I can't decide- Singapore or Saxon for Math?

[MissRubyandKen]

I'm having a seriously hard time deciding what to do for Math next year. At first I was thinking Saxon, then Singapore. My dd, 10, is currently not liking Math. My ds, 8, isn't really either. I'm so stuck on this I'm actually considering buying both so that we can try them. This would be hard financially. I have many other wonderful things I want to buy as well. Can anyone tell me your experiences with either? Sway me one way or the other PLEASE before I decide to buy them both!

[moominmamma]

They are very very different programs, at totally opposite ends of the spectrum of math education, so you should think about what type of program would suit your kids, and why what they're using now isn't suiting them.

Saxon is spiral in nature. New concepts are introduced a smidge at a time. Older concepts are continually reviewed. There is lots and lots of repetition. Saxon has a reputation as a solid program for children who need extra practice, who react well to consistent daily work, who do well with drill and who are interested in developing good test-taking skills.

Singapore teaches topics and their related concepts as a chunk. There is little review and almost no drill. The program progresses rapidly, and is focused on developing a strong conceptual base with the ability to creatively and efficiently solve problems using mathematical logic. It's focused on developing strong "mathematical thinking."

If a routine of repetition is what ensures your kids' mastery, Saxon would be a good choice. If your kids hate repetition and tend to grasp concepts in leaps and with good retention, Singapore would work well. If your kids don't fit either profile well, you might want to look for something more "middle of the road" for a math curriculum.

Miranda

[JavaFinch]

Miranda, thanks for that explanation. I just asked about math in a different thread and it sounds like Saxon would be a better fit for my ds, who struggles with math, forgets quickly if he's not getting any review. Although I don't want a manipulative-based multiplication program that uses skip counting, which maybe Saxon does use?

[AAK]

I have tried both. We HATED Saxon!!!!! For us, we didn't like the "tight spiral"--it seemed more like unfocused curriculum. We would also rather have a handful of review questions and a larger group for the current skill--saxon was the opposite, they gave like five on the current skill and a ton on all previous subjects.

We do like singapore--I like the mastery concept, and if we need a break from a topic we just jump to something else. That doesn't happen a lot, but it works for us. So, we don't always go straight through. Also the reviews are scattered throughout the text and workbooks. I like having a "review day" and focusing on a single topic the rest of the days. I also like their picture explanations, and we use our own manipulatives when needed.

Amy

Amy

[AAK]

Have you looked at Math Mammoth? We use this when we need more practice than Singapore is offering. But, we like it quite a bit too. She has some free stuff to use on her site, that makes it nice because you can try it to see if it works for your kids.

www.mathmammoth.com

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/ is also set up by the same person, but she has a great section of reviews.

Amy

[MissRubyandKen]

I'm leaning heavily towards Singapore, so much that I finally deleted Saxon from my Rainbow Resource wish list, lol. I am going to purchase some Kumon workbooks to use as extra practice for mulitplication, division, and fractions. And we already have manipulatives they use as needed/wanted. I think, and hope I'm right, the Singapore and Kumon together might just be right for the kids. This way we have Singapore's open endedness and continual progressment, but also Kumon's targeted practice they can complete on their own.

AAK- I did check out that site. Its cool! I've bookmarked it to come back to when the school year is here, as needed. Thanks!

[AAK]

Originally Posted by MissRubyandKen

I'm leaning heavily towards Singapore, so much that I finally deleted Saxon from my Rainbow Resource wish list, lol. I am going to purchase some Kumon workbooks to use as extra practice for mulitplication, division, and fractions. And we already have manipulatives they use as needed/wanted. I think, and hope I'm right, the Singapore and Kumon together might just be right for the kids. This way we have Singapore's open endedness and continual progressment, but also Kumon's targeted practice they can complete on their own.

AAK- I did check out that site. Its cool! I've bookmarked it to come back to when the school year is here, as needed. Thanks!

Actually, that sounds like a good combo to me. I hope it works for you.

Amy