Have you ever realized that you think (and teach) in a manner that is opposite of what your child learns? It happens to the best of us. When my 10yo recently started struggling in math, I realized that we think differently when it comes to math. I was delighted, then, when I found quality math help from CTCMath!
Does your child struggle with math?
Our math struggles started shortly before the holidays. We had more than one day when math assignments ended in frustration and tears. For both of us. If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard “math is stupid” or “I hate math” from her, I’d be rolling in some serious cash.
My light bulb moment occurred one day when I asked her how many sets of two are in one hundred. Because I am a linear thinker, I tend to put things in a sequential manner, like in a straight line. So this is how I solve the problem.
My brain automatically processes that there are five sets of two in ten, and that if I set up my cubes by sets of ten, I can easily determine how many sets of two are in one hundred.
My 10yo, on the other hand, is not a linear thinker. She has dyslexia and dysgraphia, and struggles with processing.. To determine how many sets of two are in one hundred, she puts groups of two all over the table.
Once she had the cubes in sets of two (again, all over the table), she proceeded to count the groups. I won’t lie. As she did this, I thought, “there is NO way she will ever get the right answer. I would lose count.” But guess what, she did get the right answer. It took her five times longer than it took me, but she did get it. This time. But for every time she gets it right, it seems, there have been multiple times when math had led to frustration and tears, if not headaches, for her.
Math Help from CTCMath
When we were asked to review CTCMath, I was desperate for help of any kind. I thought maybe, just maybe, someone ELSE explaining things would help her.
CTCMath is an online math curriculum and offers lessons from kindergarten through 12th grade. It is great for extra math help, kids who need to catch up, or for kids who are eager to move beyond the head of the class. Kids can move at their own pace, which is awesome.
I set up our CTCMath 12 Month Family Membership in a matter of minutes. First, I set up my teacher account, then I added each of my three kiddos. They each have a screenname and password to access their account.
CTCMath lessons each have a short video with review questions. Students *may* attempt the review questions before watching the video if they like. This is great for when you just want to make sure they can do the work, and they don’t necessarily need a refresher. Students may work on lessons of their choosing, or as the teacher, you can assign tasks.
Students may also work on speed drills or use one of the games in the program to practice problem solving.
As a parent/teacher, you have the ability to set the “passing” grade for each student. Our goal is to teach to mastery, so I set the “passing grade” at 90%. I figure if they get 90% of it, then we can move on. If not, review is necessary.
Benefits of CTCMath
As I mentioned, with CTCMath, you can assign tasks or students may complete lessons of their choosing. Students have access to the entire program, from basic addition all the way through calculus, so they can pick and choose.
When assigning tasks, the system will alert you if the student has previously completed the task that you’re trying to assign. This is a great way to avoid duplicating lessons when students work on their own and have assigned work.
When assigning tasks, the system also offers the option to hide the grade level of the task from the student. I’ve done this more than once, because I don’t want to wreck anyone’s esteem when assigning tasks that are below their current grade level.
Our Opinion of CTCMath
My 6yo absolutely loves CTCMath and asks all the time if she can work on her math online. When I asked my 10yo what she thinks of it, she said, “I don’t hate it. It’s not stupid. But it IS math.” We may need a multi-step approach with her, but, hey, I’ll take it! My 11yo likes that he can work on advanced math but can still go back and review the math he’s already learned. We will definitely be using our in the coming school year!
I know it’s hard to switch to a math curriculum that you’ve not been able to use or review, so I would encourage everyone to use the Free Trial of CTCMath. Whether you use CTCMath as a stand alone math curriculum or use it for extra help with another curriculum, it is worth adding to your toolbelt. Especially since homeschool families receive a massive 60% discount from regular price! When you purchase a 12 month membership, CTCMath will give you a bonus 6 months for FREE (to total 18 months). I don’t know about you, but we homeschool on a budget, so the bonus is really nice!
CTCMath is also giving away a full year membership! Be sure to enter to win!
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