Abeka Math

Reviewed by 1pchomeducator. Click here to see 1pchomeducator's profile.

I've always used Abeka Math, K5-3rd grades. When I order the dvd's, I receive everything I need for each subject. I do not use any other additional supplements for Math. The teachers on the dvds play several math games with the students. I usually sit with my son and make sure he is participating. I am happy with Abeka Math and will probably continue to use it until around 7th grade. Abeka Math does move rather quickly from one thing to the next. If my son has not mastered something, we work on it until he understands; we will not move on until then. Many times, I have turned off the dvd during Math and we work it together. This helps as Math tends to be my son's weakest area.

Alpha Omega Lifepacs

Reviewed by educatedmom. Click here to see educatedmom's profile.

Grades: K - 12
Used: Grade 4
Pro: General and non-threatening
Cons: Not challenging enough for those who excel in Mathematics
Teaching Ease: Moderate
Learning Style: General
Rating: B-

Alpha Omega's Lifepac math can be purchased on its own or as part of a complete curriculum. Depending upon the grade level, users can expect to receive anywhere from two through ten worktexts.

According to the website, "LIFEPAC is based on the principle of mastery learning. Students master content in each unit worktext before progressing to the next."

Developmental Mathematics

Reviewed by educatedmom. Click here to see educatedmom's profile.

Grades: 1 - 9
Used: Grade 1
Pro: None
Cons: Not engaging
Teaching Ease: Moderate
Learning Style: General
Rating: F

15 years ago, the pages of the workbook were bland shade of brown. The lessons were difficult to follow and certainly were not engaging.

According to the website, "Its teaching methods cultivate independent thinking through deductive-reasoning and problem solving. Mathematical concepts and computational skills are presented clearly and concisely to allow students to advance independently. In each lesson, the student is taken from the lowest level of knowledge to the highest level of mastery."

Funtastic Frogs

Reviewed by sophiaofthrace. Click here to see sophiaofthrace's profile.

I highly recommend Funtastic Frogs for early Math. Instead of little block manipulatives, it uses colored plastic frogs. The math workbooks come in packages, kits, or individually so you can use them as a curriculum or a supplement. The simpler workbooks (like Patterns, Counting, etc.) are easy enough to use for Pre-K. I think they are geared toward K-2. Be sure to order frogs if they aren't included with the books you order. If you already have math books but your child is having difficulty with abstract concepts, it may be helpful to buy the workbook specific to the area of difficulty. For those on a tight budget, buying a couple workbooks at a time is more doable than having to buy a big textbook or entire year's curriculum. My kids have absolutely enjoyed math with Funtastic Frogs. The work is more like games and activities than work for them.

McMillan

Reviewed by educatedmom. Click here to see educatedmom's profile.

Grades: K - 12
Used: Grade K - 4
Pro: Typical classroom textbook
Cons: Not engaging
Teaching Ease: Moderate - Difficult
Learning Style: General
Rating: C

McMillan textbooks have evolved over the years. They are generally colorful and attempt to engage the student through pictures and relatable ideas.

According to the website, "Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Math provides students with accurate, effective, and research-based content that integrates reading and writing skills."

McMillan uses the spiral approach to learning content.

Math · U · See

Reviewed by educatedmom. Click here to see educatedmom's profile.

Grades: K - 12
Used: Grade K - 10
Pro: One concept is presented at a time
Cons: Students have difficulties transitioning from using manipulatives to working in a traditional school setting.
Teaching Ease: Easy
Learning Style: Kinesthetic
Rating: B- (for K-8) C (for 9-10)

Math · U · See for the elementary grades is fun and engaging for students. The lessons include manipulatives and are designed for mastery.

Math · U · See for the middle grades is a fun and engaging program. The lessons include manipulatives and are designed for mastery.

Math · U · See for the high school seems easy at first, but students seem to have difficulty using knowledge gained in the program when taking a standardized test. The lessons include manipulatives and are designed for mastery.

According to the website: "Math · U · See's goal is to help produce confident problem solvers who enjoy the study of math. The reason we study math is so we can apply what we learn in everyday situations. The students learn their math facts, rules, and formulas, and are able to use this knowledge in real life applications. The study of math is much more than committing a list of facts to memory. It includes memorization, but it also encompasses learning the concepts that are critical to problem solving."

The drawback is that some students may not be able to transition well into a typical school math curriculum that does not use such manipulatives. Nevertheless, the confusion seems to be short lived as the student internalizes the lessons and learns to make the necessary connections.

Pearson PreAlgebra

Reviewed by educatedmom. Click here to see educatedmom's profile.

Grades: 8+
Pro: One concept builds upon another and is repeated throughout
Cons: Sometimes contains too many calculation steps that can become cumbersome
Teaching Ease: Moderate
Learning Style: General
Rating: B+

Pearson PreAlgebra is a typical high school textbook. It provides most concepts for students in understandable terms. Occasionally, the text does not account for every math problem it asks the student to "know" how to solve. The text provides many word problems that attempt to relate the material to real-world situations.

According to the website, "Prealgebra 5e is appropriate for a 1-sem course in Prealgebra, and was written to help students effectively make the transition from arithmetic to algebra. To reach this goal, Martin-Gay introduces algebraic concepts early and repeats them as she treats traditional arithmetic topics, thus laying the groundwork for the next algebra course your students will take."

Pearson PreAlgebra is a spiral curriculum in that the concepts learned are repeated throughout the book using new applications.

RightStart Math

Reviewed by homeshoolingwithjoy. Click here to see homeshoolingwithjoy's profile.

We began using Rightstart when my oldest son was entering second grade. We had used other curriculum for kindergarten and first grade and he was just not "getting" math. We have used books B- first grade, C- second grade, D- third grade, and E- fourth grade and I highly recommend them all. Next year I plan to use book A with my kindergartener.

I decided to start my oldest son in the first grade book, book B, even though he was starting second grade. Since Rightstart teaches in a whole different manner in what I had learned I felt that we should start at the beginning to make sure he, or I, didn't miss anything. However, this is not always necessary because they provide transition lessons that help the student get up to their level more quickly.

Immediately, I was amazed at how well he was understanding the principles of math.

Rightstart is a complete math curriculum with a large teachers guide, a small student workbook, and manipulatives. The program uses a special abacus that is grouped in fives and tens for quick recognition of quantities. Games are incorporated throughout the lessons to help math principles "sink in" in a fun and enjoyable way. The author, Dr. Cotter, ties math together with real life examples and applications that really help aid in understanding why you do what you do in math. For example, when fractions are introduced, you use money, measuring cups, number strips cut in pieces, clocks and other tools a visuals so the student can really grasp the concept of what a fraction is. Rightstart truly is made for all learning styles- visual, auditory, and kinesthetic .

The teacher's guide breaks each lesson down with materials used that day, warm up exercises, and a detailed lesson with words the teacher says to the child written in bold. The student workbook is especially short for the younger grades, increasing in thickness in the older grades. Dr. Cotter does not believe in causing the younger children to do needless writing. A lot of the work is done orally. My younger son was effortlessly adding two digit numbers in his head in the first grade while working through book B. Geometry is also interwoven throughout all levels.

The one drawback is that currently the books go through fourth or fifth grade. Dr. Cotter is working on the next book, but it is not available yet.

Singapore Math

Reviewed by sophiaofthrace. Click here to see sophiaofthrace's profile.

It is very visual and helps transition to more abstract skills and uses some different approaches, which can be helpful when traditional methods are confusing or uninteresting to your child. When we got to multiplication, they understood the concept very well and could figure out the answers, but we needed to supplement and take extra time to work on memorizing the multiplication tables.

Saxon Math

Reviewed by educatedmom. Click here to see educatedmom's profile.

Grades: K - 12
Used: K - 9
Pro: Engaged learning that appeals to the younger crowd
Cons: Saxon uses too many more/take away stories
Teaching Ease: Easy
Learning Style: General
Rating: A (for K-5) C (for 6-9)

For the younger students (K-3), Saxon Math is an excellent choice. The lessons are interesting for the student and understandable for the parent. Saxon provides a similar structure for each day so that the student knows what to expect.

For the middle grade students (6-8), Saxon Math does little to peak interest. While it is a rigorous program, Saxon Math requires a person who is somewhat knowledgeable in middle grades math to instruct the student.

For the older students (9-12), Saxon Math is an excellent choice; however, it works better with a student who is math savvy. The lessons are more boring than those found in a typical classroom textbook. The program is a rigorous one and prepares the student for more intensive college level work.

From the website: "Saxon Math is the only major math program on the market today that systematically distributes instruction, practice, and assessment throughout the academic year as opposed to concentrating, or massing, related concepts into a short period of time--usually within a unit or chapter. Saxon Math's unique approach to math instruction ensures that students not only gain but also retain essential math skills."

Saxon is a spiral curriculum.

Singapore Math

Reviewed by educatedmom. Click here to see educatedmom's profile.

Grades: K - 5
Used: 3
Pro: One concept is presented at a time
Cons: None thus far
Teaching Ease: Easy
Learning Style: Visual
Rating: A+

Singapore Math is a mastery curriculum that utilizes fun and colorful pictures and scenarios to peak the interest of the student.

According to the website, "Singapore students who scored top in TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) 1995, 1999, and 2003 were all using the Primary Mathematics series. We can therefore say that the Primary Mathematics series is a time tested and documented math success story."

One of the most challenging aspects for any math student is being able to apply a concept learned to a real-world situation. This is called transfer. Singapore Math helps students tackle world problems by having them draw a diagram called bar modeling to help them visualize and then solve the problem through transfer.

Singapore Math

Reviewed by sophiaofthrace. Click here to see sophiaofthrace's profile.

Singapore Math is very visual with lots of colorful pictures and diagrams and helps transition from manipulatives to more abstract skills. We are using it as a step between Funtastic Frogs and Saxon Math. Singapore Math also uses different approaches from the traditional, which can be helpful when traditional methods are confusing or are uninteresting to your child. We have gotten through the Primary Mathematics 3B (US Edition) book so far. The only difficulty so far is when we got to multiplication, my kids understood the concept very well and could figure out the answers, but we needed to supplement and take extra time to work on memorizing the multiplication tables. Other than that, we have gotten along fine by just reading and doing the problems in the textbooks and haven't needed the workbooks. There are free placement tests and scope & sequence online, so be sure to utilize those before ordering.

Switched on Schoolhouse by Alpha Omega

Reviewed by educatedmom. Click here to see educatedmom's profile.

Grades: 3 - 12
Used: Grade 3-7
Pro: General and non-threatening; utilizes technology
Cons: Too many subjects completed on the computer can overwhelm a student; Alpha Omega has a strict EULA policy making this curriculum virtually impossible to resell.
Teaching Ease: Moderate
Learning Style: Visual
Rating: A

Alpha Omega's Switched on Schoolhouse math can be purchased on its own or as part of a complete curriculum. Students engage in games to reinforce learning, interactive quizzes, and multimedia to captivate the student. In addition, the program offers a calendar feature, which allows the parent to decide when each lesson is due. The system alerts the student when he or she has fallen behind.

According to the website, "Switched-On Schoolhouse is a comprehensive, Bible-based curriculum that offers computer-based learning for grades 3-12. With 3-D animation, video clips, and other fascinating multimedia, Switched-On Schoolhouse is the perfect homeschool curriculum for today's generation."

Switched on Schoolhouse consist of the same lessons found in the Alpha Omega's Lifepac curriculum and is based on the principle of mastery learning.

Teaching Textbooks

Reviewed by blessedtohomeschool. Click here to see blessedtohomeschool's profile.

I highly recommend Teaching Textbooks for a math curriculum. It is set up to create independence for the student to work through the course. This independence instills responsibility and confidence in the student which is terrific in a crucial subject like math. Teaching Textbooks begins at a 4th grade level. Every level is purchased separately and goes up to Calculus. There is a level for college exam study as well: SAT/ACT study. Each level is very concise and thorough and will fully prepare your student to thrive in all levels and areas of math. The way every single problem is worked out whether it is in the lecture part, practice part, problems part or test, by working completely and systematically every single problem- if the student needs it- teaches the student how to think mathematically! This program is excellent for all students, the ones who have a natural aptitude for math as well as the ones who are less math driven. It is a Cd based program, where the student installs a cd and sees & hears on the computer screen a lecture explaining the concept. A few practice problems are worked step by step. The student can try to work them before looking at the screen to work them, or they can work along with the screen. A different cd is then put in the computer that has problem sets - these are also in a non- consumable book. The student works the problems on paper and can check any problem, any place in the problem on the computer screen. They can go straight to the answer and if correct, move on, if not, they can, with ease, using the scroll bar, go to any part of any problem to see it worked out step by step and hear the voice give instruction as to the hows and whys. The brothers who created this program worked for years tutoring home schoolers in math and know how home education operates as opposed to classroom instruction, which is entirely different. They are both Harvard graduates. The program also has cds for tests or a booklet to make copies of the tests. The answers can be worked out by plugging in the answer cd and seeing every problem worked out step by step and hearing the reasons why it is done the way it's done, or by checking the answers in the test booklet. The students therefore learn the concepts behind working the problems and learn to think mathematically.

The levels are very affordable- the upper ones beginning with Pre-Algebra are $184.50, with free shipping and the elementary and middle school levels are $99-$120. These programs could also be sold as used when completed.

Teaching Textbooks revolutionized my home education program. It has been incredible for my students to be able to 'own' their math instruction and really get it done... and get it done well, concisely and thoroughly with excellence.
They wanted to be independent learners but I always had to have somewhat of a role in the instruction. Teaching Textbooks does it better than I ever could and has built strong confidence in math in my students. This program will make obsolete the common, "I'm not good in math" slogan students develop and the concern of homeschool Parents have of, 'how will I teach the math'? ! The students who are naturally gifted with an aptitude in math will also thrive since they can work at their own pace, checking just answers and only looking at the step by step instruction of the problems they miss, although Sonlight curriculum evaluators state that their opinion is that every student should listen to the lecture to continue building a complete understanding of conceptual mathematics. I love the affordability, too!