Teaching Textbooks

I've had mixed feelings about the popular math computer program, Teaching Textbooks. Arielle completed the sixth grade program last year and I thought it seemed very simple. She didn't seem to be challenged at all. It was easy for me because I just let her do the lessons on her own. I didn't pay much attention to her work, but could check the gradebooks each day. I felt kind of guilty. Arielle MUCH preferred this to Saxon Math that she had done previously, so reluctantly I ordered the next program for her.

In a few more weeks she will have completed Teaching Textbook's 7th grade program. This time I am not allowing her to do the lessons on her own. I sit with her every day. The lessons are becoming increasingly more difficult and Arielle really has to think. She is doing a great deal of work with percents and decimals. I also ordered the just published 4th grade program for Liana last spring. It is not as advanced as the Abeka she did last year, but with her learning style, it is perfect for her.

Here is what I like about Teaching Textbooks:

Every lesson begins with a lecture only a few minutes long. It doesn't really take long to teach a new concept. There are practice questions and then about 20-22 problems to work. The authors use a spiral approach so there is lots of review every single day. There is a good balance of challenging problems and easy problems. This is especially good for my easily frustrated child, Liana. The easy problems build confidence too. The voices of the men speaking are friendly and helpful. I think that's important because the girls are listening to these guys every day. On the 4th grade level there are periodic drills in addition and multiplication. These drills are in an exciting format, kind of like a game show. Liana, who despises timed drills, doesn't complain too much about these.

I've noticed something interesting watching Liana work on her math. She hardly ever uses paper! Even with addition and multiplication problems with carrying, she does them in her head. She even does borrowing mentally! She looks at the problem on the screen and then she types in each number as she completes each computation, from right to left, just as if she is working it on paper. Even when the problems are written horizontally instead of vertically, she can still do them without paper. She is learning math in a whole new way. I never could do any math in my head.

Because we worked on math all summer, Arielle will soon be ready for the next program--Pre-Algebra. And Liana in just a few more weeks will begin the 5th grade program. I am ordering both from Teaching Textbooks.