TEACHING TEXTBOOKS vs SAXON MATH| *Why we left *
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
- If you aren't sure which math curriculum is best suited to your family -- check out this video to see what my Teaching Textbook experience was like and... what I'd recommend you do instead.
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I agree with Bee Smith. When students use TT they are supposed to be working the problems on paper (except for the easiest problems, or the mental math problems). Math teachers in traditional school (public, private, etc.) have always told students to "show their work" when they solved the problems on paper. Why? So, that the teacher (and/or parent) can see the reason the student is having trouble. They can determine if it was just a simple calculation error, or if the student's process of solving is incorrect.
My son loves TT. He started with Math 7 when he was in 6th grade. This year he'll be starting Algebra 1 for 8th grade. My son loves technology & computers. He's very visual so the animations in TT keep him engaged. Getting a child interested in what they are learning is half the battle. I am present while he watches and works the math problems in TT. I just watch right along with him. That way I am there if he has any questions, gets stuck, or if I want to add my experience to the TT lecture.
I think many busy parents assume that TT will do it all for them, a sort of auto pilot teaching program. Some kids can work completely independent, but most need teacher/parent involvement. The Happy Homeschooler does bring up an important fact, which is that kids are each unique and learn in different ways. It is unfortunate that she went the whole year before realizing it wasn't a good fit. So heed her warning and don't let yourself make the same mistake.
However, let's be careful not to bash any specific curriculum because no curriculum can be a total solution for everyone. It is important for parents seeking a math curriculum to first think about their child: their likes/dislikes, how they learn best, is math generally easy or a constant challenge, etc. And, like the Happy Homeschooler points out, evaluate DAILY! Don't wait until the child is lost and then try to fix it, for that will surely bring frustration and tears to all.
Unfortunately, in her honest attempt to help parents, I feel the Happy Homeschooler has created a fear video (imagery included) that is not helpful to parents. I understand how frustrated she must feel, but keeping the negative emotions out of this video could serve parents better. Yes, she says that TT is good for some, but the next comment flows with frustration. I understand that feeling and sympathize. Although, I wonder how many parents have been scared away from TT, when in fact it too may be the best thing for their kid(s).
There are many fantastic math curriculums...TT, Saxon, MathUSee, etc. Keep an open mind, know your child, and pray on your choice. And yes, don't be afraid to switch curriculum if whatever you have isn't working. Stay positive through any change, so your kids will learn to positively face challenges too. (I am a former teacher and come from a long line of family and friends who are/were teachers.) For all of the parents who have make the choice to homeschool, know this....You Are Awesome! 😊
I agree. My oldest did Saxon all the way through and we really hated the green book (advanced math)… calculus was meh. With my second kid we switched to Teaching Textbooks in high school- loved it! Interestingly, they both earned an A in calculus in their first year of college. I was looking to see what to do with my sixth grader, and funny enough this video reminds me why I *don’t want to go back to Saxon.
I've heard nothing but good things about TT from my seasoned homeschool mom friends, it's all in the way you apply it. Some use both Saxon and TT in their household because some learn better with different approaches. Great job in your comment!! 😁
It's really important with TT to do the placement tests so your child is neither bored nor behind. There is a bit of review in the first lessons. Any math curriculum requires pencil and paper. When my kids did TT, they always had scratch paper to work out the problems.
My daughter and I are both visual learners so learning math by reading in a textbook would be very challenging. I love the fact that TT is so visual and does such a thorough job explaining things. As the parent you do need to be involved even in an online based curriculum.
My daughter switched from TT to Saxon this year- hated it, now she wants to go back to TT and Life of Fred (she really loves this!)
And yes, she always worked out her work on a scratchbook with TT.
TT is a fine program. It just needs to be supplemented with flash cards, drills and worksheets.
We've been using TT for years. When you get up to Math 6 and Math 7, It's important to look at the lesson grades and go to the textbook option and print any lessons the student has trouble with. Using a pencil and paper working on it to make sure they have a good understanding. What I really love about TT is that every lesson builds on a lesson, so if you have trouble with a lesson you're given the option to go back to any former lesson and re watch. This means if your student didn't remember how to do some part of the problem then you could stop and go back to previous lessons and watch the lecture and examples as many times as needed. I highly recommend Teaching Textbooks with the online book and Textbook option for printing .
Thanks so much for sharing! I certainly didn't use it that long and I really appreciate your feedback. :)
This was our experience with TT as well. My daughter didn't seem to retain any of the TT level 7. We switched to Saxon and it's been working great.
My two girls were homeschooled for the last 6 years and were both using saxon math. Now they are back in the public school system and in grade 7 and 9. Both of them expressed that their math at school is less challenging, so I suggested for them to continue on their saxon math as a supplement and I’m glad they are ok with it.
That's great that they can supplement with Saxon. It really is a wonderful program.
Honestly..we’ve used saxon for 8 years and while its great and I feel like my kids have done well..it feels like we’re in total survival mode..it’s been a fight every day..it’s super involved and teaching 4 kids one on one and trying to include other subject has been overwhelming..looking to try something different..
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I hear you, I also have 4 school age kiddos. Definitely not a quick process. For my younger kids, I've used Singapore math, but I think that is just as involved (if not even more so) than Saxon. *I hope you find a better fit for you soon!*
I love saxon but will have 3 kids to teach this year. I totally get the overwhelming time commitment! It can be exhausting. 😞
I'm going to try nicole the math lady for the two older ones, grades 3 and 5. I really hope it takes a load off my back!
@@clarissahulet9150 let me know how it goes! I’m on the lookout for an online program to recommend. 😊
We have done both Saxon and TT. Our opinion is different and it totally depends on your child. We love teaching textbooks over Saxon. Different strokes for different folks.
Yes, I completely agree! That's why I love how many different types of curriculums there are on the market -- you can choose the one that fits your family the best!
THIS is the key, if your kid learns by video...they'll love TT; if the learn by reading their lessons and don't wan the fun, flashy stuff- Saxon will do well.
My eldest used TT her senior year, loved it and did very well with it. My youngest was using Math U See that year and thought TT looked really cool. So we gave it a try this year. He got to Ch 7 in Algebra I and just hit a wall. So we are giving Saxon a try starting this week. It’s like you said, it just comes down to what kind of learners they are and what works for each child. My daughter needs more visual/kinesthetic vs. my son who needs more formality/repetition when it comes to math 😊
That's great! I hope you find the right fit for him. Yep, totally depends on the child's learning style.
This is so interesting because we've tried TT twice and it was a major fail both times. First about five year ago and again this year. Everyone else seems to love it but it just doesn't work for my kids. They had difficulties retaining the information the way it was taught, and it took them forever to get through one assignment. We did the placement tests, they were in the right level,, and I was always close by. But the way it was taught just didn't resonate with either of them. We switched to Mr. D this year. Much better fit for our family. Considering Saxon next year which is how I found this video. TT obviously works for many families, and that is awesome. We are fortunate to live in a time when we have lots of choices for curriculum and can really tailor our homeschool to best fit our children and their learning styles. TT is a hard pass for us.
I will fully admit to switching things in the middle of the year. I've still yet to find the right curriculum for mine despite homeschooling for years lol
I love TT, but we print it out and do it on paper because my son prefers it that way. I love math, so I don’t mind sitting and doing it with my kiddos!
Oh I love that! I’ve definitely enjoyed it more with TT because when I understand it I’m a better teacher too. ☺️
I use Teaching Textbooks right now, but my oldest is in Algebra, and it's getting hard to keep up! Thinking about doing Saxon Algebra next year as a refresher. We'll see.
When I home schooled years ago (the 90's) I told my hubby that when the kids got to the pre-algebra stage he'd have to do it because I was horrid in math. Well we began with Saxon 7/8 and all was well. Then came the pre Alg, Alg 1 and then Alg 2. Well by golly, the text explained things so well (I did all the lessons in case help was needed) that I could have been an A math student as were my kids. Love Saxon!
Haha, that’s amazing! I felt very similarly when I started to teach math. I’m grateful for great programs like Saxon for teaching our kids 😊
Thanks for sharing! I've been enjoying TT since we started but I know my child would be behind .. but with doing abeka academy she missed SOOO much from doing the video lessons
And I am dreading going back to abeka..I may check out Saxon math
We use teaching textbooks. At first it was hard for my oldest but as soon as i had her take notes on a piece of paper she started to get it. My 2 older girls are visual/auditory learners and they love tt. Glad you found what works for your son!
Oh yes, the moral of the story is to find what works for your kids! 😃
This is awesome information. My 10 year-old 6th grader will be homeschooling for the first time this year and this confirms that Saxon will be my choice. I totally agree, math is to be done on paper. My son was headed to Advanced Math at his middle school based on his grades and standardized test results and I did not want him to regress based on my selection since I decided to keep him home for now. We actually used to 'fight' (in a mom/son way 😁) about scratch paper last school year when they were virtual... He'd tell me he knew the answer and I'd tell him that I did not care... I needed to see his work on paper... Long story short, he realized how awesome scratch paper was and he started using it all the time. Thanks so much for this!
I love that! And yes, showing the work is so vital. :) I hope you enjoy Saxon as much as we did this last year.
@@TheHappyHomeschooler Thank you so much! We are looking forward to the homeschool adventure!
Your son sounds exactly like mine! He always tries to do the cash in his head and barely uses scratch paper. It's frustrating.
For those not wanting to physically teach Saxon you can use Shormann DIVE videos. The instructor goes more in depth and helps teach Saxon so the parents don't have to.
Thanks for sharing!
Teaching Textbooks is NOT all online. I am not sure why some people think this?!! We purchase the workbook and access to the app… my daughter does the questions IN PENCIL then enters them into the tablet. Ugh. I need some honest reviews…
TT was a godsend for my oldest 🤷🏻♀️
That’s wonderful! It can certainly work for some families! 😊 glad to hear it was such a good fit for you!
We love Saxon Math! Math needs to be done with paper and pencil, not on a computer IMO! My 6th grader is in 7/6 and my 4th grader is in 5/4.
Yes, that's exactly how I feel. :)
That’s how my younger middle schooler feels to. My older daughter uses Mr. D math which is excellent! It’s online, but more so as a lecture, all the work is done on print outs. It’s perfect 👌. Otherwise, I cannot find anything like that for the younger middle school grades. So we will stick to pencil and paper for now:)
TT isn't just on a computer. We write all our problems out.
Wow! Thank you so much for making this video. We decided to go Saxon this year, but I have had an internal struggle with did we make the right decision? Should we have gone Singapore math or Teaching Textbooks?? But knowing that Singapore stops at 5, and teaching textbooks was a bust REALLY puts my mind at ease! I’ll stop questioning my decision, thanks to your video!! Thank you!
You're welcome! Glad it was helpful. :)
I hope you enjoy Saxon!
You're so right ..I stuck it out almost 5 years with a curriculum that I knew was a good curriculum but it wasn't our fit 😒
It's so easy to stay with what we know... glad you found something else though!
Thank you that was helpful!
TT online does have a workbook. You can print it out. We don't do that. I just have my child write all the questions out. He has done very well with it. I guess different curriculums work for different children.
Yes, absolutely! Different children learn different ways. My husband said teaching textbooks made sense to him… just not me or my kiddo. 😊
I'm glad I saw this video.I needed a math curriculum one of my children is the opposite, he's dyslexic, gets overwhelm quickly so. Saxon may overwhelm him. If Tt is a bit slower. I think I'll try that one first.
I agree. TT puts kids behind on learning. My 3rd grader was using Abeka and she's a very independent student, so I thought TT would be great to help her in 4th grade to have her grades in for me. When I tested her for a placement test she scored as a beginner 5th grader. Now, yes, Abeka is an advanced curriculum, however, I don't think she should've scored that high. So, we decided to do Horizons from Alpha and Omega
Everything I've heard is TT doesn't go by grade per se, it's "level". So Level 5 doesn't necessarily equate to Grade 5. I think they really need to rethink and revamp the way they label them, because it really is confusing.
My children used Saxon in private school and they used 1 year ahead, so my older child struggled with it. We found working each and every problem, even just working every other problem, took a long time. This past year, we are homeschooling and used TT for Pre-Algebra. My children are in 5th and 7th grades. (5th grader is advanced). I found that if I read the lesson aloud with them and talk through it and make sure everyone understands, the lessons work out better. I check to see which problems were missed, go over them together the next day . Then we move on to the next lesson. The thing I like most about TT is the student is given immediate feedback if they miss a problem. You can watch the solution. Also, I would find it rather tedious to try to grade 2 student’s math exercises each day. With this method, I still feel involved and know where my student needs help. They give good explanations and also include spiral learning so skills are not forgotten. I plan to do a Skills Sharpener Pre-Algebra workbook this summer to see if we learned what we needed to. If all goes well, we plan to do Algebra I next year.
This sounds like a great idea! I think having the expectations set accurately would be a game-changer. :)
I have also heard that TT updated their software and it's really difficult to use so I'm not really interested in dealing with technical issues right and left).
Again, my son does better on paper. That's just how he learns -- watching the videos did nothing for him or me, but I think that your comment will be really helpful for others, and I so appreciate it!
I found out the hard way My daughter could not learn using the Saxon CD she went from doing poorly to straight A's by simply reading it herself! I am a visual learner so I thought we just HAD to have the CD. Smh...turns out it distracts her from learning!! LOVE SAXON MATH! It has made all the difference. We did Singapore Math from K-7. Saxon for 8th!
Love this! And I completely know what you mean -- it's funny how everyone learns so differently. :)
What are your thoughts on Nicole the Math Lady? I was wondering about using this in conjunction with Saxon math. Currently using Lifepac math with my 5th grader. My 7th grader uses Mr. D math.
I haven't followed Nicole the Math Lady, but I'll certainly check out her channel. :)
I have been happy with Saxon coming from both Teaching Textbooks and Singapore.
@@TheHappyHomeschooler my sis in law swears by Saxon! I may give it a go with my rising 6th grader for the fall:)
Nicole the Math Lady is an amazing supplement for Saxon! Really helpful to have her walk through and talk about things for kids who need a more dynamic explanation.
We use Catholic Homeschool Connections recorded math for middle school. They offer a few different curriculums including Saxon. You don't have to be Catholic to use this program! It is really good, affordable, and my son enjoys the teacher.
Thanks for sharing! 😊❤️
We switched to Saxon from Abeka a few years ago, seamless transition, and we are now doing Saxon GRAMMAR for the first time this year. Anyone have experience with the grammar? It’s hard to find many videos with comparisons.
Oh I haven't tried their grammar... I didn't even know they had grammar actually. I hope it's working well for you!
Update:
We are using grades 8,7, and 4. So far, all three kids are much happier. It’s the same things we love about Saxon math, only in grammar and writing.
Hi! What grade was your child in when making the switch from Abeka to Saxon? We did Abeka arithmetic 7, and we are in Abeka 8th Pre algebra now. I’m not like Pre algebra and we homeschool year round from Jan- Dec. which Saxon worked for you?
My children use Saxon math and all I do is mark their work and then they do their corrections which I then mark.
I don’t teach anything.
I follow the Robinson method that means children have to figure it out. I don’t help.
I would add my girls also do Kumon so the Saxon is pretty easy as it’s below their kumon level.
Yessss I'm right there with you. We tried Teaching Textbooks and HATED it!! It is so hard to find an opposing opinion on TT... I'm not sure why. It was not a good fit for us.
Haha, I agree. I'm not sure why... it certainly didn't work for us. We are actually ENJOYING math now! I think there are different types of programs for a reason. I'm just grateful we have options and the ability to choose the one that is the *right* fit. :)
That is so interesting. I have just started looking at TT because after homeschooling for 7 years I never found anything good about it. All I saw was how far behind it was other curriculums, how many gaps it left, how it was too easy. I just started looking at it again because my oldest is doing Geometry next year. I have teo main curriculums I am thinking about for Geometry but for some reason TT kept coming up in searches when the 2 I like came up. I've been looking at TT since to see if I missed something. May not be for me and my eldest But I think my sister could benefit with my nephew for level 5. It is good to hear/read reviews and research. So many options.
I've attempted to have my kids try sample lessons online. It was a complete mixed bag on their responses, but ultimately I think all of them would have struggled and would have their skills suffer greatly if we chose TT. My youngest son is very math minded and is going to be doing pre-algebra soon and he's almost 12. He couldn't stand listening to the "awful" / "awkward" voice during the lessons. He just wants the info in front of himself and he wants to just do the work. My oldest two i just don't think they fully take stuff in and really "learn" stuff when they are supposed to listen to a video lesson, especially if they don't really want to be doing the work to begin with.
I personally love Saxon .. But my daughter does not. 😫 in the end, since we have options unlike public school, I really should do whatever keeps HER interested.... Ugh. So TT it is..I want her to enjoy learning
Oh absolutely! Do what works for her - which theoretically works for you too if she’s getting it, right? 🤷🏻♀️ 😊
@@TheHappyHomeschooler update.... we're back to Saxon. Just using a different level... she ended up hating teaching textbooks even more 😅 She and my 4th grade son both said they learned nothing and didn't remember anything.
@@peachy_reina oh that’s rough, I’m sorry it didn’t work out! But I’m glad you had a backup ❤️
We have used teaching textbooks for years, but now that my oldest has been doing algebra it has been terrible. I’ve had to hire a tutor to help him finish it also!
I'm sorry -- been there!
I agree about TT. My son did Abeka for 7th grade math. We tried TT for 8th grade pre-algebra. It was lower level than the 7th grade Abeka. It would have been a total waste of a year. We ditched it pretty quickly!
Good for you ditching it right away! It's really unfortunate because the idea behind it is really great -- an online math program. It sounded fabulous at first and I'm glad I tried it, but... I wish we hadn't tried it for so long because it feels like we wasted time.
@@TheHappyHomeschooler My son also cannot learn from a video. He hates the video format, even though I've tried several different video options. We start Algebra next year, and I know I will be teaching it to him even though I would love to give him an online teacher!
@@audreymcnair350 hi! Did you do Abeka Pre algebra for 8th grade too? We did Abeka 7th and it went fine, Abeka 8th, cannot stand it.
Now I want to try Saxon but I’m so worried that I cannot make the switch form Abeka. What did you use and what are you using?
I didn’t use either, we did Math-U-See. I don’t like computer reliant or 100% digital curriculums because I had bad experiences with it. I much prefer the physical pen on paper method or using hard copy books. Plus if the power or internet goes out you are up the creek. By the time I was 8 or 9 I was self reliant for math and brought it to mom once done to review.
That’s great - and I definitely agree. I didn’t like being reliant on the internet, especially in Hawai’i with bad WiFi. Made math time unreliable.
Wow what a beauty.
Just wanted to chime in. Found this video when I decided to switch my oldest from TT7 to Saxon 76.
Our story: my oldest did TT5 and TT6. No problems. Hit TT7 and major roadblocks, but we didn't hit those until around lessons 30+, which is when TT starts introducing new concepts for that level.
My minor is K-8 math, and at onset, TT looked great in terms of scope and sequence. I chose TT because my oldest wanted a more independent math program affording me more time with my younger child. My oldest started TT7 spring of sixth grade year with the intention of working through the summer months to "get ahead". I'm so glad we did this, because we found the errors now in the summer months rather than precious weeks into our school year.
My issue with TT7 starts around lesson 30+. The lessons regarding reducing ratios (i.e. glorified fractions) do not explain how to apply the divisibility rules or how to do prime factorization or how "canceling" is the same as division and why. It just assumes the child knows how to do this without explicitly teaching these concepts. Too much inferring is needed.
Yes, I watched the lectures. Yes, I stayed on top of her lessons. Yes, I was an involved parent. I didn't do a hands-off approach when using TT. Conceptually, TT7 is just missing too many math concepts and steps. Yes, I could've "tutored" her using TT7 given my background, but what I found was I was reaching for Saxon Math 76 for my tutoring resource.
I had an older copy of Saxon Math 76 (third edition). I looked at their lessons on these same concepts and this particular book does a much better job of explaining the steps than TT7 does. Thus, we're also switching to Saxon 76. It's very hard (and time consuming) to try to piecemeal two different curriculums. Since I found myself reaching for Saxon 76 to supplement TT7, I decided to jump all in with Saxon 76.
I really, really wanted to love TT7. In my opinion, TT has the most polarized reviews. I'm grateful it worked for us the season it did. I know of moms with positive experiences through high school. However, I cannot recommend TT7 specifically. I do recommend Saxon 76 in its place. This video affirmed many of the same reasons for our switch.
Our story is so similar to yours! I noticed for both of my kids that TT 5-6 went pretty well but major problems started happening with TT 7. When my son hit that level all of a sudden he went from being pretty independent to needing my help with almost every lesson because he just couldn’t get what they were teaching. I thought it was a my son issue so we carried through it. Except my daughter had the exact same issues and I saw her crying her way through a lesson and receiving less than 5 correct answers. I tried to help her through it but her confidence in math took a major hit and she begged me to switch. After a trial of Saxon with Nicole the Math lady I can see her confidence returning, no more tears, and she says Nicole explains the concepts much better and more clearly than TT. I was going to leave my son in TT Pre-Algebra but he has been having the same problem with concepts not being explained clearly enough and he is very into STEM and needs a solid math foundation for his future studies.
This is exactly what I want through with teaching textbooks. Terrible!