Have you been wondering about using an online math curriculum in your homeschool? We’ve been using the same textbook-based math program since we started homeschooling six years ago, so our entire family was excited to try something fresh and different.
I received a free trial of this product and was compensated for my time writing the review, but all opinions are my own!
I’ll be honest — I never expected to use an online math curriculum with our kids, but CTCMath has been a lifesaver for our family this year. Every spring, when the lessons in the math book get harder, teaching math becomes a headache for all of us. I’m raising a natural perfectionist, who wants everything to come easily … and even though we consistently work on our growth mindset and positive language, math is a bit of a trigger for her.
This year, we hit the frustration wall later than usual, and I give a large part of the credit to CTCMath. Both girls have been enjoying their daily practice on the iPad, which we have added to our traditional math lessons (textbooks, worksheets, and pencils) over the past two months.
Why choose an online math curriculum?
Even though the myth persists that homeschoolers are unsocialized, we know how busy our kids are! The benefit of an online math curriculum is that our math lessons can go anywhere we go — without having to lug around a big textbook. Over the past two months, we’ve been able to log in to CTCMath at the library, in the car, and at Grandma’s house. Our softball season starts next week, and I am thrilled that we can get our math done during the 25-minute commute.
Overview of CTCMath
CTCMath is a web-based program, which allows our children to login from our home computer or use the iPad when we’re on the go.
Setting up a family account took hardly anytime at all, and my girls really enjoyed creating their own usernames and passwords. As the teacher/parent, I can login at any time to see my kids’ history and assign specific lessons for them to complete.
When a student logs in to CTCMath, they can complete assigned tasks or work on lessons of their own choosing. There are also a few simple games to practice problem-solving and math facts.
Each lesson has a short video that explains the new concept and demonstrates with a few different examples before giving a child a set of practice problems. The program gives instant feedback, letting a child see if they got the problem correct before moving onto the next one.
There is also a spiral-based review each week that covers a variety of skills and concepts with 20-25 problems. Since we jumped into the program in the middle of the year, there have been a few times I’ve had to quickly teach a concept in the weekly review, but that’s not been an issue at all.
Benefits of CTCMath
I’m rather old-fashioned when it comes to screen time for my kids, so the novelty of getting to “do math” on the computer or iPad is very enticing for both of them. The interface is easy to use, the instructions are very clear, and we have all seen clear progress from Day 1.
My favorite thing about CTCMath is that every child has access to the entire program, which means that each of my girls can work at their own pace. We can go back and review prior lessons or move ahead to the next grade level whenever they are ready.
Typically, we do math together, but children can also complete lessons independently. My husband even enjoys taking over CTCMath time on the days he’s home — and the four of us often end up on the couch together working through some of the trickier problem-solving lessons in the 5th grade section. Sometimes we “race” each other to find the answer first or work in teams so that our younger child can participate, too. Honestly, math has never been so much fun!
As we begin to think about purchasing curriculum for next school year, we’ll definitely be including the 12 Month Family Membership from CTCMath in our plans!
Note: Homeschooling families receive a massive 60% discount from regular price. Purchase any 12 Month Membership and receive a bonus 6 months for FREE! (total 18 months).
We all know how hard it is to switch curriculum sight unseen, so CTCMath offers a free trial for new families! You can also enter this giveaway for a 12 Month Membership.
Have you considered using an online math curriculum? Let me know your thoughts in the comment below!
