When should I start new math curriculum?

[JMyers0365]

We accidentally fell into homeschooling like a lot of families this year, but we're sticking with it long term after seeing the difference it has made for our little girls. One thing I'm starting to think about is our 6 year olds math curriculum. She will be finishing Saxon 2 next month and is working on multiplication, division, negatives, and fractions on her own.  I'm not looking to push her too fast because she still young and math something that she excited about everyday. At the same time I don't want to hold her back and do months of review because of an arbitrary school/curriculum standard.

My thought is that I should just start on on the Saxon 3 curriculum as soon as we finish level 2, and then take a break midway for whatever summer break we do. I'd love to hear thoughts from anyone who has experienced this with their own kids.

Joshua Myers

[alisha]

That is exactly what I would do (and have done). When you finish one book, start the next right away, When summer vacation (or other break) occurs, just stop wherever you are and pick back up when it's over.

However, I'm not familiar with Saxon, but they might be the type to have a lot of review at the beginning of the book for those who have had a summer vacation of 3 or so months between the last time they did Saxon to when they start the next book. IF you choose to just get started, you will probably want to go through and either do less review or none, depending on what you feel your child needs. So, keep in mind, you might be starting at Chapter 2 or 3 if this is the case.

[Ellie]

I would do the same thing, feeling free to skip the review at the beginning. But also remember that the next book in the series is a textbook that requires reading and the ability to write everything on actual paper. She might not be physically able to do that in a year.

[PeterPan]

17 hours ago, JMyers0365 said:

then take a break midway for whatever summer break we do

You might decide to continue *brief* work during the summer, just 20-60 minutes a day. It can prevent a lot of lost ground and keep happy kids who love learning. My dd CRIED if I didn't give her certain things during the summer, lol. Somehow never spelling or math, but yeah history. 

If she hits that wall @Ellie mentioned, you could do some living math, look into Zaccarro's fun enrichment books, or conclude it's a jump point to a different curriculum. 

[caffeineandbooks]

Nothing to add to your thread, I just wanted to say welcome to the WTM boards and to homeschooling!  If you've made it work this year, with probably not much time to think and plan, then you can make it work any year 🤩

[kiwik]

Start the next book when you finish the last.  But if you have a kid that loves and is good at maths take a look at some of the other programmes targeted towards such kids.

[Miss Tick]

3 hours ago, kiwik said:

Start the next book when you finish the last.  But if you have a kid that loves and is good at maths take a look at some of the other programmes targeted towards such kids.

Definitely. In fact end of the year would be a natural time to try out something different.

I also agree with @PeterPan that doing a bit a few days a week over the summer really helps retention. We do that for math and foreign language.

[Clemsondana]

If we finish within a few weeks of the end of our school year, we just do fun versions of a subject - games, videos, puzzle books, etc.  If we finish at an odd time, like midway through a semester, sometimes we start the next book and sometimes we use that as a time to reinforce concepts or try out a supplemental program.  With one of mine, we did Life of Fred Fractions and Decimals as review after Singapore 6.  When we were using a program and thought we might have extra time, we would sometimes have a day of puzzle math each week instead of the traditional program.  The Critical Thinking Company's Balance Benders workbooks were popular with my younger.  

[kristin0713]

We have done math year-round every single year except last year as a result of pandemic burnout.  Some years, we just did review through the summer.  I think it was one of the best ways that I structured our learning through the years. 

[BusyMom5]

I've used Saxon all the way through, and my kids tend to finish about February.  Instead of moving on, I get another curriculum for the same grade.  Some of my favorites are Math in Focus (nice black an white pages, plenty of space, great visuals) or Math Mammoth (this one can be visually too crowded).  

[2_girls_mommy]

OP, yes,  I would continue math in some way, either by using another curriculum for the rest of the year as PP says, or by just going forward in the next book and breaking at summer.  The latter is what we do.  My current 1st grader is on lesson 20 of her 2nd grade math curric, but not even a third of the way through her 1st grade LA program (because we do other things for LA besides the one curriculum. ) So when we break for summer in May she will have summer break in which other learning takes place (summer camps, swim lessons, vacations, summer reading program at the library, lots of free reading and crafts, gardening, etc,) Then in fall we will start where we left off in each, not worrying about the grade levels. I have done it that way all along with my kiddos.  

We never do a textbook or curriculum as written straight through in one grade level.  Not because they aren't capable, but because we do other things.  We don't just work straight though an LA curriculum.  We do unit studies, contests in the community, co-op projects, seasonal things, all mixed in throughout the year as we work through our curriculum.   But in math, we just keep moving forward doing a lesson a day on the days we are at home, slowing down as needed, but staying consistently moving forward in one curriculum, finishing when we finish, skipping review at the beginning or end of a text if it comes at a time that we haven't taken a break and don't need it. 

[JMyers0365]

Thanks for all of the replies and ideas. Based on this feedback I think we'll keep going with the level 3 curriculum, but not stress about timing or pace. At the moment I think as long as she's engaged, curious and being challenged I'm happy.