Saxon (teaching method)
Encyclopedia
Saxon math, developed by John Saxon
, is a teaching method for incremental learning of mathematics. It involves teaching a new mathematical concept every day and constantly reviewing old concepts. Early editions were deprecated for providing very few opportunities to practice the new material before plunging into a review of all previous material. Newer editions typically split the day's work evenly between practicing the new material and reviewing old material. Its primary strength is in a steady review of all previous material, which is especially important to students who struggle with retaining the math they previously learned.
In all books before Algebra 1/2 (the equivalent of a Pre-Algebra book), the book is designed for the student to complete assorted mental math problems, learn a new mathematical concept, practice problems relating to that lesson, and solve a varied number of problems which include what the students learned today and in select previous lessons -- all for one day's class. This daily cycle is interrupted for tests and additional topics. In the Algebra 1/2 book and all higher books in the series, the mental math is dropped, and tests are given more frequently.
The Saxon math program has a specific set of products to support homeschoolers, including solution keys and ready-made tests, which makes it popular among some homeschool families. It has also been adopted as an alternative to reform mathematics
programs in public and private schools. Saxon teaches memorization of algorithms, unlike many reform texts.
said that the non-traditional Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP)
"has been a dismal failure." Speaking to the board, Mount Tahoma High School
teacher Clifford Harris noted that he taught sophomores in another district Saxon Math, and their Washington Assessment of Student Learning
scores have continually climbed. Unlike IMP, Saxon program gives students plenty of chances to review material so they retain their skills, he said. In September 2006, Tacoma Public Schools introduced the Saxon books district-wide and rejected the previous IMP textbooks.
Currently the Saxon Phonics and Spelling curriculum published provides four different levels of materials. The first three levels, starting in Kindergarten and progressing through second grade, provides daily lessons consisting of three main parts: lesson warm-up, new increment, and application and continual review. An assessment tool is included with the teaching materials to show teachers where students may be struggling and it also provides remediation methods to reiterate the failing concepts. The fourth level of curriculum is intended for the third grade and allows for further advancement in spelling skills. Each level consists of various teaching materials to support the daily lesson plans and remediation factors known of Saxon curriculum. Specifically, the Saxon Phonics and Spelling curriculum is "beneficial for struggling readers because of the structure and repetitive characteristics associated with Saxon Publishers curriculum."
Research shows that students using the Saxon Phonics and Spelling program showed improvement over a school year in phonics, reading, and spelling. Research has also shown that this program works just as well with males as with females and with special education and non-special education students.
Saxon curriculum remains popular among homeschooling families, but is also starting to be incorporated into public schools as well. The repetitive nature provides students with constant remediation of previously learned concepts supporting long term memory of important topics. This is especially beneficial for school districts who need to raise their testing scores in both math and phonics and spelling.
John Saxon (educator)
John H. Saxon Jr. was a U.S. air officer and educator. He was born in Georgia and graduated from high school in Athens, Georgia. He earned a bachelor's degree in Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1949 and his master's degree in electrical engineering in 1961. Saxon flew...
, is a teaching method for incremental learning of mathematics. It involves teaching a new mathematical concept every day and constantly reviewing old concepts. Early editions were deprecated for providing very few opportunities to practice the new material before plunging into a review of all previous material. Newer editions typically split the day's work evenly between practicing the new material and reviewing old material. Its primary strength is in a steady review of all previous material, which is especially important to students who struggle with retaining the math they previously learned.
In all books before Algebra 1/2 (the equivalent of a Pre-Algebra book), the book is designed for the student to complete assorted mental math problems, learn a new mathematical concept, practice problems relating to that lesson, and solve a varied number of problems which include what the students learned today and in select previous lessons -- all for one day's class. This daily cycle is interrupted for tests and additional topics. In the Algebra 1/2 book and all higher books in the series, the mental math is dropped, and tests are given more frequently.
The Saxon math program has a specific set of products to support homeschoolers, including solution keys and ready-made tests, which makes it popular among some homeschool families. It has also been adopted as an alternative to reform mathematics
Reform mathematics
Reform mathematics is an approach to mathematics education, particularly in North America. It is based on principles explained in 1989 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics . The NCTM document, Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, attempted to set forth a vision...
programs in public and private schools. Saxon teaches memorization of algorithms, unlike many reform texts.
Replacing standards-based texts
By the mid 2000s, many school districts were considering abandoning experiments with reform approaches which had not produced acceptable test scores. For example, school board member Debbie Winskill in Tacoma, WashingtonTacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
said that the non-traditional Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP)
Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP)
The Interactive Mathematics Program is a four-year, problem-based mathematics curriculum for high schools, designed to meet the needs of both college-bound and non-college-bound students. It was one of several curricula funded by the National Science Foundation and designed around the 1989 ...
"has been a dismal failure." Speaking to the board, Mount Tahoma High School
Mount Tahoma High School
Mount Tahoma High School is a high school in Tacoma, Washington. It opened in 1961 and is a part of the Tacoma Public School District. The school's mascot is the legendary Thunderbird.-History:...
teacher Clifford Harris noted that he taught sophomores in another district Saxon Math, and their Washington Assessment of Student Learning
Washington Assessment of Student Learning
The Washington Assessment of Student Learning was a standardized educational assessment system given as the primary assessment in the state of Washington from spring 1997 to summer 2009. The WASL was also used as a high school graduation examination beginning in the spring of 2006 and ending in 2009...
scores have continually climbed. Unlike IMP, Saxon program gives students plenty of chances to review material so they retain their skills, he said. In September 2006, Tacoma Public Schools introduced the Saxon books district-wide and rejected the previous IMP textbooks.
Phonics and Spelling
Saxon Publishers has also published phonics and spelling curriculum. This curriculum, authored by Lorna Simmons and first published in 2005, follows the same incremental principals as the Saxon Math curriculum.Currently the Saxon Phonics and Spelling curriculum published provides four different levels of materials. The first three levels, starting in Kindergarten and progressing through second grade, provides daily lessons consisting of three main parts: lesson warm-up, new increment, and application and continual review. An assessment tool is included with the teaching materials to show teachers where students may be struggling and it also provides remediation methods to reiterate the failing concepts. The fourth level of curriculum is intended for the third grade and allows for further advancement in spelling skills. Each level consists of various teaching materials to support the daily lesson plans and remediation factors known of Saxon curriculum. Specifically, the Saxon Phonics and Spelling curriculum is "beneficial for struggling readers because of the structure and repetitive characteristics associated with Saxon Publishers curriculum."
Research shows that students using the Saxon Phonics and Spelling program showed improvement over a school year in phonics, reading, and spelling. Research has also shown that this program works just as well with males as with females and with special education and non-special education students.
Saxon curriculum remains popular among homeschooling families, but is also starting to be incorporated into public schools as well. The repetitive nature provides students with constant remediation of previously learned concepts supporting long term memory of important topics. This is especially beneficial for school districts who need to raise their testing scores in both math and phonics and spelling.