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Joelle
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| Posted: June 05 2007 at 10:27am | IP Logged
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We are considering replacing Saxon Math with Teaching Textbooks for 7th grade Math this coming year. Timberdoodle gave these books (which start, I believe now with 5th grade math-or will soon) a wonderful review. We went out to their website and took the placement tests for my soon-to-be 6th grader and we went through the 7th grade sample lessons, which seemed great and more detailed than Saxon DIVE CD's. However, I am wondering about the spiral review that Saxon does so well with. Does anyone have any experience with this or have you heard anything?
Thanks so much!
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God Bless, Joelle
Mom to 7: Boy (96), Girls (00, 02, 04), Boy (05), Girl (07), Boy (09)
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hylabrook1
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I'm so glad you posted this topic. I was about to do the same.  I hadn't realized that they went down to 5th grade or that there were placement tests on line. In my series of Saxon books, the one I'm missing is 76. So, I think that after reading what people see here and doing the Teaching Textbook placement, I just might buy that instead of 76.
Peace,
Nancy
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Carole N.
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| Posted: June 05 2007 at 2:24pm | IP Logged
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First let me start by saying that I have been a Saxon Cadet for years. I loved the book and the incremental approach. For my ds, this made math extremely easy and for my dd more accessable. But this year, when we started algebra, things just started to go out the door. Math is not my strong point, but I loved HS algebra and did well.
I really struggled for a long time and then realized that it was time to change. My ds is a think-out-of-the-box person. More and more we were having to rely on dh to do the explanation.
We purchased Teaching Textbook and I have not regretted it for one moment. He pretty much handles his algebra on his own, and on rare occassions ask his dad a question or to review an answer. It has been great. It has also helped him in becoming more of an independent learner as well.
The books are not incremental in that they go back to the very first lessons when you are on lesson 100. However, lessons will build on each other, say 2 or 3 lessons over one topic.
If you still want Saxon, my books are for sale ...
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 Carole ... in Wales
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Elizabeth
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Joelle,
I looked for the placement test online and couldn't find it. Can you provide a link? I've heard nothing but good things about this program. It's going to be my one big purchase this year.
ETA: I found the placement tests when I clicked on each grade level. Duh. 
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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folklaur
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I am using TT with my 11th grader...Well, she is technically a 12th grader now , I guess. Oh, MY how I wish I had found them sooner! I LOVE TT, she loves TT, and I plan on using them once my other kids are old enough. I was so glad you mentioned them going to lower grades now - I hadn't known that!
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Karen T
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| Posted: June 06 2007 at 8:35am | IP Logged
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I will second (or third or fourth) the recommendations for TT. We used it this year for Algebra for my 8th grader and are getting ready to start Algebra II later this summer, after we get settled from our move.
I didn't buy the teaching DVDs at first, but they sent them by mistake (no charge!) so I held onto them for a few weeks to see if we'd need them and ended up emailing them and paying for them after all. I love math and don't mind teaching it, but with 3 kids it's definitely a help if ds can go and do a lot of it on his own. Plus, when I was teaching it he'd just skip over something he didn't get instantly and then wait for me to go over it, but he wasn't learning it well. This way I can send him back to watch it again and make him do it on his own. I still help him a little each week.
My only complaint is I'm worried how long this huge spiral bound book is going to last before coming apart. I know hardbound is more $$ but it's worth it when you want to save the book for future kids. Or they could split it into two books so it's not so unwieldy.
btw, we had tried saxon and DIVE cds, MUS also. Ds hated both of them but likes this.
Karen T
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Donna
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Karen T wrote:
| I will second (or third or fourth) the recommendations for TT. |
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...and, I will fifth the recommendation  . We love the program. Jackson used it this past year for 8th grade and it's the first math book that has ever been completely finished in this house. Using the DVDs is like having a math teacher sitting at the table.  .
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: June 06 2007 at 8:41am | IP Logged
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Karen -
With the TT, do they do Algebra II right after Algebra I, or does Geometry come in between?
Thanks.
Peace,
Nancy
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ALmom
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Does anyone know which concepts are covered in TT as opposed to Saxon. I have a son I think would do better with something other than Saxon, but for the 7th grade on up, I'm just not sure what we should do. I saw a review/comparison of the Saxon and TT for Algebra and the complaint was that TT didn't cover as much. Now, to me, it depends on what is left out and whether or not that would impact us moving from TT to Foeresters or Jacobs for math. Just wondering if anyone here has seen a difference in concepts covered, thouroughness of the subject, etc. I've used Saxon fine with many, but not a real fan of the endless repetition and feel like my children would benefit from a more organized sequence and from more practice in the new concept and not being bored to tears with the endless repetition. Still I do want some review. The child I'm considering this for is most likely math and science bound. He gets bogged down with the mechanics of copying problems and/or writing out things.
Janet
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teachingmyown
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My dd will be in 6th grade next year. She wants to do ABeka, which I am not thrilled about. She has been doing the Key to... Series this year.
Is the TT for that level worth the cost over other programs like ABeka and Singapore? Or is it really not worth it until you get into the higher levels of math? I am really not inclined to spend so much for a 6th grader's math books. 
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In Christ,
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wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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Karen T
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| Posted: June 06 2007 at 9:46pm | IP Logged
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hylabrook1 wrote:
Karen -
With the TT, do they do Algebra II right after Algebra I, or does Geometry come in between?
Thanks.
Peace,
Nancy |
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You can do it either way. I have read that the only reason schools teach geometry in the middle is that there is geometry on the PSAT which they take at the end of 10th grade IIRC. So for kids who don't start Algebra I until 9th grade, they want to make sure they've had some geometry by the PSAT. But it makes more sense to complete algebra back to back so that's what we're doing. Ds has just finished up "8th grade" here and we do math almost all year long so I don't think we'll have any problem getting to geometry well before the PSAT.
Karen T
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Karen T
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| Posted: June 06 2007 at 9:53pm | IP Logged
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ALmom wrote:
Does anyone know which concepts are covered in TT as opposed to Saxon. I have a son I think would do better with something other than Saxon, but for the 7th grade on up, I'm just not sure what we should do. I saw a review/comparison of the Saxon and TT for Algebra and the complaint was that TT didn't cover as much. Now, to me, it depends on what is left out and whether or not that would impact us moving from TT to Foeresters or Jacobs for math. Just wondering if anyone here has seen a difference in concepts covered, thouroughness of the subject, etc. I've used Saxon fine with many, but not a real fan of the endless repetition and feel like my children would benefit from a more organized sequence and from more practice in the new concept and not being bored to tears with the endless repetition. Still I do want some review. The child I'm considering this for is most likely math and science bound. He gets bogged down with the mechanics of copying problems and/or writing out things.
Janet |
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TT does have a good bit of review, at least in the algebra we just used. Each lesson's problems contain reviews from previous lessons and even give the lesson number to refer back to if needed.
As far as what TT covers compared to Saxon, I would look at each book's table of contents. A big complaint I had with Saxon (8/7 - that's the only time we used Saxon, maybe they aren't all like this) is that there seemed to be so much skipping around. One lesson might be on interest rates and the next would be the area of a triangle, then the next might be graphing statistics. Then, each lesson only had a few problems relating to it, but a ton of review problems. Ds never felt like he'd really learned one concept before being thrown into another.
But for overall thoroughness, I can't answer that except for algebra.
Karen
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Ruth
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I'm really struggling with this issue, because my 13dd does not like Saxon, especially because some of the examples don't "match" the practice problems. I have Saxon 87 and Saxon 1/2, with the D.I.V.E. cd's for each. I'm nervous about spending so much on another Math program, since I already own the books she'll need this year. My question is, is it worth investing in TT? I've read lots of good things about it.
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Donna
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Ruth wrote:
| My question is, is it worth investing in TT? |
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It is in my opinion, especially if you have others that will be using it.
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Donna
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Carole N.
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I second Donna on this, Ruth. We were really struggling with Saxon. Ds was just not getting it. The TT solved our problem. He is breezing through algebra quickly now. And that is part of what homeschooling is about ... finding the right curriculum for your family.
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Carole ... in Wales
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Karen T
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I understand the hesitation to spend more money without knowing whether it will work for your family. I'd tried MUS and Saxon before trying TT. But the good news is that Saxon books generally sell very easily on Cathswap, etc. I had no trouble selling mine off, including the dive CDs and was able to get enough to pay for most of the text/teacher's manual in TT.
Karen T
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Ruth
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Karen T wrote:
But the good news is that Saxon books generally sell very easily on Cathswap, etc. I had no trouble selling mine off, including the dive CDs and was able to get enough to pay for most of the text/teacher's manual in TT.
Karen T |
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This is a wonderful idea. I had not thought about that. I sold A LOT of my books with Cathswap last year, so I'll definately try it again this year. Thank you for reminding me about it.
I'm sold!!!
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Ruth
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Tina P.
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Dare I hope? I was just dreading the idea of going back to Saxon with my older kids after they get the hang of all the TouchMath operations. This looks just up our alley. I'm having my son take the placement test as I write.
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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hylabrook1
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I looked at the Table of Contents for Math 7 and for Precalculus. They look great. The questions I have are: Are you supposed to do one lesson or quiz each day or do some take more than one day? and Are there tests in addition to the quizzes?
When I counted the number of lessons plus quizzes, it came out short of the 180 days I'm technically supposed to be doing school. I don't think Saxon adds up to 180 either, but TT seems to fall short by more days.
Thanks in advance.
Peace,
Nancy
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Carole N.
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We try to do a lesson (or test) each day. But because we have changed programs (twice) our math days will easily add up to more than 180. If you are concerned about number of days, throw in some math game days. You may also have to spend more than one day on a more difficult concept (like my dd who really struggles with percents and decimals). Also, you could start the next higher level of math as you grow closer to the end of the year (I never have this problem--LOL).
I am a firm believer in keeping up math and reading throughout the summer months. More relaxed, but still some learning. I have found that this prevents the child from losing reading levels and also prevents review at the beginning of the fall term. I know that when I taught in public school, they would spend the first part of the fall term reviewing the previous years math.
It also allows to take longer breaks throughout the liturgical year. This past year we took more time during Advent and Lent to focus on our faith. Just my .02 worth.
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Carole ... in Wales
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4Real Forums : Living and Loving Numbers
Topic: Teaching Textbooks
