MathandAlgebra.com: An Online Math Program Review

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.

A good teacher always makes the biggest difference in a child's success in a give subject.  In math, the quality of your teacher can make or break your understanding!  That's why finding curriculum and a program that works well for your student is vital to their success.  That's why being a part of the Review Crew is so valuable to me, because it has taught me both the needs of my children and the viable options available in the curriculum world.  For today's review, we are talking about MathandAlgebra.com, a program that serves as a teacher and curriculum support.  In all of the curriculum reviews I have done over the past 5 years, I've never encountered a program quite like this one!

What We Received:
We received a one year family subscription to MathandAlgebra.com that includes four complete math courses: Basic Math, Advanced Math, Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1.  

How It Works:
As a parent/admin I have a dashboard that lists all of my students with access to their progress within each course.  Each course contains multiple mini courses that provide video lessons, downloadable worksheets and a quiz. In the Basic Math Course there are topics like Whole Numbers, Fractions, Decimals, Geometry, etc.  Students are expected to watch each video with a blank page of paper and a pencil to follow along with the instructor.  Once they finish that video there is a worksheet for practice.  At the end of the topics several lessons there is a quiz and badges to be earned at every completion.  The unique aspect of this program absolutely comes down to the instructor, Richard Fisher's friendly speaking voice and clear teaching method.  And it's no wonder, because his teaching record is long and full of success!  His face is never shown (at least not in the lessons we saw), but the video shows problems being worked out in real time.  In the videos and the worksheets, he offers invaluable tips and guidance for the learners to really succeed.  

What We Thought:
When we first received access to this program, my 4th grader had just started fractions.  In MathandAlgebra.com, I started him in Basic Math, but skipped over the Whole Number section and began at Fractions.  He had some fraction understanding already, but had started to drag his feet with finding common denominators and simplifying.  After the first video lesson, he immediately wanted to do more! He understood the concepts well and it suddenly felt like we were talking the same math language.  

As an educated adult, I have learned how to do all kinds of math, but teaching it to my 9 year old boy in a way that he understands is an entirely different skill.  We have done alright, but as students get older, that gap between understanding a concept and clearly communicating that concept tends to get bigger.  Having a program like this on hand, especially as students head into middle school math, is a wonderful tool.  Since my husband is an engineer and well-quipped with math skills, he is a great back-up when I'm not getting a concept across.  This program is perfect for someone who needs back-up or doesn't feel capable to start with.  With the videos not terribly long, parent and student can sit down together to watch them and easily grasp concepts together.
Since my oldest is only in the 4th grade, you might be interested in some of the other reviews that look more in depth at  Pre-Algebra and Algebra.  Check out more reviews through the link below.

CTCMath: An Online Math Curriculum Review

Even though we homeschool year round, we have slowed things down a bit this summer.  One of the great resources we have taken advantage of is CTCMath's Online Math Curriculum.  For this review we received a year's subscription to CTCMath's Homeschool Membership on the family plan which gave full access to all lessons across all grade levels that includes K-6, Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus and Calculus for up to ten students.  For large families this could be mean a lot of money saved!
Since most of our school work is not online, having an online program to fall back on has been really nice for the times when Miss Z (newly 3 years old) is insisting on 'doing school with me' and I need J  (my 5 year old) to still be productive.  This program is beautifully designed for independent work, complete with lessons, interactive questions and diagnostic tests that are all easily accessed.  The parent/teacher area includes detailed records on each student and the ability to assign tasks (lessons, tests, etc.) to each student ahead of time that will be waiting for them at their next login.  Especially for higher grade levels, this program is a smooth combination of parental control and student responsibility.

Since we've only made it to 1st grade work, I haven't had a lot of experience with the different learning issues math can sometimes present.  My son asked to use this program regularly, enjoyed the videos and didn't need much help once he got the layout of things down.  However, I can see CTCMath being very useful for all types of learners.  The lesson videos combine audio and visual avenues to engage the student, followed by interactive questions.  As the teacher, I can adjust how many questions are required for mastery on individual lessons for each individual student which can be helpful when students need extra practice on a skill.  The diagnostic tests are also accessible any time which even further allows you to individualize their experience to their needs.

I mentioned saving money earlier so let's look at that in greater detail.  The CTCMath Homeschool Membership comes in single student plans and family plans that you can purchase monthly (able to cancel at any time), at 6 months, or yearly.  If you only have one student and aren't looking for a complete curriculum replacement, a single membership a month at a time might make a lot of sense.  If you have more than one student able to use it, the family plan saves money and sets you up with a great record keeping system that you might choose to continue for years!  

Keep up with CTCMath on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ctcmath?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ctcmathofficial
Periscope: https://www.periscope.tv/ctcmathofficial
Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/ctcmath/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWn5e6974bpIEAe46VnovZw

Looking for a perspective on older students using this program?  Check out all of the other reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew: