This program has been a LIFESAVER for my family. We are not math adroit -- hubby is the best, but he does everything in his head and has a hard time explaining what he's doing. Mama... well, enough said.

Teaching Textbooks provides a way for the student to work independently at math and achieve success. We found it after several years of trying various programs for our math-phobic older son. At one point we were using the "Key To" series along with a weekly math tutor; his gpa was 79%. That was okay, but we needed to get him to a point where his confidence level was such that he'd no longer need a tutor.

TT solved our problems. In the first year we tried it (7th grade math) our son's gpa rose to 84%. The next year, pre-algebra, saw a rise to 92%. This year, in algebra I he's fluctuating a bit but he's at 89% right now. We are THRILLED and so is he.

Our younger son started with the sixth grade math (he tested out of the 5th grade program) and is currently scoring A's in the 7th grade math. I think he could have skipped into pre-algebra, but he was nervous, so we let him have another year of review.

The program consists of CD's that you pop into the computer. The lecture is illustrated and voiced for the student with lots of interactive examples (from pre-algebra up it's not interactive). There are practice problems, then anywhere from 20-24 problems per lesson to do on your own. A solution CD (worth the entire cost of the program, as far as I'm concerned) shows how to work out every single problem in the book. An answer key is available for quick correcting.

From 7th grade down the programs have a built-in grading feature where you can see exactly which problems your child missed, how many times he tried it (the kids get two tries for each problem) and grades each lesson. You have to do your own record-keeping for the upper grades.

Critics of the program object to the cost (about $179) and that it doesn't seem as challenging as other math programs. As the parent, you need to decide what exactly your child needs for his success. My older son is not going to be a doctor or engineer -- or anything requiring higher level math. It's not his interest and he has different types of career goals. However, that doesn't mean I want him to top out at general junior high level math, so this type of a program is great for us.

For our second son, who is wired completely differently, I love that we can test out of whole years if we need to (at a younger grade) and then move ahead at his level. He may well go on to complete the entire catalog of TT products -- and he'll be completely on his own. I got a C in algebra I in school and took geometry twice only to get D's the entire time (I was an English major and am a beautiful writer ). I'm not the one to teach math and I'm very, very grateful that a program like this exists for my children.

SoCalPam

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“The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.”
― Mother Teresa

I agree with you. A right program is very helpful for kids. My daughter used to struggle with math. Then her teacher sent us to the site beestar for online math. The worksheets are full of all real life word problems, challenging stuff to help kids thinking. DD loves and supports it. There are many kids from different states using it, so DD can compete with them and I can found which level DD has been. She's been making progress and become confident in math.
Lisa