Teaching Textbooks Math Review: What Homeschool Parents Need to Know
The math I refuse to change.
Links included may be paid links. My family may receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thank you for your support! For more information, see our terms, privacy policy, and disclaimer. All opinions are my own and I was not paid for this review.
Teaching Textbooks for 7+ Years!
Math was the one subject that almost held me back from homeschooling. Yes, really.
I struggled in school with math. I knew I would need help with this subject. The doubts started creeping in every time I thought about it.
Do I know enough to teach it? What happens when we get to algebra? What if my child doesn’t understand the way I explain something? And how am I supposed to teach high school math when I barely remember it myself?
This is one of the reasons Teaching Textbooks has been such a helpful part of our homeschool.
Teaching Textbooks is a self-paced, computer/tablet homeschool math curriculum designed to do the teaching for you. The lessons are taught directly to the student, problems are graded automatically, and students receive immediate feedback when they miss something.
And for our family, one of the biggest benefits has been independence.
You can check out Teaching Textbooks and try it for free here: https://bymandymaltz.com/freemath
What is Teaching Textbooks?
Teaching Textbooks is an online homeschool math curriculum for students beginning with Math 3 and continuing through high school math. And you don’t even need an internet connection anymore to use the program!
Instead of handing your child a textbook and expecting you to teach the lesson, Teaching Textbooks walks the student through the math step by step. The videos are there for you and your child to watch again and again, which I love.
A typical lesson includes video instruction, practice problems, and graded problems. Students work directly through the program, and Teaching Textbooks keeps track of their grades for you.
That means the curriculum handles two of the most time-consuming parts of homeschool math:
Teaching and grading.
Meaning, I am totally hands-off.
As a homeschool mom, that is a HUGE help.
And here’s a secret…Teaching Textbooks is the only curriculum I haven’t switched in 10 years of homeschooling. The ONLY one.
Why? Because it works.
You Don't Have to Be a Math Teacher
This is probably one of the biggest reasons I recommend Teaching Textbooks to homeschool families, and why I personally use it.
You don't have to be a math teacher to homeschool your child successfully.
And friend, I am not a math teacher. I’m far from it.
I think sometimes we put unnecessary pressure on ourselves as homeschool moms. We assume that if we're homeschooling, we personally have to be the expert in every subject our children will ever study.
Our job is to make sure our children have access to the instruction and resources they need.
Teaching Textbooks provides the math instruction. I can check grades, make sure lessons are being completed, see when my student is struggling, and step in when necessary without having to prepare and teach an entire math lesson every day.
I don't have to grade high school math.
I love not grading his math. It’s an atuo pilot for me. I can take care of other things while my son does math. It’s a good hour of my day that I get back!
He sits and listens to his lesson, does the practice problems, and then his lesson problems.
He also gets immediate feedback on anything he got wrong and needs to correct.
It’s super easy for me as a mom, and independent for him as a student.
What I Like Most About Teaching Textbooks
After using Teaching Textbooks in our for over 7 years in our homeschool, these are some of the things that stand out to me most:
Students can work independently.
Lessons are taught directly to the student.
Problems are graded automatically.
Students receive immediate feedback.
Parents can monitor grades and progress.
The help line if we get stuck (YES!!!)
It removes the pressure of having to personally teach upper-level math.
Students can work at their own pace.
Affordable (there’s even a family plan)
It is easy to incorporate into a normal homeschool day.
What About High School?
High school is where Teaching Textbooks really shines. I knew from the beginning I would need to outsource it for myself.
High school math is one of the areas that scares parents away from homeschooling through graduation, and one of the reasons parents will abandon homeschooling completely. I didn’t want that to happen to us, so I knew I needed a plan.
But homeschooling high school does not mean you suddenly need to become an algebra or geometry teacher (because let’s face it, that’s not going to happen for me). Outsourcing math doesn’t mean you’re no longer homeschooling.
Teaching Textbooks allows the student to work independently while still going through high school math each year. They offer Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus.
And remember this homeschool mom, you are still homeschooling even when you aren't personally teaching every lesson.
We’re allowed to outsource materials and still homeschool.
What I Would Tell a Mom Considering Teaching Textbooks
You have nothing to lose. Do it. You can try it completely free.
One of the best things you can do when you're unsure about a curriculum is stop reading 47 conflicting opinions on the internet and let your actual child use it.
Teaching Textbooks offers a free trial, which gives you the opportunity to see how your student responds to the format before committing.
That’s what we did long ago, and both of my sons were sold from the very beginning.
My youngest was in first grade when his big brother started TT. He was so excited to start math like his brother. He begged to start Teaching Textbooks for math because it looked like fun to him.
That’s one thing I like about Teaching Textbooks…they make math fun!
You can try Teaching Textbooks for free here: bymandymaltz.com/freemath
Hear from my kids! Here’s what they say about Teaching Textbooks!
Final Thoughts: Is Teaching Textbooks Worth It?
For our homeschool, Teaching Textbooks has solved one of the biggest concerns many parents have about homeschooling older students: I don't have to know how to teach everything.
I can provide my child with a quality math education without standing at a whiteboard teaching every algebra problem myself, and I can focus on other things while he gets that subject done. It takes an enormous amount of pressure off of me.
Plus it teaches him independence and responsibility.
That makes Teaching Textbooks a very practical option for homeschool families—especially as students move toward more independent learning in middle and high school. Which if you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know how much I talk about teaching independent learning.
Remember, curriculum is a tool, and Teaching Textbooks is one of the best tools in my homeschool curriculum toolbox.
So is it worth it? For my family, it is hands-down a must have.
