Comments on: When In Doubt Ask Around

By: How to Start Homeschooling

How to Start Homeschooling — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 05:12:16 +0000

[...] I’m using Singapore Math for the boys. Finding a math program was a disaster for me. I started by using DK Math. It wasn’t a horrible program, but it wasn’t [...]

By: Singapore Math: a Better Method

Singapore Math: a Better Method — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:50:22 +0000

[...] late. I should have started the system from the very beginning, but I didn’t. Instead, I wasted a whole year trying to muddle through Saxon math, a confusing tangle of badly organized and overly involved [...]

By: Developing Math Skill in Kids

Developing Math Skill in Kids — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:32:38 +0000

[...] is to get them involved in Saxon math which I am told is an excellent program for homeschoolers. I will report back when I’ve tried it out and have a [...]

By: Keith

Keith — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:04:24 +0000

Stephanie, that’s cool. I didn’t know you were home schooled. You seemed to have turned out pretty well balanced I get that alot. People telling me my kids will be freaks. You aren’t, so that’s a good sign!

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:36:55 +0000

Singapore Math. I’ll have to remember that when we “officially” start homeschooling in a few years.

I was homeschooled through 8th grade and used Saxon Math for most of those years. I don’t have anything particularly wonderful or horrible to say about it, but…I can say that math wasn’t/isn’t my favorite subject.
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..8 Things I Love About Working From Home =-.

By: Keith

Keith — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 06:23:17 +0000

Melissa, you’re right. Saxon does have a placement test. When I ordered the material months ago the test was not obvious. Almost like they were hiding it or something. I don’t like that. After I get my Singapore stuff I’ll do a review of it. Let’s hope I have more success there. Thanks for the comment!

By: Melissa Cesarano

Melissa Cesarano — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:03:02 +0000

Hello, I am a big fan of Saxon. It does a placement test and is every accurate. I do like the idea of sprial learning in math, it allows for review of concepts. Saxon can get repeatative and if kids don’t need it – you can just do the “blue star” questions and you are not doing over kill.
Singapore math is great – but my son did the entire year’s curriculum in about 2 weeks. I don’t think it was thorough enough.
I like the way saxon has alot of story and real-world problems. The more exposure to those type questions the easier Algebra will be.
In my humble opinion.

By: Keith

Keith — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:38:39 +0000

Wolf, that’s a great question. My opinion is that, yes, men don’t ask people for help enough. But, my personal experience is that I’m the opposite of that. I tend to ask people when I’m having a hard time with something (usually), while my wife is the one who refuses to ask anybody anything and insist she’s always right. The classic in the car asking for directions thing is reverse for us. But, generally speaking I’d say you’re spot on.

By: Jody

Jody — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:40:01 +0000

I am not a huge fan of Saxon math myself, but it is built on the concept of spiral based instruction. This was really popular in the 1990′s when I got into teaching. The idea is that you are teaching to mastery over a long period of time, so you keep spiraling back to old concepts for review, adding new snippets of related information as you go. I looked into Singapore for my children, but I just couldn’t fall in love with it. I decided to go totally in the opposite direction from Saxon, and went with Right Start Math for this year. I love using the abacus with my kids. I am pleased with the foundational skills it teaches. We are only on Level A, so my daughter is not yet up to arithmetic, she is still working on number recognition and number sense with lots of geometry thrown in for good measure. Good luck with your search.

By: Levels of Maturity

Levels of Maturity — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:54:11 +0000

[...] you ask a question, and you end up getting a slew of really intriguing responses. Two days ago was one of those times. These arbitrary cutoff points in life – these gates we [...]

By: BigLittleWolf

BigLittleWolf — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 14:56:25 +0000

Absolutely right. Help is often next door or a phone call away.

I’m curious though. My impression is that this is one of the ways in which men and women differ – women generally are more willing to ask for help (for directions when lost), or venture a question of another person.

Think that’s the case?
.-= BigLittleWolf´s last blog ..Where do women stow their violent selves? =-.