My son loves math. He picks up concepts easily, uses different strategies to problem solve and has a good memory which makes it easy for him to memorize math facts. My daughter is a creative thinker that loves writing and excels in all things involving creativity. Math is harder for her. It bores her and she finds it hard to concentrate on math lessons in class. Her mind wanders. I’ve found that it really helps when I can sit down with her and go over the process. It sometimes takes awhile to reign her in but she is very capable of grasping different concepts and applying them once she understands the process. Then it’s like a light bulb goes off!
We recently had the opportunity to try out Revolution Math, an online learning program for elementary students (grades 2-5). At first McKinley was mad at me for signing her up to try it. She said it was “stupid and weird”. After her first lesson though, she was completely on board. Revolution Math combines live tutoring with engaging story-based curriculum that really appeals to McKinley’s creative nature. Classes meet each week at a designated time and include the teacher and up to 3 other students. Together they go on weekly adventures, using math to solve mysteries and tackle team-based challenges.
Where we live, school is out early every Friday. This was the perfect time for our lessons. Although, it wasn’t ideal, I needed McKinley to have a quiet space away from her siblings so I set her up with my laptop on the bed in my room. It made her feel special and she looked forward to her lesson each week. A table or desk would have been better but this setup worked for us.
I sat with McKinley for the first lesson so that I could help make sure she knew how to use the computer since it’s normally off limits to her. These sessions can also be done on a tablet which would have been much more familiar to her. At first she thought it was strange that she could see and talk to the other students and the teacher but didn’t know them. It didn’t take her long to get over that. The teacher was friendly and did a good job keeping the kids focused and on task but also allowing them to get to know each other in quick tidbits. McKinley thought it was cool that one of her classmates lived in Hawaii and that the four of them were in several different time zones.
When you sign up for Revolution Math, you’ll be mailed a Learning Kit. It includes some fun props, different types of dice, graph paper and more. The story-based learning program is interactive. Each student can choose a character and use the props from the box as they read their short part aloud. A shared screen is used to work through and solve math problems. Sometimes they roll a specified die to help create a random equation. Having these elements makes the whole learning process a lot more fun.
It’s also rewarding. Not only does the student gain confidence in their math and problem solving skills, they are also rewarded with gems that they can earn and exchange for real prizes! If your student is reward motivated like mine, this is a great incentive!
After her first session, McKinley was excited about math and couldn’t wait to meet with her group again the following week. After her four week trial she practically begged to continue her sessions! I loved what I saw whenever I’d peek in on a lesson. She was learning solid concepts and strategies, gaining confidence in her abilities and was always thoroughly engaged and focused. This can be a tough task but Revolution Math and the awesome teacher she had did just that.
I highly recommend Revolution Math and as a Mommies with Cents reader you can get:
- A FREE 4 week trial of Revolution Math
- A Learning Kit delivered to your home for only $1 (no shipping & handling!)
Sign up at www.revolutionmath.com using coupon code CENTS1.
Whether your child struggles with math or just needs to brush up on their skills, Revolution Math is a great way to get some study time in without making it feel like work. We loved it and I think you will too! Sign up for your free trial today and let your friends know about this deal too!