textbook adoption

[reginna]

My district is in the process of adopting a new math program. There is a division between EveryDay Math and Saxon. Can anyone shed some light on which program best prepares students for our state's (MO) yearly testing program? Does anyone know of a math series that would satisfy both the EveryDay MAth and Saxon people?

 

[Connieg]

respect Saxon

Hi,

I only know of Saxon's reputation, but I teach Everyday Math. I like many aspects of it but it does NOT prepare kids for those standardized tests. They assume that all kids will get their skills through games and you have to "trust the spiral". Some kids get lost in the spiral!

EM has a heavy reliance on number lines and hundreds' charts. I think the kids are pretty creative thinkers but EM doesn't seem to relate to the tests we have to give. You will need to supplement before those tests are given. EM also relies on VERY strong parent support. If you have parents who don't work with kids, you will have a big gap. Also, their way of doing partial sum algorithms drives many parents crazy and you get angry letters. I was proactive and this issue but then I have good parents and they do what I ask (in general). Also, EM introduces kids to difficult concepts before they have beginning mastery of easier things (like showing first graders time to the quarter hour and five minute mark). That really throws the weaker ones.

I'd say go with Saxon.
Connie

 

[Nik]

Everyday Math

I am not a fan of either program. However, I am strongly opposed to the Everyday Math program. The methods taught in Everyday Math do not prepare kids for math they will encounter in their everyday math. They do not know their multiplication facts/tables or how to do long division. They think they can divide using the method taught in Everyday Math, but it takes more time and more paper and is extremely ineffective. I will step off my soapbox now...

 

[roo]

math series

We have been using Saxon for several years and I am so thankful we are leaving it behind. While there are some good aspects, it really does not help prepare them for the types of problem solving they need to be able to do (real life and standardized tests). They learn these problem solving patterns which work well when you're faced with problems that are worded the same way each time, but leave kids clueless when they're not. The problem solving is a real weakness with this series.