REVIEW: TenMarks Math Online Learning

~Strong Foundation 
Strong Future
Website:  HERE
  
Ages: Elem 3rd gr-HS~Alg 2 and Geometry
Cost: $10 mo subscription
I say:  Useful and Helpful

I received a subscription to TENMarks online math learning website as part of The Old Schoolhouse CREW review team in exchange for my honest opinions with no monetary compensation. My opinions are my own.

I'm the GAL with math terror~remember ME?  Well, it's been my quest to find the perfect program that will really teach math to my kids and lesson the burden placed upon me~something about just looking at numbers and my palms sweat, heart races and my brain TURNS TO MUSH~Soo when we were asked to review TENMarks, I sighed...oh no! NOT an online math program~HOW AM I GONNA do that? AND can I get my kiddos intrested~DID THEY inherit this dreaded math terror? ? ?

Well, as it happened, Boy Thing One (God bless him!) got finished with his preAlgebra studies with our current math program and so we had some time to work TENMarks and give it a go~  I set the program up for him and each day reminded him to do lessons~

Here's what the site says:

TENMarks is the only online math program that helps students refresh, learn, and master math concepts - in their own time, at their own pace. Each child receives a personalized curriculum to help them master the concepts quickly.

Here's some of the features of TENMArks:

• Online learning~
• Math videos that can be played over and over~
• Hints available while working the worksheets~
• Customizable learning~parents can assign topics~
• REWARDS~kids get to earn online games as they complete work~AND certificates of completion which are pretty cool if you'd like to print them for your child.
• Email reminders to do worksheets with the assigned dates to parents~
• A PLACE ON HOLD button for stopping the worksheet generator progression if you need to slow it up~
• Testing throughout as well as initial Assessment for placement~

Okay~sooo HOW did this grumpy, attitudinal TEENAGER do given he was just coming out of preAlgebra and had never truly seen some of this stuff~First, he seemed to like that it went fairly fast~he could do a lesson in 1/2 an hour or less.  As a parent, I'm not sure how effective this was~and if he had found some loopholes~he's prone to do that...but some lessons he scored the TEN and others he was less~I PUT into place that he needed at least a NINE to progress...sometimes he didn't make it, but I also noticed that he wasn't watching the instructional videos either.  I had to go back and remind him and literally insist.  Perhaps they ought to play ANYWAY whether a kiddo thinks he needs them or not and THEN be available for a re-run!  This Mama thinks so! But he did end up earning some certificates, which I did print and are pretty cool looking~but as for the games, they were a wash. I have no real way to ck this behind him~it's set up pretty independently, but he says he played the racing game and the warehouse game. Okay, just so you know, there are games that are earned as lessons/worksheets are completed. But for a teenager~particularly THIS BOY, they were...well....ineffective as a motivator. I quote:  "I can play them in my sleep!" Oh brother! I have no way to know this either~but IF it didn't motivate him, it just didn't.  Okay, he also said that he has 'these' games on a disk..dunno...really don't..but either way~it didn't motivate him at 15...BUT for a younger kid, they would most likely work to play the games~sooo if you are push pull tugging and towing a teen, just know that the games may or may not be a motivator~but kudos to TENMarks for attempting to MOTIVATE~I like this a lot!

I am thankful for this opportunity as it has helped my son prepare and practice. I am unsure that TENMarks would adequately teach my son Algebra I, but for sure that it did give him some introductory information and practice~I guess I've just become a believer in text books and loads of paper and pencil power~

Another positive is that I like the pricing. Of course, SisterT advocates shopping the market for any product, but I like the subscription pricing~YES I DO~this could work for my budget whether I used TENMarks for the full coursework OR supplemental~LOVE IT!

Thanks for stopping by and go            to ck out the CREW about TENMarks!

Review: Virtual Nerd

VIRTUAL NERD

~Real Help in Math and Science

Website:  http://www.virtualnerd.com/
Ages: Jr/Sr High School
Cost:  $49 mo subscription/$5 one day use/ $19 1x wk use

I say:  Awesome!  Very helpful!

I received a trial period of Virtual Nerd as part of The Old Schoolhouse Crew review group in exchange for my honest opinions without monetary compensation.

Math is just not my long suit and Virtual Nerd is a gem! If you have a child in PreAlg, Alg I or II or even Intro Physics who could use a little help or additional content, then give Virtual Nerd a try~and you can try it for FREE HERE~They offer a FREE  2HR TRIAL to their basic service for anyone~woot! Their subscription premium is $49 a mo or other pricing as I listed above, but you can check it out to see if it's a good fit for your child without obligation first~even purchase a one day pass if necessary~this is a win-win situation! Of course, I think Virtual Nerd makes great supplement to our regular math curriculum~my daughter taking Alg I used it to review some concepts and my son as well~The videos are GREAT! They are modern young adults who definitely teach to the student with great persona and energy as well as THEY ARE SHORT and to the point! Nobody but nobody wants to listen to ... 'uh, well...first you...and then ...and...uh...' from ANYBODY who is teaching~B O R I N G~but not so with Virtual Nerd~it's very engaging! No dumbed down kiddified teaching techniques or routines~WOOT!

Features Include:

New Dynamic Whiteboard
Multimedia presentations
FAQs, terms and definitions
Personalized interaction and control

Robust search capabilities
24/7 Access

For subjects:

PreAlg
Alg I
Alg II
Intro Physics

Go check out that 2 HR trial  HERE!

See what the rest of the Crew says HERE!

FREE: Math Worksheet Generators for Many Topics

Math-Aids.com

Ah...THAT MATH Question Again

Oh boy~I'm REVISITING math again this year~well, let me explain...

I have two teens who are now going to 9th and 10th grades.  For four years (but not totally) we have used Teaching Textbooks with an interlude of time with our daughter using ALEKS of which I had written a review and she wanted to try.  She did.  She found that it was not preparing her in a way that her pie was becoming filled in a timely fashion as she worked almost a year~albeit with times that her computer wouldn't load the program AND times when ALEKS did not record her work~yes, this happened...so this mama took matters BACK and put bought Algebra I for her, and we began AGAIN...

My friend who is a high school math teacher but also now teaches middle school visited us last week and because I had asked many questions about math when we need to find something that will teach it and my child will GET it, she said she would "work" with them a little bit to see what was going on.  After several sessions my friend told me that my children have good mental math skills, which is a testament to the hard work in their younger grades. Whohoo!

She evaluated their Teaching Textbooks PreAlgebra and Algebra I in light of a few things she knew would show up on the CRCT for 8th grade in her state and the high school graduation exam (GRE).  She advised me to look at the state standards here in our state and compare them line by line to the scope and sequence of our curriculum.  If I find things not present then she advised me to find a way to teach them so my kids will be prepared for the ACT/SAT when they take it in preparation for college entrance. 

Well, there are things not present in the Alg I but I need to see if they are in Alg 2 and Trig or Geometry.  I honestly don't know, but it's a huge question since we are in the ninth hour of our educations.  I think I need to develop a good plan to address this.

I will look into the state standards of my state for the CRCT/GRE and compare~make some notes...

I plan to call Teaching Textbooks and speak with a curriculum specialist or whoever they have who can help me to discover what the courses in the future will hold according to our needs...

I can appreciate other thoughtful parents considering this question of a good math education for their children,
Books /'n Other Stuff has a good analysis of her research and findings which I plan to follow.

This is a pretty big question for me and stay tuned for the MATHATHON in deciding just how to address this issue...

WHAT would you do? H E L P!!!