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Math on the Level curriculum

Math on the Level is a very different approach to teaching math. It covers pre-school through pre-algebra in one complete curriculum. It is neither a textbook nor a workbook approach.

The topics are grouped and sequenced into four full-color teaching guides (Operations, Money and Decimals, Geometry and Measurements, and Fractions) but not grade-leveled. Instead, the curriculum gives the parents the tools they need to teach any math topic, and it encourages teaching each child at his or her own maturation level and pace.

The lessons and the Math Adventures (one of the seven volumes) emphasize teaching math through normal daily activities, and the curriculum is filled with ideas on how to teach math while shopping, traveling around, cooking, or playing games. This family-life focus makes it very easy to include math in unit studies (like Konos).

The grouping of topics and the flexibility to choose when to teach a topic facilitate teaching all of one's children together if desired. Instructions are concise and conversational, and often several approaches are given for teaching difficult topics (reflecting Carlita's special ed background).

Another key distinctive is that Math on the Level uses an individualized review system. In place of the conventional pages of generalized practice problems, its review system uses only 5 problems a day that are solved independently. These 5-A-Day problems are chosen to provide continual practice to each child of every math concept he or she has ever learned, at a pace that is best for the child but at least once every 3 weeks for the entire program.

This "practice makes permanent" approach keeps the child sharp in math and seals the learning for the long term without gaps. After a child has completed the program, he or she will have a strong math foundation and be ready to start Algebra 1.

Math on the Level is cost effective, particularly for large families, since the one curriculum can be used to teach all children in the family from pre-K through pre-algebra.

Prices reduced for (2008): the individual levels range from $55 to $80. The whole set (covers K-8): $295.