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.

Fun Math Practice for Your Family

One of the great things about being on the TOS Homeschool Review Crew is that sometimes we get to try out products that we've never heard of before, and other times we get to try products that we have wanted to try out for some time. This time is was a case of getting to try out IXL as a full subscription instead of as a daily freebie limited to twenty problems as we have always used it in the past.


IXL is an online math practice site for students Pre-K through Algebra. Used in more than 150 countries around the world, IXL lines up with state Standards of Learning and the Common Core  Standards from 2010.

If you've never heard of IXL before, you can check it out for yourself. IXL allows your child to try twenty problems a day for free. As you work the problems, a timer keeps track of how long your student has been working. If you are using the free trial, your access will end after 20 problems each day. If you have a subscription, the program will keep track of your child's progress in each particular skill they practice. Each successful answer raises their success percentage. Incorrect answers bump it back a bit, and they have to do extra problems to compensate in order to reach the reward they are working for.


Here is how we've used it in the past. The kids would take turns signing on and doing twenty problems every few days to work on different math skill areas. The great thing about IXL is that each grade level covers many different skill areas, from 99 in the Kindergarten level to 261 in the 6th grade level. You can also move freely about the site, from one level to another, so your child can practice skills on several levels during the same session.

We tried out the Pre-K through the Second Grade programs. Ladybug (age 8) and Cowboy (age 6) used the program regularly. Firefly (age 4) used it a few times with help.


The subscription program works by setting up an account for each subscribed child under one parent account. Your child signs on as often as you decide is necessary, and then works on any number of skills in the grade level that you assign. The program is not designed to take your child through a pre-determined order of skills. Therefore, it is up to you (or your child) to decide what skills need to be worked on on any given day. 

You can choose skills to practice that you covered in a regular math program that day, or that you feel they need to work on from previous lessons, or that your child worked on in a co-op or school class recently, or from particular state standards, or you can let your child decide what they want to learn.

This worked well for us as my kids love math, love computers, and have a blast doing anything that earns them rewards. Yes, rewards. Another great feature, besides the many skills offered, and the ease of finding the skills according to standards or levels, is the Reward screen for each grade that displays "ribbons and medals" your child has earned by completing a certain number of problems, achieving a particular level of mastery, or for working on a skill for a set amount of time. 


My kids (ages 4-8) LOVED this and it inspired them to work tirelessly some days to achieve more stickers. Other times they were surprised when a particular day's practice earned an unexpected reward. It may not seem like much, but kids appreciate seeing a tangible record of their achievements, and even this simple idea of offering "stickers" for various accomplishments motivated mine. There is a separate reward screen for each grade level, so if your child works on more than one level, he will have multiple boards on which to earn rewards. 


He will also see a continuously updated listing of how many problems he's answered, how much time he's spent on math practice, how many skills he's mastered, how many prizes he's earned, and how far to go until the next prize is awarded.

For those students who prefer something for their notebooks or portfolios, you can print up reward certificates when various skills are mastered or achievements are reached, as well as access a family report that shows all of your family members' progress, including proficiency, time spent on practice, and any trouble areas. Weekly email reports are also sent.

The way we used this product in our homeschool was to have the Amigos sign on a few times a week to practice on areas of their choice. Occasionally, I would assign an area I noticed they needed some practice on during their seatwork math time, but usually, I just let the program build their confidence and enthusiasm with math...and it worked. Both Ladybug and Cowboy are eager to sign on to IXL whenever it is their turn. Both of them feel confident with most of the skills on their grade level, and are now interested in exploring skills in grade levels above their own, as well as going back to practice those in level they've already covered.


One feature about IXL that I especially appreciated was the speech icon (a speaker) next to the problems, so that if you had a child who needed to hear the problem read, they were accommodated. My kids used this feature a lot at first, but as they used the program more, they relied on it less and less. This was due to the fact that a side benefit to having to read to complete their math problems (and of being able to hear the words in the problems read to them at the same time as they attempted to read them alone), their reading confidence and skills improved. Each academic area has its own vocabulary and this program helped familiarize the kids more with math vocabulary.

IXL is available for $9.95 a month for a single child or for $79.00 a year per child. You can add additional children for $20 each, once one is subscribed. Each subscribed child will be covered for all grade levels, so they can move up and down as needed. That's a pretty good deal for endless math practice of over 2000 different topics!!

If you don't know if IXL is for you, then please do try the 20 free practice problems a day for a while. You won't get access to any of the reward screens and the program will not keep track of your child's progress, but you will get to see if your student likes the program. I know mine sure did, and when our trial period is over, we will be considering purchasing a teacher's subscription.

Check out more reviews from other members of the Crew at the TOS Homeschool Review Crew Blog.









Blessings,

Disclaimer: We received access to IXL for 6 months in order to complete a review this product. All opinions you read here reflect our experiences with this product. I received no other compensation.

Trials and Smiles

Sometimes, tackling problems can be difficult, even annoying. Other times, while the problems are still, well, problems, they open up opportunities and reveal good things that you might have never known about if you'd not faced the trials.

Such went my review of the My Math Lab online math program from Pearson products, the same folks who offer other valuable products like the perennial favorite among homeschoolers, Sing, Spell, Read, Write. Due to an unfortunate mix-up, I was issued the code for a non-homeschooler's math course, and the process to uncover and eventually correct that problem took many hours on the phone and using online chat sessions with folks at their customer service centers. Eventually, however, I got in touch with someone who could really help me, and since then, the company's attention to making things right has been phenomenal. 

In fact, not only did they set up our course for us, but Pearson also set me up with an online live webinar with the very experienced math professor who created the My Math Lab for homeschoolers (by adapting the text written by Elayn Martin-Gay)! Our conversation was extremely illuminating and fantastically informative. Sandee was so kind and helpful, and was very eager to hear what our perspective of things was so that she could tailor the Homeschool Edition of My Math Lab to best fit the needs of homeschoolers.

Since our time using the course has been somewhat limited by our difficulties, I want to focus mostly on telling you about the many specialized features that are worked into the My Math Lab program for homeschool use based on my conference with Sandee and our time using the program under the teacher's option.

I think once you read them all, you will be impressed. Once I have shared what was revealed to me during our conference, I will tell you about our personal experiences with the program so far. Then you can check out the experiences of other homeschool families on the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew blog. Not everyone on the Crew tried out this program, but those who did should have identified themselves in the label under their thumbnail pictures.

Features of My Math Lab--Algebra I: Homeschool Edition

• My Math Lab is a course based upon the Algebra 1 textbook written by Elayn Martin-Gay
• The My Math Lab Algebra 1 course is mastery based. This means that students are expected to demonstrate mastery (full ability) of each topic before moving on to then next. This philosophy is particularly important in math studies, as each concept is a building block for the next one.
• The online eText is an integral part of the course, and includes embedded links to over 3000 lesson videos (featuring the author explaining various algebra topics), computer scored exercises and practice problems, animated demonstrations, power point presentations, progress tracking, a personalized study plan, test prep videos, and online learning assessments (quizzes and tests).
• There are 113 assignments and 11 tests. Each section introduces multiple objective- based concepts.
• Videos can be watched as an entire unit (and are about 20 minutes long), or can be watched as they are covered in each section (they are objective-based). This means, you child does not have to spend time watching instruction on topics in which he is competent, but can skip to areas of trouble.
• Exercises have a "help me solve this" button. This means that the computer will show a demonstration of how the problem is solved, then a new, but similar problem will be generated so that your student is truly demonstrating his ability to solve using the introduced method. This can be done as many times as is necessary to achieve mastery.
• There is also a "similar exercise" button which will allow your student to generate endless problems of the same type, until he feels comfortable with the problem type.
• Students are not allowed to move freely within the problem sets, tests, and quizzes. They must, for example, complete the problems in section 2.1 before moving on to section 2.2. They must pass the quiz before progressing to the following section. Problem sets with prerequisites are marked with a green flag (this would be all sets, unless the instructor unlocks one for some reason). 
• You can, however, explore a bit under the "Study Plan" option.
• The mastery level is set at 90% for the homeschool edition (at the request of polled homeschooling families). You can adjust this mastery level for your individual student, which makes this program ideal for students with special needs. Students can re-do the exercises, quizzes, and tests until they "get it."
• Problems in the practice mode are not tracked by the assessment software allowing students to practice until they feel competent in each area. Problems in the "tracked tutorial mode" are tracked in the gradebook and study plan.
• Parents (teachers) receive log in codes when their students do. They then proceed to set up a course and enroll their student. At this time, the parent can choose to set due dates on various assignments. You can choose to set dates on homework, as well as tests and quizzes, or just on the tests and quizzes, or not at all. Your student will be locked out of assignments once the due date is past, and instructor intervention will be required to re-set the dates. 
• Use of problems sets under the instructor log-in does not affect student work at all, so the teacher can work problems ahead of their student so that they can refresh their knowledge of topics ahead of the students.
• The MML homepage will show visual representations of student progress and achievement through bar graphs and a course timeline. This helps them and their instructor keep track of where they are and how far they have to go, and whether their performance is holding steady or improving.
• Time spent on watching videos and working through the book is timed, which can show instructors an approximation of how much time is being spent on work. Of course, this does not account for interruptions, so this is just an estimate. Homework is not timed, to remove pressure from the students. You will, however, see a record of date completed.
• There are no time limits on homework, BUT you can set time limits on quizzes and tests, if you have concerns that a student is not applying themselves or might take advantage of extra time to look up help online (hopefully not an issue).
• You can edit the number of questions in the homework assignments, if there are too many for your learner. You can also allow them to break the section assignments into two or three day's worth of work. You must just remember to "save" if you stop early. Since each section covers multiple objectives, breaking them up over a day or two may make sense for some students.
• Problems identify which objectives they cover, and where in the book to find those objectives, so you can see where to look for help if you need remedial work. You can also use the multimedia tool to look up specific helps according to topic.
• Problem sets tell you what you did wrong after completion, so it is easy to see where you need more work. 
• You can review your homework and quizzes before taking a test. There is also a practice test in each book, and a video of the author working through a sample test. This is an excellent way to practice study skills. I think this would prepare students well for online or in-person college courses.
• Enterprising parents can create and assign their own tests and quizzes. Don't ask me how they do this, I just know you can. I do NOT plan to do this. I am happy that this course is 100% complete without any intervention from me.
• The program is self-paced (if you do not set due dates) and easily self-taught (using the videos, problem sets, and other multimedia tools along with the eText). This makes it an excellent choice for homeschoolers.
• Oh, before I forget: If you have trouble figuring anything out in your My Math Lab Course, you can access an online "help manual."

I am certain that I have not come close to telling you all there is to know about the Pearson My Math Lab Algebra 1: Homeschool Edition program, but if I go on much further, this post will be way too long...

What we have experienced personally so far indicates to us that this program is just what I explained to you above: an excellent, self-paced, mastery-based, independent learning math program. Tex enjoys watching the instructor. She is very cheerful and seems like someone you would like to know. The problem sets are thorough, but not intimidatingly so. The mastery level of 90% has so far not been a problem, in part because the preparation for each set of exercises is thorough. The visual representations of the content covered and of student performance are motivating to Tex, as it helps him to see how far he has to go and how far he has come. He particularly likes the "help me solve this" option, as that way he never gets stuck for too long on any one thing. He can see how a problem type is worked, then work a different, but similar problem for full credit. 


My favorite thing is the fact that I can set due dates for the quizzes and tests to provide some accountability for Tex, without having to set dates for the homework, so his schedule can remain somewhat flexible. After that, I really do appreciate the fact that Tex cannot move past any topic until it is truly mastered, as he is a creative sort of learner and tends to skip around as he explores interests, which is nice sometimes, but it can also be distracting and leave gaps. I feel that by the time he completes this course, I will well and truly know that he is competent in Algebra.


Sandee told me that she surveyed many Algebra courses and made sure that every subject area that most places felt was a necessary component of Algebra is covered in this program. If we find anything that is missing or needs more coverage, she even asked for us to call her and let her know so that she can tweak that section. Now that's service and dedication for you!!

Our only negatives with the product resulted from our difficulties in our attempts to contact customer service. The phone number to reach them is not easily apparent on their site, and their hours for phone contact are limited to 12 pm-7pm EST, which was most often outside of my window of availability (our busiest hours of the day). If you want help outside those hours, you can contact them via email and you can request an online chat help session 24/7. Unfortunately, the few online sessions, other than the amazing webinar conference call I had with Sandee (which was two hours, but it was awesome, so it impressed me), took way too long to set up (a half-hour wait once, for a total of two hours on the chat, most of it waiting between transfers). The knowledge of the phone reps I encountered was also somewhat limited (some of that was due to language barriers, I think). 

Pearson has told me that they are re-evaluating their call center operations, and also that they will be sending a printed copy of the "help manual" to any homeschooling families who sign up from now on. The reps I talked to never even mentioned the online manual's existence to me in the many times I spoke (or typed) to them, and it really did help in making the program and how it works much more clear to me. Pearson was very apologetic about my difficulties and quite helpful once the "right" people knew about the problem.

My Math Lab Algebra: Homeschool Edition is available for $49.97 for each level (Algebra 1 or Algebra 2). To me, that seems like a very reasonable price for a turn-key product that can take your child through an entire year of upper-level math (you can also fully-customize it, if you are so inclined). 

If this seems like something you might be interested in, I suggest that you check out the Homeschool Review Crew blog and see what others on the Crew thought about the product. I did not find that the Pearson site really revealed to me much about the product, though the product page does offer a link to the Table of Contents, if you are interested in seeing which topics are covered.

Overall, I must say that while figuring out this product was a small trial for us, I think it revealed some issues to the company that they are addressing, and I think our experience will help others have a better experience in the future. Also, I do believe that of 100 reviewers, I was the only one who had huge issues (though I haven't read every review). Honestly, I'd probably not have had such a difficult time figuring things out if the proper codes had been sent. The homeschool edition is MUCH easier to navigate than the one intended for public school use, and being able to log in to the correct product was a BIG relief...and a pleasure, now that we are well into it.

Mistakes do happen, and I say better me than someone else, since I am not so inclined to get mad as to look upon it as a learning experience for everyone involved. Now that my trials are turned into smiles (since we are truly liking this product), I am very glad we were asked to review this math program. I think we may have settled on using this as Tex's Algebra program this coming school year, and we are very grateful for it. 

Have a blessed day,

Disclaimer: I received access to Pearson's My Math Lab Algebra 1: Homeschool Edition for the purposes of reviewing this product. What you read here are our actual experiences and opinions about My Math Lab. 

Now That's a Fact! CapJax Math Facts

CapJax Math Fax is a math drill program that can be used effectively with any math curriculum. Since "instant recall" of basic math facts is so essential to later math success, it is imperative that we take the time to make sure our students "have all the facts" before advancing them beyond the basics. 

It is also important to be consistent in practicing the facts, since "practice makes better." You can never be too accomplished at knowing your math facts...CapJax will help your students get faster and more accurate, which will help them in all other areas of math. Now that's a fact!

Positives:

• CapJax Math Facts drills all four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. You can choose to practice only one operation in each set, or mix it up a bit for more of a challenge.
• While there are recommendations of varying numbers of problems for each level of set, you can choose any number of problems for your individual student to complete in a set. If they are only able to do a few, set it at ten. If they need a challenge, give them more! This is especially good for students who have limited attention spans, are just starting practicing math facts, or who need to work up to larger problem sets gradually.
• Your students can also pause between problems since they have to press the button asking for another problem. This allows for emergency breaks and less stress.
• You can choose at which level to practice, starting with simple addition and going up to multiplication and division, even adding in negative numbers in all functions.
• Your basic math facts are for numbers 1-10, but you can change the settings to allow up to 12s.

• While they recommend a time allowed setting of 3 seconds, you can choose to allow up to ten seconds for your students to respond to each problem. Responding within this amount of time earns your student a "SUPER" which is very motivating (at least it was for my Crew). This is good for children who are just starting keyboarding, as well as those who are nervous, or who might have special needs because they can take a little bit of extra time without forfeiting the exercise of needing to answer within a time frame which helps with that skill of "instant recall."
• Your students are given three tries to get the answer correctly. When the answer incorrectly on the third time, the answer is shown (in small numbers) below the response area. Once your child has entered that answer, they are still shown the word "RIGHT," so the experience remains positive.
• Your students are shown the time it takes them to answer each problem on the screen when they answer each one correctly. Answering within the time limit you set earns a "SUPER" on the screen. Answering after the time limit earns a "RIGHT." At the end of the session, their total number of "SUPER" answers is displayed, along with statistics on the pattern of their responses (ie. how many tries for each correct response, how many seconds each took, and which problems were undertaken...all of this can be printed for your records, too).
• Your students may practice keyboarding first, with no marks against their scores.
• You CAN turn off the "display seconds" feature (ie. not showing the time taken after each problem), if that stresses your student out).
• They may also practice their facts first, with no marks against their scores, before choosing to "Play for Rating." This means that they will see a record of their previous scores, and any other students "competing" at the same "school."
• When you play for a rating, you see your old rating and your new rating displayed. You are allowed to print up a simple page showing your new rating. This provides tangible accountability for busy  moms who might want each child to complete a certain amount of fact work each day and to bring to her evidence of that practice...
• After the problems are completed, a graph is shown that charts the student's progress. You can go to a different screen and show a chart of the progress of each student in any (or all) of the four drill areas and print it for your records. You can also print the screen at any time, if you have a super proud student who wants a print up of their first "SUPER" (or anything else).

• If you have a child who is motivated by badges or similar rewards, you can order actual merit badges from the company for just $4. You can add them to a hat or something (I plan to order them for my crew to use over the summer...they can put them on their book bags...I know they will be excited).
• The problems are shown in a variety of formats during the drills (numbers horizontally, numbers vertically, various multiplication and division symbols, & words--only when you choose the "word thinkers" option).
• The fact that you can drill with negative numbers (and "word thinkers") makes this program usable by even my older student. Who can't benefit from a bit of brain exercise and fact brush up?
• The simple format will keep easily distractable children from getting, well, distracted by many choices or flashy features. 
• This program allows for the practice of math facts without the tedium of flash cards. All of this excellent practicing can be done without the teacher's involvement, freeing her up for things such as reading instruction or assistance with higher math problems (or a few moments of quiet time!).
• This program does a nice job of helping a teacher keep track of her student's progress. The way it is designed allows for independent students to sign on and do a daily drill, bringing their teacher a print up or number to record on a daily or weekly basis. Students will improve their math facts skills using this program, and since the ability to retrieve math facts quickly and correctly is the backbone of all math success, that is a valuable asset.
• My Ladybug LOVES this program and prefers it to other flashier programs. I was surprised by this, but the truth is, she likes the little sayings that pop up, she appreciates the   printable certificates, and she likes seeing her progress. It offers everything she thinks is valuable without lots of bells and whistles, and hey, what's wrong with that?

Potential Negatives: 

• I will admit that at first I was turned off by the simplicity of the program. It honestly seemed a little bit, well, boring compared to other math fact drill programs we have tried and enjoyed. BUT once I delved into all of its abilities, such as the screen printing, the charts, and the ease with which it functions, I began to understand its appeal. I like it...a lot.
• In spite of my appreciation for the program's versatility and ease of use, I realize that not every student, especially those impressed by bells and whistles, will find this program engaging enough to want to keep at it. Now, my students are easy. They are pretty compliant when it comes to school work, and they did not balk at doing five to fifteen minutes of math drills with CapJax regularly. And, like I said, Ladybug PREFERS this program to others we have tried. I think that is great. Every child is different, so you just need to try different things (if you can...there is a free trial for this one...see below) and find out what suits your varied learners.
•  I think the price is reasonable if the program works for you and your learners. However, if you have limited funds, and you and your children expect more than simple drills (which this product does a great job of providing in a simple way that is easy for mom to manage), then you may need to look elsewhere. If simplicity works for you, then this is your program.

You can purchase a download of CapJax Math Facts for just $29.95. This will enable you to download it to one computer and use it with as many students as you like. 

You may want to evaluate it first for free by downloading a trial version,  to see if it suits your family. This is a fantastic offer and will let you evaluate its suitability for your family.

You might want more information about the specific features of CapJax Math Facts...if so, check out this page. Check out the page that tells you the story behind CapJax Math Facts. It's pretty interesting. Don't miss CapJax at a Glance for more facts.

If you are interested in seeing what other Crew members have to say about CapJax, sail on over to the TOS Review Crew blog.

Blessings,

Disclaimer: I received a free download of CapJax Math Facts for the purposes of evaluating the product and providing an honest review about my experiences. All opinions and experiences you see written here are my own, or my family's. If you have questions regarding our experiences with this product, please feel free to comment or contact me.

Balancing Math Learning With Fun

Let me tell you a story...

A long time ago, in a land far away (Florida) I had a student (Bubba) who did NOT like Algebra. I don't know if it was a remnant leftover from his first few years spent in public school when he felt as if he wasn't "good enough" at math. Or maybe it was too early for him...sometimes kids just aren't ready. Kids' brains develop at different rates, and while some may "get it" early, others may need a few more months or years.

Whatever the reason, we must have tried every available option to get him through Algebra, from a computer program to a tutor and a co-op class, from two different written curricula and a series video lessons to sitting with him for hours as he worked through his "homework" every day. Nothing worked. At least, nothing worked until he was ready.

After a  year and a half of beating our heads against the wall, we finally wised up and took a break from math for a while. We moved, and co-operatively decided that he would finish up the last few chapters of the book he'd had the most success with, and with my dad's help (we were temporarily living with my folks while we looked for a house shortly after I'd had Firefly) he completed Algebra STILL hating math. But at least we could check off that box, and fill in the grade report, right?

To be honest, filling in a grade report, with good grades or bad ones, is not really our personal goal for the homeschooling of our children. I am much more concerned with whether they A) have the good character and know-how to begin a project and stick with it until completing it, always giving it their best and B) whether they love to learn and will be lifelong learners, seeking out new things to know, more books to read, and interesting paths, under the guidance of the Lord.

In my book, our Algebra experience with Bubba failed miserably on most of those fronts. He definitely did NOT love to learn any type of math at that point (especially Algebra), we had tried so many venues to achieve the completion of a (meaning ANY) algebra program that I felt we hadn't stuck to much of anything, and his character did not make any gains during the study of algebra, as we had many horrible conflicts over the work or why it was necessary (certain publishers are not very concerned with you knowing why the particulars of the math they teach are important to your "real" life).

In any case, the next year we had a God-inspired moment when we discovered Bob Jones' Consumer Math course. Bubba took to that one like a duck to water. It made sense. At long last, here was a math course that actually seemed to have a real-life use that he saw as valuable to himself (he already had his own lawn care and gardening business at that point). Many of the problems were word problems or used pictorals of some sort to make the abstract ideas concrete. In hindsight, he was probably a good candidate for one of those math programs that used many manipulatives to make the concepts mroe real, but I didn't really know about them at the time.

You may be wondering why I am telling you all of this. My story really does have a point.(smile)

What I want you to get out of this is two-fold. First, I really, really want you to consider that if you have a student who is struggling with math, especially in one of those pivotal areas such as Algebra, PLEASE consider giving them a break and allowing their brain to catch up to your expectations. Taking time off doing something else for a while is not a crazy idea...it does not mean you are neglecting your child's education, and it does not put your child at a disadvantage later. Actually, they will gain many things from taking time off, such as time for their brain to mature, less frustration (and fewer conflicts in your home), and also a trust in you that you put them above some academic expectation that is not as important as they are.

The second thing I want to leave you with is that while trying a different Algebra curriculum or a tutor really wasn't a bad idea (in our case, there were definite problems with why the computer curriculum was a bad fit, so quitting it was the right thing to do), I am going to suggest that you consider trying something a bit different from the traditional second-options (like tutors and a new math book), but that makes complete sense. Something I just didn't even ever think of at the time, but that I am sure would have worked well with Bubba. What I suggest is that you find some other math-type activities that your child will be able to work with...math manipulatives, logic puzzles, mind-benders, a math book based on carpentry or business that uses real-life word problems...basically, anything with visual aids that will help him or her SEE the concepts that they need to understand.

You just can't minimize the importance of attaching a visualization to an abstract concept. The process of showing (vs telling) someone how math works is invaluable. Have you ever seen episodes of the show NUMB3RS? They used math to solve crimes, and the mathematician character, Charlie, was so incredible because he could take these incredibly complex and abstract ideas and turn them into practical examples that even the "average" TV FBI agent (and I) could understand. I admire people who can make math simple, even when a concept is a tough one. I just miss out on being able to do that. I can break math down into steps, I can tell you the rules and the most efficient way to solve the problem, but I can't make it REAL to you, nor can I make you SEE what is really happening in the "mathosphere." It's a gift I apparently do not have.

Well, in case I am not alone in being deficient in this sort of math genius, I am going to happily tell you that there is someone out there who does have that genius, and they are smart enough to hire lots of those math geniuses to write some pretty useful books to help our students visual the reality and practicality of math...The Critical Thinking Company.

I honestly should have known that they could explain math in such a useful way because I have successfully used their products in our homeschool before...just not the math ones. We have used their Editor-in-Chief and their Mind Benders products before with much enjoyment. The Editor-in-Chief series offers students practical ways to apply the learning of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics rules by having them edit a variety of stories, knowing only how many errors are in the selection...kind of like a treasure hunt...and my son, Tex, loves doing them. Why? Because they are more practical and interesting than completing endless exercises in a grammar or spelling book, and because they challenge him to be attentive and to "beat" the puzzle (and he likes puzzles).

I am so glad we were chosen to review Balance Math, a line of math exercises from Critical Thinking Company created to develop students' understanding of algebraic equations using the visual representation of equations. Tex has been working his way through Khan Academy's free math program this year, focusing on developing his Algebra skills, and he loved both of these books the moment we opened up their packages...he found them to be a welcome change from his online work, and felt they were more fun than work. Now that's a big plus!!

We recieved Balance Math & More Level 2 due to a shipping glitch, but the company was kind enough to let us keep the copy and work through it while they mailed us the Algebra book. Tex jumped right into the problems in Math & More right away and would often walk into the room where I was working with a smiling face to show me the interesting problem he had just completed. The problems in Math &More are geared towards grades 4-12, with the problems starting out simple and becoming more complex as the book progresses.

The problems vary from balancing equations using that scale visual to sudoku-type problems, and all work is meant to strengthen the student's ability to see the conceptual understanding and algebraic reasoning. It did not take long for him to work his way thorough the book, which costs $9.99 for 48 pages of exercises and their answers, which might seem a bit much for a "puzzle book" BUT the reward was great---enthusiasm for the subject. Priceless. The only criticism I have ever heard of about Critical Thinking Company is that their prices are a bit steep for certain products, but since they are providing such a valuable and quality service---helping kids learn to think critically and logically---the extra cost is worth it.

Once we recieved Balance Math Teaches Algebra, Tex started going through it with his dad. Hubby, who is a science and math geek, felt that the book was very effective in how it used pictures to demonstrate the algebraic equations, rules, and concepts. The first section of the exercise book graphically demonstrate the basic rules of balancing equations (through step by step problems), then the subsequent pages move in a logical sequence from the simple to more complex problems. He felt this book would be best used on a 1-2 exercises per week basis for a few months, but acknowledges that it would also be a good substitution for a regular curriculum if you have a student who is stuck in a rut and needs help out (or a creative learner, such as an unschooler or a younger student who wants to learn ahead of "schedule"), or as a gradual and intriguing introduction before jumping into the meatier concepts in most Algebra curricula. The book is a total of 62 pages (answers included) and costs $14.99.

The only drawback to these books is that if you, the teacher, do not understand the concepts yourself, you will need to get your own copy and work through it before offering it to your student (or you will have to hope that someone else in your family "gets" Algebra, so they can help if your student gets stuck.) There is no teachers manual, and the answers are just answers, not explanations.

I think that Tex's simple words of the other day, "Mom, I really love this book. Can we get more?" say it all. If you can find that something that incites your student to pursue knowlede and love learning, to be challenged and eager, then why would you say, "No?"

If you have students who need a bit of something to get them back on track with math, check out some of these other math products from Critical Thinking Company.

Check out what others on the Crew said about the Critical Thinking Company products they tried at the TOS Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Blessing,

Disclaimer: I received copies of Balance Math Teaches Algebra! and Balance Math & More Level 2 for the purposes of reviewing the product. I recieved no other compensation, and the opinions you see in my review are my own, based upon our families' experiences with this product.

Math Made FUN?

AIMS is a non-profit foundation “dedicated to helping teachers give students a solid conceptual understanding of math and science.” 

We were asked to review Looking at Lines from the Algebraic Thinking Series. It has 232 pages covering 32 distinct hands-on activities, mostly using readily available household items. We received a hard copy of the book with a cd-rom containing all of the printables for the activities. Users have permission to print up to 200 copies of the activity sheets for educational purposes.

Each activity includes:

• A section for the teacher: standards, objectives, applications, materials, background information, procedures, solutions, and management strategies.
• A Key Question with Learning Goals: Can be used as a handout sheet or made into a transparency or slideshow.
• Pages necessary to complete the activity:  This includes instructions, graphs, charts, and other printables necessary for construction of the exercises.
• Connecting Learning: These are the questions that help student connect the activity to the concept and encourage higher level thinking skills as opposed to simple observation.

Hubby and Tex helped me with this review, and here is what Hubby had to say about Looking at Lines:

•      I found Looking at Lines to be an excellent supplement to an Algebra class or an introduction to related linear concepts.  The book is very detailed and can seem overwhelming at first, especially to someone who is not fully comfortable with advanced math concepts.  I took a quick glance on the web and I found a college course that uses this AIMS publication as its basis. That shows you the scope of its potential applications.
•       After I waded through the detailed introductory information (which is geared towards educators), I found all of the practical exercises very interesting.  My wife and I struggled with our oldest son in demonstrating the practicality of higher math.  I think the problem might have been eliminated (or at least lessened) had we slowly introduced linear thinking using the exercises in Looking at Lines.  With my background in math and science, I thought I could use words to communicate abstract algebraic concepts.  For my concrete-minded son, this approach bore little fruit.  He embraced the value of algebra later when he started working with consumer and business applications, and he now appreciates the skills he learned as he uses them in his small business.
•      You may wonder why I believe that Looking at Lines works better than other approaches to introducing algebra.  First, God blessed us with five other children and I have no desire to face the same struggles with them that I faced with my oldest.  While my fourteen-year-old son (Tex) is more willing to embrace algebra, he also likes to see clear examples of what he is learning.  Looking at Lines provides those examples in spades. 
• One of the first activities uses a simple equal arm balance (a plastic straw, stick pin, and some paperclips) and begins to show the student a simple linear equation by moving the paperclips and observing the results.  How cool is that! 
•  Build, move stuff around, and evaluate what you see...boys, especially, like that sort of thing. In the first lesson, he learned all the basics and could apply them in a very hands-on, practical way.   
• The book provides many more methods integrating science, business, gardening, and simple construction. We still needed practice problems and significant parental involvement, but I appreciated each part and how the instruction progressed from simple equations to graphs and tables to equalities and inequalities.  
• At times the course may require more effort in preparation and execution on the part of the educator than a traditional textbook method, but the results will be a clearer understanding of complex abstracts through concrete observations.  
• I recommend starting the course early (6th-7th grade) and breaking the work into small, manageable chunks, though it definitely applies to older students as well. The one thing I do not really recommend is giving the book to your student and asking them to do the exercises alone. 
• Teacher involvement is one of the strengths of this program and except for special cases, should not be forsaken.

Who will benefit from AIMS Looking at Lines?

• Unschoolers who have curious students who want to pursue some hands-on math activities on this subject.
• Parents of homeschoolers ready grade-wise for a higher level math course, but not quite ready for a full algebra course developmentally (and there is nothing wrong with that!). This would be a way to build some solid foundational ideas and continue doing math, while at the same time, not rushing into a math course the student is not ready for yet.
• Younger students who need a challenge, but might not be ready to jump into a full algebra course. You could work on one of these activities a week as a supplement while completing their regular math course.
• Parents with hands-on learners who need some guidance in how to add hands-on learning to their math lessons.
• Parents of several mulit-age children who want to do some math activities together. While the stated grade level of Looking at Lines is grades 6-9, I really felt some of the basic experiments and concepts could be appreciated by lower level students. Older students could complete the actual graphs and problems, while younger students could help with carrying out the experiments and discussing them.
• Folks who like the unit study concept will find that the AIMS books fit well into that sort of teaching style. Have a blast picking out your next unit study from their extensive list of choices! They sell the manipulatives to support their books, too.
• Older students would benefit from this as a means to review key ideas by being in charge of completing the activities with their younger siblings. We all learn best by doing and teaching, don't we?
• Anyone teaching in a co-op setting would find this entire series of books ideal for that purpose. You can photocopy up to 200 copies of each experiment, not to mention the fact that the presentation method lines up perfectly with co-op settings.
• Private and public schools would find this product useful for the same reason.
• Tutors might find that this series would be an interesting addition to their repertoire and a welcome change from the straightforward practice of simply going over the student's regular classwork.

When would I say "maybe not..."?

• If you don't like having to do class prep, then this would not be an ideal curriculum for you. I felt that a thorough reading of each experiment was needed to familiarize myself with the information, not to mention preparing the materials and handouts necessary for each experiement. It's not that it was really, really hard, but it did require some bucking down on the old algebraic thinking skills.
• If you have only one student, the prep time might be a limiting factor for you. For several students or a particularly needy student (someone who needs real life math as an encouragement), it would be all right, but it might be more work than the parent of one traditionally taught student wants to tackle on a regular basis...but how much fun it would be for a unit study!!
• Anyone who prefers a regular textbook method is not going to prefer this curriculum, though it wouldn't be a bad thing to throw in activities like this now and then in any curriculum!
• Anyone who feels their students need a lot of "drill and repeat" is not going to find that here. Most of these topics connect and develop each other in subtle ways, but you will not be re-covering the same territory repeatedly.

The price for Looking at Lines is $24.95 for the PDF version from the AIMS Store.


There are many more products available, and prices vary, so go check it out for yourself!


Watch some videos and download samples of activities to see how AIMS is "the right fit" for homeschoolers.


You can also check out other reviews of this product and others at the TOS Review Crew Blog.


Blessings,


Heather




Disclaimer: We recieved a paperback copy (plus disk) of Looking at Lines for the purposes of trying and reviewing this product. No other compensation was recieved.

Riding Towards Success...Swiftly!

Some reviews are easier to write than others. This is one of the easiest reviews I will write this year because I can tell you that the product has already had an incredible impact on my kids. I am smiling as I type this when I think about how Ladybug and Cowboy's confidence levels, in relation to their recollection of math facts, has increased by quite a lot over the past month they have been using a fun math facts game called Math Rider.

Math Rider is an intelligent math facts game. This means that the program adjusts the problem set based upon your child's performance so that problems that are missed are reviewed more frequently until they are mastered. This is just what I do when I drill my children using the old-fashioned flash card method. Cards they respond to quickly and correctly are put into the "got it" pile, while cards for facts they take too long to give an answer for or answer incorrectly are put into a "do it again" pile. We then proceed through the "do it again" pile until all of the cards are in the "got it" pile. Not a whole lot of bells and whistles using that method, but it works...eventually. However, the kids (and their mother) aren't always enthusiastic about "drilling" with the flash cards.

free flashcards from classhelper.org

We've tried various methods of encouraging math facts practice in our homeschool. I have several of those Leapfrog Turbo Twist games, Addition and Subtraction War cards, Addition and Subtraction Bingo, and books of drill sheets, not to mention the other online or downloadable computer facts drilling methods we've tried, both free or purchased...While each of the aforementioned methods might work when used, it is the fact that you have to get the kids to want to use them that is the problem. Games are fine now and then, but not for every day. Pencil and paper drill give me nightmares (Bubba had a very bad experience with them in public school). Flashcards are fine, but time intensive for me, and kind of, ahem, boring.

Enter Math Rider. Easily our favorite math product of the year!! Ladybug and Cowboy can't get enough of it. They ask me (on their own) if they can play it for a while. It seems to have escaped their notice that it is actually work! I love it. 

Here's is what Math Rider is all about:

• It's an intelligent math game that adjusts to your child's accuracy and speed.
• While it is intended for ages 6-12, older students can certainly use it as a periodic skill sharpener and younger students who are able to type using the number pad and who recognize the numbers in the problems can use it.

• The basis of the game is that you have to undertake a quest which requires you to ride your horse, Shadow, across the Mathlands, solving problems (which are obstacles the horse jumps) as you go. I like the fact that the storyline is noble, and has the riders undertaking their quest for the greater good (not just for the purposes of competing or fighting or anything else that is somewhat random).
• There is a progress map so your child can see how far they have gotten and how far they have to go to achieve their goal.

• Progress points are given for accuracy and speed, so different riders will make progress at different rates even if they are completing the same number of rides per day.
• Each run within a quest has thirty problems...this seemed like a lot the first time the kids did it, but they got used to it quickly. It does not bother them at all now.
• At the end of a quest, rewards are given that reflect the level of mastery of the rider...there are 16 potential quests and rewards...improvement is rewarded, as well as mastery.
• There are four operations (+ - x / ) for which you can drill 0-12 math facts at three different levels (easy, medium, advanced), plus a master level you have to earn.
• You can have your students do practice runs that do not impact the statistics associated with their account...these runs can be on any operation and you can choose the number of problems in each run as well as the testing range or even working with a specific number set!

• Parents and students can see individual progress charts showing which numbers and problems have been mastered...at the end of each individual run within a quest, riders see a graph showing which problems were answered correctly, which ones were correct but answered slowly, and which ones were wrong...my kids really liked this.
• Math Rider is available for both Windows and Mac. 
• Normally, the cost for Math Rider is $47. Until February 15th, however, you can purchase it for $37...that's a savings of $10! But wait, there's more!! Log onto Facebook and "Like" Fun Math Games: Math Rider to immediately get a code for an additional $5 off the price. Yippee!!
• Math Rider is good for up to 8 riders in your household and may be loaded on up to three computers. This makes it ideal for homeschool use, and very economical.
• Math Rider also automatically checks for updates to the game (there has been one during our trial of the game) and downloads them for no additional cost.

Check out this video about Math Rider. Once you check it out, sign up

for the free seven day trial to see if you like it as much as we do.

What we thought about Math Rider:

• Mom: I love, love, love it. I never have to argue with the kids about doing their math drills anymore. I am loving seeing Ladybug's (age 8) speed and accuracy improve. We did oral drills in the car the other day and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly she'd jump in with a correct answer. Cowboy's (age 6) knowledge base is growing, though his speed (limited by his ability to remember where the number keys are) is still slower than hers.
• Cowboy: I like the horse and I like doing quests because I am a cowboy and a knight. Math is fun! It is not hard at all.
• Mom: The kids are much more likely to bring math into a conversation now. Their added confidence in their math facts has affected their interest in exploring other more complex facets of math. This makes sense since knowing basic facts is one of the essential building blocks of math success. Once you have the solid foundation of knowing your math facts it is very simple to start adding more bricks on top of that. I am glad we tested this product. I plan to purchase it when our trial is over.
• Mom: I added "Math Rider Drills" to their weekly checklist and finishing enough drills to complete a quest is usually one of the first things they do. Then they still want to do more...I have had to kick them off of the computer (doing math) to go play for a while. I love it!!
• Mom: I particularly appreciate the fact that when the kids type in a wrong answer, the horse simply snorts quietly and stops at the jump while the computer repeats the problem, showing and stating what the correct answer is...then play resumes without any fuss. I also appreciate that the music is pleasant instead of loud and obnoxious like on so many games today.
• Ladybug: I like Math Rider a lot. I love horses and Shadow is a nice horse. I like the castles and the scenery in the game. I do not think the game is too hard and I do think other kids would like it. I think I am learning to know more math by playing the game. It is a lot of fun!!
• Mom: This game utilizes the four learning modalities: auditory and visual skills (spoken and written math facts...plus you can have your kids repeat the problems they miss to add more), as well as tactile and kinesthetic (typing...and bouncing up and down in your seat when your horse jumps if you are Cowboy). It has a creative storyline that engages the learner's interest. 
• Dad: I appreciate that it is a math drill game that doesn't muddy up the waters of what its purpose is with a lot of nonsense that distracts the kids from what they are supposed to be learning. I also appreciate that the quests are noble, since that is a quality we want to instill in our kids. Instead of the conflict of fighting or characters aimlessly doing something for foolish reasons, the idea is that the riders are using their math skills to help someone. The premise of this game fits in with life lessons we are trying to teach our kids.

--To see what other Crew members thought about Math Rider, check out the TOS Crew blog.

--You can also see other reviews at the Math Rider website.

--Check out answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Math Rider.

--Not sure if Math Rider is for you? Sign up for a seven day free trial of the full version. The practice mode stays enabled even after your trial is over!!

--Ready to go for a ride? Buy Math Rider now, but don't forget to "like" Fun Math Game: Math Rider on Facebook first for a $5 off coupon! The low price of $37 only lasts until February 15th, so don't wait too long...

Blessings,

Disclaimer: We received a trial subscription of Math Rider for the purposes of offering our honest opinion here on our blog. No other compensation was offered to us. If you have questions about this product, feel free to comment or contact me.