Saxon Math Review

Manipulative Based Math

The past two years, my son has used Saxon Math for kindergarten and Saxon Math 1st grade for math studies. I particularly like Saxon math because it has very simplified instructions for me to teach math. I am an English teacher my nature, not a math teacher, so this particular subject I feel is the hardest to convey well to anyone else. I like working more with abstract than the definite, and felt that finding a program that would suit my needs as well as my son's needs would be important.

For my son, he really enjoys hands on activities. For the Saxon math K-3 curriculum, there is a manipulative kit that they recommend purchasing because you utilize the materials within the kit on a regular basis. The Saxon Math kit includes teddy bear counters, pattern blocks, geo boards, bands, linking cubes, dominoes, rulers, a scale, clocks, anything you might find you need for math instruction. When the kit originally arrived, two years ago, my son just wanted to take out the kit and play with it. I kept his hands off, explaining to him that the tools in the kit would be used for our math learning time.

Since then, math has been a fun adventure for him. He absolutely loves participating in the lessons. utilizing Saxon Math. The Saxon kindergarten program starts teaching rudimentary concepts of time, the calendar, days of the week, counting to 100, recognizing written numbers and words, and beginning grouping items by color, shape, size, and counting these items.

The Saxon Math first grade curriculum builds on all of these skills. Students write on a meeting strip every day the date, a number sequence, and the amount of money placed in the coin cup. As the year progresses, you start working with only pennies, only nickels, or only dimes, to a variety of all three within the coin cup.