We are embracing the meshing of technology and learning. We were able to review a DVD math program from ScienceandMath.com The Algebra 1 Tutor: Volume 1 and Fractions Thru Algebra Companion Worksheet CD. I have two high schoolers and need to find high quality education programs to help my teens. The Algebra 1 Tutor is the program I was looking for. I will be using it for ALL 5 of my kids.
The DVD is visually interesting. The teacher is clear and through. The worksheets encourage writing out and practicing the math lesson. The program may seem at first to be a very visually oriented learning style but if you follow the various additions and encouraged practice you can easily have a multi-sensory algebra program.
The Algebra 1 Tutor: Volume 1 is 7 hours of Algebra from integers and number lines to algebraic expressions and more. If like me you only vaguely recall your algebra classes and are concerned you might miss something fear not. These DVDs systematically cover algebra without needing you to jump in and having an intense math teaching session. I found myself listening in on days when I knew I was fuzzy on the math concepts.
When asked to explain a typical lesson my daughter told me, “The teacher is very kind and he explains things very well, except for when he can’t think of the word. That makes me laugh.” mom note… this was a just a simple word flub but my daughter is sensitive to word finding issues. Kids pick up the funniest, oddest things.
My math loving daughter was ready to work on Algebra right as we got this review. Very nice timing. All my kids work on math every morning right after writing. That means that math is an integral but sometimes taxing part of our day. One reason why it is first thing, to get it over with. Having 5 kids all working at various levels of math is a bit daunting. I hoped upon reading over The Algebra 1 Tutor that this DVD series would help shoulder some of the burden of math. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it did.
As my kids get to be high school age one of the objectives is to encourage independence. Using the The Algebra 1 Tutor DVD I could have my daughter work on her math alone. I was there at the table while she listened to the lesson with her headphones. I got to monitor if she took notes or stopped and worked on some practice problems as recommended. She was able to go at her speed through algebra.
The Algebra 1 Tutor is excellent at teaching the concepts needed for algebra without making you review and practice until boredom sets in. My daughter told me she liked being able to start and stop the lesson when she needed to. That included a lesson that she already knew the material so she went on to the next without having to sit through a whole lesson of review.
Please know that my daughter is blessed to be gifted and she doesn’t often have to relearn something after she has learned it once. In fact having to go over and over learned material tends to lead to frustration and zoning out. The ability to skip ahead slightly is highly prized by her.
This is volume 1 and works best when followed by The Algebra 1 Tutor: Volume 2. That means you can use this as one high school level class or you could use this in conjunction with other high school level subjects. I did a review a couple of years ago on the Pre-Algebra Tutor DVD and found that it went together with The Algebra 1 Tutor: Volume 1 seamlessly.
When I found out we were going to be doing the Algebra review I told my daughter. She was already using the Pre-Algebra Tutor DVD (total happenstance). She sped up her lessons and was ready to start Algebra when it came in the mail. There was no lapse of learning. The first couple lessons while presenting new material also went over briefly the ‘year’ before work. And she was off!
The Algebra 1 Tutor: Volume 1 worked wonderfully as a DVD individual program. If you child is a visual and auditory learner then they will excel with the DVD series. I found that adding the Fractions Thru Algebra Companion Worksheet CD upped the information retention and learning curve. Together the Math Tutor programs really shine. I highly recommend The Algebra 1 Tutor: Volume 1 and Fractions Thru Algebra Companion Worksheet CD as a mom homeschooling a high schooler. When your teen is done with these programs they will have a solid mastery of algebra and be ready to tackle higher level math!
Age Range: Grades 7-up
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Would you like to see more reviews and find out how this and several other math and science programs by ScienceandMath.com worked in other homeschooling homes? Click HERE for the LINKY or below for the main crew review!
