Saxon Geometry. It’s a lot like ballet.
Wait, what?
No really. You know I’m answering a lot of your most pressing Saxon Math questions lately and here’s one I get a lot: “Nicole, what do I do about Saxon Geometry?”
With geometry lessons in other textbooks but also an entire stand-alone Saxon Geometry text, the route to take to make sure your student gets the most out of their time with geometry isn’t entirely clear, so I want to help you out. Let’s break it down like this:
You may have heard that a student doesn’t *need* the separate Saxon Geometry course if they complete Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Advanced Math. And that’s true.
If you complete the 3rd editions of those books, they can get the Geometry credit and graduate high school. And yes, they will have enough geometry to be able to take college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT.
However, to excel on those assessments or take AP exams, it’s a good idea to complete the Saxon geometry book. The additional work can only help your student. Though it wasn’t written by John Saxon, this textbook ist still a quality book!
And the best part? It’s where the proofs a student needs to really “get” geometry are covered extensively.
Don’t be mistaken though: proofs are hard. Kids hate proofs. Nicole the Math Lady? She kinda hates them too. Shhhhh… don’t tell. But proofs give you a real understanding of how geometry is connected. They give you a deep, solid foundational knowledge of geometry, and we’ve talked a lot about how important good foundations in math are.
And that leads us to the ballet connection. They say to be a good dancer of any sort, a student needs to take a ballet/technique class. After all, it’s the foundation of dance, right? Yes, someone can still dance well without ever enrolling in a ballet class, but taking one gives a dancer a deeper understanding of the art. It helps them develop a more solid foundation.
Similarly, working the proofs you’ll find in Saxon’s stand-alone text will give your math student a more solid foundation in Geometry. And that’s the best reason to go ahead and do the work in that text.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re looking at the calendar and you’re wondering, “Hey Nicole, how on earth do I get it all done?” You’re not alone.
Or maybe you have heard that you need to use the 4th editions of the Saxon math books to make it work. (Spoiler: you don’t.)
But in either case, let me assure you you need have no worries–there is a way!
Simply put, there are lessons in Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Advanced Math that you can skip if you’re going to do the extra year of Geometry. That leaves time to work through the Geometry text while also completing the other important books. I’m in the process of compiling those and will be releasing that list soon, so be on the lookout for that.
Shore up the foundations with Saxon Geometry and your math student wil thank you. Those foundations will mean they can do more complicated proofs and math work more easily.
A real link between Geometry and ballet… who knew? But with each one, the foundation you build makes all the difference in how far and how high you can fly. I hope this helps your student do just that.
Talk to you soon,
Nicole the Math Lady