REASONS FOR STUDENT FRUSTRATION OR FAILURE WHEN USING JOHN SAXON’S MATH BOOKS – (PART 1)
The unique incremental development process used in John Saxon’s math textbooks – coupled with the cumulative nature of the daily work – make them excellent textbooks for use in either a classroom or home school environment. If the textbooks are not used correctly, however, they will eventually present problems for the students.
Some years ago, I was asked to help a school district in the Midwest recover from falling test scores and an increased failure rate in their middle and high school math programs. The teachers in the district had been using – actually misusing – their Saxon math books for several years. After I had a chance to tell the group of school administrators and teachers some of the reasons for their difficulties, the district superintendent commented. “What I hear you saying Art, is that we bought a new car, and since we already knew how to drive, we saw no reason to read the owner’s manual – wouldn’t you agree?” To which I replied, “It’s worse than that, sir! You all thought you had purchased a car with an automatic transmission, but Saxon is a stick shift! It is critical that certain procedures be followed – just as well as some should be dropped – or you will strip the gears!”
The uniqueness of John Saxon’s method of incremental development, coupled with the cumulative nature of the daily work in every Saxon math textbook, requires a few specific rules be followed to reduce failure and frustration and to ensure success – and ultimately mastery! If properly used at the correct levels, students will not have any trouble with what has been recently introduced into the educational system as “Common Core” requirements.
In the next several news articles, we will discuss the ESSENTIAL DO’S and DON’T’S when using John Saxon’s math books.
This month I will discuss the ESSENTIAL DO’S that should be followed when using John Saxon’s math books.
Do Place the Student in the Correct Level Math Book. Probably the vast majority of families who dislike John Saxon’s math books do so because the student is using a math book above his or her capability. Since all of John’s math books were written at the appropriate reading level of the student (or a grade level below), the problem is not one of students not being able to read the material presented to them, but their not being able to comprehend the math concepts being presented to them. This frustration is then interpreted as being created by the book and not by incorrect placement of the student.
Do Always Use the Correct Edition. Using the wrong edition of a Saxon math book can quickly lead to insurmountable problems. For example, moving from the first or second edition of Math 76 to the second or third edition of Math 87, or the third edition of Algebra ½ would be like moving from Math 65 to Algebra ½ in the current editions. For more information on which editions of John’s books are still valid, read the earlier published April 2022 Newsletter, or read pages 15 – 18 in my book.
Do Finish The Entire Book. Finishing the entire textbook is critical to success in the next level book. I know, parents and teachers often ask me, “Why finish the last twenty or so lessons when much of that same material is presented in the first thirty or so lessons of the next level textbook?” While the first twenty or so lessons of the next level Saxon book may appear to cover the same concepts as the last thirty or so lessons in the previous book, the new textbook presents the review concepts in different and more challenging ways. Additionally, there are new concepts mixed in with them. The review is used to enable a review of necessary concepts while building the student’s confidence back up after a few months off during the summer. Then comes the argument from some home school educators, “But we do not take any break between books – we go year round, so the review is not necessary.”
My only reply to that is “Why must students always do something they do not know how to do? Can’t they sometimes just review to build their confidence and mastery by doing something they already know how to do? If they are continuing year round, and already know how to do some of the early concepts in the next textbook, then it won’t take them long to do their daily assignment. I once had a public school superintendant ask me “Which is more important, mastery or completing the book?” To which I replied, “They are synonymous.”
Do All of the Problems – Every Day. There is a reason the problems come in pairs, and it is not so the student can do just the odd or even problems. The two problems are different from each other to keep the student from memorizing the procedure, as opposed to mastering the concept. Students who cannot complete the thirty problems each day in about an hour are either dawdling, or are at a level of mathematics above their capabilities, based upon their previous math experiences.
Do Follow the Order of the Lessons. I am often asked by parents at workshops and in email “Why study both lessons seventeen and eighteen? After all, they both cover the same concept?” Why not just skip lesson eighteen and go straight to lesson nineteen?” Why do both lessons? Well, because the author took an extremely difficult math concept and separated it into two different lessons. This allowed the student to more readily comprehend the entire concept, a concept which will be presented again in a more challenging way later in lesson twenty-seven of that book!
Do Give All of the Scheduled Tests – On Time. In every test booklet, in front of the printed Test 1 is a schedule for the required tests. Not testing is not an option! I have often heard home school parents say, “He does so well on his daily work; why test him?” To which I reply, “The results of the daily work reflect memory – the results of the weekly tests reflect mastery!” The results of the last five tests in every book give an indication of whether or not the student is prepared for the next level math book. Scores of eighty or better on any test reflect minimal mastery achieved. Scores of eighty or better on the last five tests in the series tell you the student is prepared to advance to the next level.
In next month’s news article, I will discuss the ESSENTIAL DON’T’S to follow when using John Saxon’s math books.
Email: art.reed@teachingsaxon.com Telephone: 580-234-0064 (CST)
“Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I can assure you that mine are far greater.”
Albert Einstein