Saxon's comprehensive kindergarten program contains all the information you'll need to teach your child the math concepts necessary for their scholastic success. The Teacher's Edition contains a materials list and fully scripted lessons, ensuring that all concepts will be covered consistently throughout the year.

Lessons are divided into two portions-the meeting and the lesson; this program is designed to alternate between these, teaching 3 lessons and 2 meetings a week. In the meeting, review is emphasized as counting, time, estimation and more are highlighted; progress is kept track of in the separate meeting book. During a lesson, new skills, such as sorting by color, learning patterns, skip counting, measuring, time, graphs and story problems are taught incrementally. Teacher's Edition is spiral-bound softcover with 439 pages of lessons; the appendixes contain oral assessment forms, student activity masters and handwriting forms. The Meeting Book is 24 pages, softcover.

All my children played games involving numbers when they were small. Household items were counted and sorted into sets. We measured and added ingredients in the kitchen, watching the clock and telling time so our cooking came out just right. A long train of numerals from one to 100 lined the chair rail on the wall. "Wow! You can count up to how high??" I'd proudly acknowledge. With a change purse full of coins, purchases were made at our make-believe toy store. Then came memory work - that slow and steady tortoise-type activity that introduces a new sum every few days, always reviewing ones already learned. Keeping math lessons ridiculously short (10 minutes at the most) during those first few years did the trick - I expected my child's full attention during these quick lessons and I got it. I gradually extended the lesson time until fifth grade. This is when I switched to using the Saxon Math curriculum (in the hardcover textbook).

Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts are thoroughly memorized by the time the first lesson of Saxon 54 is set before my students. Yet Saxon's one-hour-plus lessons are sometimes too lengthy, so I heed my good friend Sue's advice. She said, "After the practice set, do only the even-numbered problems for a lesson. Then do the odd ones for the next lesson. By doing every other problem, lessons are cut in half, yet review is kept up beautifully."

Saxon works well in the home school because each set of problems is prefaced with a lesson, with something new being learned each time. Adapting a course to fit your family makes the course your servant - not the other way around.

—Karen

Average Rating:

8 of 11 Reviews Showing:(View All Reviews)

Reviewed by Michelle Mcgee (Augusta, GA), June 29, 2010

After reviewing the kindergarten program i realized that you can not do the program without there manipulatives. It says they are optional but only if you have them all ready. I planned to use the ones I have but found out it added more work for me by changing color pattens because the colors that they came in did not match, just one example. I found it much simpler to just go back and buy them.The only plus was that you use the same manipulatives through 3rd grade. Also the entire program is set up to only do three 3 lessons and 2 meetings a week. If you want to go slower or move faster it messes up the entire program. It is based on utilizing the calendar daily. On a positive note, it is a complete comprehensive program. It explains complex ideas very simply and reviews every concept daily. It stands out entirely by itself, after all it is Saxon!

Reviewed by Sandra (Boynton Beach, FL), September 11, 2009

I like Saxon and found it fine on grade-level as opposed to what some publishers recommend. My kids just move a little faster through. But the K level was really worth skipping. It's really just basic preschool math ideas. If you want a really gentle introduction to math, you can do it better with inexpensive workbooks that cover specific topics. Then, when your child has mastered writing numbers, counting to 100, basic clock and money, and general comparisons, he can move right into Saxon 1.

Reviewed by Jennifer (Kodak, TN), March 02, 2009

I didn't like this book, because I thought that it should include a workbook for your child. If your child is a visual learner, I would definitely think that a workbook for your child is necessary. Especially for learning to write their numbers.

Reviewed by Stephaney Williamson (Elmendorf, TX), January 03, 2009

I have used Saxon with my other kids and I like the hands-on approach and the ongoing review.

Reviewed by Jessica (Elmwood Park, IL), December 23, 2008

I am very fond of this program. My 4.5yo is really enjoying it and we completely go at her pace. For example, over two days we might do 6 lessons and then over another two days we might do 1 or 2. I think as long as you are flexible it works great. Yes it is slower, but repition is important to mastery and keeps the student wanting more rather than leaving them frustrated. I really enjoy it and so does she!

Reviewed by Lily Custer (Baker City, OR), October 01, 2008

I like the book. It gives step by step instructions. My six year old really likes the meeting book. She is learning her months and days of the week. If your child has some math experience, I would suggest a higher level. This book in my opinion is more pre-school aged. I have skipped ahead a lot.

Reviewed by Lisa (Texas), May 13, 2008

If your child catches onto concepts quickly and already knows the most basic of math concepts, he/she will hate this curriculum. We moved on to McRuffy Math K instead.

Reviewed by Nilda Andrade (Refugio, TX), April 23, 2008

I am finding more worksheets online to print out to teach my child. I am not to thrilled with this product.

View all 11 Reviews

Write a review of Saxon Math K, Home Study Kit

• Homeschool >> Curriculum >> Other
• Homeschool >> Math >> Saxon
• Start A New Christianbook.com Search

Check out our specialty shop for Homeschooling & Learning products!

I'm the author/artist and I want to review Saxon Math K, Home Study Kit.