Math

Time4Learning—Quirky, Fun… and Effective!

Submitted by Tony Silva on Mon, 11/08/2010 - 9:30am

Time4Learning
http://www.Time4Learning.com
$19.95 for first student, $14.95 each additional student.

If you’re one who assumes that computer-based learning is somehow easier than other forms, Time4Learning will test your assumptions.  Seriously, while it is not rocket science, it is not an “intuitive” or user-friendly website; however, once you get on board and learn its quirks, Time4Learning is quite possibly the most fun you can have with this kind of program and still call it learning.

Ouch…that hurt!

When you first become a member of Time4Learning, you have to pay careful attention to the details to make sure you actually get signed up, get logged in and if neither of those happens, you understand why.  First, you’ll open a master account as the parent.  Then you set up sub-accounts for each child.  This is where things get weird:  The Time4Learning system asks what grade your child is in.  Below that is a series of questions to determine whether your child knows his colors, ABCs and numbers 1 through 0 and other primary information.  I was puzzled that Time4Learning would need to know this for a seventh grader.  Had I read the fine print above the questions, I would have seen that that section is only for lower grades.  The setup process would be much easier if the form changed based on the grade level of the student.

2.666665

Practical Accounting Fundamentals

Submitted by Tony Silva on Thu, 10/21/2010 - 12:05pm

Insight Technical Education
Practical Accounting Fundamentals
http://www.insighttechnicaleducation.com
$38 includes book

Lori Peterman’s concise and readable book, Practical Accounting Fundamentals takes your student through all aspects of basic accounting from balance sheets and income statements to forms of business and payroll. There are 21 chapters and three tests.

What is Accounting?

The course literally begins at the beginning by answering this basic question. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are introduced and then Peterman goes right into the nuts and bolts. Although this doesn’t look like a curriculum at first glance, it does offer practical exercises for each chapter.

3.5

Math Tutor DVDs

Submitted by Tony Silva on Thu, 10/21/2010 - 12:05pm

Follow These Examples
Math Tutor DVD
http://mathtutordvd.com/
$26.99 for most DVDs.


Immersion theory has been used for years to teach foreign languages. It works because immersion is really the way we learn any language. Math Tutor DVD has captured the notion that math is a language best learned by immersion and example. If the Basic Word Problem Tutor and the Algebra Tutor DVDs we reviewed are any indication, they’re right.

What You See is What You “Get”

The immersion method for Math Tutor DVD is pretty straight forward. The tutor stands in front of a whiteboard and explains how to work problems. This may sound just as tedious as watching bread rise, but for someone learning a new concept or relearning an old one, it is quite effective. Viewing the algebra DVD helped clarify several concepts this author never quite got in high school or college.

3

Math Mammoth—Workbooks for the Masses

Submitted by Tony Silva on Thu, 10/21/2010 - 12:05pm

Show Your Work
Math Mammoth 5th Grade
http://www.mathmammoth.com
$12.50 Electronic; $16.75 Hardcopy


Whether you are looking for an instructional curriculum or worksheets only, Math Mammoth likely has a program to meet your needs. It is well worth a visit to their site to review the different programs and to sample the worksheets from each.

We chose Math Mammoth 5th Grade from their “Golden Series”. The program is broken into workbooks 5A and 5B which can be purchased separately, but you may want to consider getting them as a package. These Math Mammoth books are available in electronic form or in hardcopy format from Lulu.com.

3

ALEKS—More Than Math

Submitted by Tony Silva on Thu, 10/21/2010 - 12:05pm

ALEKS
http://www.ALEKS.com
$19.95 per month. Family rates available.

Math curriculum comes in all shapes and sizes these days. The age of one-size-fits-all, show your work tedium that once dominated math teaching are numbered. Our family has used most of the good ones, and we’re happy with our current program. However, when the opportunity came along to take ALEKS for a free spin (see offer at end of this article), we jumped on board.

More Than Just Math

First, let’s clear up some misconceptions. ALEKS is not just a collection of math tutorials. In fact, math is not the only subject you can study on the ALEKS system. While it is true there are far more math courses on ALEKS than other offerings, you can also study accounting, business statistics and chemistry.

4.5

Critical Thinking Company

Submitted by Tony Silva on Thu, 10/21/2010 - 12:05pm

Figure it Out
Critical Thinking Skills Levels 2 and 3
http://www.CriticalThinking.com
$29.99 for each level.

If you’ve run across Critical Thinking Company’s products and have been too intimidated to try them out, you’re probably not alone. At first blush, this curriculum seems like a great challenge for “Fear Factor”. Do not lat that scare you away.

In fact, take the time to read through the instructional material in the Instruction and Answer Guide (the teacher’s edition) several times before launching out into the deep. You may not thoroughly grasp the “pedagogy” behind Critical Thinking Skills, but the curriculum is easy to teach – though it is still a challenging subject.

5

TimelyTales….

Submitted by Tony Silva on Thu, 10/21/2010 - 12:05pm

Memorable Stories = Painless Times Tables
Times Tales
http://www.Timestales.com
$29.95 or $34.95 with 3 X5” flip chart for your child
Trigger Memory Systems

If the Times Tales memory system had been available when I was a child, I might have made different career choices in adulthood. OK, so no cool learning tool is really life changing, but this one comes close. Simply put, Times Tales takes the drudgery of learning the upper number multiplication facts and turns it into a series of fun stories.

4
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