Why We Use Teaching Textbooks Homeschool Math Curriculum
When you find a homeschool math curriculum that works for your kids you want to share it, right? That’s why I’m excited to share this review of the math curriculum we use with our kids and how Teaching Textbooks has made a great program even better! Teaching Textbooks compensated me for this post because they know how much we love it and wanted me to share the love with you.
Don’t miss the giveaway at the end of the post!!!
One of the most challenging parts of homeschooling is choosing the right curriculum. I think homeschool parents feel the most pressure when it comes to choosing math curriculum. Math simply makes people nervous. Even those who think they are pretty good at math get a little uneasy at the idea teaching it to their own child. Add in the recent push for more math and science in education, and the pressure is real.
I come from a science background. Advanced math was necessary for my degree. I was ok at math. It wasn’t my favorite subject, but I got good grades and survived. So, teaching math really didn’t scare me. My concern was to find a math curriculum that fit my children’s learning style and our homeschooling lifestyle.
In the early years of our homeschooling journey, I taught every subject. The kids were dependent upon me to teach them or at least guide them through their assignments. As they got older, I started transitioning them to be independent learners. Math was actually one of the last subjects I let go of.
My kids and I tried several different online math programs. It was important for me that they get a feel for what was available to them and that they know that they are all different in their approach. I wanted to see which ones they gravitated toward.
After a time of searching and reviewing, they both chose the same curriculum independently of each other – Teaching Textbooks. (Read: What Sets Teaching Textbooks Homeschool Math Apart?)
The Teaching Textbooks Magic
We are now finishing up our 2nd year with Teaching Textbooks. The kids have used Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry. During these past 2 years, something amazing happened. I didn’t hear one complaint about doing math. I didn’t have to nag for an assignment to be completed. I didn’t have to stress about getting assignments and tests graded. It was like magic!
Not only did Teaching Textbooks make our homeschool math less stressful, it actually taught them math. By that I mean there are some curriculum that aren’t as rigorous. They don’t prepare student for higher level math or prepare them for the ACT or SAT tests. Teaching Textbooks prepared my daughter very well for the ACT.
Online Homeschool Math
Teaching Textbooks homeschool math curriculum has always been a computer-based program. Each level has been made up of several discs containing lessons given by an instructor, practice problems, tests, and the gradebook. A print textbook rounds out the program.
That worked fine for us until we needed a new computer and had to really search for one that had a disc drive! Or if I wanted to check on the kids’ math grades and progress, I had to get their computer in order to log in to their records.
So, we were all soooo excited when Teaching Textbooks came out with version 3.0!!!
This is a totally online version of Teaching Textbooks. It has all the great instruction, practice problems, tests, and grading, but now it is all online!
My daughter has been test driving Teaching Textbooks 3.0 for a few weeks now. I sat down with her to ask her what she thought about the new version. She had lots of things she liked about it and nothing she did not!
Teaching Textbooks 3.0 Benefits
It’s true that parents and kids see things differently. When it comes to homeschool curriculum, parents often see different benefits or challenges than their students do. Since we brought our kids in on the choosing of their math curriculum, I thought I would share with you the benefits my daughter sees in Teaching Textbooks 3.0 and the benefits I see.
According to my 17 year old daughter, these are the major benefits of the new Teaching Textbooks 3.0.
- No more discs! Face it, discs get misplaced or even lost. Siblings share a computer and one takes the pre-algebra disc out to put their geometry disc in, but can’t remember what they did with the pre-algebra disc. Discs get broken or scratched. Many new computers don’t even have a disc drive! Not having to keep track of those discs is a big stress relief for kids and parents.
- Textbook is online! The textbook is great, but it is large and kind of awkward to carry with us if we go anywhere. We are constantly on the go and sometimes do our homeschool work away from home. Lugging that book is a pain. Having the online version is awesome! But, if you need to print out part of the book to take with you or to study, you can print the pages you need.
- Accessible on any computer or device! Since Teaching Textbooks 3.0 is totally online, it can be accessed anywhere on any device. So if the kids want to do math at Grandma’s house, they can just log into their accounts on her computer or iPad. No need to take their computer and discs. It is even possible to do their Teaching Textbooks math on a smartphone, although we haven’t tried that yet. (Check out this handy guide to using Teaching Textbooks on your tablet or smartphone.)
As a parent who has used Teaching Textbooks 2.0 with her kids for the past couple years, these are what I see as big improvements incorporated into the new 3.0 version.
- Instant access! No more waiting for the discs and book to arrive. You know you’ve done it. You’ve waited until the last minute to order your curriculum and you want it immediately. But, you wait for the 3-5 days for it to finally arrive. With the new Teaching Textbooks 3.0, you have instant account access when you place your order. Procrastinators rejoice!
- Instant access to grades! I really like the fact that Teaching Textbooks grades each assignment and test and keeps them on the computer that the kids use. However, sometimes I want to see their grades and their progress, but they are using their computer at the moment or I can’t find their computer. With version 3.0, I can log on anytime from any device and see exactly what their grades are, what assignments they have completed, what they are struggling with, and what they are knocking out of the park. It makes it so easy to keep track of student progress even when you are letting them learn independently.
- Lower price! Who doesn’t like a lower price? A great thing about Teaching Textbooks 2.0 is that because it is made up of discs and a physical textbook, you buy it once and you can use it for multiple children. Teaching Textbooks 3.0 is a 12 month subscription available for one child only. However, the 3.0 price is so low that it is often less expensive way to go even if you have more than one child who may want to use that level of Teaching Textbooks. Plus, Teaching Textbooks has a large family discount plan for families with 4 to 8 students!
- Same great education! Teaching Textbooks 3.0 is the same great program using the same lessons and techniques used in version 2.0. Nothing is watered down or left out. There is only more convenience built in.
Our Choice For Homeschool Math
Teaching Textbooks is now a part of our homeschool. I can’t really imagine homeschool without it at this point. The kids are happy. They are learning math, and I am stress free. Perfect!
Check out Teaching Textbooks for yourself:
Teaching Textbooks FREE Trial
Want to give Teaching Textbooks a try without any commitment? Here’s an opportunity to let your kids take it for a spin and see how they like it. My daughter was able to do this back when we were looking for a new math curriculum and it was so helpful in making our decision.
Through Teaching Textbooks FREE Trial program, you can try as many Teaching Textbooks levels as you like (simultaneously), from Math 3 all the way up through Pre-Calculus. CLICK HERE for answers to those FAQs. CLICK HERE to get started!
Teaching Textbook Subscription Giveaway
Enter the Rafflecopter contest below to win 1 year FREE Teaching Textbooks subscription to a course of your choice!! Contest ends August 13th, 2018 at midnight.