Let's face it, homeschool math can be a little intimidating. It is probably the number one subject that I hear my readers and friends are struggling with (science being a close second!). Teaching textbooks 4.0 has provided a great option for homeschool math that takes away the struggle and worry—for moms and students!
Homeschool Math Program Overview
Teaching Textbooks 4.0 is completely computerized. The app can be downloaded to your computer, tablet, or (in our case) a Chromebook. Students can use any device that the app is downloaded to because it syncs to all devices. This is a GREAT option for travel. Lessons can also be downloaded to a device for times when WiFi isn't available. Once reconnected to WiFi, the app syncs the completed information.
All lessons, quizzes, and tests are automatically graded. The program utilizes a spiral teaching approach and is completely independent for students, even at the lowest grades. That means there is no parent teaching required!
When a subscription is purchased, it includes 12 months of access to the program. Access can be paused in 7-day increments for up to 3 months. This is great for when your students need a short break or you decide to take a summer break.
Parent and Student Accounts
Parents and students each have separate accounts with their own username and password.
Parents are able to manage settings such as allowing hints, animations, and sounds, allow second chances on exercises and even set how many lessons can be completed in a day.
Parents can also view and print grades from the grade book and view and print the digital textbook as well if needed.
There is also an option to reset grades if you'd like to have your student repeat a lesson, quiz, or test. You can reset a grade for a single problem, or reset the entire lesson to be repeated.
The student account allows the student to access and change featured such as wallpaper, sound effects, completion stickers, buddy avatars, and more. The lesson options allow the student to skip the video portion of the lesson and go straight to the exercises. This can be useful for concepts that the student has already mastered. Let's face it, sitting through a lecture on something you already know can be pretty boring.
How the Lessons & Tests Work
When the student logs into the program they are taken to a screen with several options.
To begin a lesson, students simply click on the "Work on a Lesson" button. This takes them to a screen with a flip book. Students can flip to the lesson or quiz that they'd like to complete and the click to begin the lesson.
Lessons begin with video instruction on the concept being taught, then there are five practice problems to complete that help solidify the concept before moving on to the graded exercises.
There are about 20 exercises that are completed for a grade. If the student gets the answer incorrect, they can choose to get a hint (if you've allowed this option from the parent account) before making a second attempt at the problem. If it's missed again, the program counts it as an incorrect answer and then shows the student how to work the problem correctly.
What We Thought
Both my children used the Teaching Textbooks 4.0 program during the review period. My son worked on Math 4 and my daughter worked on Pre-Algebra.
My son LOVED all the fun elements like stickers and buddy avatars. He loved that he was able to customize things as well. It made doing math everyday fun and engaging.
Both my students liked that the lessons were short but very thorough, and they loved that they could repeat the video instruction as many times as they needed to make sure they understood the concept.
I love that everything is automatically graded and that I didn't have to teach it (Woot! Woot!). The program really is completely independent for the children.
What we didn't especially like about the program is that there are a lot of exercises to complete in each lesson. Sometimes the children would complain about how the exercise portion would just drag on and on and feel like there was no end to the problems and the whining would begin.
Other than that small thing, we all found Teaching Textbooks 4.0 to be a great homeschool math program! You can try for yourself with a free trial of the first 15 full lessons!
Don't Just Take Our Word For It!
This is only one of 31 reviews from families that have used courses from Teaching Textbooks 4.0. Be sure to visit the Homeschool Review Crew page to read more reviews by clicking on the banner below.
