{"id":10850,"date":"2015-05-04T08:52:16","date_gmt":"2015-05-04T13:52:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/?p=10850"},"modified":"2023-08-23T18:55:30","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T23:55:30","slug":"mailbag-more-on-saxon-math","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/2015\/05\/04\/mailbag-more-on-saxon-math\/","title":{"rendered":"Mailbag: More on Saxon Math"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Monday<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I received messages from two different readers last week about how our family uses Saxon Math<\/a>, so I thought I’d tackle all their questions in the same column. You’ll find my replies (in italics) directly after each inquiry:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hi Jennifer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a question about math .. I am currently using Horizons K and just bought Horizons 1 for next year. All is going well, but I am considering doing the Saxon switch the way you suggested, since Horizons doesn’t actually give many teaching suggestions in the manual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Is Saxon 5\/4 supposed to be for 4th grade?
A: I always heard it was designed for advanced fourth graders or regular fifth graders.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Did you go up to 3rd grade with Horizons and then switch?
A: Not normally. I usually switched after Horizons 2, but to make the transition easier, I would (and still do) write out the problem set for my child throughout Saxon 54 (by copying down all the problems and leaving boxes and blanks for the answers). I also read the word problems aloud with them. When we first started homeschooling, neither Horizons nor the lower level Saxon were available, so I started with Saxon 54 much earlier than I might have otherwise, simply because I hadn’t found anything I liked as well. It worked for us, so I’ve continued that with my other children, usually switching to Saxon when they’re about 7 years old (second grade). I don’t recommend making the switch that early if your child is struggling with the math concepts presented in Horizons, but if she seems bored and ready for more of a challenge, let her have it.
<\/em>
Q: And is Saxon 5\/4 the only book I will need to teach the same way that you did using the older manuals, that one being first?
A: The student text is all I’ve ever used to teach. I just read through the lesson aloud with my student and work all the examples either on a piece of paper if he’s sitting beside me or on a white board if I’m teaching more than one child at once. You will probably also want to buy the solution manual (which will make grading homework much faster) and the test booklet, but both those books are supplemental and will not be used for actual teaching, only for evaluation).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for your time and input!
Eve<\/p>\n\n\n