Saxon Algebra 1 Kit & DIVE CD-ROM, 3rd Edition

We have used Saxon from the beginning and when the DIVE CD ROMs started, we purchased those as well. I loved it as a parent (who had minimal to no problems with Algebra and high school and did not pursue extra math coursework in college). My kids enjoyed it when they were little (Saxon has plenty of hands on lessons and all lessons are scripted out so they are easy to teach for parents). My kids now love creating their own schedule and listening to the awesome teacher on DIVE independently. Our kids are transferring to our local high school in 9th grade which is a top ranked school and should be a year ahead in math. Our friends, who used Teaching Textbooks, regretted it when their son transferred to high school because he did not know the concepts and had to retake Algebra I. Luckily, he is a bright kid and did it over the summer before he started at the school, but teaching textbooks had not prepared him for what lied ahead. Our other friends, who used Saxon, were right on track with one of their children and ahead with another when they transferred in to our local school.

We returned all of our Teaching Textbooks curriculum. They were lacking in content. We are thrilled to be using Saxon. This is our fourth math curriculum. Wish we had started with Saxon!!

My family has loved the Saxon methods ever since level 4/5 when we started using it. My son loves it's easy to use format and has rapidly moved along in his math skills, with very little to no supervision to complete the lessons. He even starts his days with Saxon math by his own choice. He really loves this math and he's developmentaly delayed. I've introduced others to Saxon math and found much of the same success as my son.

If you home school and if you are leaning toward another math program like Teaching Textbooks or something that doesn't require constant supervision then SAXON IS NOT FOR YOU.Last year I said I'd never use Saxon again, but I balked at the price of Teaching Textbooks (about 3+ times the price of Saxon). Now I wish we had eaten rice and beans for a few months to pay for it.Saxon in general is not friendly to children who are weak in Math, nor their parents. They offer very few practice problems for each new concept. Their story problems are designed to confuse you with the language, so that the math concept is doubly confusing.I have used Saxon for five years, and I can't believe we have wasted so much time and expended so much anxiety when math was as easily presentable as Math U See or Teaching Textbooks.