Our "New" Math...CTC Math Review and Giveaway!

Note: This post is a review of CTC Math, which I received free in return for an unbiased review.  I believe this is a great product for homeschoolers, but would also benefit my non-homeschooling friends who are looking for help or reinforcement for their children in math.  Regardless of your schooling status, I hope you'll take a moment to read and share this post.  Thanks!  

 

 

The "New" Math vs. "Old-School" Math.  You know, I'm not really sure what either one is.  I just know that math in general has really caused me a lot of stress over the last few years.  Jewell always made A's in math, but none of us (me included) really knew what we were doing.  Two bachelors, two masters, and a doctorate between us, and Gerald and I still found ourselves huddled over the computer Googling 3rd grade math, assuring each other that we were, indeed, intelligent people, while Jewell tearfully tried to explain the round-the-world way she had been taught to do simple addition.  (Why must you draw sets of sticks and piles of rocks when it would be much simpler to just remember that 12 + 13 = 25.  At least it used to.  Now it could be 24.  Or maybe 30.  Because instead of just adding to find your answer, someone thought it would be better to guesstimate.  Because isn't rounding numbers just as good as adding them?  Well, no.  My banker doesn't think so.  He insists that we keep exactly enough money in the bank to cover our checks.  Not about enough.)  So needless to say, math was the one thing I was determined to get right when we began homeschooling.  But it took a while.

 

As I said, Jewell had always gotten A's in math, but she had no confidence.  It seemed I spent the first 10 minutes of math each day talking her off the ledge.  Assuring her she could do it.  And she could.  She did.  But not until we were both thoroughly frustrated.  And exhausted.  And at this rate, she'd never achieve the autonomy in math that we both wanted her to have.  There had to be a better way.  I needed to find a math program that A) made sense and B) took me out of the mix.

 

I decided to try Teaching Textbooks.  I must admit, it worked.  I stayed by her the first couple of days to make sure she understood the process of logging in and saving her work, but after that, I left her to it.  She actually liked it.  She would complete several lessons in one sitting.  She enjoyed it and she began to feel that she could "do math".  Ahh, success.  But...

 

It's not cheap.  And you buy one level at a time.  Should you finish a level quickly, you have to buy the next.  Add in a couple of kids, and, as great a product as it is, it starts to eat up the budget.  Back to the drawing board.  I kept getting emails from the Cathy Duffy review site advertising CTC Math, so I decided to give it a try.  Loved it!  Very similar to Teaching Textbooks, and the creator/teacher has a very, umm, how should I put it?...appealing Australian accent, if you get my drift.  Bingo!  We have our own "new" math program.  Give me a few minutes and I'll tell you why...

 

 

First of all, it's easy to implement.  Unlike Teaching Textbooks, you don't have to have a disk.  You simply log in to the website, so you can do math any time, anywhere.  (And don't we all love the ability to do math on vacation, in the car, at Grandma's?  OK - maybe not, but you don't have to worry about damaged or lost disks.)  Each child has their own login.  I keep a post-it stuck to the computer with the kids various user-names and passwords.  Once you're on the site, it's very clean.  No ads.  Very few graphics.  Just very simple and not at all distracting...unless you find yummy Australian accents distracting.  But I digress.

 

Second - you have access to all levels.  Let me repeat...ALL levels.  So if you have a second grader who is breezing through lessons and is ready to begin the next level, well then, go right ahead!  Suppose your 9th grader is having a little trouble with Algebra 1.  Never fear.  Simply move back and do a little reviewing in Pre-Algebra.  You can move around at will, and the child's progress will continue to be recorded.

 

Third - it grades your child's work and will send you a weekly email, letting you know their progress.  One less thing for you to worry about!

 

Here's how we used it last year.  Before beginning the lesson(s) for the day (Jewell usually did two a day), she would click on Speed Skills at the bottom.  There are four Speed Skill levels. Level 1 - Addition and Subtraction. Level 2 - Addition, Subtraction and Multiplication.  Level 3 - Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division.  Level 4 - Addition, Subtraction, Mixed Multiplication and Division, Division with Remainders and Order of Operations.  I had her working on level 2 and 3.  I had her complete a 60 second session in each area.  (I really believe in speed drills.  This was something that was not stressed as she was beginning arithmetic in 1st and 2nd grade, and I believe it is one of the reasons she lacks confidence.)  Once she completed the daily Speed Skills, she moved on to the lessons.  All in all, her math took less than 30 minutes, leaving her time to work daily critical thinking activities like Sudoku and other math puzzles.

 

Each lesson "lecture" generally lasts between 3 and 7 minutes.  At least that is our experience so far.  Jewell worked in 5th grade math, and I started with 7th just to get familiar with the program.  I had a lot of fun and was really surprised at what I remembered.  Even if I couldn't explain it, I generally remembered what to do.  (And don't judge, y'all.  I'm now up to Algebra 1, and doing well, thank you very much!  See how much YOU can remember after 30 years!)

 

Once you listen to the lecture, you click on "Questions" and begin your work.  In the elementary grades, there are generally 10 questions.  Once you finish those, you have the option of working 10 more, and so on.  With Jewell, if she got all 10 correct, she could move on to the next lesson.  If she missed one, I required her to work another 10.  Remember, whatever they do will be sent to you in a weekly email.  The program also keeps up with the child's work and tells them what level they are working on.  It will also give them the option to print a certificate of level completion, which Brack really likes.

 

This is NOT a spiral program.  There is really no review of past materials.  This is probably my main complaint (on a very short list which I will share with you shortly).  To make sure that my kids are retaining skills, I use a program called "180 Days of Math" for each of their individual grade levels. It takes less that five minutes a day and is a great little brush-up tool.  Each daily lesson presents them with 12 questions ranging from simple addition to shapes to time to graphs, etc.  Each workbook comes with a disc that you can use to print the worksheets if you have other children that will need the material later.  (We also use "180 Days of Reading" for comprehension work.)

 

 

In the elementary levels, questions are answered directly into the computer.  In the upper levels, you listen to a lecture and then print out the worksheet containing the questions.  Once you have worked your answers on paper, there is a key on the side.  Not the answers, mind you.  That would allow for, well, cheating.  Suppose your answer for #1 is 12.  The key will tell you - 12) R.  Once you have found the corresponding letter to your number answers, you enter the letters as your "answers" and it gives you the grade.  This is good because it helps you to know if you got the right answer.  For example, if you think that your answer is 12, but there is not a letter for 12, you know you need to redo the problem.  Working the worksheets in the upper levels is also a good idea because it gives you more practice and it keeps you familiar with testing styles.

 

I spoke several times with Matthew Rahi, the American representative for CTC.  He was extremely helpful with all my questions, and trust me, I had a lot.  When I asked him about whether CTC was intended to be a stand alone math curriculum, he said "definitely" up to 6th grade.  He suggested it serve as a supplement in the junior and senior high levels.  This was a disappointment to me because I really like this program and would be happy to commit to a long-term relationship with it.  So I did some investigating.  I printed several tables of contents from companies like Houghton Mifflin and Harcourt and compared the upper levels.  Looked complete to me.  I mentioned this to him and asked him what he felt was lacking from CTC in the upper levels.  He responded with something that I am sure only brain surgeons and rocket scientists need to know.  Let's just say I have done fine without it!

 

I really like this program, and see us using it for the long haul.  However, there are a couple of things I wish were a little different.  1) If you miss a question, it doesn't tell you why you got it wrong.  2)  It's not spiral, but I've already addressed that.  That's it.  Seriously.

 

So, what are my top three favorite things about CTC Math?  (Besides the fact that it's like having Hugh Jackman teach you order of operations?!)  1) I'm not having to teach math.  That means one less melt down per day.  (Mine, not hers.)  2) It's cost effective.  You get more than one level on a CD that can get lost or broken.  3) It does the work for you.  Teaching, grading, recording.  Done.  This program made me believe we can do math again!

 



You can go online to their website CTC Math and get a free, trial membership.  There's no time limit on it.  You just get access to the first lesson under each topic.  This is what I did when I was first checking them out.  I liked it so much I contacted them and offered to do a review.  In exchange, they gave me a free family membership.  However, this review is truly my own.  And like I said before, we love CTC Math!

If you'd like to subscribe, click here.  This link gives homeschoolers 60% off, which boils down to about $120 a year for unlimited lessons for two or more kids.  That's a pretty good deal if you have a big family, but you can do the math.  (And if you can't, then you really do need to join CTC!)

 

Now to the fun stuff...a giveaway!  The great folks at CTC Math have agreed to furnish me with a 12 month family membership to give away to one lucky winner! 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you are needing a fresh start in math this fall, I hope you'll give CTC Math a try.  If you have more questions, please feel free to contact me!

**************************

 

I'm so glad you stopped by my neck of the woods!

Please take a moment to sign up to receive new posts by email.

I wouldn't want you to miss one crazy thing...

 

How We "Do" History...Part 2 (TruthQuest History Review)

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of TruthQuest's American History for Young Students I in return for my unbiased review.

Earlier this week, I told you a little about my personal take on the study of history.  You can read more about that here.  (I got a little nervous when the one comment I got on the post came from my high school history and government teacher.  However, I'm glad to say she agreed with me!) 

Instead of reading a textbook, I'd rather go on a field trip.  Instead of writing a research paper, I'd rather get lost in learning about history through working on my family tree.   There are lots of interesting ways to "do" history.  Finding the right one for your child can make the difference between a love of history and just a general tolerance.

 

We started the year with a more traditional history curriculum, and while it was well written and succinct in summary, it just wasn't something that we were looking forward to.  My kids were just not excited about history.  And to be honest, neither was I.  I needed to figure out what was going on. 

 

One day, Brack told me he wanted to go back to Williamsburg, VA.  (We had stopped for two days on our way home from Washington, D.C., and the kids had loved it.)  Why were they so excited about that, but couldn't get happy about Egyptian hieroglyphics?  I think the difference was that we had been there.  We had walked in the steps of those who had lived there centuries ago.  It was real to my kids.  So how could I make all history real and relevant to my children?  We couldn't take a trip every time we studied a new person or place.  Or could we?

Before we go any further, I have to tell you that my approach to history is different than my approach to math.  Or Grammar.  In those areas, I want a very methodical approach.  Just the facts.  Learn them and give them back to me.  But in history, I want to expose my children to as much as I can.  Brack may be fascinated by the westward expansion in the early-1800's while Jewell is more interested in the European monarchy.  By surveying people and periods without getting bogged down in dates and places, my children can discover the history that they love.

I was recently given the opportunity to review TruthQuest history curriculum.  I chose American History for Young Students I since my kids seem (at the moment) to be more interested in American history than ancient civilizations.  We have been using the guide for several weeks now, and I want to share with you my thoughts on this curriculum.

First, I must say that I do not consider myself a Charlotte Mason educator.  Perhaps if we had started homeschooling when my children were younger...maybe if I had not been a junior high school teacher...or if my kids had not experienced traditional schooling...  However, I enjoy reading, so I like the idea of living books.  But I also like structure.  Enter TruthQuest history.

 

American History for Young Students I is more a reading list than a textbook.  But don't let that turn you off.  The author has carefully and thoughtfully outlined the people and events to be studied (beginning with Leif Erikson and ending around 1800 with the westward movement of the pioneers) and then collected an extensive suggested reading list to accompany each topic.  It is more a study of people than events, allowing history to unfold through their personal experiences.  While a number of books (primarily biographies) are suggested for each historical character, it is not the author's intention that each and every title be read.  The ability to choose titles that are a) available to you and b) interesting to your children, is what makes the curriculum appealing. 

 

The material is multi-leveled, so it offers great flexibility for families with several children.  Titles at varying levels of difficulty are suggested for each topic and the parent is left to choose what will work best for their family.  Jewell and Brack are three years apart grade wise, but only a little more than two years chronologically.  I have picked biographies that will appeal to both children so that we can do the readings together.  But families could also choose to have students read different books about the same people and then come together to share what they have learned.

 

In order for the program to be really successful, you must 1) have access to a good library, or better yet, a great librarian who can order titles for you.  My husband is a professor at Faulkner University.  Mrs. Lila Broadway has been an incredible resource to me this year ordering titles that I need.  I can go online to Faulkner's website and enter the book info, and she has it ready for pick up, usually in a matter of three or four days.  Some items she has been able to pull from the university's own collection while others have come from around the state and as far away as Wyoming.  I realize not everyone has access to a college library, but if you are not using your public library's interlibrary loan program, you are really missing out.  (Be sure to develop a good relationship with your local librarian.  It can make the difference in how diligent she is in finding your titles and how quickly she can get them for you!)  Plus, Lila says she has to do annual reports on interlibrary loans and that my family single-handedly makes her look good!  Glad to help, Lila!

 

2) You must be organized and plan ahead in order to have the books when you need them.  I sat down with the TruthQuest guide one evening after the kids were in bed and took the suggested titles and looked them up on line to see which ones I thought we would like.  I tend to lean toward older books.  The language is more interesting, the pictures are more beautiful, and the viewpoints less political.

 

In order for us to move through the study at a nice rate, I am choosing one title per character (or topic) and find myself choosing books written at about a 4th grade level.  Most of these are 50-60 pages long, so we can usually get through one a day.  As this is a survey course, this seems to cover the subject well.  The books are easy to understand, and since many were written more than 50 years ago, they are short but still meaty.  Not a lot of fluff. 

 

Our first chapter of study about early American explorers looks like this:

 

 

The author, Michelle Miller, writes with a definite Christian worldview, and prefaces each topic or character study with a paragraph or two of historical perspective.  She also suggests a few classic children's history textbooks to accompany her text to offer a little more background.  She also has a list of suggested reading for parents.  A little background research, if you will.  While it is obvious that she believes in the Almighty Creator of the universe and that the Bible is inerrant and inspired, she does not inject doctrine into her writing.  Parents can be comfortable that the material is Christian-based but has no doctrinal slant.

 

Other products like unit studies and lap books are available to accompany the texts, but what appeals to me is the simplicity of simply reading about history.  Well-written stories can stand alone.  And with all the other curriculums we use during the day for math, grammar, science, etc., it's nice to have a more laid-back, but still challenging study.  I recommend this curriculum to anyone who is looking to make history come alive.

 

You can learn more about the other studies available at www.truthquesthistory.com. 

 



I regret that my children do not read as much as I wish they did.  They prefer being read to rather than reading themselves.  (We're working on that.)  But while they are willing to still be read to, I will take them up on it.  I enjoy this time together each day as we sit and read.  (OK - I sit, Jewell lies on the couch and Brack hangs up-side down over a chair.  Or lays under the coffee table.  Seriously.)  I hope that the reading we do together now will translate to a personal love of reading that will follow them their entire lives.  By reading good quality literature about people who made a real difference in the world, I hope to spark their curiosity.  I hope they will one day wonder who a bridge is named after and why...and then go look it up.  And learn.

**************************

 

I'm so glad you stopped by my neck of the woods!

Please take a moment to sign up to receive new posts by email.

I wouldn't want you to miss one crazy thing...