Newsletters

 

December 2020

REASONS FOR STUDENT FRUSTRATION OR FAILURE WHEN USING JOHN SAXON'S MATH BOOKS - (PART 2)

In last month’s news article we discussed the Essential Do’s when using John Saxon’s math books.  This month we will go over the Essential Don’ts that will help Home School Educators ensure a student’s success when using John Saxon’s math books.

Don’t Skip the First 30 – 35 Lessons in the Book. Many home school parents still believe that because the first thirty or so lessons in every Saxon math book appear to be a review of material in the last part of the previous textbook, they can skip them. Let’s review the two elements of automaticity.  The two critical elements are: repetition - over time!

Yes, some of the early problems in the textbook appear similar to the problems found in the last part of the previous textbook.  They have, however, been changed from the previous textbook to ensure that the student has mastered the concept. Remember, part of the concept of mastery involves leaving the material for a period of time and then returning to it.  Students are supposed to have sixty to ninety days off in the summer to rest their thought processes. They need this review to reinstate that thought process!  Additionally, while the first lessons in the books do contain some review, they also contain new material as well. 

I would ask you the same question I have asked thousands of classroom teachers and Home School Educators these past nine years. “Must students always have to do something they do not know how to do?  Why can’t they do something they already know how to do? What is wrong with building or reinforcing their confidence in mathematics through review?”

Don’t Skip Textbooks.  Skipping a book in Saxon is like tearing out the middle pages of your piano sheet music and then attempting to play the entire piece while still providing a meaningful musical presentation. In my book, under the specific textbook descriptions, I discuss any legitimate textbook elimination based upon specific abilities of the individual students. However, these recommendations vary from student to student depending upon their background and ability.

Don’t Skip Lessons. Incremental Development literally means introducing complicated math concepts to the students in small increments, rather than having them tackle the entire concept all at once.  It is essential that students do a lesson a day and take a test every four to five lessons, depending on what book they are using.  So what happens when you skip an easy lesson or two? Very simply, the student cannot process the new material satisfactorily without having had a chance to read about it, and to understand its characteristics.  Some students attempt to fix this shortcoming by then working on several lessons in a single day, to catch up to where they should be in the book. This technique is also not recommended.

As I have told my classroom students on numerous occasions, “The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.”

Don’t Skip Problems in the Daily Assignments. When students complain that the daily workload of thirty problems is too much, it is generally the result of one of the following conditions: 

• Students are so involved in a multitude of activities that they cannot spend the thirty minutes to an hour each day required for Saxon mathematics.
• Students are at a level above their capabilities and unable to adequately process the required concepts in the allotted time because of this difficulty.
• The student is either a dawdler or just lazy!
• Doing just the odd or just the even numbered problems in a Saxon math book is not the solution to those difficulties.  As I mention in one of the early chapters in my book, there are two of each type of problem for several reasons - and doing just the odd or even is not one of those reasons!

Don’t Let Students use the Solutions Manual to do their Daily Assignments.  Why not?  When I attended Homeschool Conferences, I often spoke at seminars and one of the analogies I would use is that of the honey bee.  If you cut the bee out of the beeswax cell - to save it the struggle it must take to remove itself and speed its departure from the hive - the bee will not be able to fly because while struggling to get through the beeswax, it strengthens itself - and – in making it “easier” by removing the beeswax, you took away that advantage. The same goes with a math student who follows along every day with what someone else has laid out as the solution to every problem in their daily assignment.  That encourages memorizing – it does not foster mastery. 

Don’t Grade the Student’s Daily Work. In all the years I taught John Saxon’s math at the high school, I never graded a single homework paper.  I did monitor the student’s daily work to ensure it was done and I would speak with students whose test grades were falling below the acceptable minimum of eighty percent.  I can assure you that having the student do every problem over - that he failed to do on his daily assignments - does not have anywhere near the benefit of going over the problems missed on the weekly tests because the weekly tests reveal mastery – or lack thereof - while the daily homework only reveals their daily memory!  In the upcoming January 2021 newsletter, I will go into more detail on how to treat the daily practice work and why I believe it is the better way.

While my book goes into more detail, I believe these few simple rules about what TO DO and what NOT TO DO to ensure success when using John’s math books will benefit home school educators who use, or are contemplating using, Saxon math books. 

So long as you use the books and editions I referenced in my book, and later re-iterated in my November 2019 news article, you will find that Saxon math books remain the best math books on the market today - if used correctly!  Those referenced books and editions will be good for your child’s math education - from fourth grade through their senior year in high school - for several more decades – or longer!  And the proper use of them will more than adequately prepare that same math student for any of the current state or federal “Common Core” math requirements.”

Have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year

– And –

Stay Safe and Stay Well

 

                    

 

November 2020

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 Nov 2019 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 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.

 

                    

 

October 2020

A Promise Made – Is a Promise Kept

You asked for it and I promised to keep easy access to my Saxon Math Teaching Series, a high quality educational math product, at a reasonable rate. A more streamlined format is here! Made especially for those with unstable internet and for anyone who prefers to have access to the lessons without being tethered to the internet – the “Using Saxon Flash Drive” is now available. After 15 years of producing – now cumbersome – DVD’s, technology has allowed my company to change formats that  now allow all of the lessons contained on the 10-12 DVD discs of a single series to be loaded onto a single 16GB 3.0 Flash drive.

For a limited time, you will have three choices for purchasing a video format for the Saxon Math Teaching Series.  These three formats can be found on this website by selecting "Purchase Video Math Tutorial" at the top of this page - or on the Home page - as well as these four companies selling our product - www.childsbooks.com, www.christianbook.com, www.rainbowresource.com, and www.rocksolidinc.com so long as their remaining stock of DVDs last.

Why make the change?

• Many computers no longer include CD/DVD drives, causing challenges with the original format. To address this problem, I implemented the online streaming Saxon Math Teaching series last year which works very well for many.  But that forum does not serve those living in rural areas or households with unstable internet or for those who do not have reliable wireless capability available.

• While some computers no longer include USB ports, you can acquire an inexpensive adapter for both laptops and desktops that allows the use of a regular USB drive. The Flash drive is also known as a “Thumb drive,” “Flash drive,” or as a “USB drive.” Whatever you prefer to call it, this Flash drive will allow you to have all the lessons accessible to the student simply by inserting this device into your computer’s USB port.

• Flash drives are more stable than DVD’s. We have installed a top-of-the-line security system on each USB drive that will prevent the user from accidentally deleting or damaging any of the files (lessons) on the drive.

• One Flash drive is more environmentally friendly than a full math series set of 10-12 DVD’s in individual plastic sleeves.

What formats are available?
All of the Saxon Math Teaching Series will continue to be purchased either as an online subscription, as DVDs, or on an individual Flash drive. As I mentioned earlier, you can order any one of the three formats on this website by selecting "Purchase Video Math Tutorial" at the top of this page, on the Home page, or at one of the company websites mentioned above.  The contents of all three formats are compatible with both PC and MAC computers.

How long will the DVD’s be an option?
Only while current inventory lasts. If you prefer DVD’s, you must order them before the current supply is gone. We will let you know when that occurs.

Will the Flash drive work on both PC and MAC computers?
Yes! The Flash drive includes both a MAC and a separate PC software video viewer.  You will not have to purchase a separate video app to view the lessons – or worry about compatibility with the current video app you already have. Many of the newer Smart TVs will also accommodate a USB Flash Drive as well.

How is the Flash drive shipped?
It will arrive in a small protective clear plastic case inside a padded shipping envelope to protect the Flash drive during shipping and the clear plastic case will allow the user to keep it from getting damaged, misplaced or lost during daily use.

Does the Flash drive require WI-FI?
No. All lessons on the Flash drive are accessible without WI-FI access.

Why prefer a Flash drive to a DVD?

• Storing one Flash drive will take less space than a full set of DVD’s.
• Flash drives are more impervious to sticky fingers, cat or dog scratches or other perils – unless one intentionally strikes the USB drive with a hammer – or – purposely puts a weighted heel on it on hard surfaced flooring. I believe the USB drives will last a lot longer than the numerous DVD discs will.
• I believe students of all ages will be more comfortable using the Flash drive with its own self-contained video software.

What about security of the data?
Because we use a quality 16GB 3.0 USB Flash drive with protective security software to protect your files from being damaged or deleted - as well as a self-contained video software program for both the PC and MAC to view the files - your files are secure!  We cannot guarantee you won’t accidentally damage the drive, but if you purchased it from us or one of the authorized companies mentioned above – and you do accidentally damage the drive within its first year of use – we will replace it for you for a small fee (which includes shipping) if you first notify ajpubco@suddenlinkmail.com by email within this 12 month period – and then upon receipt of the damaged Flash drive.  

What about cost?
The production/shipping/handling cost for the Flash drives is more than that for the DVDs, but my commitment to ALL learners means I want to continue having a product that does not require internet access for you to use. The current $59.95 price for the outgoing DVDs will remain the same for the USB Flash drive and that includes shipping and the 12 month accidental damage guarantee as well.

And finally, on a personal note:
Technology keeps changing and I am delighted to be keeping up. Having circled the sun 84 times and now having my grandchildren helpers become young adults and leave the area for college and professional careers, I find the labor-intensive requirements for processing the DVD Math series increasingly more difficult. I could contract out the laborious part and pass the cost on to you, but the whole idea of my getting involved more than 15 years ago was to offer you a high quality educational math product at a reasonable rate – which I believe switching to these new USB and Online formats will allow me to continue to do.

More importantly, I will again have the time to answer your email and telephone calls, and continue to provide you with math advice and assistance regarding Saxon Math – as I have in the past – whether you have purchased one of my products or not.

                    

 

September 2020

Fuzzy Mathematics

If you’re not old enough to remember the old "Ma and Pa Kettle" movies, you will have to ask grandma or grandpa about them. Their movies were among the best of the funny classic black and white movies made back then. The kind of movie the entire family could watch and laugh together over. My brother and I often went to see the same movie more than once.

Today’s news item is from one of their movies. I just saw it on the internet and could not resist sharing it with you and your students as we start the new school year.

To watch this unbelievable short 2 minute episode of “Fuzzy Math” click here.

Next month, I will get back to the academic world of mathematics.

                    

 

August 2020

Storehouse of "Useful" – or Perhaps "Useless" – Information, Whatever the Case May Be! (PART 2)

10. SAXON MATH HONORS COURSES: I do not know why I did not address Honors Courses in my book, but these past several months I have had numerous calls from homeschool educators as well as high school classroom teachers using Saxon math books.  They were asking me if any of the Saxon Math courses qualify as Honors Courses.  So, I thought I had better address that situation quickly.

Honors Math courses refer to upper-level math classes that cover more material and are more rigorous than the same course taught in another curriculum’s regular class does (e.g. algebra 1, algebra 2, geometry, trigonometry, discreet mathematics, pre-calculus, etc.) . There are no official standards when it comes to describing just what the term “Honors Course” means, so Honors Classes could - very well - vary significantly in both quality and content.

There are three Saxon Math classes that meet the general criteria for an “Honors Course.”  The first text is Saxon Algebra 2, 2nd or 3rd Editions only. The older 1st Edition as well as the non–Saxon 4th Edition does not meet the rigorous algebra and geometry criteria found in either the 2nd or 3rd Editions. The second and third Saxon math Honors Courses come from the use of John Saxon’s Advanced Mathematics textbook.  By covering the first 90 lessons in the Saxon Advanced Mathematics textbook, the student not only encounters the equivalent of the second semester of a regular high school geometry textbook, but some heavy duty algebra and trigonometry similar to that found in the collegiate freshman algebra/trigonometry textbook.

The second year of its use involves the heavy duty trigonometry again, coupled with heavy duty pre-calculus subjects as well as a continuum of geometry problems.  At the end of the Advanced  Mathematics textbook, the student moves to the Saxon Second Edition Calculus textbook and completes the course by finishing the first twenty-five lessons of the that textbook.  Those lessons introduce the student to first derivatives and limits of functions among other collegiate level math concepts.

To keep the student from spending more than three hours a night on daily math homework, the book can – and should – be taught in a two year period. For a detailed explanation of how these two math courses are taught and recorded on the transcript go to: www.usingsaxon.com/flvplayer.html and watch a short video.

11. REDUCED RATES FOR THE DVD OR ONLINE LESSONS: I was recently asked by a homeschool educator if we would offer reduced rates for the online tutorial lessons when multiple series would be purchased. The educator had three children in Math 87, Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. While not all cases will be identical, I can offer reduced rates for three or more students for the online tutorial lessons that will amount to a minimum of 33% savings to the homeschool family.  Private and public schools as well as homeschool co-ops using Saxon that want to use either the DVDs or the online lessons can receive an educational discount also. Since every situation is different, please call me direct at my office (580-234-0064 - CST) to discuss your individual, homeschool Co-op, or school’s situation. 

12. ADDITIONAL TOPICS IN THE THIRD EDITION OF ALGEBRA 1/2: On page 77 of my book ”Using John Saxon’s Math Books” I showed the homeschool educators what lessons I recommended they use in conjunction with each of these Additional Topics found at the back of the textbook.  For those of you who do have my book, those recommended associations are listed below.  When I taught using this textbook, I combined them with these lessons. You may choose different lessons to associate these additional topics with, or you may choose to skip them, depending upon the situation and the student’s situation.

 

TOPIC	LESSON	TOPIC	LESSON
A	9 OR 98	F	94, 101 OR 102
B	29	G	115
C	4 OR 106	H	85
D	64	I	85
E	117	J	117

 

13. COURSE 1 and COURSE 2:While these two textbooks were created for use by the public and private schools – and while their presentation format of the content is different - their lesson order and concept content are identical to their home school soft cover counterparts.  Math 76, 4th Ed has the same order and concept content as the Course 1 textbook and Math 87, 3rd Ed has the same order and concept content as the Course 2 textbook.  So a student can successfully go from Course 1 to Math 87 or from Math 76 to Course 2.  However, because of the two vastly different presentations of the concepts, I would not recommend their use unless you are on a tight budget and acquired the books at a reasonable used rate or free of charge. 

14. CALCULATING THE STUDENT’S GRADE POINT AVERAGE “GPA”: I believe every homeschool educator knows how to calculate the student’s GPA using the standard A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, and F = 0. However, don’t forget that if you want to declare the Saxon math courses discussed above as Honors Courses – or if you have the student taking other Honors Courses as well - then the GPA scale goes up a notch for all those courses.   A = 5, B = 4, C = 3, D = 2, and F is still a 0.                 

                   

  

 

July 2020

Storehouse of "Useful" – or Perhaps "Useless" – Information, Whatever the Case May Be!

1. TESTING: Allow fifty - or a maximum of sixty minutes - for a student to take the weekly tests.  An “A” or “B” student should finish 15 to 20 minutes before your timer goes off and a “C” student will finish just as the timer goes off. You are not helping your students if you allow them to have unlimited time to take their weekly tests. Remember the ACT and SAT tests are timed.
   
   
2. HOMEWORK: When doing their daily homework, students should first read the lesson and then come to class and watch the DVD - or the ONLINE - lesson taught in a classroom environment.  Remember the object of a good math teacher is to take the “gobbly-gook” out of the daily lesson. Yes, I used the descriptor “gobbly-gook” because mathematicians do not always write in a clear and understanding way when explaining math concepts.  My job as the classroom teacher is to explain each concept in a clear and understanding manner – to include giving the student an easier way to accomplish what the lesson is teaching when there exists more than one way to accomplish that.
   
   
3. ONLINE vs DVDs: Lessons in either math series are identical.  We started the DVDs over a decade ago and recently implemented the ONLINE version last year when we found out it appears they were allowing the DVD players to go the way of the 3.5” floppy disc drives. I would harbor a guess that in the next 12 to 24 months DVDs may even become obsolete. Many new laptops and stand-alone computers no longer have a DVD drive. You have to pay extra and buy an external DVD drive. The Saxon DVD math tutorial lessons are found at www.usingsaxon.com and the ONLINE version of these same lessons can be seen at www.teachingsaxon.com.
   
   
4. WHICH ONE TO USE? THE DVD LESSONS – or – THE ONLINE LESSONS: It is your choice - but be careful!  If you live in a rural area or in a small town, make sure you have a strong Wi-Fi signal as the DVDs may be your only option - since a weak Wi-Fi signal will cut out too frequently.
   
   
5. LOSING YOUR ONLINE PASSWORD: Each individual password is a combination of 24 symbols, numbers, and letters. Almost impossible to memorize! Neatly print the password on a piece of masking tape and then tape it to the computer screen’s frame or back – or – to the inside of the back cover of your math book.  I do not know of anyone who would steal or hack into a math lesson.  However, if someone does copy your password, a quick email to my office and we will quickly reply with a new password.
   
   
6. BAD IDEA: Somewhere out there on the internet, there is a Blog that recommends students only need to do half of the daily homework assignment (odds or evens).  Before you follow this bad advice, please read my Dec 2018 and May 2019 news articles.
   
   
7. ENTERING THE ONLINE SERIES IN MID-STREAM: If you are anywhere in the math book beyond lesson 10 when you purchase the ONLINE series, please immediately call my office or email me at art.reed@usingsaxon.com  and tell us what your first lesson will be so we can allow you quick access into the series since the program assumes you start at lesson 1, 2, . . . etc. We can quickly make life simpler for the student.
   
   
8. MY COMMITMENT TO THE RURAL HOMESCHOOLER: While it appears the DVD discs may become much more expensive – or when they no longer become available to us, I will have already moved toward substituting “Thumb Drives” for the DVDs.  Until reliable Wi-Fi is available to the rural homeschooler using Saxon Math - rest assured - you will still be able to acquire my Saxon Math tutorials via either DVDs or Thumb Drives.
   
   
9. STAY SAFE AND STAY WELL - AND MAY GOD’S BLESSINGS BE UPON YOUR FAMILY

 

                          

June 2020

Are the New Saxon Math Books Better Than the Older Editions?

Some of you may remember that more than a decade ago - in the summer of 2004 - the Saxon family sold Saxon Publishers to Harcourt Achieve. Just to put everything in perspective, Harcourt Achieve, Inc. was then owned by the Harcourt Corporation which in turn was later acquired by the multi-billion dollar conglomerate Reed-Elsevier who then sold Harcourt, Inc. to Houghton Mifflin creating the current company (that owns Saxon Publishers) which is now the Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt Company also known as HMHCO. It all reminds me of when the Savings and Loan Companies got the nickname "Velcro banks" because they changed names so often before they disappeared the way of the dinosaurs.

When I published my June 2007 news article, I told readers "Not to worry!" As I mentioned earlier when Harcourt acquired John Saxon's publishing company in 2004, the new sale should not affect the quality of John's books. I asked the obvious question, "Why would anyone buy someone's prize-winning 'Blue Ribbon Bull' to make hamburger with?" I did not believe that this new sale would change John's books much either, and I told the readers that if these changes became more than just cosmetics, I would certainly keep them informed.

Well, it is time to mention that some of the changes are no longer cosmetic. Some of the new editions are not what John Saxon had intended for his books. These new editions are vastly different, and both home school educators as well as classroom teachers must be aware of these changes and be selective about what editions and titles they should and should not use if they desire to continue with John Saxon's methods and standards.

Initially, these revised new editions were offered only to the public and private schools and not to the home school community. However, introduction of their new geometry textbook to the home school educators tells me that it may not be long before the new fourth editions of Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 replace the current third editions now offered on their website.

I could be wrong. Perhaps they added the geometry textbook to the home school website because some home school parents were unaware that a full year of high school geometry was already offered within the Algebra 2 textbook (first semester of geometry) and the first sixty lessons of the Advanced Mathematics textbook (second semester of geometry)). Additionally, placing the geometry course in between the Saxon Algebra 1 and Saxon Algebra 2 textbooks is a sure formula for student frustration in Saxon Algebra 2 since the new geometry book does not contain algebra content. The only reference to "Geometry" in the new fourth edition of Saxon Algebra 1 is a reference in the index to "Geometric Sequences" found in lesson 105. That term is not related to geometry. It is the title given to an algebraic formula dealing with a sequence of numbers that have a common ratio between the consecutive terms.

It would be my hope that the senior executives at HMHCO would recognize the uniqueness and value of the current editions of John Saxon's math books - that continue his methods and standards. - will be good for many more decades.

 

                         

May 2020

JOHN SAXON'S LEGACY

John Saxon was, among other things, a teacher, a leader, a graduate of West Point, and a great storyteller. I first met John and his wife Mary Esther in the late 1960’s in my mother-in-law’s kitchen in Enid, Oklahoma, while I was on leave preparing to go to Germany.  While his mother-in-law and mine had been members of the same sewing club and also the same Presbyterian Church for almost forty years, our military careers took us our separate ways, and I never had a chance to know him very well until I started teaching several years after he had already published his first algebra book in 1981.

That night in the kitchen, John told the story about when he flew the supply route from Japan to Korea – in between B-26 bombing runs – during the Korean War. He said he had not had much sleep in the preceding five days, and he was concerned that he would doze off while piloting the aircraft, so he instructed his enlisted crew chief to make sure he stayed awake.  “I told him that whatever it took, keep me awake! I woke up the next morning and I could barely move my right arm, the pain was so intense. I looked at my right shoulder and it was a dark purple color,” John said. “I learned later that day that the crew chief kept punching my shoulder every time I started to doze off - all the way from Japan to Korea! I told him, Chief, you almost broke my shoulder. So he says to me, ‘Kept you awake, Sir!’”

The high school where I had done my student teaching had been using John’s math books for several years.  I liked using them, so when I started my first job as a high school math teacher, I asked for and received approval to buy his math books for two of my three math courses.  The first year I taught, I finished all the lessons in John Saxon’s first Algebra 2 book.  When school was out, I drove to Norman to visit with John.  When I bragged to him that we had finished his book, he smiled and, pitching me his new second edition, said, “Here. Try this new edition. It’s seven lessons longer.”  John and his finance officer loaded seventy of the new second edition Algebra 2 books into the trunk of my car. As I drove home later that evening, I wondered what I would say to the highway patrolman if I were stopped and he looked in the trunk. John had given me the books, and I did not have a paid invoice for them.

I remember in the early days of his company, John had a personal policy that if a student found an error in one of his math books and wrote to him about it, John would send him five dollars for each error he found. That fall, when we started using these brand new first printings of the new second edition of Algebra 2, one of the students had found four problems - with wrong answers. 

Checking the answers, I verified that the student was indeed correct. The four answers were wrong! The young man then asked about the twenty dollars that I had mentioned he would receive. So using my classroom telephone, I called John at his office. I had placed the telephone on the speakerphone, so the class could hear the conversation.  They appeared excited that they were actually sitting in their classroom, talking to the author and owner of the publishing company that had published their math book!  John asked me if I had verified that the answers were indeed in error, and I told him the student was correct, that the answers were in fact wrong. Without hesitation, John immediately asked the young man his name and congratulated him for finding them.

I reminded John about his “five dollar” policy.  He agreed that the young man deserved the twenty dollars and that he should not have to wait around for the money.  Then John, in a loud and clear voice said, “Art, you pay him,” and hung up! A warm summer evening in June and a free trunk load of seventy Algebra 2 books flashed before my eyes as I gave the young man my only twenty-dollar bill.

John was both a mathematician and an engineer.  After retiring from military service, while teaching mathematics at Rose State College in Oklahoma City, he was appalled to see that the incoming college students could not handle simple math concepts.  So John decided to write his own math books to correct this.  I soon learned what John meant by “at-risk adults” when, some twenty years later, I also encountered college students who still did not understand fractions,   percents or decimals.  They were failing their basic algebra course at the local university where I taught mathematics.

Throughout John’s years of publishing his math textbooks, he always used the words “students,” “educators,” and “responsibility” when speaking about his books.  He had designed them to teach the basic concepts of mathematics.  They were not designed to teach just “critical thinking” or “higher-order thinking” at the expense of this critical subject matter,  as many books still do today to meet requirements of textbook selection committees.

One of John’s favorite analogies of what was wrong with this idea was instances when he would tell his audience, most often teachers and administrators, "Understanding should follow doing, rather than precede it. If you’re going to teach someone how to drive an automobile, don’t lecture him on the theory of the internal-combustion engine. Get him to drive the car around the block."

John was always aware of and deeply concerned about our high school students as they continued to fall behind in their understanding of the basic concepts necessary to be successful in mathematics and science. He believed so strongly in what he was doing that, in 1980, so that he could publish his first math book (an Algebra 1 textbook), he borrowed money from his children, from his bank, mortgaged his house, and also borrowed against the value of his future military retirement pay! 

More than twenty-five years later, we all know John and his company were a tremendous success!  And we all know the legacy that John Saxon has left the field of mathematics – especially for homeschool families. In July of 1993, in an open letter to then - President Clinton, John Saxon warned of the pending disaster in the areas of mathematics and science. He was concerned that educators were advocating teaching critical thinking when they should be teaching basic math concepts.

He complimented the President on the fact that, while still Governor of Arkansas, he had supported a bill in the Arkansas Legislature that returned control of textbook selection to the local school boards. Local control was something John felt would keep the “unknowing” at the state level from being able to control the local school boards and administrators, and allow them to solve these problems locally.

John Saxon passed away on October 17, 1996.  His children continued management of Saxon Publishers until it was finally sold to Harcourt Achieve in the fall of 2004.  I remember the warm sunny day in 2004 when John Saxon’s children announced the acquisition of Saxon Publishers by Harcourt Achieve at the newly constructed Saxon Headquarters in Norman, Oklahoma. 

Just a few minutes after the children had made their announcement, dark ominous clouds swept in, and in the midst of a torrential downpour, one of the biggest electrical storms in Norman’s history knocked out all the electrical power and telephone lines to the Saxon Corporate headquarters after lightning had struck the building. 

I told you John was a great storyteller.  It appears, again, that he had the last word that day!

 

 

                           

 

April 2020

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES AMONG THE VARIOUS SAXON MATH TUTORIALS ON THE MARKET TODAY?

While at Home School Conventions, I was repeatedly asked by homeschool educators to explain to them the difference between the “DIVE” CD’s, the “Saxon Teacher” CD’s, the “Teaching Tapes Technology” DVD series, and my DVD series “MASTERING ALGEBRA, John Saxon’s Way.” That is an excellent question because some companies confuse the situation when they advertise their CD’s as being “video” products when in fact they are not DVD’s, but only CD’s containing a graphic presentation with audio.  The abbreviation DVD stands for “Digital Video Disc” and these DVD products will work on either a computer or a television DVD player, while CD products will only work on a computer with a CD player.  

Basically, here are the differences:

DIVE CD’s: The product covers John Saxon’s math books from Math 54 through Calculus.  Each level textbook has a single CD containing instruction corresponding to each individual lesson in that textbook.  The presentation is a whiteboard presentation which means there is no teacher to watch at the board.  The student hears the voice in the background and watches writing appear on the screen.  The product will not work on a television DVD player.  The CD will not work in a television DVD player because it is not a true “Digital Video Disc (DVD),” but rather a graphic presentation with audio.  As a CD, it is restricted to being played only on a computer.  Each individual CD math series costs $55.99. They are available for the current editions of Saxon Math from Math 54 through Calculus—and for some of the older Saxon editions as well. The CDs will work on a PC or a Mac.

THE SAXON TEACHER CD’s: The product is sold by HMHCO and supports John Saxon’s math books from Math 54 through Advanced Mathematics. Similar to the DIVE CD, these CDs are a graphic whiteboard presentation which means there is no one to watch presenting the lessons.  The student hears the voice in the background as the writing appears on the board. The individual in each of the individual series of CD’s goes over every problem in the textbook and the individual problems on the tests as well, which is why there are four or more CD’s to this product as opposed to the single CD sold by DIVE. HMHCO sells these CD graphic “audio” solutions for $103.00. There is a printed version of the solution for each of the daily problems. The printed version is called the “solutions manual” (which contains the same “step-by-step” information as the more expensive CD).  The printed solutions manual sells for between $56.75 for the Algebra 1, 3rd Ed manual to $58.40 for the Advanced Mathematics course. If you have purchased the new soft cover editions of Math 54, 65, 76 or 87, the solutions manuals are included in the price of the Homeschool Kit for these four courses.  Don’t forget, these are CD’s – they are not DVD “videos.” And as CDs they can only be used on a computer.  They cannot be viewed on a television set that has a DVD player. The CDs will work on a PC or a Mac.

TEACHING TAPES TECHNOLOGY:  The product is a DVD “video” set of lessons which means they can be used on either a television or computer DVD player.  The entire series covers Math 54 through Calculus.  As advertised by the company, the individual lessons are taught by a state certified math teacher. The individual series for a particular math book in the upper level math series sell for anywhere from $175 for the Math 54 series to $200 for the Algebra ½ series to $245 for the Calculus series. The Calculus series requires the first edition of calculus.  Each DVD series for a specific textbook contains from 14 to 20 individual discs. Like the Saxon Teacher CD series, the teacher on these videos goes over every assigned and practice problem in the book, which explains why there are so many DVD’s in each individual series. Unlike the DIVE or HMHCO CD’s, these are DVD “Digital Video Disc” presentations and as true DVDs they will work on either a television or a PC running on Linux or Windows operating system—or MAC computer—as long as they have a DVD player (internal or external).

MASTERING ALGEBRA “John Saxon’s Way” - by Art Reed:  This product is also a DVD video presentation which means the DVD’s will work on both a computer as well as a television DVD player.  This capability would enable a group of homeschool students (or a Co-Op) to watch together, on a single television set, as they would in a regular math classroom. The concepts of every lesson are taught by an experienced Saxon math teacher with over twelve years teaching experience using Saxon Math books in a rural public high school classroom.  The students see an experienced Saxon math teacher at the board teaching the concepts contained in that lesson.  There are ten to twelve DVD’s in each of the series which run from Math 76 through Calculus.  Each individual series from Math 76 through Calculus sells for $59.95 (which includes postage within the U.S.A. and its Protectorates—including APO and FPO addresses). The teacher does not “read the book” to the students. Using different problems than the examples from the book, he teaches the concepts presented in the textbook taking time to explain each concept in terminology more easily understood by the student.  As any good classroom math teacher, the teacher on these DVDs explains in terminology more easily understood by the student than the often encountered complicated terminology of a math textbook. The DVDs will work on a PC or a Mac.

In April of 2019 online tutorial lessons for all seven series of these DVDs – from Math 76 to Calculus were added to the DVD product line. The lessons - identical to the lessons on the DVDs - can be reviewed and/or subscribed to by going to:  https://teachingsaxon.com/shop/. The online lessons will work on a PC or Mac and on any device (e.g. laptop, cell phone, tablet, etc.) that has access to WIFI.  A two year subscription sells for $59.95.

Before you buy any of these products, sit down with your student and look at each of the samples provided by the companies on their websites. Make sure the student is comfortable with the instructor’s voice and demeanor and how the material is presented by that instructor. 

Here are the four websites:

https://diveintomath.com/cd-rom-for-dive-math-76-4th-edition/

https://www.hmhco.com/search/shop/homeschool?subcategory=math

http://teachingtape.com/tapes.htm

https://www.homeschoolwithsaxon.com/

For more information on my DVD series, you can also read last month’s news article.

 

                           

 

March 2020

WHAT HOMESCHOOLERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE DVD MATH TUTORIALS

Several years ago, I completed a random survey of homeschool educators who had purchased the DVD math tutorials I had created.  Over ninety percent of those who responded to the survey indicated they wanted DVD math tutorials created for the Math 76 and Math 87 textbooks also. Since the DVD math tutorials from Algebra ½ through the Advanced Mathematics textbook (which include the first twenty-five lessons of the Calculus text through limits and derivatives) had already been created, I made the decision to follow the homeschool educators’ advice, and immediately completed production of DVD math tutorials for Math 76 and Math 87.

The DVD math tutorial series are now available for all seven levels of John Saxons math books from Math 76 through the first twenty-five lessons of the calculus textbook. A sample lesson from each of these seven different math tutorial series is available to review elsewhere on this website. If you would like to review one or more of the sample lessons when you are finished reading this news article, here is the link to them: usingsaxon.com/onlinevideo.php

It is difficult for homeschool educators to evaluate the varied math tutorials on the market without actually purchasing them and that can become quite expensive and sometimes disappointing. On a daily basis, I receive telephone calls and email from homeschool educators posing questions about how the varied math CD and DVD math tutorials for John Saxon’s math books are presented and how they compare with each other.  To assist in making a decision regarding which product to purchase as a math tutorial for students using John Saxon’s math books, several years ago I asked The Old Schoolhouse Magazine staff to review my DVD math tutorials as they had previously reviewed my book several years earlier.  They agreed. Excerpts from those reviews are reflected below.  Next month I will compare the various Saxon Math Tutorials on the market today.

1. Excerpts from the review of Art Reed’s Algebra ½, 3rd Ed DVD Math Tutorial.

“In the past few years, our family has used the DVDs from Teaching Tape Technology to give additional instruction in Saxon Math for grade levels 4th through Advanced Math . . . so when I had the opportunity to review the Mastering Algebra John Saxon's Way Algebra ½ (3rd edition) DVDs, featuring seasoned mathematics instructor Art Reed, I was intrigued . . . Could these videos measure up? Could I be objective? I can honestly answer ‘yes’ to both of those questions . . . Art Reed is a fantastic instructor. He is engaging and inspiring, but his approach is also straightforward and no nonsense . . . he also has a great sense of humor. He is a professional through and through . . . he knows his stuff. It is obvious that he enjoys teaching math and wants his students to succeed and master the material. I like his confident way of presenting each lesson . . . He does not spoon feed, but he does explain each concept thoroughly and give encouragement. He gives extra tips and information to make everything easier to understand . . . I also like the way he uses visual aids and manipulatives when needed to reinforce certain concepts . . . Overall, I think this is a wonderful set for homeschool families who use Saxon Math . . .The students have access to an experienced instructor, and they can replay the videos as many times as they need to master the material . . . I highly recommend Art Reed and the Mastering Algebra John Saxon's Way DVDs as a great investment in your child's mathematical education.”

Amy M. O'Quinn, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC

*******************************************************************

2.  Excerpts from the review of Art Reed’s Algebra 2, 2nd or 3rd Ed DVD Math Tutorial.

“Mastering Algebra is a tutorial course designed to work with Saxon Algebra 2, either the 2nd or the 3rd edition. It is 12 DVDs, containing 129 lessons and 2 review lessons to brush up before you begin. The lessons are correlated with Saxon Algebra; for those who want the tutorial benefit but are using another curriculum, a detailed scope and sequence of the lessons is available online so that you can select the lesson or skill you need to work on Mr. Reed, the teacher, stands at a podium at the front of a classroom with a real white board behind him and teaches the class. He even has an oversized calculator that he uses to show exactly what you do with various calculator functions. There are no people in his classroom, however, so he interacts with the listener, not students in front of him. This adds a personal touch to the tutorial, in my opinion.The lectures are very understandable, and Mr. Reed has a way of breaking down and illustrating the concepts so that they are easy to comprehend--even for the ‘math-challenged.’The series is specifically geared for the home educating parent/student, and it would probably set many a homeschool mom's mind at ease to have such a competent math tutor for her high school student. At $56.95 for the entire set (which includes free shipping) – this is the most inexpensive math tutoring you will ever find as well . . . I highly recommend this tutorial course—even if you aren’t using Saxon Algebra.”

Kim Kargbo, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC   

These same lessons are now also available in online classes at www.teachingsaxon.com/shop/   

                      

 

February 2020

DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO DO THE DAILY “WARM-UP” BOX AND “PRACTICE PROBLEMS”?
(For the Math 54 through Math 87 Textbooks)

I receive several emails each week about the excessive amount of time some home school students spend on their math assignments each day.  In almost every case, the students have spent between thirty minutes and an hour on the “Warm-Up” box and the six to eight “Practice Problems” before they even get started on the thirty problems of the Daily Assignment.

It has been a little more than a decade since I have been in a public classroom, and I am not sure if public school middle school math teachers still lean on what they used to call a math “Warm-Up” at the start of each class.  The purpose of the “Warm-Up” was to settle their students down and get them ready for the math regimen of the day.

Using the “Warm-Up” box at the beginning of each lesson in the Saxon Math 54 through Math 87 textbooks can become quite frustrating to students who do not have the advantage of a seasoned classroom math teacher gently guiding them in the direction of the correct solution for the problem of the day – knowing that problem might come from a concept not yet introduced to the students.

But what about the “Daily Math Facts Practice” and the “Mental Math”; how will students receive training in those areas?  While these two areas are essential to the student becoming well-grounded in the old pen and pencil format of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, graded by the teacher, that format has been improved with a computer model.  Using the computer format allows the students to instantly know whether their answers are right or wrong.  Additionally, while the home educators can easily spot the results tallied on the computer as the student moves along, it saves them the time spent manually grading the documents.  I have placed a link to a wonderful Math Facts site on my website.  Readers can find it by going to my home page, and from the list on the left side of the home page, click on “Useful Links.” When the new window appears, select the second link from the top labeled “On-Line Math Facts Practice.”

That link takes you to a math facts practice site that allows the student to select from seven different levels of difficulty in adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.  Five to ten minutes on this site every day at the appropriate level for the student to be challenged without being frustrated is just as good as the mental math or facts practice found in the “Warm-Up” box. While the Math 87 book still reflects the same “Warm-Up” box that the previous three math textbooks do, a student should have mastered the facts practice by this time.  If this is the case, skipping the entire box is acceptable – unless – the student particularly enjoys the challenge of the “Problem Solving” exercise.

Now let’s see if I can explain why I am recommending you stop having the student take time to do the six to eight practice problems at the front of each of the mixed practices (the daily assignments).  The original purpose of these practice problems was for the classroom teacher to use all or some of them in explaining the concept on the board so that the teacher did not have to make up their own or use the homework problems. Sometimes teachers would use some of them to have students come to the board to show their understanding of the new concept. 

My experience in teaching John’s method of mastering math has shown me that there are basically two possibilities that can exist after the student has read and/or had the concept of the daily lesson explained to them.

Possibility 1:  The student understands the concept and after doing the two homework problems dealing with that new concept, completely understands what to do and has no trouble doing them.  Mastery of this concept will occur over the next five to six days as the student does several more each of these for the next few days. If this is a critical concept linked to other steps in the math sequence, they will keep seeing this concept periodically throughout the rest of the book.

Possibility 2: When students encounter the two homework problems that deal with the new concept, they have difficulty doing them.  So, on their own, should they go back to these practice problems and get another six to eight more problems wrong?  If they did the practice problems before they started their daily work, would anything have changed?  If they cannot do the two homework problems because they do not understand the new concept, why give them another six to eight problems dealing with the new concept to also get wrong?  This approach ultimately leads to more frustration on the part of the student.  Students will have spent thirty minutes or more on these additional six to eight practice problems and still not understand the new concept. Not every student completely grasps a new concept on the day it is introduced which is why John’s books do not test a new concept until the student has had five to ten days to practice that concept.

Those practice problems were not placed there to give the student more problems to do in addition to the thirty they are assigned every day.  They were placed there for the classroom teacher to use on the blackboard to teach the new concept so they did not have to develop their own or use the student’s homework problems.  There is nothing wrong with a home school educator asking a student to do one or two of them to show them the student does understand the new concept; however, doing more than that could be a waste of time and effort in either possibility.

Not every child is the same and I realize that because of a particular child’s temperament, there may be some instances where the parent has to go over more than one or two of the practice problems with the child – and this is okay – but for most students this is not necessary.  If the student really enjoys the challenge of the daily “Problem Solving:” that is okay – except parents should make sure that the student does not spend an excessive amount of time on that individual challenge and allow the real goal of completing the thirty problems of the Daily Assignment to become a secondary goal – and later a bother to the student.

 

 

January 2020

DO MATH SUPPLEMENTS REALLY HELP STRUGGLING STUDENTS?
- or -
CAN YOU TEACH A DROWNING CHILD HOW TO SWIM WHILE HE IS DROWNING?

Before addressing that question directly, let me first relate a story about a man walking across a bridge spanning a river.  As he looked down at the water, he noticed a boy who had fallen into the swift current.  It was apparent from the boy’s struggle that he could not swim.  The man realized he had only two alternatives.  He could shout instructions to the boy on how to overcome the swift current and perhaps enable him to dog paddle to safety on the shore, or he could dive into the water and rescue him.  Without hesitating, the man dived into the water and immediately swam to the side of the struggling boy.  Now the man had to face another dilemma.  Should he pull the struggling boy to safety or should he immediately try to teach him how to swim?

Everyone would agree that when people are drowning, that is not the time to try to teach them how to swim.  All one can do at that time is try to get them to a place of safety where they can overcome the swift current of the river.  So it is with mathematics.  In any of John Saxon’s math textbooks from Math 54 through Calculus, if student’s begin struggling before reaching lesson thirty or sooner, it is a sign that they will drown in the later lessons of the book unless they are taken to a place of safety where they can better manage and learn the concepts that they are now unfamiliar with. Concepts that are dragging them into deep water!  It should become apparent that they are not prepared for the book they are in, and no amount of supplemental material or expensive tutors will overcome those shortcomings.

Mathematics is like the swift current that challenged the drowning boy.  Like the river, upper level mathematics is challenging and can easily become unforgiving.  Looking for a slower moving or shallower river may create a temporary solution, but eventually that water will again become swifter and deeper and unless one is prepared, all the advice and assistance given at the time of the struggle will come too late.

While it is a noble goal for students to strive towards taking a calculus course in their senior year of high school, it is critical that they first master the algebra.  The calculus is easy! It is the challenge of the algebra and to a lesser degree the trigonometry that causes students to fail calculus.  Any student with a solid algebra background, entering any college or university, will pass that school’s math entrance exam and will be successful in a calculus course should they choose to do so.

When classroom teachers or home school educators take shortcuts with one of John Saxon’s math books, they are not adequately preparing the student for the deeper water ahead.  More than a quarter of a century of experience with Saxon Math textbooks has shown me that classroom teachers and parents who take shortcuts with his curriculum (instead of going slowly and deliberately through as John intended) cause students to “flounder” as they encounter the “deeper” water.  At this point, they find it easier to blame the book – and they look to switch to an easier math course!

The classroom instructions contained within my DVD “video” tutorial series – as well as the online lessons – are not math supplements.  They contain actual classroom instruction on each concept in the book.  Like the book, the classroom instruction is designed for the homeschool student who is in the appropriate level math book. The instruction enhances the written word they have already read from the textbook.  Many of the lessons present a different explanation by an experienced Saxon math teacher that helps the student through the difficult reading of the lesson.

However, regardless of who creates them, neither the CD white-board presentations nor my DVD classroom tutorials – or online lessons – will help students who are taking a course they are ill prepared for.  They will eventually find themselves frustrated and floundering in the “deeper water” of a math course they are not prepared for!

Have a Blessed and Happy New Year