and to focus on the ones they struggle with.  If I notice poor test scores, that means we need to back up or they need to do every problem for a while.  I always know exactly which ones they struggle with and I will research, write colorful notes for them to copy, or find a more visual way to teach if needed.  If you know the content, you don't need the DVDs.  My kids don't like any video lessons that I've ever tried- they just want me to teach them.  

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I used Saxon with my middle son without the DVDs. He mostly preferred to self-teach.

We found a series of you tube videos that were put out by a classroom teacher with each lesson separate (just search YouTube Saxon Algebra lesson x) that he liked and would use occasionally when he was stuck because he was not receptive to my help.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We had the DVDs but found the curriculum explained the material well and the Saxon Teacher videos were kind of useless because they just repeated, verbatim, the examples in the book.  We used Art Reed's DVDs, which were helpful in the sense that they gave alternate explanations and examples, but they are not necessary.

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