BJU 4 or Saxon 5/4

[happynurse]

My eight year old son is working on Horizons Math 3 this year and doing okay with it. Unfortunately I don't know that he is really grasping the concepts the way he should be. I do feel like this program is quite advanced (I don't remember solving for 'n' in third grade, but I digress). I'd like to move to a DVD/online teaching for him next year. He gets irritated when I try to teach him concepts, and I just think he'd do better with an 'instructor', so to speak. I had pretty much settled on BJU DLO Math 4 for next year, (he is a VERY visual learner, and it looks visually appealing) but I see that Saxon 5/4 has DIVE CDs too. Also, I've heard Art Reed makes some Saxon instructional DVDs (are those available for 5/4? I'm not finding them online?) I think Saxon seems dull, but I do think the spiral might be a better fit for him than mastery. Anyway, I'd love to hear about your experience with these programs and if you have any advice to share. Thanks!

[Moncha]

I haven't used the DVD curriculum but my son has done well with BJU... I think it does a better job at teaching why than Saxon which seems to be more how, not why. The story line in BJU is engaging for my kiddo as well, some kids wouldn't care but it adds something for him. 

 

[Ellie]

On 12/7/2020 at 10:58 AM, happynurse said:

My eight year old son is working on Horizons Math 3 this year and doing okay with it. Unfortunately I don't know that he is really grasping the concepts the way he should be. I do feel like this program is quite advanced (I don't remember solving for 'n' in third grade, but I digress). I'd like to move to a DVD/online teaching for him next year. He gets irritated when I try to teach him concepts, and I just think he'd do better with an 'instructor', so to speak. I had pretty much settled on BJU DLO Math 4 for next year, (he is a VERY visual learner, and it looks visually appealing) but I see that Saxon 5/4 has DIVE CDs too. Also, I've heard Art Reed makes some Saxon instructional DVDs (are those available for 5/4? I'm not finding them online?) I think Saxon seems dull, but I do think the spiral might be a better fit for him than mastery. Anyway, I'd love to hear about your experience with these programs and if you have any advice to share. Thanks!

Well, technically, it's incremental, not spiral. 🙂

I would do Saxon. It has a proven track record, and it does all the math.

FTR, Saxon does teach why as well as how. It just does it differently than other publishers.

[LinRTX]

14 hours ago, Ellie said:

, Saxon does teach why as well as how

Yes it does. My math major daughter used Saxon from 2nd grade through Calculus. Several of her professors say she is one of the best taught math students they have had. She did every problem in every book. Saxon works. Maybe not for every person, but it does work.