Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
Hey there homeschoolers, I've got a math curriculum review to share with you today. I realize that this can be a subject that can be kind of a drudge for some of you, so let's start with a math joke. What is a math teacher's favorite snake? Anyone? A pi-thon! Cue the drum- ba dum tss! Ok, don't abandon me, because this really is a great resource that I'm sharing with you. Do you have a student that can't seem to grasp certain math concepts? Have you tried what seems like every program and curriculum out there, to no avail? Stay with me then, because this could be "The One". What program is this? It's MathandAlgebra.com , and they graciously provided our family with a one year family subscription which includes math courses in Elementary, Intermediate, PreAlgebra, and Algebra 1.
Sometimes events in life just make you laugh with irony. When my oldest, now a Junior in high school, was taking Algebra 1, we couldn't seem to find the "right" program for her. She spent a lot of time in tears. The instruction on most of the programs that we tried seemed incomplete. Then, when my youngest started Algebra, I found a program with teacher whose instruction was fantastic. He had a way of getting straight to the point, and communicating the concepts efficiently and simply. I urged my oldest to give him a try, but she declined and stayed on with the course that was at least a bit better than previous ones.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered through this review, that the teacher that MathandAlgebra.com uses is THE SAME TEACHER that I wanted her to try! So let me introduce you to Mr. Richard Fisher, an award winning math teacher who has a unique gift for making math easier to understand.
This is what your video screen looks like before you begin.
A video in progress. It just looks like a whiteboard. Students write out the problems along with the teacher.
This program is not Common Core, and I am so very glad about that! As the website states, "It's Common Sense". As a person without a natural tendency towards mathematics, all I want is for a teacher to get to the point, put it in laymen's terms so I can understand it. Richard Fisher does just that. Now, on to the program.
Instructions are provided for each lesson, along with the downloads for the worksheet and answer key.
The topics covered in Algebra 1
First of all choose your desired level. with this subscription, you have access to all 4 levels. My oldest agreed to try out the Algebra 1. There are 4 steps to each lesson.
1 - Watch the video lesson - They are roughly between 8 and 15 minutes in length. While watching the lesson, Richard Fisher asks that you work through the example problems as he does, saying that it helps with the retention of the concept being taught. So have a notebook handy.
2 - Print out the worksheet that accompanies the lesson, and complete the problems. There are also answer keys for each worksheet.
3 - Quiz time! At the end of every chapter, students take the quiz. It is online and graded for you.
4 - Earn Badges. As lessons are completed, and quizzes are taken, students can earn badges to mark their progress.
Some completed worksheets.
The Algebra 1 is a solid program that will cover all of the expected concepts:
- Tools for Algebra- Solving Equations- Graphing and Analyzing Linear Equations- Solving and Graphing Inequalities- Systems of Linear Equations and Inequalities- Polynomials- Rational Expressions (Algebraic Fractions)- Radical Expressions and Geometry- Quadratic Equations- Algebra Word Problems
Another worksheet, and the all important math notebook.
The real test for me was my daughter's response. She loves it! HUGE sigh of relief from me. I still laugh when I think about all of the times that I urged her to give this teacher a listen before, and she was hesitant. The trouble we could have avoided! Oh well.
She has said quite a few times since starting this, that the teaching explains it so well, and she understands the topics in a way that she couldn't before now. Speaking for myself, Richard Fisher's teaching has me understanding Algebra better than I ever did when I took it as a student. I sat with my daughter as she worked through equations and I couldn't believe that I was actually enjoying the work!
Suffice it to say, I approve and recommend this program to everyone, and especially those who struggle with math. I haven't seen a more concise method of teaching. They offer a 30 day, 100% Money Back Guarantee if you want to give it a try.
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