SaxonMath all day--- Reading down

[Irish]

This is my first year teaching Saxon Math. This program eats up a lot of time. I spend almost 30 minutes on the morning math meeting alone. When I get the time down to 20 minutes they add an extra componant. Then the fact practice just got added so that's more time for Saxon. The lessons are take a long time with all the manipulatives but the paperwork is quick. All in all I do math 90 minutes a day or more....30 minutes longer than I did in the past 20 years of teaching first grade.

Here's where I need help. Reading time has been cut because of our new school emphasis on Math. I gave a reading test last week and half the class failed it. The other half got an A or B. In the past usually only one or two did so poorly. I feel that since Reading time has been cut that's the reason for the poor tests. I also have cut out much of Science and Social Studies because of Saxon...not to mention Religion(Catholic School).

Does Saxon have to take so long? The morning meeting with the calendar and all is very boring to me. Can I cut things out to speed it up?? I would love to only have a 10 minute morning meeting. I do love Saxon don't get me wrong but I feel like all other subjects are being neglected.

 

[MrChapp]

I cut out a lot of the math meeting when I did Saxon for the same reasons-- it was pretty boring and it took too long. I basically skipped it and did a regular calendar time instead.

However, be aware that sometimes they use skills taught in the meeting on the worksheets (at least in Grades 2 and 3, I never taught 1st). If you skip the meeting, or cut it down, just be sure to look at the worksheets ahead of time. Overall, I never had any major issues with not doing the meeting.

 

[yowz]

Saxon Math

For the first few weks of school, we do everything we are supposed to in the meeting time with all questions teacher directed. One they get used to it and new elements are added, we focus less on them old elements and more on the new things. I also ave my students begin asking questions to the student of the day which gets them more involved each day. It also give them practice in thinking mathematically and creating questions for a purpose. It's more fun too. My student of the day becomes the "teacher" and everyone calls that person mr/ms when asking questions to practice titles and manners. We do our meeting right after our morning prayer and before the Pledge. Sometimes after our meeting a student will say "but we forgot to do days of the week" or other elements which shows that they are thinking about it too. our meeting lasts 10-15 minutes.

 

[Busy_Lil_Bee]

abbreviated version

I post the pattern from Saxon and some of the other things on the board that the students must do along with their morning work. This cuts down on the morning meeting time dramatically. also, we don't do the whole thing except on Fridays, that way it's not too boring. For the fact practice, some times we do the problems in x minutes, check with a highlighter, and skip the fact practice. While we're waiting for buses or have that odd 3-6 min before recess, we will practice those facts. my kids are doing really well and i am enjoying saxon math (this is my first year teaching), i think of it as more of a guide than set in stone.

 

[sonshine]

Morning Meeting

I teach a combination 3-4 so our situations are a bit different, but I'll have to say with the combined grades and two math lessons to get in, I have NEVER been able to do the whole morning meeting. You can fit in parts of it during the day--during transition times, etc. I do that a lot--as we are lining up, getting ready for lunch, etc. A lot of that is just rote anyway.

I have taught first grade (9 years) though and I would be concerned about the reading. Reading (and math) are IT when it comes to first grade! So I wouldn't cut down on the reading just to get in all the math. I'd ask your administration (with its emphasis on math) what they want you to do since I personally would be hesitant to cut out so many things n the day for math.