Math Taught Better in Public Schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child's Catholic school is using Saxon math. It seems to be solid; kids definitely get the concepts, but the pace moves very slowly.

What math curriculum do the area public schools use?

Large public school districts usually have curriculum and textbook committees that approve several texts. If something is not on the approved list which is frequently populated by only EDM junk then each school has to buy texts out of discretionary funds. Saxon was at a few schools in Fairfax County. Saxon was NOT approved by FCPS despite it being desired by many parents plus some on textbook committees. Why? Staff on the committees go along with central office people and follow the party line.

Pace is only as slow as the average student in a class. Out of over 20 middle schools in FCPS only one provides exemplary math instruction. That is Longfellow in Mclean which has a teacher Vern Williams who is treated like garbage by FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Pace is only as slow as the average student in a class.

Do you mean the pace of Saxon math? In my child's case, the 1st grade teacher just seems to be gong through the workbook, one page a day. I can tell this because the homework sheets come home in sequential order. They are halfway through the grade one Saxon math workbook, and they are still only up to 7-0, 3+1, color the second balloon on the left. I didn't object to the review of kindergarten work at the start of the year, but it seems like they are still moving VEEEEERY slowly through the various skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Pace is only as slow as the average student in a class.

Do you mean the pace of Saxon math? In my child's case, the 1st grade teacher just seems to be gong through the workbook, one page a day. I can tell this because the homework sheets come home in sequential order. They are halfway through the grade one Saxon math workbook, and they are still only up to 7-0, 3+1, color the second balloon on the left. I didn't object to the review of kindergarten work at the start of the year, but it seems like they are still moving VEEEEERY slowly through the various skills.

If the school is not ability grouping in math so some students can go at a faster or slower pace then this is what happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child's Catholic school is using Saxon math. It seems to be solid; kids definitely get the concepts, but the pace moves very slowly.

What math curriculum do the area public schools use?

Saxon repeats topics over and over, it starts to feel like busy work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Pace is only as slow as the average student in a class.

Do you mean the pace of Saxon math? In my child's case, the 1st grade teacher just seems to be gong through the workbook, one page a day. I can tell this because the homework sheets come home in sequential order. They are halfway through the grade one Saxon math workbook, and they are still only up to 7-0, 3+1, color the second balloon on the left. I didn't object to the review of kindergarten work at the start of the year, but it seems like they are still moving VEEEEERY slowly through the various skills.

If the school is not ability grouping in math so some students can go at a faster or slower pace then this is what happens.

With Saxon it is not so much about ability. The curriculum has a way of bringing back old topics with the new ones to make sure the kids have not forgotten. It has been argued that some topics, like addition, should be covered so well that you don't need to keep repeating them. Some say that Saxon can lead to boredom. That is why I like Singapore, it covers each topic well, the moves on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have taught EVERYDAY MATH. We received the workbooks, teacher texts, ordered to teach it for three years--Then out of the blue a representative from EVERYDAY MATH comes to 'train' us. Guess what? We learned we hadn't been using the materials or texts the way they were meant to be used. Wonder how many other schools/teachers are doing the same...

Hi,

Do you feel that the program worked well/better after the training?