Advanced math is not my strong suit. And teaching high school math can leave both me and my kid frustrated. We've tried a variety of math curricula over the years. We're both really, really happy with this one for high school math. I wish I had used CTCMath for Algebra I, which was really hard for my son. But I'm delighted that we have it now for the next few years!
PSST! Don't miss the GIVEAWAY at the end of this post!
Quick Overview
Program: CTCMathClass: Homeschool Family membership
Religious Perspective: Secular
Format: Recorded
Grades: K - 12th
Price: There are different membership levels ranging from $29.97/month up to $297/year*
*BUT pricing is half price for homeschoolers! Just use any of the links in this post, to get 50% off!
Self-Paced Geometry
Over and over, I have shared self-paced programs here on MommyMaestra. That's because as a homeschooler, we have really fluid schedules. While some classes have a regular schedule, most subjects are tackled at different times of the day. PLUS, it's important to me that my kid actually learns the content. So if he finishes in 15 minutes or an hour and a half, I don't care as long as he understands the work and it's a bonus if he's mastered it by the time he's done. Some things come quite easily, while others take a little more concentration and study.
Which leads me to the other part of a self-paced class: the ability to go back as often as necessary to listen to/read the lesson. I love recorded classes. Because it's easy to simply rewind and listen again if my kid didn't understand it the first time. Or because my 3yo came screaming into the room at a critical moment of explanation. The rewind option is a blessing and recorded classes like these don't have a teacher that gets frustrated at having to repeat everything they just said.
The Brevity of the Lessons
Each lesson is short. It focuses on one concept for my kid to learn. He loves that it doesn't take ages to complete one lesson and that makes the self-paced aspect SO much more attractive. He's motivated to complete more than one lesson, unlike his experience with other math programs, where he tried to do as little as possible.
And when you are able to get through several lessons in a day, you feel much more accomplished. "Wow! I did so much today! I feel great about that."
Easy to Understand
This! This is probably the one thing that makes this entire program work for us. Mr. Murray, whose voice is the one we hear explaining each lesson, teaches each concept in simple, direct, easy-to-understand language. His explanations don't require an explanation.
I think that the best way is to just show you. Take a look at this sample lesson from Geometry. (But note that if you are looking for math for a different grade, there are sample lessons for each grade on CTCMath's YouTube channel - no discount with this link.)
The Accent!
Y'all, this is just a fun thing, but it absolutely makes the list because it makes the whole experience more enjoyable for my son. He has been intrigued with accents for years, probably because his Grandpa was born in England and raised in Australia. And many of his favorite characters in his favorite shows - Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Doctor Who - are British or Australian.
Anyway, Pat Murray who is the teacher behind CTCMath and who narrates each lesson, is a native Australian living in Sydney with his family. In fact, CTCMath originally started in Australia and has now branched out around the world. We use the United States version of their math program.
All this to say that Murray's accent has really changed things up for my son who is much more alert and responsive to this slight change in what he hears on a daily basis.
Self-Grading
Yes! Self-grading is awesome.
First, let me explain how the lessons work.
Students login and go to their dashboard. From there, they select the class and the section that they're working on. It's easy to see where they left off.
They click on the next lesson. Then they begin by watching the video lesson. Next, they click on the tab to answer the self-grading questions.
Students also have the option of printing worksheets with additional questions/equations to solve, but they must grade their work themselves (or have a parent do so) using the answer keys that are included, and then they can enter their grade manually.
One really cool thing about the dashboard is that kids can actually rate their understanding of a lesson/concept by highlighting stars next to the lesson title. So if they feel like they've mastered it - five stars! If they feel fairly confident in their understanding, maybe just four stars.
There's a lot of emphasis on independent work in this course. Kids complete the work on their own and giving them the option to self-grade really encourages them to take on their role and responsibility in their own education. I love this about the program.
CTCMath Free Trial
If you are already convinced this is the program you need for your family, head over and check out CTCMath today. Don't forget that you can sign up for a FREE TRIAL!
If you're ready to buy, be sure to use this link to access the homeschool pricing with 50% off!
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