This is not a sponsored review!
As a homeschooling mom, finding the right curriculum can be a challenging journey. My son once had a deep love for math—he would get excited and eagerly dive into his lessons. Unfortunately, we hit a significant road bump with a curriculum that I personally loved but he ended up hating. Despite excelling in it and testing above grade level on our state’s required tests, he felt it dragged and sucked the life out of math for him. This experience left him with a negative outlook on a subject he once adored.
The Struggle with Saxon Math
The curriculum that caused this shift was Saxon Math. He loved Nicole the Math Lady. Saxon Math I loved I wished math had been presented to me this way. That year with Saxon Math 6/5 was stressful. Even though he performed exceptionally well, the structure and approach of Saxon Math made him lose interest. It wasn’t a matter of capability; he simply found it monotonous and uninspiring. We switched to a mastery-based curriculum afterward, which he did enjoy and performed well in, but that initial thrill and love for math never fully returned. I realized from this year that even though I love something my son may not and I need to set aside my own personal feelings and look at the overall relationship and curriculum. We finished Saxon Math 6/5 and my son threw the book on the last day. Now I do have Saxon Algebra 1/2, but its well hidden just in case.
No more busy work just getting to the math ! -Jai
Finding a Solution with Denison Math Pre-Algebra
In my search for a curriculum that would help detox my son from his negative experience and bring back his enthusiasm for math, I discovered Denison Math Pre-Algebra. I watched Arlene and Company Denison Math review three times she was the first homeschooler that was talking about Denison Math curriculum. I reached out to her and she gave me her insight. I studied Denison Math sample lessons and really did my homework. My son could have easily slid into the Algebra 1 Denison Math, but I decided to go with Pre-Algebra and then progress to Algebra 1 in January 2025. I decided to use it alongside our Oak Meadow Math 7 to give him a fresh perspective and a positive experience with math.
The lessons are slowed down and the teacher is encouraging and makes you feel like they are in it with you! – Jai
Skills Covered in Denison Math Pre-Algebra
Denison Math Pre-Algebra covers a wide range of foundational skills that are crucial for middle school students, including:
- Understanding integers and rational numbers
- Solving equations and inequalities
- Working with ratios, proportions, and percents
- Exploring geometric concepts
- Analyzing data and probability
These topics are presented in a way that engages students and makes learning math enjoyable again.
Give me more accountability and independence – Jai
A Positive Change
At the time of this blog piece we completed two chapters of Denison Math Pre-Algebra, and the transformation has been remarkable. From the very first day, I saw the light come back into my son’s eyes. The battles we once had about showing work, reading the whole question, and doing all the problems have disappeared. Now, he insists on doing math every single day, including weekends. He’s excited to share what he’s learned and takes great pride in his accomplishments. I have been asked by many of my friends if I thought it was too easy or does it have enough rigor. I assured them I wasn’t looking for rigor I was looking to repair my son’s love for math. We have plenty of supplemental options for us to use this school year. You can check out a few of them on my blog if you are interested.
His self-esteem and confidence have soared, and he’s falling back in love with math. Choosing Denison Math Pre-Algebra was not about addressing a struggle or lack of capability. It was about reigniting his passion for math and improving our relationship, which had been strained by the negative experiences with Saxon Math.
Looking Forward
As we continue our journey with Denison Math Pre-Algebra, I plan to write another update in a few weeks to share our progress. For now, I am incredibly grateful to have found a curriculum that has not only revitalized my son’s interest in math but has also brought us closer together.
Denison Math Pre-Algebra has been a game-changer for us, and I highly recommend it to any parent looking to bring joy back into their child’s math education.
Little Learner and Mom 