Math Tutor DVD.com Review

Math can be a bit scary/overwhelming to homeschool moms at times. There comes a point in your child’s math career where you may say: “I’m NOT  teaching that, or I can’t begin to imagine teaching ___________ .” (whatever higher math it may be.) Well, thankfully, there is help on the horizon! And, one great resource is Math Tutor DVD. com. 

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I was given the opportunity to review two of their products. Here are my findings and opinions:

The first one is the “The Pre-Algebra Tutor Volume 1”  ($26.99)

You can find it here: http://www.mathtutordvd.com/products/item66.cfm

This is a wonderful way to understand and master pre-algebra concepts. My oldest is doing 6th/7th math this year, and so he wasn’t ready for this, but it will be a “MUST” in his curriculum next school year. He is good at math, but even he will benefit from the clear, step-by-step instructions. I really like the way Jason Gibson, the instructor, presents the material.  He is pleasant, interesting, and easy to understand. It also helped me brush up on my memory of certain topics, and that will help me in my teaching.

This is a 5 hour, 2 disc dvd  and here is a list of the topics covered:

Disc 1

• Real Numbers
• The Number Line
• Greater Than, Less Than, Equal To
• Absolute Value and Adding Integers

Disc 2

• Multiplying Integers
• Dividing Integers
• Powers and Exponents
• Order of Operations

Here’s a sampling of how each lesson works: Jason starts out with an introduction of the topic, then he explains it and begins working the practice problems-talking them out, step by step.  He recommends watching the entire explanation first, and then working the practice problems out with him and eventually on your own.  This technique works  well for multiple learning styles.  Visual learners SEE the problems worked in front of them, auditory learners HEAR the clear explanations for each step as he is working the problem and kinesthetic learners FEEL and touch as they write out the examples themselves. Each lesson builds on the last and so builds confidence in the student as they progress. Algebra/pre-algebra become a set of manageable parts, instead of an overwhelming whole. Moms and children will be successful and feel less stress-a win-win combination! :o)

The other dvd that I reviewed was a tutorial on the Texas Instruments TI 83/84 calculator-WOW! I have seen those calculators in stores and have heard about them from high school/teen friends, and can I say, I wanted to RUN from the thought of even trying to comprehend them! So, it was with a bit of trepidation that I even began to watch the dvd:

Again, Jason Gibson eases me into something difficult and intimidating by starting out concisely and simply. This 8 hour video tutorial has 37 sections on a 3-disc set and costs $26.99. You can view it on the website here: http://www.mathtutordvd.com/products/item63.cfm  All you see on the screen is the calculator-the buttons are on one side and the calculator screen is on the other, and as he walks you through each step, the cursor moves over each part and then you see the input on the screen. Each lesson builds on the next and is so thorough, that again, you are confident as you move on to the harder functions. Buying one of these calculators will definitely be on my “must have” lists soon. We also are thankful that I was chosen to receive this one because my husband is a public school teacher and wants to get his certification in teaching math, 8th-12th grades, and this will help him quite a bit when he takes that test.

There are so many other goodies available from their website and lots of free lessons, which I encourage you to check out as well: www.mathtutordvd.com and look on the right side of the homepage under “Free Sample Videos.”

There is another feature of the company where you can buy online membership, for $19.95 a month and access ALL of the video tutorials online. What a blessing and bonus this is for families with multiple children!

My final assessment-terrific! Go check them out today: www.mathtutordvd.com.

Want to know what other Crew members think? Click here to see: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/782960/

Disclaimer:

*The author’s honest review and opinions are entirely her own. This product was provided to the author for free as a member of the 2010-2011 The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew. No further compensation was received.*