CTC Math is just what is says, an on-line math tutor. It is available for pretty much any level of math (Kindergarten through Calculus) and you can use it any hour of the day...or night.
It operates pretty simply once you log on too and each lesson only lasts about 10-15 minutes. Anybody can sit through that much math, right? The creator of this math program decided to keep it that short because he wanted to explain stuff in the simplest, most logical way (something that despite the efforts and reasons behind all the Common Core stuff - they just absolutely do NOT do). They do show different ways to solve a problem, but, they keep it simple.
This program originated in Australia. Which, I will admit, by using it, makes me feel sort of cool and international. I love listening to the kids do their math with the teacher's Australian accent. It is relaxing and sing song-y in all the right ways.
First your student logs in and gets this screen where you pick your area of study....and your grade level/course. In this case, this is S-girl's page and choices.
In this example, I picked 2nd grade, Number Patterns and Algebra, then Whole Numbers:
There is a video (the short one I mentioned above) that explains that days lesson and how to do the math. Then there are the lessons/questions for you to work through.
Your kids have the chance to earn certificates for completing and doing well in the subjects. But, I gotta say that my kids aren't motivated or excited about those kinds of things, so that wasn't a big deal for them
One of the best features that I found (and I like this for MY stuff on the computer too) is the ability to stop and rewind the lessons, so it is okay if you didn't quite get it/hear it, the first time. You just go back and listen/watch again....until you do. Easy peasy.
I also liked that the graphics were helpful without being distracting. No cartoons. No "in your face" colors. Just arrows, highlighting and muted color schemes that are interesting, but easy on the eyes. In some of the lessons, they ask you do do the work the old fashioned (normal) way on pencil and paper. I am a big fan of old fashioned education and that you need to figure out how to work the problems, how to show your work and how to go back and dig through and figure out where you went wrong.
That brings me to what happens when you get stuff wrong. You know exactly what you get wrong and you have the chance to go back and work through it to try again and get it right...and, when you do that, you get credit for it. And, if you absolutely cannot figure out where you went wrong or even where to start on how to get it right, you do have access to the answers so you can see how you should have worked the problem. I also got a weekly downloadable PDF report sent to my e-mail that covered everything that each kid had completed and how they did in each area.
For a math program that my kids are having to do on their summer break, CTC Math is a good one. Poor little dears!
I actually think it is ending up being a good thing to keep their math on point and will help come the start of our official home classes again in August. There won't be such a lag those first few weeks of school.Overall, CTC Math is a really good, solid, quick, simple program for learning math at home. We didn't get a chance to use it in the upper grade levels, but were really pleased with the lower grade levels. When you subscribe to CTC Math, you have access to all grade levels, so your student can work ahead or even jump around to some of their other more difficult areas.
I also got a weekly downloadable PDF report sent to my e-mail that covered everything that each kid had completed and how they did in each area.
You can find more information on subscribing to the 12 month family plan for homeschoolers or the regular CTC Math plan for non-homeschoolers.
Other TOS Reviewers may have tried out different grade levels and parts of the program, so go see what they thought of their experience with CTC Math.
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