Why is the Well-Trained Mind Academy switching from Saxon to Dolciani?

Saxon is a time-tested homeschooling curriculum, and we have recommended it often to families tackling math on their own. We started with Saxon when the Academy was founded because of its familiarity to our families. However, as the Academy has grown, we’ve found that a significant number of students have difficulty moving into higher-level abstract thinking while using Saxon.  

Mary Dolciani’s curriculum was used widely in the 1960s. Although harder to locate than Saxon, it is one of the best mathematics series ever written. We are excited to transition our upper-level students away from Saxon and towards Dolciani over the next few years. We feel that this time-tested program will do an excellent job of helping our students achieve high-level mathematical thinking.

Like Saxon, our Dolciani-based math classes provide clear and methodical instruction and focused practice. The daily homework ensures understanding and mastery of the skills taught in class.