Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Thinkwell Homeschool - 6th to 8th Grade Math Program Review




Anyone that follows our blog and homeschooling journey, knows that I love using online math programs to teach this subject.  We had the opportunity to review a new the Thinkwell Homeschool, 6th to 8th Grade Math Program.


Every child has a different learning style.  That's a benefit of homeschooling, the ability to adjust to each child's learning style.  Math is one of those subjects that everyone learns differently.  Thinkwell Homeschool online math program provides parents with online instruction video based learning.  This math programs for students in Grades 6 - High School, includes even advanced math honors courses and college level math.

Thinkwell Homeschool offers placements tests so that you can match up your student into the right program for their skills and abilities.  If you have a student who struggles with note-taking for classes, they also have printable notes that you can purchase extra to help them achieve the greatest success. 

The online format allows students to have access to their materials 24/7, so you can use them anytime that is convenient for you.  We were also able to work on several different devices.  If we were at home, Caty worked on her laptop.  But when we were road-schooling or at co-op, Caty was able to use my tablet to access her course through a web browser.  You do need internet access for this program though, so remember that if you are looking at the portability aspect.  

Thinkwell Homeschool does provide lesson plans include day-by-day and week-by-week schedule that allow parents to keep track of student's progress and keep them on track to finish their program.  But if your student is struggling, Thinkwell Homeschool provides flexibility for families that allows you to adjust to a schedule that works with your student.


We worked through the 6th Grade math...topics that are covered in the syllabus for this level include:



This was a true introduction for Caty into pre-algebra.  It seemed daunting to her.  But the video lengths were perfect for her.  She was able to watch these, only roughly 5-7 minutes a piece so far, and then work her way through the questions.  You can see the breakdown below for the first few chapters.



She has access to discussion boards about mathematical topics.  They also have extra resource links to help students tackle their math topics.



There were some extra notes that she could print and keep in a notebook as reference as she works through this program.

If a student does need extra help, videos can be re-watched until the student has mastered the topic and is ready to move on.  There are also graded practice problems and quizzes that give immediate feedback. This ensures that the student can see right away where they stand, and if they have retained the information they have been studying or if they need to practice more.  

Thinkwell Homeschool has provided a new approach to help students excel in their mathematical skills.  This different approach has really appealed to Caty.  She has been using another online program for a couple of years now.  She has done well, but I had not renewed her for the next level yet.  After trying out Thinkwell Homeschool for the past few weeks, she has requested to continue with Thinkwell Homeschool math as her program.  

I asked what she has liked about it so far.  She said that her favorite part is that she is watching the video of a real person.  Not just hearing a voice and seeing the figures appear on the screen.  She is watching someone actually solve the problems as they explain the work to her.  This made a difference she said as she was watching the problem being solved.  She could go back and re-watch him work if she needed to.  And the videos were not overwhelmingly long.  She said they were the perfect length, especially since she could re-watch the material.  The amount of questions at the level she is work was also not overwhelming.  She said too many questions overwhelm her.  

When she does go through the 9-10 questions at the end of each section, they give her instant feedback and an explanation as to why a problem is right or wrong. This information allows her to change her approach to the next problem.




I really did like that I could print extra worksheets to sit down and go through with her if I saw her struggling on any material.  This has been great for me.  I did not have to chase down worksheets to help her.  I can also track her finished work so that I know what she has and has not completed.  I also like that they have included some good outside links for games and websites to help explore more if she is still struggling in any area.  We are definitely enjoying and sticking with Thinkwell Homeschool Grade 6 Math for Caty!!

For the last several weeks, families with the Homeschool Review Crew have been using Thinkwell Homeschool at various grade levels in their homes.  Make sure to check out what they say about Thinkwell Homeschool by clicking below.

6th to 8th Grade Math (Pre-Algebra) and High School Math  (Algebra to Calculus) {Thinkwell Reviews}

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