Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Higher "Math Facts" Review Practice...Finally!



 
I have often wondered what to do with my older students when I sit the younger kids down to do their math facts review time. It's a bit difficult for me to come up with algebra "flash cards," even though I understand algebra quite well, and I have as yet never found a set. Well, that "set" is finally here. It is aptly called Math 911. It "saves" parents who want their upper math level students to get regular upper math review practice from having to find endless pages of math review work, or from having to buy a curruiculum that works those math review porblems into the lessons every day, and not always in areas that the student needs (and may find boring). I LOVE it!



The Math 911 tutorial software, by Professor Weissman, generates problems for students to solve in Introductory Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, Statistics, Trigonometry, and Pre-Calculus. The student must get a certain number of problems “correct” to prove mastery and move to the next level. If the student gets a problem wrong because he or she does not understand how to do the problem (or makes a careless error), he may click on a button for step-by-step instructions to see the problem (and others) being solved as many times as necessary until the problem type is understood. Once the student has answered enough problems to generate a "100%" on that problem type, mastery is acheived. Then the student may move to a new topic OR try a more difficult level of the same problem type.


 
Just one warning from a mom of a very techie son: Math 911 is NOT full of bells and whistles and fancy animation supposedly designed to inspire your child into wanting to do more math in the guise of a "fun" game. No, Math 911 is a simple and direct, very effective math practice program geared towards helping your child practice targeted algebra (or whatever other math level program your student chooses) skills and problems with no fancy or distracting graphics or games. The payoff is success in math and higher acheivement.
 
Your child will be able to see a chart that trackes their acheivement...AND once a skill is mastered, every score will be a one hundred percent. That was reward enough for my student (and for me) whenever the program was used. Personally, I found the simplicity refreshing and non-distracting, and I was able to figure out how to use the program with no need for lengthy instructions. It was mostly self-explanatory.
 
I plan to have Tex use Math 911 every time I sit Cowboy, Ladybug, and Firefly down for their simpler math facts review pages (or computer math facts review programs) this year in school. We have used Math 911 over the summer to keep up Tex's competency in Pre-Algebra to prepare him for full on high school Algebra this year. I have noticed his response time improve (and mine as well, since I did some of the work when he was down for the count due to his injury).

If you have ever wished for an algebra equivalent of a math fact drill, you have finally found it. Now go and buy it for the inexpensive price of $49.95. It is worth ever penny spent, and then some. One bonus for Math 911 is that you can try it before you buy it, so go to the site and download a trial version of the Algebra practice section (on the left of the screen)...you can do a simple upgrade later if you decide to buy using the downloadable option.

For a VERY limited time, there is a special back-to-school coupon code on the Math 911 website, taking another $40.00 off the price of a flash drive, so you can have this great tutorial software which makes it only $9.95 plus shipping! WOW!!  If you choose the download option, there is no shipping, but the coupon code is only for the flash drive...I'd personally choose the flash drive since it has the HUGE advantage is that you may use it on any PC computer in your home, or wherever you (or your student) might happen to be. Won't your kids love that? *wink*


To see what other reviewers on the TOS Reviw Crew had to say about this software program, check out the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog.



Blessings,


Heather


Disclaimer: I received a download of Math 911 for the purposes of completing this review. No other compensation was received.

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