TOS Review: Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 1

SUH-NORE!  This is getting so old!

For those of you who know the Cains, you know that this has been "The Summer Of The Math Facts".  We've been working on really getting them memorized while on summer break.  I gotta tell ya, math is so intimidating to me.  And my greatest fear is that the kids will feel my trepidation and take it on themselves.

For this very reason, I am hesitant to review math products.  Once we find something in the math department that works, I just wanna stick with it and not rock the boat.  But occassionally something catches my eye.....

Math Essentials definitely caught my eye. A total math lesson- including review- in 20 minutes a day?  Really?  Not just a fun, cutesy review website game- a real math curriculum!

We had the opportunity to review their product Mastering Essential Math Skills, Book 1.


 This program has 12 chapters which cover:

• whole numbers
• fractions
• decimals
• percentages
• integers
• geometry
• charts and graphs
• problem solving
• ratio and proportions
• probability and statistics
• number theory and algebra
• graphing on number lines and coordinate systems.

The lessons are kept short and concise so that students do not have the opportunity to grow bored.  I popped the dvd in my laptop, Abby started her lesson, and was finished 20 minutes later!  UH-MAZING!  Poor Abby gets bogged down in math....she's my history girl.  I was utterly thrilled when she commented that she really liked this program!

I, personally, don't think it could get a finer endorsement than that!  But WAIT!!!!......

Her Daddy, the chemical engineer, came in and watched her do the math lesson and said "Now that's a great program!  We should get Ben on it!"

YAHTZEE!!!

This is what Math Essentials has to say about their approach:
The key to this program's success is that every lesson is fun and exciting. Each daily 20 minute session is short, concise and self contained. Students don't have time to get bored or discouraged. Consistent review is built into lessons so students are able to master and reinforce their math skills. Students can see their progress and this helps increase their confidence and build self-esteem.

Book 1 is designed for 4/5 grade and comes with it's corresponding DVD for $33.95.  I think it's very reasonable and will purchase a workbook alone for Ben, which sells for $15.95.  Please go check them out- their sample pages will give you the opportunity to see just how quickly they progress.  By lesson 4 Abby was all caught up with the math she learned last year!  On to new material!  So exciting!

Don't forget, you can always check out what the crew had to say here...


Disclaimer:  I was given Book 1 and the DVD that goes with it from Math Essentials in exchange for an honest and objective review for the TOS Review Crew.