I have been homeschooling since 2006 and using Teaching Textbooks since 2010. It is one constant curriculum I have used over the years and with all 3 children. With that being said, I’d like to address some of the rumors and myths about Teaching Textbooks I have heard and seen throughout the years.

Before going through and addressing some of the specific concerns I have seen regarding Teaching Textbooks, I would like to tell you a bit about my personal experience with Teaching Textbooks.

My Struggling Math Student

I started out using Teaching Textbooks with my oldest after struggling through Singapore Math 6A & and some of 6B (something I had been previously warned about but had forgotten in the moment).  We had math meltdown halfway through the year. I ultimately had to stop math with her altogether, step back, and reevaluate.

That’s when I found Teaching Textbooks and decided to give it a try! It was a game changer for my daughter! It was actually the beginning of us realizing that she preferred video based curriculum over all others. 

Upon completion of Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry, my daughter tested better on college math placement/entrance exams than her friends attending local public schools in our area. 

Teaching Textbooks works! And not only that it made a subject that my daughter dreaded, bearable! 

My Advanced Math Student

Coming in right behind our oldest is our son. He has always loved math, and it has always come easily to him. Lessons that had taken her an hour and a half or more took him 20 minutes!

The great thing is that he had the flexibility with Teaching Textbooks to quickly move along when things were really easy.  

Addressing Rumors and Myths About Teaching Textbooks

I have recently had the opportunity to work directly with Teaching Textbooks. Not only is this a big thrill for me because I LOVE TEACHING TEXTBOOKS, but because I have also had the opportunity to ask them directly about some of the concerns I have seen expressed. Many thanks to Greg Sabouri, the co-owner of Teaching Textbooks, for taking the time to answer some of these concerns.

Doesn’t DOES Cover All Major Topics

Teaching Textbooks mathematics series covers all of the major topics required by state standards. In fact, it covers most of those topics in multiple years. For instance, graphing linear equations is covered in Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus. That’s 5 years in a row! 

Teaching Textbooks is is NOT Behind

So why have some people said that Teaching Textbooks is behind? Mainly it’s because in recent years school publishers have begun pushing topics lower and lower in the curriculum. To go back to the previous example, that means some publishers include graphing linear equations even before Pre-Algebra. We think that’s too early. When a topic is covered too soon, the student can’t really understand it conceptually, and the lesson degenerates into rote learning. We introduce topics when we feel that students are developmentally ready for the material, not before. The result is that students learn more and they’re able to succeed. This in turn helps them gain confidence in their math abilities and makes it more likely that they will pursue the subject further in college. 

When comparing Teaching Textbooks to the public school curriculum, keep in mind that 50% of college freshmen—most of whom used public school textbooks—are required to take remedial arithmetic and algebra courses before being admitted to the college-level curriculum. That means they have to pay tuition for courses but don’t receive any college credit! This highlights that what matters is not how early you’re introduced to a topic, but whether or not you ever learn the topic at all. We cover every topic, and we have placed those topics where we think students will learn them best.

What if you have an advanced math student?

That’s simple. Just have the student work one grade level above. Actually, the Teaching Textbooks series was designed to accommodate this kind of flexibility. Most students are on one of two math tracks. They get to Algebra 1 in 8^th grade, or they get to Algebra 1 in 9^th grade. The first group has time to take Calculus 1 as a senior. The second group will only get to Pre-Calculus by the senior year.

When you take the Teaching Textbook courses on grade level (Math 3 in third grade, Math 4 in fourth grade, etc.), you are on track to do Algebra 1 in 9^th grade and Pre-Calculus as a senior. If you want the more advanced track, just have your student work one grade level above. Problem solved. This actually highlights a larger point. For homeschoolers, who are free to work at their own pace, the whole issue of whether a curriculum is ahead or behind is irrelevant. You’re free to move your student to whatever level is right for him and proceed from there.

“We have years of experience teaching homeschoolers, and we designed all of our products from the ground up just for you. We have tried to think through all of the issues and provide for all of your math education needs. I guess the best argument for Teaching Textbooks, though, is that our products have stood the test of time. We’ve been serving the homeschooling community for many years now and hundreds of thousands of students have used Teaching Textbooks and gone on to colleges and universities at all levels—from community college to the Ivy League—with great success. In short, Teaching Textbooks works.”

Placement Tests and Free Trials

Did you know that Teaching Textbooks has placement tests?

A great way to ensure your student is getting math at the level they need is by taking a placement test. When I started each one of my children I had them take a couple just so I could see where their best fit was. It takes the guess work out of knowing where to start them!

Teaching Textbooks has Placement Tests for each level (Click on each level in the menu bar to find the placement test for that level). This is an important feature because every math program is different and having a placement specific to the program helps you easily place your child where is most appropriate.

Did you know you can try any (and all) levels for FREE?

Each 4.0 Free Trial is a complete version of Teaching Textbooks up through Lesson 15. This means you will have access to lectures, audiovisual solutions (to each problem), eBook, and automated grading feature. Moreover, there is no time limit for completing the trial. It never expires! There are also no limits to the number of products you can try! And if you decide to purchase the full version, all of your grades will transfer and all of your student’s progress will be saved!