We have been using Teaching Textbooks 3. It is a math program that is on CD-ROM. It comes with a workbook, an answer key & has a built in grade book. It has a lecture that is given by a former Harvard professor. Your child has full control of the lecture, meaning if he doesn't understand something, with one click of a button, he can repeat that part of the lesson. There are practice problems to see if he is understanding as the lecture is taking place. He has to get it right the first time. If he doesn't, the program shows him how to do it the correct way and he has to answer another problem dealing with the same concept.
Then there are the workbook problems. I have my kids work the problem out in their workbooks and then answer on the computer. This way, they have worked it out and if they get it wrong, they can see on paper where their mistake came from and correct it. If they answer the question wrong, they have one chance to try it again, if they miss it again, they have to see how it is done properly before they can move on. If they answer it right the second time, they have the option of seeing how it is done, or they can move on to the next question.
There are quizzes about every ten lessons. I have my children treat it like a lesson, without a lecture, so they don't get nervous and freeze up.
And then there are the bonus rounds. Bonus rounds are after a lesson every so often. In TT3, they give you a timed "flashcard" session. It is set up like a game show. Crazy robot, Dudley Dunbar hosts it along with his many cheering robot buddies. Your child tries to answer as many of the math problems as possible in the allotted time. Depending on how many answers he gets right, depends on how many bonus points he gets. Those bonus points reflect on the day's lesson. For example, let's just say your child gets 20/22 problems right on the lesson, a 91%. Then he does his bonus round and gets +3 points for getting 26/40 flashcard problems right. His Lesson score then goes up to 105%. It builds great self esteem while keeping math facts fresh in his mind.
TT3 is intended for Grade 3, but may I say, that if you did a Math program prior that was intense, I don't see why you couldn't start it in 2nd grade. My kids did Horizons Math up to the first part of 3rd grade (where it got so hard and we had to quit) before I started making up my own Math worksheets (a pain in the back for sure), and then we discovered TT3. I thought to myself, they learned all this stuff in 2nd grade with Horizons, plus some. So here are my thoughts. If your child was in an advanced Math, you could start TT3 in 2nd grade. Let's say it's too easy for your child, then have him do more than one lesson a day. I don't suggest skipping any lessons, because each lesson has a new concept introduced and there is no index to let you know when and where they are introduced. I had my kids doing two lessons a day at first, but as things started to get harder, I made them stick to just one. They are still doing stuff that they learned in Horizons 2, but I think reinforcement is great! Plus the major bonus for me, is that they are still being challenged, yet they aren't crying about it.
Not only do my kids love this program, but it frees up some time for me to teach my younger child. My child goes off into another room with my laptop and quietly does his math, while I devote some much needed teacher to student time with my 1st grader who is working on reading. Very rarely do my students who are doing TT3 ask for help, because they can go back to that particular part of their lesson to find the answer.
Bonus for parents! The grade book is printable, reviewable, and changeable if needed. Changeable, you ask?? Let's just say, my daughter has accidentally pressed the wrong key when entering an answer. After her lesson is over, she comes to me and tells me. I look at the question and ask a very similar one to see if she understands the concept. If she does, I get into the grade book (using my parental pass code) and change it in her grade book. If she still gets it wrong, I help her figure out what she is doing wrong and leave the grade as is. Make sense? -- My kids also love to check out their grade books (they cannot change it) and check out their scores. It's a great encouragement to them.
Sample of one of my kid's grade book
So, have I sold you on it? ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment