Little Homeschool Blessings: CTCMath Homeschool Membership {Review}

So I rarely beg to review products. There are lots I've been glad to have and lots I have enjoyed reviewing, but I don't generally beg. So confession...I begged to get to review CTCMath when the spot opened to review the CTCMath Homeschool Membership.

CTC Math is an online math program that is designed for Kindergarten through 6th grade and those interested in Speed Skills (for addition, subtraction, mixed multiplication and division, division with remainder, and order of operations), Basic Math and Pre-Algebra, Elementary Measurement, Elementary Geography, Algebra I, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Algebra II, Geometry, and Trigonometry. In addition to the online content, the upper grade level course work has worksheets available to print off as well.

Parents begin by choosing the appropriate course work for their child. Once a course is chosen, there are topics provided. Within those topics, the child will work through different lessons. Each lesson starts with a video. Most of the videos are 5-10 minutes in duration. A printable lesson summary is available that details how to solve the problem. Your child will then answer 10 questions that involve solving problems based on what was taught.

As your child completes a lesson, their percentage will show up with their high score, overall average, and a check mark upon passing. You can decide at what point your child can move on to the next lesson.

Parents are able to keep track of their child's progress. In the Parents' Area (from the Parent's Login), you have the ability to see each child's overall results which includes lessons completed, the child's overall efficiency rating, and options to view results reports (summary or detailed). The summary includes all grade levels completed and the detailed report gives the efficiency rating, first attempt, highest temp, how many attempts total, how many to pass, and the date passed. There is information on recent activity as well. Parents can set tasks for their child as well.

You can choose from three feedback options (your choice of them, all of them, or none of them): Weekly Progress Reports (sent to your email), Awards and Certificates, and Newsletters. The Weekly Progress Report includes a list of the children in your family that are using the program, the date, what was completed, the efficiency rating, time and scores, timeline for completion, number of lessons completed, and overall percent.

Our Experience
Ceesa has been using CTCMath since last year. (The picture below is from last year's review. My! Look at that dirty floor! It is clean now. :) She spent last year working through grade 6 and for this review she has been doing the Basic Math and Pre-Algebra work.

Before she starts any new section, I have Ceesa take the diagnostic test. There are three tests available with a different number of questions for each test. The short test has 16 questions. The standard test has 24 questions. The comprehensive test has 32 questions. We generally use the standard test. If she passes with 90%, I don't have her watch the lesson or answer the questions. On the question topics that she is under 90%, she watches the videos and answers the questions.

I would generally have her continue to work on a topic until she could answer the questions at 90%. If she made 2 attempts at passing the questions, I would work on them with her for the third attempt. She generally grabs a pencil and paper to work out most of the problems.

We have found that Ceesa does so well with CTCMath because the program does the teaching and correction. Many times she gets frustrated when she makes an error and someone has to explain to her why she has made the mistake. Since the program does all of the correcting, she is less irritated and more open to learning the new concept.

Recommendation
We would recommend CTCMath for anyone with a learning style similar to Ceesa's, anyone that wants to work through math at a pace and level with the child's needs in mind, those who like flexibility in topics, those who want extra math help, or those who want a full curriculum for grades K-6 that teaches for you.

Wishing you homeschool blessings,