Some people hate it and some people love it. However, it is arguably one of the best selling math programs for homeschoolers. In future blogs, I will cover why Saxon math works well for people and how to use it to counter balance some of the ‘negatives’ of Saxon math. But first let’s talk about why people hate it.
Saxon math is constantly reviewing.
Many people feel that Saxon goes too slow. In your first few months of any year you will spend time reviewing. In addition, every single lesson has some review. This is because the basic philosophy is to constantly reintroduce previously learned material so that the student doesn’t forget it. If you happen to have a student that doesn’t forget things. . .it can be tedious.
Saxon math is scripted.
I often call Saxon math ‘Math for Dummies’. If you are unsure of how to add two plus two, you could still use Saxon math. The lessons are scripted down to the very last word and all you need to do is read it. Some people don’t like this because they feel it is too scripted. If you don’t follow the script and skip around or wing it, you could miss teaching something or miss teaching one step of a bigger concept.
Saxon math is boring.
There are not nifty pictures, cute little stories, or funny gimmicks to make math inviting for the kids. In grades K – 3 the program is heavily dependent on manipulatives, but after that it is basically the same format: review, practice, work on problems, drill. Also the math drills can get tedious at times.
Saxon math is expensive.
Saxon math, especially in the younger grades is much more expensive than other math programs. There are manipulatives, flash cards, the teacher’s guide and the workbooks to buy. You do not have to keep buying manipulative every year, and in theory you could make your own. But it’s a lot easier to have them.