Teaching Textbooks have been specifically designed for homeschoolers. They contain far more explanations than typical math books, and feature step-by-step solutions to ALL problems in a multimedia form.
Both of the above features can be of enormous help to those homeschooling parents who do not know math well themselves.
The books include Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry, and grade-level packages from 5th grade through 7th.
Price: $184.90 for each product, which includes textbooks, answer key, tests, and CDs.
This is my 3rd year homescholing and we have struggled w/ our Math curriculm.
We started Teaching Textbooks a couple months ago. My dd loves it! She finished it w/o complaints. Anytime she has a question shhe goes right to the computer and has it answered. Which is helpful when I am working w/ my 2 other children. My only problem is I wish they had 4th grade!
Any other helpful hints:
It is a 30-day trial... try you won't send it back!
M Kern Review left September 16, 2008
Grade: Math 7 Time: 1 full year
I am a former professional electrical engineer with a master's degree, so I know math and feel comfortable teaching it. We had been using Math-U-See, but it was teacher intensive and we had a new baby this year, so I wanted something my daughter could use more independently. We had done 5 levels of Math-U-See, but when I compared the content against TT Math 7, I saw that more than 75 percent would be review for her. It was then I realized how advanced Math-U-See had been. Anyway, I thought the review would be good for her and she could do it by herself, so we went with it.
Why you liked/didn't like the book:
Some of the word problems are ambiguous and at least two my daughter brought to my attention because she could not understand the solutions were just plain incorrect. What bothers me most about the mistakes is that they were not careless errors in calculation, but errors in mathematical thinking or expression. It made me wonder how many other errors my daughter was studying without knowing to ask me for a second opinion. The units on geometry she asked me about were also troublesome. In classifying triangles, the multiple choice questions ask the student to select one from scalene, isosceles, equilateral, acute, right, or obtuse that BEST describes the triangle pictured. At least two answers will always be correct, and how does "best" apply in this case? The answer is right or not. There is no meaning to "best" in this situation. Unfortunately, there were too many little instances like those, whenever I did get a look at the teaching, that made me wonder if the authors were really qualified to write math textbooks. The program format is fine, but the quality of instruction was a little lacking for my taste.
Any other helpful hints:
If you are math-knowledgeable, you will not like this curriculum. Math-U-See is far superior, IMO, precisely because Steve Demme knows his math AND knows how to convey it.
Melissa Review left May 27, 2008
Grade: Pre-algebra Time: 1 year
Your situation:
Two Children in pre-algebra--ages 11 and 13.
I have two children who are almost done with the pre-algebra text this year. We really like this program. It is not overwhelming and they get their math done in about 30-45 minutes time. We did take the pre-test to find out where they would place, and it put them in pre-algebra. We have found that the text is VERY slow for them, and I wonder if I wouldn't have been better off putting them in algebra. But I feel that it is probably better to go more slowly and get these concepts ingrained than to rush over it.
Any other helpful hints:
Check through the text and see if you can skip some of the early lessons or at least just breeze over them quickly.
hs mom Review left May 19, 2008
Grade: Pre-Calculus Time: seven months
I have home schooled our daughter since the beginning. I love math and we have used Modern Curriculum Press and ABeka until this year.
In our opinion, Teaching Textbooks should NOT have released this course without the solutions guide. Even though I love math and have done very well every other year, this book has been difficult without the solutions guide for assistance when uncertain. Also there is no index, which is frustrating.
Wait until they improve Pre-Calculus before buying. I emailed them with one question this year, and never got a response.
Kim Kowalik Review left March 17, 2008
Grade: Geometry Time: half a year
I bought this product mainly for my benefit because I didn't want to have to figure out any questions that might come up. I knew I wouldn't have the time this year with an active change-of-life toddler in the house plus the middle schooler and the high schooler. (I sound like such a bad mother, but that's the truth of the matter. Mothering was a lot easier when I was younger!)
Why you liked/didn't like the book:
This product has really met and exceeded my expectations because, true to the author's claims, I don't have to do anything more than photocopy the tests and then grade them. BUT, I do think that it's too easy for our high schooler. This course takes a significant chunk of his study time, about an hour each day, but he's getting nearly everything correct and doing very well with it. He says it's kind of tedious to do because none of the examples make you think outside the box, they really are just repeats of the examples in the lessons. He says he likes the fact that the practice problems are so detailed. And he says he likes the lectures because they point out other information that isn't in the text lesson. Before I discourage you, I should mention that he's an advanced student who's been doing two maths this year, this geometry class, and Foerster's Algebra II and Trigonometry, which is a great deal harder than the other products currently available. (But I do have the solutions manual, so it's working for me too!) He's halfway done with the Geometry text and will definitely finish it before this school term ends, which is great because that will free up more time for SAT prep next school year. All in all, I like the product and am seriously considering adding the Pre-Algebra and Algebra I books to our home for our middle schooler, who is not as advanced with his math skills. (Besides, I doubt our toddler is going to get in much less mischief on a daily basis for at least another year or two, so I need the break this kind of product can afford me.)
Any other helpful hints:
Yes, it is expensive, but remember that your time is worth something! If you are like me and you lack the time to do the problems with your child in order to figure out how or where he went wrong, then this may be just the thing for you.
Chris
Grade: Algebra 2 Time: 6 months
Your situation:
Co-op math teacher
Why you liked/didn't like the book:
It presents topics in a completely different order than any other Algebra II book I've seen. This is a problem when I am attempting to help struggling students by assigning additional problems since I cannot pull problems from other texts easily. Also, some very important Algebra II topics (functions, absolute value, inequalities) are left until the very end. I personally think not teaching synthetic division until the additional topics of Precalculus is just ridiculous. (My students agree after I showed them how much easier it is than long polynomial division.) The reordering of the topics makes it difficult to apply some standard solving techniques to help my struggling students.
Some of my students are doing well with this product, but I have 3 or 4 students who are really struggling with this format.
Any other helpful hints:
Because this does not cover all of the topics normally covered in an Algebra II course you will need to plan on staying with Teaching Textbooks through PreCalculus (where some of those topics are picked up).
Do not assume your high schooler is going to be disciplined enough to watch the DVDs and the problem solutions without your guidance. The program does not work if you try to just read the text. (Word problems are only solved on the DVD).
Amy
Time only 1
Your situation:
This was my 1st year using Teaching Textbooks; we've used Saxon before this year.
Hi, this is coming from a homeschool student. We have been using Saxon math up until this year, which I'm doing Algebra 2. This is the 1st year I've actually understood the math. Here are 2 reasons that it is so great: 1. They actually SHOW you how to do the problems, and 2. When you get a problem wrong, you can go back and the disc can show you how to do it, so you don't waste a lot of time trying to figure out something you would have never guessed. ;)
Meg
Time part of one year
My daughter has always loved and done well at math (this year she is 10 and is doing pre-agebra). Last year we decided to go with Saxon. She got bogged down by it, and began to hate math! We worked around some problems, added and subtracted things to help her through it. But it never "clicked". I couldn't pay that much, do so much work to try to get her to understand it, AND have it not work anymore! I heard about Teaching Textbooks and that it was written for Homeschoolers, which is what we are, so decided to try it.
Why you liked/didn't like the book:
We have only done a few weeks of it so far, but it's a WORLD of difference for her. It's clearly explained, has step by step answers for every problem, and it clicked for her right away! She loves doing her math again, and is moving right along!
Any other helpful hints:
They have a test you can do on-line that helps you figure out what level to start on. I also read reviews on-line written by people who had used it before. There was a wealth of info about it, some written by the students themselves! The student first watches the explanation of it (cd in computer), then does the work on paper. There is also a book, so the student can read along while the cd is playing if they wish.
Deena
Time 1 year
Your situation:
My daughter is in 7th grade and will finish Algebra 1 this summer.
Why you liked/didn't like the book:
Last year my daughter was ready for pre-algebra and we used a different curriculum. The highest math I took was algebra 2 so any time she needed help with pre-algebra I would have to set down and try to figure it out for her. Even the with the teachers book it would take time. Another homeschool mom recommended Teaching Textbooks to us and we tried it this year. We have loved it. She totally gets it now. The best part is that when she needs help she just pops in the CD and it's like having a tutor there with her. No more need for me to fumble around and try to figure it out. If she needs help she gets it right away and can move on.
Any other helpful hints:
I would highly recommend Teaching Textbooks to people who feel their kids are reaching their parents math level. It's difficult to teach something that isn't like second nature to you. Let them use this curriculum and quickly get the help they need!
Jackie
Grade levels used: Algebra 1 and 2
Time 2 years
Your situation:
One child in Algebra 1 (she's in 8th grade) and one child in Algebra 2 (he's finishing up 11th)
Why you liked/didn't like the book:
These courses were recommended to me by a homeschool mom who was formally a Math teacher. My son struggled through AOP Algebra and several supplements, although he is very bright. These two courses are extremely good. The cost is a little expensive, the highest investment I've made. But I felt the math is so very important to nail down. They include CDs as well as textbooks and ALL the problems are given a complete solution. I'm so grateful to my friend for having suggested Teaching Textbooks to me.
Any other helpful hints:
Although it's rather expensive, if you have more than one child, I would strongly consider this curriculum. I really feel it's even worth it for just one.
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P.S. ....
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