Our Review of Teaching Textbooks
Our family has used a variety of math programs over the years of homeschooling including Saxon (our most used), Singapore Math, Miquon Math, Spectrum Math, and also Teaching Textbooks. Saxon is by far my favorite and a more advanced program versus Teaching Textbooks. However, I had one child (12 years old as of fall 2020) who HATED (yes HATED) Saxon. Too much writing. Too much repetition. She cried over every assignment. She was frustrated and so was I. As I mulled over what to do, I remembered hearing about Teaching Textbooks years before and decided to look it over. I found a used copy of the CD’s and tried it out with this daughter that year. She loved it and has been using it ever since, for about 3 years now. Compared to Saxon, it moves slower. For example, if you use Teaching Textbooks and then decide to move to Saxon, you will be a year behind in Saxon. If you stick with Teaching Textbooks this won’t be an issue for you.
Overall, It’s just an easier program versus Saxon. Especially for the parent. There’s no teaching, or correcting. Just login as the parent and you can see how your child is doing on regular assignments and tests.
The original Teaching Textbooks (which we have been using the last two years) use CD-ROMs and an optional book. I ditched the book after a week and we use only the CD-ROM. She pops in the CD, opens her lessons and the “tutor” on the CD not only teaches her lesson, but also answers questions, and explains correct answers when she misses a question. You can also skip the CD-ROMs and use their online program to access lessons anywhere you have internet access. The new 4.0 version, soon to released, will also work through an app.
I opted to start our youngest with Teaching Textbooks once she hit Math 3. She wasn’t having an issue with math, but she does have trouble sitting still for long periods of time. I found for her that “hearing” her lesson keeps her attention better.
Where to Buy
You can view and sign-up for courses or order books on their website at TeachingTextBooks.com
Teaching Textbooks Description (from publisher)
Teaching Textbooks is designed to make learning math in a homeschool setting the best possible experience. Designed specifically for homeschoolers, the text is self-explanatory, and the CD-ROM instruction allows students to easily understand and work through problems at home.
Teaching Textbooks were designed specifically for independent learners, with its approximately 700 pages of text and 120-160 hours of teacher instruction, is both a teacher and a textbook combined into one. And the teaching isn’t just abstract lectures either. There are also down-to-earth, audiovisual step-by-step explanations for every single one of the almost 3,500 problems in the book. Using a Teaching Textbook is like having a friendly tutor available at the push of a button, but for only a fraction of the cost!
The Teaching Textbook series was designed for independent learners, it introduces proper terminology only after first presenting the underlying concept in plain language. Of course, the series includes all the terms that students need to know for important standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT, but our textbooks do not bog the reader down in highly technical language until students are ready to digest it.
Teaching Textbooks will be releasing their 4.0 version this fall. Here is an overview:
Publisher
Teaching Textbooks Inc.
Grade
Third Grade – High School
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