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Nunapitchuk High School Saxon Math Program

(Using Saxon Program in a Multi-grade Level Village School Classroom)

by Franklin A. Cook

30, April 2001

 

Why We Use Saxon:

 

         The main reason for this description of our Saxon math program is that I believe some villages have abused the Saxon program to the point of ineffectiveness by treating it as an independent self-paced learning program.  It is not.  It is meant to be used as a whole-group program and in sequence from the first lesson to the last.

 

         Many high school math teachers are the science teachers who were not math majors in college.  I believe that most of them, like me, think of math as a practical tool for doing science and are not particularly in love with or fascinated by math.  They do not get all gitty and goose-pimpily over some trigonometric spiraling equation or Boolean algorithm, but instead treat math like a carpenter treats her skill saw.  The skill saw is a very useful tool that she likes and knows how to use and a new one creates a little excitement, but overall it is just a saw and the building she is constructing is much more exciting.  I believe the Saxon approach is much more like learning to use the tool than learning to appreciate the swirling intricacies of the copper windings inside.  It is a matter of practicality.  This is not a math appreciation class, it is a math skill development program.

 

 

Text:  Saxon 2nd Edition Integrated Algebra and Geometry (Algebra 1/2, Algebra 1, and Algebra 2).

 

The Courses:

         The texts are broken down by halves; first semester and second semester.  We have six halves or one-semester classes: algebra 1/2 first, algebra 1/2 second, algebra 1 first, and so on.  Notice that makes 8 math classes for 4 teachers.  To do the classes separately we designed our own "semester finals" for the first semester classes.  For example, for algebra 1 first semester I selected a variety of questions from tests 13, 14, 15, & 16 to cut and paste making a 50 question first semester final.  Basically we have modified it so that students who fail a semester can repeat only that semester and it does not matter whether it is fall or spring.

 

         The teachers do their job and the students do theirs.  If the teacher does not do their job it screws up the program and leaves serious holes in the students' knowledge and skills.  If the students don't do their job then it is the teacher's responsibility to give them an “F” and make them repeat the class. It can be very difficult to give students an “F” when they do not learn the math.  We had a one-year teacher who refused to give F's to his students causing us to have to move them to the next class that they were not ready for.  They are now taking that class for the second time and some may need to do it again.  That teacher did not help those failing students by giving them a passing grade.  He made things worse for them.  Right now I have six students in algebra 1 second half.  Four of them will fail this semester if their current behavior continues. It can be really hard to put down so many F's for a class, but the fact is that I have to for the students and they know it and even understand the reasoning.  They chose not to do the lessons, did not learn the math because of it, and will have to take algebra 1 second half again next fall.  Oh well, they will just keep trying until they get it.

 

The actual class: 

         I use the daily quizzes when there is enough time because they are good learning tools, but often skip them for lack of time.  This semester I have algebra 1 second semester (6 students) and algebra 2 first semester (3 students) and algebra 2 second semester (one student) all at the same time.  At the beginning of class I ask the algebra 1 students if they have any questions about the lesson due today and usually spend a few minutes demonstrating solutions.  During that time algebra 2 students are working on either the lesson due or starting tomorrow’s lesson. 

If they ask too many questions I tell them to come see me after school (the lesson is on time even if it is turned in after school).  I then introduce the next lesson mainly by demonstrating the same problems that are in the book, but I talk too and compare what is new with what they already know.  When I think they understand I assign them one or two practice problems to work out immediately on some scrap of paper. 

         While they are doing that I ask the algebra 2 first semester class if they have questions and if so I demonstrate the solutions trying for maximum student input (like "what should I do now").  Then I introduce the new lesson for algebra 2 first semester by doing some examples and explaining the new thing that the lesson teaches followed by giving them a couple of practice problems to work out immediately.  By this time the algebra 1 students have already finished their practice problems and are going back to working on their lesson. 

I walk around and check each of their answers.  If anyone missed one then I have them to do it again and help if they need it -- usually they will help each other in a very positive way.  It is important that every student demonstrate competency with the new type of problems.  I check the algebra 2 first semester student's answers to the practice problems the same way unless they are not done yet in which case I move on to algebra 2 second semester and ask him if he has any questions and introduce his new lesson the same way. 

         The only real problem is that algebra 2 second semester often gets short changed because I run out of time.  Luckily he has enough motivation to get extra help from me after school. 

         On Thursdays I work faster and try to introduce two lessons, one for Friday and one for the following Monday.  I do this because I give a test every Friday and I like to give students the whole period even for weekly tests.  That may not be necessary in the lower math classes -- when I did algebra 1/2 I found that they only needed about 30 minutes for the weekly tests, but algebra 2 need a whole 50-minute period.  Sometimes I do not have time to introduce two lessons on Thursday and that is OK because I just do it on Monday without changing the lesson schedule.  There are never more than four new problems on a lesson so if they do all, but those four they can finish them before class is out on Monday.  

         I always try to grade every problem on every lesson before I go home (different than Saxon recommendation, but important in my opinion).  That is, in a large nutshell, how I do math classes.  The following is a list of rules that I have developed for a successful math program and students like the structure and deadlines.

 

Rules for My Math Class:

Lessons

 

1.    With some exceptions there is one new lesson due each class day.

2.    It is of vital importance that students do one lesson each day, not two one day and none the next day.

3.    Students are never to use scratch paper for doing math lessons.  All work must be shown on the lesson as done -- not rewritten.

4.    Problems that do not reasonably show how they were solved are to be marked wrong.

5.    Students may not put more than 12 problems per side on their lesson papers.  Less than 12 per side is OK.

6.    Students must always do the current days lesson before they do corrections or make-ups.  Corrections and make-ups will only be graded if they are turned in together with the lesson due on that day.

 

What Students Can Use to Help Themselves

 

1.    Algebra 1 second semester and algebra 2 may use the solutions manual, but only in the class room and no photo copying of the solutions is allowed.  All other math levels should not be allowed to use the solutions manual.

2.    Calculators should not be used before algebra 1/2 and, if used, should be limited for both semesters of algebra 1/2.

3.    Algebra 1 and 2 students must purchase their own calculators (they do not loose their own so often).

4.    Students may and are encouraged to work together on their lessons, but it is each student's responsibility to make sure that they know how to do the problems.

5.    The 5x7 note card is an important tool for learning math and I encourage students to consistently keep it updated with anything that they have trouble remembering. It is also allowed to be used during tests.

        

Make Up & Test Retakes

 

1.    If a student misses a class then it is their responsibility to come after school to make-up or learn what they missed.

2.    The dead line for all make-up work and corrections and test retakes is Thursday after school of the following week.

3.    Any lesson or test not passed by the deadline will receive a zero grade that cannot be changed.

4.    Students may take a test up to a total of four times, but only the first time during class.  Retakes must be after school.  I alternate forms A and B in the test book, students must turn in the test they did not pass or had a low score on in order to retake it and I throw those away so that the students are not tempted to try memorizing answers.

 

Testing

 

1.    Friday is test day and each test is worth 20 points.

2.    The final exam (50 questions @ 2 points each) can only be taken once.  No retakes! The purpose of the final is to see if the students have learned the math and not to help them learn it

3.    Students are allowed to use scratch paper during tests (I only look at the answers) as well as their calculator (alg.1 and 2, maybe alg.1/2), ruler, compass, graph paper, etc... And one 5x7 note card that they can write anything on that they want to.

4.    The final exam should be scheduled for more than one period to give them enough time.

 

Grading System

 

1.    Each lesson is worth one point for a pass.

2.    Students may miss up to four problems on a lesson and still get a pass, but if they miss five or more then they must try to correct all of       the mistakes on a separate sheet stapled to the front of the lesson and turn it in with the current days lesson for re-grading.

3.    The score will remain a zero until the lesson is passed.

4.    To get a passing score on a weekly test the student must have four or fewer mistakes.  If they have five or more mistakes it goes in the book as a zero until it is passed. (aka mastery learning). 

5.    I give the students their current class percentage grade every Monday so they always know how they are doing.

6.    Weekly grades are based on the most recent four weeks.  Four tests at 20 points each and about 20 daily lessons at one point each for a class total of 100 points.  I do grades with the computer and simply delete anything more than four weeks old (for math only) each Friday when I do grades.  The reason is that the math is cumulative, if a     student was doing poorly, but began doing better during the last four weeks then it shows that they are learning while the opposite is also true.  This also means that grades can change quickly during the semester, which is good for students who work hard because they see the results of their efforts quickly and students who quit doing lessons see their grade fall quickly enough that they still have a chance to improve if they so desire.

7.    For the final class grade it works this way:  The class grade is worth 100 points (the last four weeks) and the final exam is worth 100 points (two pts/question).  If the final exam grade is higher than the class grade the student gets the final exam grade as the semester grade.  If the final exam grade is lower than the class grade then I average the two grades together and the average is the semester grade.

8.    I have not experienced a student who passed a semester of math class and also had more than 20 absences.

9.    My grade book works like this:  I put the lesson numbers due at the top of the page next to the date.  I leave a blank space below each student's name.  In the row with the students name I put my attendance information and in the line just below that I put a "P" if the student passed that day’s lesson.  I put a big circle if the student turned it in, but did not pass, and I leave it blank if the lesson was not turned in.  If a student makes up a lesson then I put a "P" in for that day and if they do corrections and pass then I put a "P" in the circle.  I record tests the same way, but I put them on the far right side of the grade book and record the actual score out of 20, which must be 16 or greater. 

10.After the dead line date (Thursday of the following week) I fill in any circles or blanks with an "X" indicating that that lesson or test will remain a zero score.

 

Conclusion:

         The above class is working very well.  The students completely understand it and the parents understand it.  The students make conscious choices about whether or not to do their lessons so they can pass the math class.  The rules seem strict, but they are consistent and without exceptions and there is one more fact; that is the students can do it when they want to do it and they do learn and know math when they complete the program.

 

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