CTCMath (A Homeschool Crew Review)

This summer, we attended the local homeschool convention here in Los Angeles and one of the main things I took away from the various workshops was that there is no failure in realizing that the kids needed to go back and review and relearn even the most basic of skills if they are struggling in a subject.  I knew that Ashleigh especially was struggling with mathematics - even simple addition gives her problems.   When I was given the opportunity to review the  Family Membership from CTCMath, I knew it was the perfect opportunity for the kids to go back to lower grade level lessons and master those skills they needed remediation.

Members of the Crew were given a year membership for the Family subscription, which includes up to 5 family members.  This allowed for both Ashleigh and Garrett to take advantage of this program.

For those unfamiliar with CTCMath, it is an online, browser based maths curriculum that covers all math concepts, starting with Kindergarten and progressing through to higher level math such as Trigonometry and Calculus.  Believing that teaching math the traditional way and not strictly for test taking leads to actual learning, math concepts taught by CTCMath is not aligned with common core.  Each student enrolled are given full access to all grade level lessons as part of their subscription, making switching between grade levels and various lessons simple and quick.  This is extremely useful when students might be working on math concepts from both Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 during the same year, or when moving a child up to the next grade level mid year or down a grade for remediation is necessary.

Access to all grade levels included with subscription

CTCMath is completely browser based and the student easily accesses the lessons by simply logging into the website with their individual login information using their computer, IPads, Iphones and Android devices.

Lessons are presented to the student in the form of short video lectures that are on average 5 minutes or less in length.  These lessons include pertinent information as well as detailed breakdowns of the math concept.

The instructor is clear and concise and presents the information in a fairly simplified way.   Students in lower grades are then tested on how well they understand the concept by answering a series of questions (between 6 to 12 questions, depending on the concept) that helps reinforce what they have learned.  Extra questions are also provided as an option of the student did not score as well on the questions and needs extra work to help them practice.  Testing feedback is immediate as the program informs the student if their answer is correct or not as soon as the answer is submitted.  If the answer is incorrect, the correct answer is given. Once all the questions are completed, the overall score for that lesson is given and a printable copy of the questions along with the child's answers is provided, which can be kept for record keeping. 

As students work their way through each unit section, they are rewarded with certificates that they can print out.  There are levels for these certificates - Platinum, Gold and Silver - based on their average grade form all the tasks for that section.

 The student is given their score after each lesson and the average is shown on the main page, making it easy for them to see.  Students can repeat sections they did not do as well upon in order to improve their overall score; however, the program takes the average of the attempts so the student cannot just score a 100% on their second attempt and have a perfect grade.  Silver is awarded for 85-94%, Gold is awarded for 95% or higher, and Platinum is given at 100%.

For the lessons the kids have completed so far (they are both working on the same lessons), the answers have been fill in the blank, requiring them to type in the correct answer.  For some problems, the student is provided with the space to work on the screen, where they can show borrowing, carrying, ect.  Some problems, such as word problems, require the student to work the equation out on paper and then transfer their answer to the program to be graded.

After completion of each section, they are given an option to print out the "worksheet" that they completed.  This is a hard copy of the questions done on the computer following the lesson.  This allows for an easy way to keep a record of the work the child completed and also shows what questions they might have missed for review.  The worksheet can either be printed out directly on paper or they can also be saved as PDF files on a computer. These hard copies are only available at the time of completion of the lesson, although CTCMath does keep a record of the grade scored on the lesson.  I appreciate the option to print these worksheets out in case records are needed for accountability for State agencies. 

Parents can easily track their children's progress through the parent's dashboard. Here, parents can see what lessons the child has completed as well as detailed reports that shows the grade the student received on their questions.  Now that my kids are a bit older and have been working towards working independently, I can also schedule lessons that I want the kids to work on for the week from the dashboard. I can also view what awards they have received.  If I choose to, I can also choose to receive a weekly report that is sent to my email that lets me know their progress as well. . 

Something new that was recently added to CTCMath is the Wizard Question Bank which allows you to create custom worksheets based on the lessons.  From the Question Bank Wizard, the parent simply selects the topics to include, how many questions, the amount of time to allot for the student to complete the questions in and the Question Bank Wizard does the rest.

By selecting "Advanced Customization", the parent is given a list of all the questions in the bank.  The parent can then change the difficulty of the questions being provided. Once the parent has the worksheet the way they want it, they can either print it out or they can set it as a task for the student to complete online when they next log into the program. 

The fact that each lesson with CTCMath is very short and to the point, broken down in such a way they can easily understand along with graphics for explanations, both kids have no issues with being able to sit and pay attention to the lesson.  A lesson takes roughly 10 minutes - with a 3 minute video followed by the questions.   With both of my kids being visual learners, this program is a good fit for them and they do well with the clear and understandable lessons taught by teacher Patrick Murray. 

This program is perfect for allowing the kids to go back and master those math skills they fell behind on and once caught up, they will be able to progress at their grade level.   

For more information about CTCMath, please visit their website.  You can also find them on the following social media sites:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ctcmath/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ctcmathofficial
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/ctcmath/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWn5e6974bpIEAe46VnovZw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctcmath/

Members of the Crew have each been using CTCMath with different age/grade students in their home.  Be sure to click the banner below to see their reviews today. 

Our Upcoming School Year (2017-2018 Curriculum Choices)

Where did the summer go?? Well, technically, there's still plenty of summer left (which can be verified by the soaring temperatures outside, but even still, our BX, Walmart and Staples all have started their Back-to-School sales, the local schools have put out their supply lists and the start of a new school year (at least for the public schools) is right around the corner.

Granted, we school year round.  It's really way too hot outside during the summer months for the kids to have any sort of fun outside anyway and so we just continue to do our school each day like any other time period.  This means we are able to take a few weeks off more often during the rest of the year and it also means our school year runs from October to October rather than from August to May. So while we still have a few weeks left of our third grade year, 4th grade is in our sights.

So what do we have planned for the kids as they transition from 3rd to 4th?


Math

First up, our math curriculum.  We have been using Math Lessons For A Living Education: Level 3 from MasterBooks and are nearing completion of that book and the kids have enjoyed the format of it well enough.  So why mess with a good thing, right?  In October, we will continue with the series and start Level 4.  We find that the way this curriculum breaks down the sequence of learning as well as provide multiple opportunities to review previously learned skills to be perfect for the kids and the workbook pages are not just pages of straight math problems, which the kids seem to like much better than other curriculum.  I also really like how each chapter uses a story to chose the kids how the skills are used in a real life setting - answering that age old question "When will I ever need this in life".

We prefer the digital download version of this book, as I can print out the work each week for both kids easily (and legally!!) and it takes up no room in our bookcase.  I simply print out each weeks lesson, staple and punch holes in it and put it in their weekly notebook for them to work on each day during our math time.

Science

I gave the kids the opportunity to decide what science course they wanted to take and Anatomy and Physiology won out.  I couldn't think of a better curriculum for this than Apologia's Young Explorers Exploring Creation Anatomy and Physiology.  As you might recall, I got a wonderful deal on these books from Rainbow Resources at the recent Homeschool Convention.  Apologia has some wonderful curriculum and is one of our "go to" sources for sciences.  

I'm extremely impressed with this particular curriculum as it is pretty thorough in it's coverage of the human body, especially for an elementary level course. (My oldest daughter took an Anatomy and Physiology course in High School her Senior year and I find this to be pretty "on par" with her class).

In addition to the labs and notebooking included in the text/journals, I will probably be adding occasional coloring pages from The Anatomy Coloring Book by Wyn Kapit/Lawrence M Elson.

If you are unfamiliar with this particular book, I highly recommend it for any Anatomy&Physiology course, especially at the high school and college levels.  While much of it is going to be too advanced for my 4th graders, there are plenty of diagrams that they will be able to use while learning about the different systems of the body.

History

Some time back, we finished Mystery of History Book 1 and a couple of weeks ago, so now it's time to jump into Book 2.

I absolutely love this particular history curriculum because 1.) it's from a Christian perspective 2.) it provides history lessons more of a "story" format rather than a typical history text and 3.) it includes grade appropriate activities and map work laid out in one book. I also really like that this is a curriculum that can "grow" with this kids.  I don't have to expect them to memorize every little detail as we cover it right now, because in a few years, I will just pull this book back down from the bookshelf, wipe off the dust and repeat the lessons but include activities for middle school students in mind. Then,

it goes back on the shelf and in a few more years, it again gets pulled off the bookshelf and repeated, but with high school level activities.  This means that this book will be used at least three times, each time increasing in difficulty and should result in more retention of information each time.

In addition to the activites and map work included in the book, Garrett will be using one of Skrafty's Minecraft self paced classes that coincide with this particular book.  If you are unfamiliar with Skrafty classes I'll give a brief explanation. Each week, students are able to listen to an audio lesson from one of the teachers that cover the weekly material in addition to reading the pages assigned in their text book and doing the assignment activities.  Then, following the lessons, the students are given a minecraft build assignment, which is completed on the secure Skrafty Minecraft server. Builds include things like making a copy of the Arch of Constantine, the Mayan ruins, or the Tower of Hercules.  At the end of each week, there is also a quiz (which is multiple choice) that is graded.  Since Garrett is more of a "hands on" learner and he absolutely loves Minecraft, this is a great addition for him and he has really enjoyed the Skrafty classes we have done in the past.

Foreign Language

We've tried so many foreign languages in our school and while they kids show some enthusiasm in the first week or two, that quickly wanes and then they start hating it.. We've tried Chinese, French and Spanish, all with very little success. However, that changed when Ashleigh was introduced to Latin.  Her first taste of Latin was when we reviewed Olim..Once Upon a Time in Latin from Laurelwood Books.  She enjoyed it but it wasn't what I would consider a comprehensive curriculum.  Then we reviewed Prima Latina from Memoria Press and that was the perfect fit for her. So why mess up a good thing, right?

Since we've only been using this book for a few weeks, we have plenty of lessons to last until the middle of this year, before we transition to the next level (Latina Christiana), which I will probably have to purchase in January.

Garrett has begun working on Greek (which is a review item coming soon) and has really been enjoying it as well, so I think we've finally found something that works for him in the Foreign Language department.  He is currently using "Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek!" level 3 and while we've just completed learning the alphabet, he's taken a shine to it and is doing well.  On the plus side, Ashleigh has also been involved with Garrett's lessons and has been learning a bit herself which is great, since Greek and Latin seem to work well together.

Language Arts

This is the area where things are not yet set in stone, so to speak.  Garrett is setup with Language Arts as he will continue using Lighting Literature and Composition (Grade 3).  This has been a good fit for him and he's doing extremely well with it, far better than most reading/language arts curriculum we have tried.  It's hard to find a Language Arts curriculum that Garrett doesn't balk at doing and this one fit the bill.   With a pretty modest price tag, I will probably transition him to Grade 4 of this same curriculum once he's completed this book. 

The problem arises when trying to decide on a curriculum for Ashleigh, as she is well above grade level in Language Arts and Reading. She's currently using Apologia's Readers in Residence and while it does include Grammar lessons, it is more of a reading comprehension curriculum.  I also don't want to purchase a 4th grade curriculum for her and it not be challenging enough for her but I also don't want to move to a 6th grade curriculum and have her miss some important information.  This is my current conundrum.  

My honest hope is that we will be granted the chance to review Monarch Online and begin Ashleigh on the Language Arts curriculum offered there.  Then, depending on how well she does and which grade level seems to be the best fit for her, I will probably purchase the individual grade CD for the class.  Alpha Omega Publishing offers a very generous discount for military families, which I can take advantage of at that time.  So - fingers crossed that we're selected for that review. LOL  Even if not selected, we are taking advantage of the 30 day free trial for Monarch Online, which will give me an idea if their curriculum will work for Ashleigh and if so, what grade level would work best for her and so I can still decide if that's the route we wish to take. 

Those are the major subjects that the two littles will be doing this upcoming year.  There will be more added to the list, for example, reading selections and electives such as physical education, arts and music.  Those are "as we go", however, and no actual set in stone curriculum.  Other subjects like Nature study and Astronomy are an ongoing education in our home and they will continue to be taught.  We will also continue to use Home School in the Woods Make-a-State Activity Pak along with the USA Activity Bundle from TheCraftyClassroom.com (another upcoming review item, btw) to help the kids learn the 50 States. 

Getting Prepared for College

One exciting event for us is that Alyssa will be joining us in our school this year.  As you know, Alyssa graduated from public school in May.  However, because the school only provides the state minimum requirements to graduate, Alyssa's lacking three classes that she needs in order to enter the university that she wants to attend (Lamar University in Beaumont, TX). Because of this, Alyssa will be taking courses with our school so that I can add an additional transcript to her education once she completes those three classes.  Basically, she'll be taking a gap year before going off to college in order to complete those needed required classes.

Since Alyssa needs one additional laboratory science, we will once again be adding an Apologia class

to the mix.  Alyssa will be working through the latest edition of Marine Biology, a college preparatory, high school level course.  This is yet another upcoming review from the Review Crew and we are extremely blessed to have been selected for this review. (Btw, the Crew will begin taking applications for new members probably in October - so if your interested, feel free to message me for information!!).  This book contains text, tests and labs including experiments, dissection and microscope work and once completed, will give her a full high school credit for a laboratory science.  We're fortunate to have a microscope and many of the required slides (and what we do not have, we can access online) and $40 later, the marine life specimens are on their way, although I have no idea where I am going to store a dead dogfish shark lol.  

Once again, we've got our fingers crossed that we will be placed on the Monarch Online review, because if so, this will allow Alyssa to complete her Algebra 2 class and have it taken care of within 6 months.   This would take care of the 2nd class requirement that she needs for Lamar.  (I am still upset with the local high school for NOT offering her an Algebra 2 option and instead forced her to take Consumer Math following Algebra 1 and Geometry- but that's a whole different blog post.. haha).

For the third class, Alyssa and I will have to sit down and make a few decisions. She has two options that will work - 1. she can take the second level Spanish course with Rosetta Stone (which we can get from our base library) and then take the Spanish CLEP test in order to get credit. The other option that she has is to take a Spanish course with our nearby Community College, hopefully as an online course so that she will not have to drive 40 minutes a day for class. If not selected for the Monarch Online review, she will have the same option (Community College) in order to take College Algebra and then transfer both credits over to Lamar University.

What do you think of our choices? Are any of these selections new to you? Have you used any of these yourself?  Let me know in the comments :) 

CTC Math (A Schoolhouse Crew Review)

It's not a secret that the one subject we struggle with is mathematics.  We've tried many various math curriculum with mixed results - some worked out good, others just were not a proper fit for my kids. Last year, however, we were given the opportunity to review CTCMath.  This was one of the better fits for our family and I honestly feel that it was a huge factor in my oldest daughter passing her high school math course that she had been struggling with.  When we were given another opportunity to review the one year subscription of CTCMath Homeschool Membership, I was pretty thrilled.  We were given access to the program for up to 10 students. 

CTCMath is an online math curriculum that covers all math concepts, from Kindergarten all the way to higher level mathematics such as Trigonometry and Calculus through more than 1,367 animated and narrated video lessons. These math concepts are not aligned with common core as CTCMath believes in teaching math the traditional way.  Each student has access to all grades of math as part of the subscription and can easily switch between the various levels with little trouble. This proves to be very useful for older high school students who might be learning concepts that are both Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 during the same year. You can also easily jump students from grade to grade rather than having to buy a separate grade level for more advanced lessons. 

For grades Kindergarten to 8th grade, CTCMath can be used as a full mathematics curriculum. For high school math, CTCMath recommends that their website be used more as a supplement in addition to another math curriculum. 

The program is completely browser based and requires no computer instillation. I ran it  Chrome without any problems or glitches.  In the past, I was also able to log into the program with my Kindle Fire without any problems.  CTCMath's website says it should run on all HTML5 platforms such as Ipads, Iphones and Android devices, making it convenient for lessons on the go, such as in a doctors office or while riding in a car..

Since the last time I reviewed the program, there have been many changes made to the website. First, the overly colorful menu is gone and has been replaced with a very clean, more institutional looking white/grey screen. While the lessons still consist of the videos followed by answering questions, I did find the new formatting to be much easier to navigate (although, to be honest, the old format was easy to navigate as well). Also, a major addition was the ability for the parent to add Tasks for the student to work on.  These tasks, once scheduled, would show up on a tab at the top of the student's worksite.  While I personally did not use this feature during our review as I typically sit with the kids while they are on the computer, I can see how it would be very helpful for students who can work independently but still need some direction. 

  

In all grades, students are presented with a video lecture that shows the concept for that particular lesson. These videos are very short, on average less than 5 minutes. Examples are given along with very detailed breakdown of the answers. In lower grades, the lesson is followed by a series of questions (around 10 to 12 questions) that reinforces what they just learned.  Extra questions are provided as an option if the child did not do well on the initial questions and might need extra review. Feedback is immediate as the answer will be marked right or wrong and the correct answer is given. After all questions are complete, a printable copy of the questions along with the child's answers is provided which can be printed out for record keeping (something I think is great).  There is a bank of more than 57,000 interactive questions throughout all the grade levels. 

In higher grades, after the video lecture, the student is provided with a worksheet that they can print out and work offline. Once completed, they can record their answers in the website and have their answers graded. By default, the student must score a certain percentage in order to obtain a passing grade on these worksheets or they are told to try again. 

The last time we reviewed CTCMath, we used it strictly as our math curriculum using the 1st and 2nd grade levels.  This time around, as we were already established in another math curriculum that the children were both doing well with, we decided to use CTCMath as a suppliment to reinforce what they were learning with the other program.  This worked out really well for us, especially for Garrett.

For example, one of the hardships with Garrett's autism is that he struggles with math concepts that are not exact - most notably with rounding numbers.  Try as we might, no matter how many times we explained and reexplained and reviewed, Garrett just could not wrap his mind around the concept of rounding.  To him, it goes against the exactness of math. 

Luckily, there was plenty of material on rounding numbers on the CTCMath program.  I sat down with Garrett and together we watched the video lesson and then Garrett did the practice questions.  To my surprise, he got all but one correct.  The next day, we again watched the video and again he did the practice questions - this time he got them all right. The ability to switch between the various grade levels was helpful, as a few of the rounding lessons were considered 2nd grade and a few were considered 3rd.   Since then, he has not struggled with rounding at all.  The way it was presented in the video was perfect for him and allowed him to easily understand the concept where I had failed.  

As they proceed through the program, students are graded as either Platinum, Gold and Silver based on their average grade from all tasks in each set of lessons. Platinum is awarded when a student gets 100% for the entire set. 

One of the many pluses to CTCMath is that tracking your child's progress is very easy. CTCMath sends progress reports to the parents email on a weekly basis letting you know how many times the student logged in, for how long, what they did while they were logged in and how they did on what they worked on, This same information can also be accessed from the Parent account which gives quick access to all students currently enrolled in the program. From the parent login, you can download these reports as a PDF file for your records. 

CTCMath is a product I can honestly recommend.  In the time that we have used it, it has helped not one but two of my students understand math concepts that otherwise would have been lost. 

For more information about CTCMath, visit their website or any of the following social media sites:

CTCMath (US and Canda)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ctcmath?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ctcmathofficial

Periscope: https://www.periscope.tv/ctcmathofficial

Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/ctcmath/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWn5e6974bpIEAe46VnovZw

Maths Online (Australia Only)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mathsonline.com.au

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MathsOnlineAU

CTC Math (A Schoolhouse Crew Review)

Our family is always looking for a new way to teach the kids math.  Let's face it - for the most part math is not fun, at least not for my kids.  Getting them to do math is usually a fight so I am always looking for a math program that is both engaging and fun while still covering the necessary topics for their grade.  We were recently presented with the opportunity to review the 12 Month Family Plan (US Curriculum) for Homeschoolers offered by CTC Math after hearing many good things about their math curriculum, I felt it was worth the opportunity to try with two kids.  I also had a teenager in Algebra who had already failed the class last year and who was in danger of failing for a second year in a row so I had high hopes that this math program would not only engage my two youngest but also help my oldest pass Algebra 1 once and for all. 

CTC Math is an online maths curriculum that covers all math concepts, from Kindergarten all the way to higher level mathematics such as Trigonometry and Calculus. These math concepts are not aligned with common core as CTC believes in teaching math the traditional way.  Each student has access to all grades of math as part of the subscription and can easily switch between the various levels with little trouble. This proves to be very useful for older high school students who might be learning concepts that are both Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 during the same year. You can also easily jump students from grade to grade rather than having to buy a separate grade level for more advanced lessons. 

All Levels of Math Available to Each Student

The program is completely browser based and requires no computer instillation. I ran it both on Chrome and Firefox without any problems or glitches.  I was also able to log into the program with my Kindle Fire without any problems and CTC's website says it should run on all HTML5 platforms such as Ipads, Iphones and Android devices.

In all grades, students are presented with a video lecture that shows the concept for that particular lesson. These videos are very short, on average less than 5 minutes. Examples are given along with very detailed breakdown of the answers. In lower grades, the lesson is followed by a series of questions (around 10 to 12 questions) that reinforces what they just learned.  Extra questions are provided as an option if the child did not do well on the initial questions and might need extra review. Feedback is immediate as the answer will be marked right or wrong and the correct answer is given. After all questions are complete, a printable copy of the questions along with the child's answers is provided which can be printed out for record keeping (something I think is great).  

In higher grades, after the video lecture, the student is provided with a worksheet that they can print out and work offline. Once completed, they can record their answers in the website and have their answers graded. By default, the student must score a certain percentage in order to obtain a passing grade on these worksheets or they are told to try again. This percentage can be changed by the parent if you feel it is too low (I changed it to 90 percent on my oldest daughter's account). 

Students are rewarded with certificates after they complete each unit. There are levels for these certificates are Platinum, Gold and Silver based on their average grade from all tasks in each set of lessons. Platinum is awarded when a student gets 100% for the entire set. 

Another fun thing for kids is the speed drills. My oldest had alot of fun doing these drills and they made for a great breather as she was studying harder math concepts. Focusing on Addition and Subtraction skills, the student must answer as many questions as they can in one minute.  There were a few times I caught Alyssa doing these drills even after her study time was over as she kept trying to beat her previous score. 

One of the many pluses to CTC Math is that tracking your child's progress is very easy. CTC sends progress reports to the parents email on a weekly basis letting you know how many times the student logged in, for how long, what they did while they were logged in and how they did on what they worked on, This same information can also be accessed from the Parent account which gives quick access to all students currently enrolled in the program. 

Parent's Login Screen Provides Statistics on all Students

CTC Math can be used as both a full math program for grades K-6 as well as a supplemental program for upper grades.  Because of this, I approached this review from two different angles.  First, I would have my 10th grader use it as a tutoring program to hopefully help her pass her final exam in her public school. Second, I would use it to first review and then teach my two homeschool students the skills they need to move on to 2nd grade math.   Because of this, this is essentially two reviews in one.

My Experiences in Our Homeschooling

Ashleigh and Garrett are the complete opposites when it comes to school. Ashleigh loves reading and writing and being read to.  Garrett absolutely hates it and it's only been recently that he's started to write when asked.  However, Garrett is a math fiend, he absolutely loves it. Ashleigh, on the other hand, loathes math. We have had many issues with Ashleigh holding Garrett back when it comes to Math because she will cry, whine and be very uncooperative when it comes time for math lessons.  

However, the fact that each lesson with CTC Math is very short and to the point, broken down in such a way they can easily understand along with graphics for explanations, Ashleigh seemed to be able to sit and pay attention much easier.  Each afternoon, I would have them independently sit with me, cuddled up on the couch with my computer and we would work on the lessons together, while the other did an independent lesson.  Together we would watch the lesson, pausing it while they would work out the problem and then we would follow up with the questions.  This worked really well with both kids. It proved to be especially useful with Ashleigh who thought it more of bonding time with Mom rather than a math lesson.  There have been a few times that I have told them it was time for math that Ashleigh has specifically made sure we were going to do CTC Math rather than another math program.

Being as that both kids tend to be visual learnings, this program was excellent for them. The speaking instruction is very clear and understandable (lessons are taught by Australian math teacher Patrick Murray) and the accompanying graphics really demonstrated the point to them.

They both absolutely love earning certificates, although it has become a bit of a competition to see who gets platinum and who gets gold.

I really enjoyed the fact there were both comprehensive and standard tests that can be used to test how well they mastered each skill that they were learning.  I also found these tests to be very helpful when trying to determine how much the kids already knew in the sets and what we could skim over and what we really needed to concentrate on.

The kids liked that there was a counter/slider at the top of each test that allowed them to know how many more problems they had before they were done and they would count down to completion.

Alyssa's Experience with CTC Math

Alyssa has struggled with Algebra. As said above, she had already failed this class her 9th grade year and was in danger of failing again her 10th grade year. Alyssa routinely brought home test grades in the 30's in her class. Part of the problem was the lack of understanding of Algebraic formulas; the other part of the problem was a teacher who failed explain these formulas and did not make time for students who failed to understand them (she had the same teacher both years).  Basically, her class was a sink or swim situation.   Going into her final semester, she has D- for the 3rd quarter and at progress reports in the 4th quarter she had F. She had exactly three weeks to use CTC math as much as she could in the hopes to score high enough of her final exam and hopefully pull out a passing grade for the 4th quarter.  We were at dire straights with her, there were lots of tears and plenty of "I Just don't care anymore". This math class was really driving a wedge between us as the frustration built. 

Alyssa started using CTC Math 3 weeks before the end of the school year.  Each day I had her come home, do her normal homework, using the CTC lessons to help her understand that days classwork. then spend an hour on the program reviewing concepts that she did not understand through the year.  She would watch the lesson, I would print out the worksheets that accompanied the lesson and she would practice the concepts covered in the lesson.  Then she took her first test since starting CTC Math.  She scored a B after using the program for a week. This was a HUGE improvement over the EXTREMELY low F (32%) she had scored the test prior. She said even her teacher mentioned the improvement and she mentioned that she was using CTC to help study and review.  

Her second and third weeks with CTC, she used it to help prepare for her Final exam for the year.  There were many concepts she did not understand from her class and she worked hard to try to cram as much as she could.  She knew she needed to get at least a C- on the exam to pass for the year, which for her as a HUGE goal considering her past testing grades.   She took her exam and she came home saying she felt okay about it.

Today I received her report card.  We held our collective breath as we tore off the perforated edges off the mailer and opened that final piece of paper.  She scored a mid C on her exam.  She had passed with a high enough D for the semester that with her C from the first semester, she squeaked by with a 70% for the year.  ALGEBRA WAS HISTORY!!   

I have no doubt whatsoever that CTC Math was the only reason she passed this class.  It proved to be an extremely valuable tool to her, explaining the math concepts she was struggling with in such a way that they finally clicked with her.  Without this program, I believe that Alyssa would be repeating the 10th grade because of her Algebra class. Now, instead, she will be moving on to the 11th grade and to Geometry. I have no doubt that if she had had this program earlier on in the school year, we would not have been worried of her failing in the first place.  It is a relief to me as a mother to know that even if she has the same dreaded teacher next year, she will have CTC Math from the very start of the year to help her through it. 

Final Thoughts

I never did well in math which really hindered me when it came to sciences because I was scared to take chemistry and physics because of my lack of mathematical knowledge.  I really do not want the same down the road for my kids and so I am very grateful that there are programs out there that can teach the higher math concepts to them when I cannot. (Although, to be honest, with 10 student slots, there's absolutely no reason I cannot learn as well).  CTC Math does a wonderful job of explaining these concepts in a very clear, concise manner that is very quick and to the point, allowing the student to learn that concept and practice that concept until they are efficient in it.  

In the past 2 years we've tried other programs trying to help my daughter with her Algebra; Dummy Books, Idiot Books, and other online math programs. With each we tried we failed to see any marked improvements in her grades.  It wasn't until we tried CTC Math that things started to click for her and she managed to pass the class.

All three of my kids really seem to like this curriculum and I am very happy with it as well. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a math curriculum for K-6 and as a supplement tutoring program for higher levels in addition to a selected curriculum.  I would also HIGHLY recommend CTC Math if you have a student in public schools struggling with math and who needs extra support.




CTC Math offers a 60% discount of their normal pricing for homeschool families which allows for full access to all grades and lessons. Single Student pricing start at just $11.97/month and family plans for 2 or more students costs $15.97 a month.  The overall price is discounted even further when purchasing 6 months or a year. The family plan is $118.90 for a full year, coming out to less than 10 dollars a month and a savings of more than 178 dollars.  They also offer a free trial to "try it before you buy it".

CTC Math can be found on Facebook.