Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew
Teaching Textbooks graciously filled up my son’s math requirements for the year with Geometry and Algebra 2. He has been steadily using this self-pace math curriculum for most of the school year. 🙂 He started the year using Geometry 3.0, and is about 3/4’s of the way through Algebra2 4.0. I have found this a wonderful use of my son’s time to be doing highschool math with Teaching Textbooks.
What I am Reviewing: Teaching Textbooks
Teaching Textbooks is a comprehensive online math program that was written specifically for homeschoolers. This program offers courses from grade three up through highschool, finishing at Pre-Calculus. You’ll discover that the courses have interactive lessons, step-by-step presentation of materials, solutions are given for assigned problems, immediate feedback and automated grading. For those students who don’t want to use the animated lessons there is a course workbook. There are incentives off with animated buddies and fun wallpapers.
The products that we used are Geometry and Algebra 2. Teaching Textbooks offers a free trial which is a complete version of their program up through Lesson 15. Isn’t that a generous trial period? Both of these courses cost $67 for 12 months, and you are allowed to suspend your course if you need to. I don’t know how long you can do that for, that would be a detail to discuss with the very helpful Teaching Textbook staff.
How did this Online Math Curriculum Work?
The best way for me to show you the difference between 3.0 and 4.0 is thru comparison in images. Teaching highschool math with Teaching Textbooks just got more engaging.
The lesson area on the screen is larger in the 4.0 than in the 3.0 with larger font as well.
You’ll find encouragement and colour with their incorrect answer feedback screen.
The full-screen version of 4.0 fills more of the screen and has simpler navigational controls.
One of the neat changes to the 4.0 was the addition on the interactive elements.
I thought I had captured a “before” image of how they did the correct answers in the 3.0, but failed to do so. Always the interaction was immediate. The new correct answer screen is more colourful.
One of the things I like is that the apps are readily available to use and only require the use of a password to access.
How did we use Teaching Textbooks?
My son is a fairly independent lad so once he had the password and later on, the app installed, he simply used it. It is a completely self-paced course and he chose to use the ebook rather than the spoken and interactive lessons. He only used the online portion of the program to take the tests.
The lad’s use of the ebook rather than the program. There are several reasons why he preferred the ebook to the regular way of doing the lessons. When it comes right down to it….. he found it faster to use the ebook. My boy loves to do his work as efficiently as possible, anything he deems a waste of time gets his dander up. 🙂
Ergo, being able to monitor his progress using the program simply didn’t work for me. I would occasionally check in with him to see his progress and to talk over any concerns, but left him to it.
Admittedly this picture is posed and I need to reassure my lad that nothing identifiable would be shown, but this is basically how he’d work. He’d pull up his lesson, read it through, do the practice questions, and then go back to do the tests.
I have to admit, it was a bit disconcerting at first to realize I couldn’t monitor his progress with the clicking of a button, but needed to physically check in on him. That’s worth it’s weight in gold actually in my world! When you have a very independent lad… it’s so good to have a reason to talk with each other. This… I like! 🙂 I am so pleased that Teaching Textbooks offers the ebook option as it works splendidly for how my boy likes to work.
Oh look! Marking results! 🙂
My son informed that he’s filled in some of his test scores so I can see how it all looks. He’s doing well which I’m delighted to see. BUT if you go to the gradebook you can see how they are doing which is lovely is it not?
This is particularity that my lad has. He does all his chapter work but doesn’t do the test immediately after. My son’s goal is just to learn and in a lot of ways doesn’t want to be bothered by tests. He’ll then review his knowledge and go back and do the tests (mostly because I expect him to). He says he learns better doing it this way as well. He does this with virtually everything course he has unless he has no choice.
I really like the teaching highschool math with teaching textbooks is so easy. They engage all types of learners.
My Son’s Opinion
It was an okay program although I didn’t like the normal lessons. I liked that I had the option to use ebook instead of the normal lessons. It did a pretty decent job of explaining things. Most of the time I could use the program as it was designed, but sometimes I wanted to know a bit more, or needed extra confirmation that I understood it properly. I would just go to youtube when I wanted that help.
I didn’t like the normal lessons because I didn’t care for the narrators voice and I could read faster than he spoke. If I could have found a way to turn him off I would have. Using the ebook as I could do the lessons faster and I liked that. One thing I would like to see is in app volume control. I liked doing both geometry 3.0 and algebra 2 4.0. There was less wasted space with the 4.0 than with the 3.0 which I much preferred, though I wonder why the lesson space couldn’t fill the whole screen rather than just a small portion. By increasing the viewable lesson area the font size could increase and/or you could put more material on the page.
My Closing Thoughts
I will initially hesitant about doing this review as my last foray with Teaching Textbooks (grade seven) was a total bust. It was! BUT this year, my son has not complained about doing his math. He simply does it and is happy to do so. He’s a boy who likes math and is picky in his course materials. So it works for him! WOOT WOOT. I am so delighted I added this review to our curriculum choices this year.
If you have a child who doesn’t like interactive math programs and likes mixing workbooks with online materials I would say that doing highschool math with Teaching Textbooks is an excellent alternative for you. Give it shoot eh? Try the trial period and so it going completely at their own pace works for your student. You will find yourself pleasantly surprised.
Social Media Links
You can find Teaching Textbooks on the following platforms.
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SEO Keywords: Homeschool Math, Homeschool Math Curriculum
Read the Reviews
Did you know that 31 members of the Homeschool Review Crew worked with Teaching Textbooks so we could explain how their math curriculum works? If you’d like to know more than just my thoughts, click through the image below.
Sounds like it was a good experience. I’m with the lad – I prefer to read something rather than listen to someone else tell me about it. One reason I struggle with so much of the social media stuff right now – people drone on and on when a few sentences will do the trick just as well if not better. 🙂 Glad he is enjoying this time with TT better.
me too, he’s learning well.