Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 8
 Great for your kindergartener July 7, 2007
Elizabeth A. Papandrea
We are using this program right now in our family with our four year old. The manipulative aspect is excellent for him and his style. You can get the best bargain for the entire K-3 manipulative kit through Seton Home Study School [...]. Also, buy the teacher's manuals for Saxon K-3 used here on Amazon if they are available; you'll save more money. This way you need only purchase meeting books and workbooks.
Also, the program does move a little slowly. This is not a problem in itself, but your prekindergartener might enjoy this too, simply because it is a little slower than some others I've seen.
 It didn't work for me June 30, 2007
Patricia H. N. (USA)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I really wanted to like Saxon Math K because of the great reviews in several books about homeschooling. I was so for it that I bought the whole K and 1st grade sets including all manipulatives.
After using the Saxon Math K program for a week, I felt disappointed but I kept going anyway. After three months I realized it was not going to get any better. Saxon takes too much time. The lessons in the teacher's manual are very long scripts. Every lesson has a script for the Meeting Book (calendar) and a script for the lesson itself.
The Meeting Book requires you to start in September. If you don't, you will always have to tweak your daily MB script, change the month, day and number of days you have used the MB. Also, if you want to skip lessons or have a break, you will have to adjust the arrow/day counting and fill out the dates and color calendar patterns for the week or months you skipped (each month has different pattern color.) This would take too long for me to explain.
The way Saxon starts introducing math concepts is very basic and slow, my 4 y/o found it boring. For example, many lessons at the beginning consist of lining up little bears in a row, and that works fine a couple of times and then it turns annoying. I liked the idea of using manipulatives, but my daughter understood many math concepts without needing to go through all the manipulative part of the lesson so we would have to skip many manipulative activities.
After skipping the scripts and using my own words to teach the concepts, modifying the MB activities to make them fit my own schedule, and skipping some of the manipulative activities, I finally gave up. Why pay for a pricey program that doesn't work for me?
Saxon Math K could work if you use it with preK kids who have not had any experience with everyday math concepts and if you are willing to make your schedule and life fit the program. In my opinion, that makes this program unfriendly to homeschoolers.
I am currently using a workbook approach, using fewer manipulatives and we are all happier at home. I do plan on trying Saxon Math 54 in the future, because the method is different.
If you are excited about Saxon K-3 like I was, I would suggest that you borrow it from a friend and get familiar with it before you purchase the kit.
 Give your kids a leg up May 12, 2007
Tracie Walters
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
Kids really need help today. Girls especially need help getting interested in math and science. This is a great program that teaches math my reviewing what you have learned bit by bit and slowly intorducing something new. It is really fun for kids too!
Teacher rating February 4, 2007
Janet Lea (Somewhere in Mississippi)
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
I've been teaching for 6 years recently quitting to stay home with my children. I've used Saxon Math in teaching 2nd graders 3rd graders and have recently purchased the Kindergarten book to start with my preschooler. I like the basic math involved with this and how it's scripted. The spiraling method is what teachers have been taught to use in college...which basically is reviewing ALL THE TIME.
I didn't purchase the manipulative because I make do with years of collecting materials as a teacher. Hands-on is very important. I do believe you have to add to the Saxon program and I do this by printing material/games/activities off of the web as more review of a basic concept. I also don't write in my student book, but make copies instead. This allows for easy sell back when you are done with the book or if you have children who will eventually use any of the Saxon student books later on as I will. I'm excited that Saxon is starting up a reading program for early childhood. I also like the Horizon preschool program which will debut this summer!
Very engaging Math program July 19, 2006
Annette (California, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have used the Saxon Math K toghether with the manipulatives this last schoolyear. My kindergartner had so much fun that his younger brother and even our 20 month old wanted to join in at times.
Because of chaotic cicumstances and two moves in the year we didn't follow the the calendar as proposed by the book. That is no problem. My son wanted to use other colors in his patterns anyways. I made sure the content of the lesson didn't get lost. With a little phantasy and goodwill the program can be used at any time of the year and it actually leaves a lot of room for exploration.
The manipulatives are so attractive I had to make sure you tug them away gently after a while.
I highly recommend this to any homeschooler. It is easy to use, easy to follow and easily caught up when you're not able to do it like the program prescribes.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 8
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