Math help is on the way!!!

Teaching math is not for the faint at heart! I have been teaching for a lot of years, I won't mention how many because it makes me feel really old, and I have found that the one subject that usually petrifies parents is math. I, unfortunately for my children, am a math geek. So, I was skeptical when I was asked to try out "America's Math Teacher" computer based math tutorial. **I was not given any compensation for this review. It reflects my opinions, not the opinions of TOS. Well, skeptical as I was when I first received this program, I dove in and tried it out with my kids.

I will mention from the outset that the online program is very new and is not without glitches. Rick, the owner, is very good about correcting issues as they come to his attention. So, if you do use the program and run in to a problem, contact him politely and bring the problem to his attention and he will correct is as soon as he can. It is still a work in progress.

The online program is designed to provide math tutoring, or supplementation, to children who are at a pre-algebra/algebra readiness stage up to children studying algebra. Basic math skills such as fraction concepts, decimals, percents, and statistics are included in the Basic and Advanced Math sections. Concepts move into equation solving and other algebraic skills in the Pre-algebra and Algebra sections

The worksheets provided in each area are downloadable and are well-written. My kids really don't like showing their work in math, so they were thrilled to have math worksheets that they could work on scratch paper or in their heads and just write the answers! I would like for all of the worksheets for one subject to be located in a single file so I wouldn't have to go through all of the individual downloads, but that is my personal preference. The worksheets supplement the online video lessons. A fun feature of the program is the speed drills sections. I love this because I am really big on fast mental math!

The online video lessons are very informative. They are fairly easy to follow, for an older child, but they do move quickly. So, be prepared to stop, rewind, and play over sections several times.

There is an evaluation section available which contains online quizzes over different concepts. I know there have been some glitches in this sections, but they are being corrected.

I would recommend this program for anyone whose children need extra help getting ready for and studying Algebra. I don't think it would work as a stand alone math curriculum. It would be a good supplement. There are a few free items on the site that you can check out so you can "try before you buy." I would do that for sure.

The cost seems a bit steep, at first. But, there are hours and hours of video lessons and hundreds of worksheets available. Your $195 membership would definitely pay for itself if you really took advantage of all the features of the program. You can see the program at: http://www.americasmathteacher.com/

To read other reviews about the program, go here: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783008/