Math

Grades K-3, Saxon Math provides an outstanding foundational program especially designed to align with how young children learn and build fluency with math skills.

• All new concepts are developed through hands-on activities and rich mathematical conversations that actively engage students in the learning process.
• Concepts are developed, reviewed, and practiced over time:
  • Understanding follows doing and discussing.
  • Mastery follows learning over time.
  • Fluency follows practicing over time.

Grades 4-6 continue with the same Saxon approach used successfully with students at levels K-3:

• Distributed practice and review throughout the school year moves students from understanding to mastery to fluency. At the same time, every intermediate program helps students prepare for the math concepts and skills they will need in the middle grades.
• New concepts are modeled through engaging math conversations — but rather than teacher–directed instruction as in the primary grades, the shift is to student-directed learning. Student editions contain the full text of the instructional conversations with examples, and students can follow along as the teacher presents the explanation and refer back to the explanation when necessary. Students see, hear, do, and read... leading to understanding.

Grades 7-8 math is a transition from arithmetic to mathematics/pre-algebra.  The focus shifts from skill and drill of number facts and systems to the application of those concepts in a more in-depth manner.  Procedures becomes a strong focus due to working with variables and solving for unknowns.  Correct vocabulary and math symbols are stressed in every problem.

For qualifying students in 8th grade, a High School Algebra class is offered, taught by our principal Mr. Bob Abshire.  Students scoring an 80% or higher on the Mathematic section of the 7th Grade IOWA Test are automatically offered this course.  However, each student will be considered on a case by case basis, previous math records explored and a parental meeting.  The final decision of entering the High School Algebra course will be the decision of the child and their parents, with the guidance of the school.