Learn Pre-Algebra with Flexibility and Independence {A TabletClass Math / Homeschool Review Crew Review}

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew. 

If you are looking for a middle school or high school math program that is complete, understandable, flexible, and able to be used online and on paper online, solo or with parent input, then TabletClass Math could be for you.

My 12-year old has been trying out the Pre-Algebra and so far, I've been pleased with the course and would therefore recommend it, or TabletClass Math other homeschool math courses as a possible solution for you and yours. 

Other courses offered are:

• Algebra 1
• Geometry
• Algebra 2
• Pre-Calculus

Each course is designed to provide a complete math curriculum that can be self-paced by students with 24-hour online access to a full host of pre-recorded video lessons and printable practice problems and tests/keys and notes. 

Clear Math Teaching

Instruction is offered by Mr. John Zimmerman, a credentialed and proven master teacher who has helped countless students reach their goals - from finally "getting" math to getting into top colleges. His style is engaging as he aims to make math enjoyable and understandable while making complex concepts clear.

Mr. Zimmerman also aims to offer homeschool students the full teaching they would receive in a classroom situation, which means he provides full down-to-earth video lessons which introduce and teach concepts and skills and also bring students step-by-step through solutions to all practice problems. 

You can get a flavor for Mr. Zimmerman's style on his YouTube channel.

Ease of Use

Each TabletClass Math is self contained and easy for students to use on their own with any online device, a printer, paper, a pencil, and, if desired, a calculator. No textbooks or other supplies are needed.

With a well-organized online portal hosted on the teachable.com website, students can use TabletClass Math independently and control the pace of instruction in a way that suits their learning style - pausing videos, replaying them, skipping ones about concepts they "get", moving quickly through lessons or taking thing slow.

The online portal is set up with consecutive links almost like chapters in a text book, so basically, you can self-pace through the online teaching then put pencil to paper by completing printable practice problems, exercises, and tests. Doing so will help you master chapter core math skills and concepts.

Of course, you can also use TabletClass Math as a ready reference or tutorial system logging in any time you get stuck on a particular concept and using the easy to use navigation to find a lesson which targets just what you need more help with.

Or, like my son and I, you can use TabletClass Math as both and independent and parent-supported math program - working independently when life requires it and having some Mom (or Dad)-taught lessons using the printable worksheets when time allows and you ask for such things. 

Parent Support

Although TabletClass Math is set up for students to do on their own, Mr Zimmerman did not forget parents. 

As a parent, you can gain access to a Parent/Admin Portal that includes:

• Chapter Tests / Keys
• Chapter Tests Summary Worksheet
• a Course Guidebook
• Final Exam Directions
• a Final Exam
• a Final Exam Key
• a Course Grade Calculation Worksheet
• a printable Course Certificate

No worries if you don't "get" math or are rusty, all solutions are there!

Plus, you can easily see how students are doing by paging through their printable worksheets or taking a peak at periodic quizzes.

Comprehensive Math Teaching

Some online math programs seem more supplementary than complete. Not TabletClass Math! Each TabletClass Math course is designed to provide much more than a brief overview of concepts.

Each topic is taught in-depth, to include lesson videos, practice problem examples and step-by-step video solutions, a wide range of printable problems, etc.

Lesson videos, on average, are more than 15 minutes long in order to maximize complete explanations and mastery.

Basic and advanced skills, including word problems, are covered and each chapter includes
a comprehensive, printable summary of notes for each concept covered​.

There are also end-of-chapter quizzeswith instant feedback so you can see how you are doing.

Designed for student practice and mastery of core academic skills, TabletClass Math offers more than many other online math courses I have seen.

My Son's Thoughts|

My 12-year-old said:

At first, I hated it, because I did not want to start Pre-Algebra, but once I watched the videos I realized it was not that bad. The videos teach well. They have clear explanations and there are also videos to walk you through the problems.

I like that there are printable worksheets. I like being able to write on paper. Also, the worksheets make it so that I can learn 1:1 with Mom when I don't want to watch the videos. The program gives me options to decide if I want to be online or off and to be able to decide if I want to get ahead. 

I would recommend it and will continue it, which will make my mom surprised because at first I was adamant I would not do Pre-Algebra.

As Mom, I am surprised. My 12-year-old was not thrilled when I suddenly jumped him to Pre-Algebra, but he's realized that with this program, he can do it. Hoorah!

My Final Thoughts

So, far, I have been pleased with the flexibility and comprehensive teaching of TabletClass Math.

I particularly appreciate that my son can use the TabletClass Math system independently and control the pace of instruction in a way that suits his personal learning style and our crazy schedules. Because the system is set up so that students use both technology (any online device) and traditional materials (pencil and paper!) to learn, my son can use it at home and at co-op during study hall when he has internet connection, or or alongside me or his own on paper when we have pre-printed included worksheets and are somewhere without internet connection or when he just wants some Mom-time and teaching.

The TabletClass Math approach seems excellent for retention and engagement as well as flexibility and I encourage you to look into it.

Learn More

About 20 Homeschool Review Crew families tried out a course or more TabletClass Math. Click through to find links to video, social media, and blog reviews.

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Let Students Take Control of Their Learning with CTCMath {A CTCMath / Homeschool Review Crew Review}

 I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Have you ever cheered over a math program?

I have! 

In fact, I cheered when I found out that we'd been selected to review another 12 month family membership from CTCMath.

What Is CTCMath?

CTCMath is an online math curriculum for grades K-12 that allows students to self-pace through math while giving parents quick access to checking up on how students are doing.

Some excellent features of CTCMath are:

• adaptive questions that change in difficulty depending on a student's ability which help students build confidence and master 
• concepts
• a function that allows questions to be readout so that struggling readers are not held back in math
• interactive questions based explicitly on clear, concise video tutorials
• extensive reports for parents and progress notations students can see, too

One thing missing from CTCMath - at least in our experience - is stress. Neither I as a parent not my children as self-paced learners find CTCMath stressful and that is huge!

What Has Our experience with CTCMath Been?

Since we first reviewed CTCMath in 2019, it has become a staple in our home.  We so appreciate how it provides a full K-12 curriculum, including Calculus that offers teaching videos, practice questions, games, tests, tasks, weekly revisions sets, and more which make it a flexible, easy, self-paced program for my children to access and use.

My youngest, now 11, has moved through several years of math using CTCMath and has also practiced his facts using the Speed Skills portion of the program. Currently, he is on a break from screens, and, thus, from online math, but he looks forward to using CTCMath again and says:

I like CTCMath. I was using it until last week and want to continue using it. I enjoy it, and it is easy to use.

I love that my youngest favors CTCMath, can use it independently and can pause, then pick up with his math work with it easily. Self-paced and flexible, with clear teaching, CTCMath is a win for him. 

My middle child, now 15, prefers book-based math programs, but, we occasionally, use her CTCMath login to learn or practice particular skills. The fact that CTCMath has pre-recorded Video Tutorials that explain and teach each and every concept for grades K-12 and allow students access any time on any device worldwide makes it prime for such supplementary use even if it is meant to be used as a one-stop, full math curriculum.

The program also works as intended, of course! In fact, my eldest child, now 16, uses CTCMath as his sole math program and thoroughly appreciates the independence it gives him. When I asked him for his current thoughts on CTCMath for this review, he said:

CTCMath is an online math program for students in  grades K -12.

I am on my third year of using CTCMath for high school. I have used it from Algebra I, through Algebra 2 and Geometry, and now I am into Pre-Calc/Trigonometry, which has allowed me to become quite familiar with the program.

Its style of videos followed by a short set of around ten questions works well with my independent learning style. For those who work better with worksheets, that’s an option as well. In fact, for some lessons, worksheets are the only option because the covered subject is too complex for a set of online multiple-choice questions.

Recently the site has undergone some changes which have been mostly graphical.  Among the changes has been the addition of a mastery bar. This video explains what the mastery bar is about:

Overall, I have greatly appreciated CTCMath. Out of all the math programs I have used, I have stayed with CTC the longest. It is easy to use and, typically, helps me move through math learning independently. The only issue I have is sometimes the videos are not enough to help me understand a concept clearly. On such occasions, I sometimes need to ask someone else for help or I just keep working through problems until I get them. As a self learner this works fine for me as I usually just learn by trying.

I would highly suggest CTCMath to anyone who wants to take more control of their education or for parents who want to have to be less hands-on with their students. It has been great for me, and I hope the same can hold true for you.

CTCMath has truly been a blessing to our family, fitting each child's needs in a different way and carrying two of my children through multiple grades of math with very little oversight or help from me.

I Highly Recommend CTCMath

Over and over since we first began using CTCMath in 2019, I have recommended it to others in person and online as an excellent, user-friendly program that can help students take control of their learning. I am doing so again today:

CTCMath is an easy to use program that allows students to self-pace through lessons and even move between grade level math courses. It also allows parents to easily check student progress by providing extensive reports that can help parents and students identify weaker areas that require further study and applaud progress in stronger areas.

Not many math programs make me cheer, but CTCMath does: Hoorah for CTCMath making math easy and independent for students while simplifying things for parents, too. I truly think it is the best online math curriculum for homeschoolers out there.

Get a Discount on CTCMath!

One more reason to cheer about CTCMath is that they have a homeschool discount right now.  Click through if you would like to try CTCMath for 1/2 price!

Also, be aware that there is no risk involved. CTCMath offers a 12-month money-back guarantee with no questions asked if you find the curriculum is not for you and your
family. 

Learn More

You can see if 30+ other Homeschool Review Crew families love CTCMath as much as my family does by clicking through to read blog, video, and social media reviews from different families using the program with students of varying ages and abilities.

You can also find all of my family's CTCMath reviews here and connect with CTCMath online at:

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Are You Looking for an Offline Stand-Alone Algebra Resource? {A Homeschool Review Crew Review}

 Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Math may not change, but approaches to learning it often get tweaked - at least in my family they do. If the same goes for your family, and if in your current season of life and learning you are looking for an offscreen resource for learning math,  The Critical Thinking Co.™ is worth a look. 

My 11-year-old son and I recently had the chance to review Understanding Algebra, I from The Critical Thinking Co.™ and, although it was not a right-fit-for-right-now resource for my family, I can see its merit and am saving the rest of it for another season here. I also believe the book could be right-for-right for others, so let me explain more about it. Maybe it will be just what you are looking for!
 
What is Understanding Algebra 1?

Understanding Algebra, I is a 380+ page, full-color, soft-covered, reproducible student math book with answers included.  It was written by award-winning math teacher Terri Husted - who has over 30 years of teaching experience - and is targeted for students in grades 7-9.

The book presents all the essential concepts and skills needed to master Algebra I, highlights vocabulary and notation, and has examples from math history. In doing so, it aims to help students see the connection between the math they already know and algebra.

In moving through the books, students work on:

•  Set and Set Notation      •  Number Lines      •  Graphing      •  Rationals      •  Operations      •  Expressions      •  Equations      •  Inequalities      •  Word Problem      •  Percent Problems      •  Ratio Problems      •  Motion Problems

•  Work Problems      •  Absolute Value      •  Polynomials      •  Factoring      •  Radicals      •  Linear Functions      •  Slope      •  Elimination      •  Graphing      •  Substitution      •  Absolute Value      •  Algebraic Fractions

So, as you can see, the book truly hits all the important aspects of an Algebra 1 curriculum. 

Plus, since it is reproducible, families can use it for more than one child. For me - because I am using it with my youngest - this is not as big a deal, but for families with many children, it can be a huge boon - saving families money! 

The answer key can also help students use the book independently or help older siblings help younger siblings with it.

Mom Made a Mistake, not the Writer of Understanding Algebra, 1

Because I want my 11-year-old son offline for math and thought he was ready to try Algebra concepts even if technically "young" for them, I was eager to review Understanding Algebra, I with him.

What I did not realize, however, is that he is stronger at computation than he is at vocabulary and theory and that his current online program - which has been working fairly well for him at his age and level - has somewhat trained him to see only one problem at a time and looking at a whole page of concepts and/or problems can be daunting to him. So, I quickly discovered that I was premature in introducing Understanding Algebra, I to my son.

Basically, the first time we used the book, we sat on a swing outside reading the beginning lessons together and working through the listed questions orally and on scratch paper.

Because the first lesson was heavy on text about sets, set notation, types of numbers, and vocabulary - which are not things my son favors - we had a rockier start with the book than I had hoped for and my son was not excited about continuing to use it.

Still, we carried on... Sometimes, I worked with my son again and sometimes I asked him to set a timer, read the text, and do problems on his own, coming to me when he struggled. One of the times when he did this, he chose to start the entire book over again from the start.

In this manner, we persisted enough to honor this review, but, due to the hard start and the temptations of warm weather, my son, sadly, has yet to take to the curriculum.

When I asked him his thoughts about it, he frankly said:

When I first started this book, my mom and I did it together and I did not like it. When I continued, it got a little better, but I still did not fully enjoy it. I felt like there were too many questions on a page and in a chapter, and it made me feel frustrated and bored... I am used to a math program that gives on problem at a time in very short lessons.

 

Even though I did not like the beginning at first, I began to like how they explained everything at the beginning so you could go back and review it.  

 

I would recommend the book to Algebra enthusiasts and those who enjoy workbooks. I might try it again later... just not right now.

Partial Mom fail! NOT Terri Husted (the author) fail.

Partial for me (Mom) because I prematurely introduced this book to my son and did not do so in a way to draw him in, but somehow he is still willing to try it again later.

Not a fail on the author's part, because Terri Husted has written a sound curriculum which I am confident could work well for my son later and for many presently. 

Would I Recommend Understanding Algebra, 1?

If you are looking for something that is offline, can be used with multiple students in the same family or classroom, has perforated pages for ease of use/copying, and, of course, covers Algebra 1 completely as a stand-alone resource, despite my son's current lack of favor for Understanding Algebra, I, I would recommend looking at it. 

I have examined different chapters in the book, think it is well-presented, and believe it can be quite helpful in teaching students who are ready for Algebra 1. 

If, however, you have students that don't do well with vocabulary, etc., you may want to start with computations and then double back to the initial pages of the first lesson as I wish I had done. 

Further, if you have a child who does not favor many words or problems on a page, you might need to work together or cut things up a bit.

All things considered, though, Understanding Algebra, I is sound in my opinion.

Learn More

Find special offers and free printables and reosurces from The Critical Thinking Co.™ here!

Click through to discover what other families thought of Understanding Algebra, I and other resources from The Critical Thinking Co.™ resources.

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Surprise! Speed Wheel Drills Are A Hit! {A Homeschool Review Crew Review: Math Essentials}

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew. 

Woah! You just never can tell what will be a hit with a child to help solidify math facts.

We were given an opportunity to review Math Essentials Speed Wheel Drills for Addition, Multiplication, and Division. 

I knew my daughter appreciated the straightforward, no-nonsense approach of other Math Essentials materials and needed something to help her increase her speed and accuracy with math fact recall as she moves into high school. However, to be honest, I was not sure if a workbook containing 1,440 speed wheel drills would work for her or not. In fact, I wondered if doing such drills would get old for her quickly.

I am happy to report: they did not. Math Essentials Speed Wheel Drills for Multiplication has become one of my daughter's consistent, self-chosen, independent summer lesson materials. When the Speed Wheel Drill books came into our home, she asked if she could use the multiplication one and has been using it regularly throughout the summer.

Here is what she had to say about her experience:

I like Math Essentials Speed Wheel Drills for Multiplication, because it is a quick and easy way to review multiplication tables.

I also like it because I try to beat my old times to see how much I am improving.

I enjoy that doing an entire page takes me only five to fifteen minutes. Sometimes I do a whole page and sometimes I do just one line - three wheels.

I find this better and more efficient than flashcards. because all my answers and times are written down and I can review them.

The only issue is that I am slightly lazy sometimes and don't always write my percent correct.

Using this is helping me get the repetition I need to remember my facts. Multiplication facts have always been hard for me, but I don't enjoy a lot of online games to practice them or, if I enjoy the practice games, but don't always remember the facts after. With these drills my accuracy and time  are improving.

I would recommend this resource to people who want a a quick way to review multiplication and to keep remembering their facts. People who don't like to be timed for math problems and people who don't like repetition may not like it as much. Repetition and timing is not a problem for me at all. I like that the format doesn't change and I can repeat things and see how I am doing.

What a wonderful surprise it has been for me to see my daughter's success with Math Essentials Speed Wheel Drills. Through the years, we have tried many things, online and off, independent and together, to help her learn math facts and increase accuracy and speed with instant recall of them - some things more successful than others. This is definitely among the most successful.

My daughter willingly self-paces through the drills, deciding how many drills she wants to do on a given day, timing herself, correcting her own work, etc. The open-and-go nature has made working with the material easy to slip in around other life happenings. The fact that my daughter can use the resource on her own is a boon for her and me. The self-correcting aspect, I believe, actually helps reinforce her learning of the math facts. and the tracking of time - surprisingly to me - has been a motivator for her.

Math Essentials Speed Wheel Drills for Multiplication have been an effective tool for keeping facts fresh for my daughter, and, as such, I recommend it to others who have a child that prefers independent, offscreen resources.

I also recommend the Division and Addition books for students who need practice with such facts. 

Each softcover, consumable book is set up the same way.

They open with a "How to Use this Book" page, which succinctly describes how to use the drills, track your progress, etc. 

(To use the drills, you take the number in the center of the speed circle and add/subtract/divide using the number on the next concentric circle out, then write your answer in the space on the outside of the circle.)

Then, there are pages with 21 math tips.

Following that are pages that contain 1,440 speed drills with 12 drills per page with the drills in random orders by center numbers.

The final pages of the book contain a solution page that can be pulled out of the book, put in a sheet protector, and used for self-correcting, plus the bonus of a Math Glossary, Important Symbols, Multiplication Table, Commonly Used Prime Numbers, Squares and Square Roots, and Fraction/Decimal Equivalents.

Slim, handy, open-and-go resources, Math Essentials Speed Wheel Drills for Multiplication, Division, and Addition can become a great help for students like my daughter that need extra facts practice so as not to regress with such skills.

The only thing I might change about them in future editions is making perforated pages or lay flat binding. Such changes would make an already effective resource just a little more user-friendly. 

Over 20 families from the Homeschool Review Crew have been testing out one, two, or all three of the Speed Wheel Drills books developed by the Winner of Intel Innovations in Teaching Award Richard W. Fisher with their children, so be sure to click through to find video, social media, and blog reviews.

You might also want to take a look at our past Math essentials reviews:

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