Are you considering using Teaching Textbooks in your homeschool? We started using it this year and it makes life so much easier!
*I received Teaching Textbooks in exchange for my honest review, I have been compensated for my time.
Math has always been something that I have struggled with teaching in our homeschool. I don’t know why exactly. Sometimes I think it is because I have boys and their male brain and my female brain think differently and they don’t get the way I’m explaining something. Other times I think it is because math always came super easy to me in school and that is not the case with my children.
Whatever the reason we’ve had our share of struggles. I may even have once beat my head against a Geometry book while trying to teach my oldest… not my finest moment.
So I have been on the lookout of years for a program that would make math easier to get through each day. Something that is easy for my boys to use, easy for them to understand and that doesn’t take a ton of prep for me.
Sound too good to be true?
Well, let me tell you, Teaching Textbooks checks all those boxes!
Specifically, we are using Teaching Textbooks 3.0 the online version (more about how we love that later) it has made life so much easier for our homeschool this year! Here are all the reasons we love it!
#1 My kids like it-
If you’ve homeschooled for a while you know how important this is. You can have the best curriculum on the planet and if your kids don’t like it you’re in for an uphill battle. Now I’m never going to get a, “I love this!!” out of my boys when it comes to math but my youngest said that it is by far the “least painful” math he’s ever done. Even though he won’t admit to occasionally enjoying it I have caught him moving on to another lesson even when I haven’t told him to. He especially loves the little “buddies” you can pick that encourage you as you move through your lesson. At 11 the novelty of having a cartoon snowman tell you you’re doing a good job helps make it a lot more fun!
#2 They can work independently –
The way that Teaching Textbooks is structured makes it super easy for kids to work on their own. My 17- year-old especially appreciates being able to do his schoolwork whenever he wants, instead of having to sit at the table with his little brother. I love that both of them can watch the lecture video, have the concept clearly explained and then move on to the practice problems. I only have to step in if there is something they really don’t understand or are struggling with which has only happened a handful of times. We’ve used other video-based math in the past and often it has a lot of extra details, multiple example problems, and it loses the kid’s interest. These lectures are short and sweet but make the concept really clear. It makes it easy for the kids to learn independently!
#3 – I get a full report-
As a parent, you can log into your account and check on your child’s progress quickly and easily. It tells you what lessons they’ve completed and how well they did. You can check on their quizzes and see what grades they’ve gotten. You also have the ability to tweak the settings for things like hints if you want, and you can print out their grades if you need them for their portfolio!
#4 -It is portable-
If you are like us, and most homeschool families I know, you are on the go… a lot! One of the things I love about Teaching Textbooks is that it can be used on mobile devices! So running all around town to activities isn’t an excuse for skipping your math lesson! And at home, if you want to lounge on the couch to do your math… well, that works too! Not having to be tethered to a laptop or desktop makes life so much easier. My boys can go in their rooms if they need quiet to work, snuggle on the couch with the dogs, or sit at the table like civilized people, it all works!!
#5-It is affordable-
I am cheap…. ahem…frugal. When it comes to homeschooling you can spend a fortune trying to find what works, and often with multiple kids you have to spend that fortune 2 or 3 times. With Teaching Textbooks 3.0 the cost is only $43- $67 for the YEAR! But wait there’s more! You can try it for FREE before you buy, so you can figure out if it works well for your family. The trial is 15 complete lessons so you get a great sense of how it works before committing to any payment (you don’t need any credit card information for the trial!!) If you have a large family you can take advantage of their large family plan that caps your total cost at $199 for the year! If you have a child that whizzes through their Math work you can even change levels through the course of the year without having to pay again!
A few other things..
If you are just starting out with Teaching Textbooks you can have your child take one of their placement tests to make sure you are signing up for the best course for your child.
Teaching Textbooks 3.0 does require an internet connection, if you don’t have one, never fear you can still order a physical product from them. The lessons are the same in both formats so there is just as much to love if you have the CD’s!
Teaching Textbooks has a super friendly support staff. Have a question? Don’t hesitate to give them a call or email and they will help you out… even if it is walking you through something that should be super simple, I speak from experience!
So go! Check them out! Make this the year where homeschool math is a thing of ease instead of stress, where your kids can enjoy their lessons and you can have a cup of coffee knowing that they are learning without you having to do all of the teaching!!
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