This is the post I never thought I’d write. Twenty years ago, I would have sworn that this would never happen.

I am recommending Saxon Math.

I’ve used Saxon both as a student and as a homeschool teacher now. I have to admit that my mother is right and this is the best math curriculum I have seen.

Saxon uses the spiral method and leads students deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole of mathematical skill and theory. It focuses on the concepts as well as the formulas, so students understand what they are doing and are prepared to move to more challenging skills with minimal frustration, having a solid foundation to build on.

Saxon is right for just about every students, although some won’t acknowledge that while they’re using it. I was one of them! Saxon introduces each practice set with an exceedingly thorough lesson written in age-appropriate vocabulary. My brother loved this. His brain thrived on the step by step analysis of every concept. I did not love this. My brain naturally picks up a concept and looks at it from different angles, so I did not appreciate being walked through every facet of a concept. It felt like additional reading and time wasted to read a four page lesson on a two line formula. However, it built and reinforced good paths in my brain and developed my inclination to analysis and critical thinking. When I got to college, I found that I was much further ahead in math than I thought. I still remember formulas and concepts I assumed I would have forgotten long before now.

As a homeschooling parent, I use ABeka (a more colorful, easier to complete, and less intense curriculum) for kindergarten through third grade. We start Saxon in fourth grade. Fourth grade is when my kids are able to begin self-teaching more reliably and it is the grade for which I have my earliest Saxon book. Yes, I only have to buy one book for each grade, because Saxon comes in reusable, hardcover textbooks! For moms with lots of kids, this is a huge bonus.

The kids read their lessons and do their practice sets mostly independently. Of course there are days when they need help or need reminded that they can’t write down an answer if they aren’t holding a pencil, but that is true of every subject. My role, when all is going as it should, is to check answers and administer tests. With other curriculum options, I have to dedicate a lot of time to thoroughly explaining and demonstrating each topic. That works well with one or two students, but when I also have to oversee everyone else’s grades and lessons while keeping a toddler alive. I really appreciate knowing that my children are learning on a deep level with my presence and support but without an exhausting level of effort from me.

The kits are expensive new, but you can use them year after year. I’m also able to snag them used from retired homeschool moms sometimes, which cuts down the upfront cost significantly.

For the combination of academic rigor, level of required parental oversight, and lifetime cost, I highly recommend Saxon Math.