compairing Bob Jones and MUS to Saxon math, some ?

[ruth]

I have another math ?:confused:

Could someone compair Bob Jones math, 5th grade,and the Math U See elementary books to Saxon, as far as content, approach and is it thorough or lay a soild math foundation?

I know MUS has a different approach than Saxon, but I'm wondering if MUS is lacks in laying a soild foundation once you reach the upper grades.

I have 1 child using MUS(going into 7th) and the other BJ, these are good matches for my dc, but MUS child is testing poorly , and I don't feel like BJ has a complete explaination for some of the concepts taught (this may be because we haven't used this program from the start).

I guess I'm just feeling insecure about math and I really want to stick with a program all the way and not have to keep wondering if I going to mess things up

thanks again!
ruth

[LadyAberlin]

BJU would teach more the conceptual side of math than Saxon would. Saxon Spirals and is incremental. BJU is mastery with review. Not as much mastery as MUS though. MUS is supposed to be conceptual too although some people supplement with Singapore challenging word problems.

[Sue G in PA]

Some students who use MUS do test poorly b/c the MUS program is such a different scope/sequence than public school curriculums. Your student will eventually cover all the concepts that his ps counterparts will cover...just in a different time period, KWIM? This is what I've heard b/c my ds is just starting MUS and I had the same questions. B/c it is mastery (full mastery), each concept is taught in isolation (add, subtract, mult., div., fractions, decimals, etc.) instead of in a "spiral" approach like Saxon. Many say MUS is complete enough on its own; I like to supplement and will start using Singapore b/c I want my children to really start thinking mathematically and not just following formulas and plugging in numbers. I'm hoping Singapore will do this. Saxon worked well for 2 of my dc but I found the lessons long and tedious. My ds actually told me he wanted to "do less math" next year. Math took him about an hour w/ Saxon. Too long for a 2nd grader, IMHO. Singapore's lessons are shorter, as are MUS. I hope I'm not confusing you more. I don't know anything about BJU Math. Sorry.

[ruth]

Thanks again for all the input.

I was talking to a former MUS user and she told me how her ds (Junior in HS) told her how his other siblings needed to switch back to Saxon, that MUS could only take you so far in math, and how her ds was struggling in math because of using MUS through High school and only learning concepts 1 way.

I'm not that easliy swayed, but it got me thinking about our math choice and ds' poor test results.

[Lynn in Caribbean]

Both are very thorough - you can't go wrong with either one.

BJU

BJU is organized in chapters - a chapter on fractions, a chapter on decimals, a chapter on geometric shapes, etc. There are several lessons in each chapter, followed by a chapter review, and a chapter test.

The explanations are very thorough, but they are in the TM! You have to look at the TM to teach it thoroughly, which can be kind of annoying. (I do like the way Saxon has everything right there in one book, right in front of you.) The BJU TM is excellent; however, I do need to spend a few minutes looking at it, before I go over the lesson with dd. BJU is designed to be taught by a teacher, it is not designed for self-teaching as Saxon is.

The lessons contain VERY little review. I purchased the reviews book, which contains a page for each day of review problems, along with a speed drill on the back of the page.

BJU gives lots of practice on the new concept, with very little review, but wIth the review book, BJU works out very well for us.

Saxon

Saxon is NOT organized in chapters, but switches between topics on a daily basis - Mon. you might do a lesson on fractions, Tues. on geometric shapes, Wed. on money, etc. This will either suit your dc perfectly, or utterly and completely confuse them. (My ds was in the latter category.)

Saxon is very rigorous and thorough.

It gives only a little practice on the new concept, followed by lots of review.

I really like the "mental math" at the beginning of the Saxon lessons.

So...
I have learned the hard way with my eldest, how important it is NOT to switch math curriculum during the elementary years. Each curriculum is different and presents things at different times or in different ways. But no matter which one you choose, it WILL get you through all the important concepts, and WILL prepare your child to do algebra in grade 8 or so.

Good luck!

[ruth]

Thanks Lynn your response was very helpful!
I also know the value on NOT switching math in the elm. years, but it couldn't be helped. Math = tears and so we moved around to match each child with the program best suited for their learning style.

Thanks again!

[kangato3]

Both are very thorough - you can't go wrong with either one.

BJU
The lessons contain VERY little review. I purchased the reviews book, which contains a page for each day of review problems, along with a speed drill on the back of the page.

BJU gives lots of practice on the new concept, with very little review, but wIth the review book, BJU works out very well for us.



Just an additional note on BJU - much of the review is built into the teacher's manual and is not found in the student text. Each lesson generally has a facts review and concept review that are assigned in the TM; worksheets for those reviews are found with the teacher materials. By diligently following those reviews, I found BJU provided sufficient review for my dc.

Louise