Teaching homeschool math was a disaster until we found teaching textbooks. Here are 4 reasons why we switched to teaching textbooks and why you may love it too!
The tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at me. “I don’t understand this mom!” she would say. She had begun to hate homeschooling and if I was honest…. I had too.
Math has been a constant struggle in our homeschool. Years ago we switched from a homeschool math curriculum we thought we would like. The struggle to find a curriculum that would fit my daughter’s needs was real and I spent a LOT of time in prayer over it. Our choice was one that we truly liked. We continued to use it for a few years with little to no struggle. Homeschooling was enjoyable again, and we all fell into a nice rhythm.
Then…. Long division came. And with it came the tears and the struggles. I had a realization that we were going to have to switch again. This time, we switched to Teaching Textbooks (and I was excited to see many of you use it too! ).
My Daughter Learns Math Differently Than I Do
This means that she and I butt heads at homeschool Math time. After our switch, last time my husband and I came to the agreement that he would take over math struggles. Meaning that if I couldn’t teach it, he would. This alleviated a lot of stress for she and I both.
Bottom line: I can’t teach her Math.
Teaches Lessons For ME!
My husband works long hours meaning that often times if she struggled with a certain area of Math it was a few days before he could sit and go over it with her. This was fine for a while but the older she got, the more I had a hard time teaching. Meaning that HE had to teach more. But, his time was limited. So, I went back to trying to teach her. The reality was our agreement was no longer working.
Teaching Textbooks teaches the lessons for me. I pop in a CD-Rom and there is the lesson. Short. Simple. And to the point.
Bottom line: I DON’T HAVE to teacher her Math!
It Grades the Lessons TOO!
Grading papers is my least favorite part of homeschooling. Teaching Textbooks grades each lesson for me. I don’t have to do anything. Seriously. At the end of each lesson, the girls can see how they did. Our rule is they have to pass each lesson with an 80%. If they do, they are done for the day. If they don’t, they have to tell me and I can assign extra work or have them go back over a certain lesson. (We haven’t had to do test this arrangement yet!)
I can check their grade book at any time so I don’t have to worry about them telling me they passed when they didn’t… (Again this has never happened but my girls are still young. And I wanted to point that out in case any of you had a child that may not share their true grade…)
Bottom line: Less work for me!
It comes with a Textbook option
I have heard of programs that are all online, or that are all computer based. These options are great! But…I wanted a curriculum that also gave us a real book in case we needed it. Let’s face it, electric goes out. Computers break. We go out of town and sometimes want to take school with us. Teaching Textbooks allows us to still get math done even IF we can’t get onto a computer. The lessons in the textbook are the EXACT same as the lessons on the computer.
Bottom line: School WILL go on! Even if the technology doesn’t 😉
I don’t know if Teaching Textbooks will be THE program that carries us through high school, but I do know that for the foreseeable future it has an A+ from me. Homeschooling is hard. And Teaching Textbooks makes my job a little bit easier.
That’s a win for any homeschool mom right?
What has been your experience with Teaching Textbooks?
PS: If you are looking for a homeschool math curriculum online you will be happy to know that Teaching Textbooks now offers their homeschool math ONLINE!! Read my full Teaching Textbooks review on their new online math curriculum here.
Misty says
Good luck!!We are still using and loving TT 🙂
Becky says
Hi, I am so glad I found your blog! I am a homeschool moma of 2 awesome girls. We have homeschooed for 4 years with the same curriculum. We too are butting heads when it comes to the math. It is encouraging to read your post. I am not a fan of the latest and greatest technology. I like hands on and to the point teaching. I plan to curriculums for sure I’m math.