I received the online pre-algebra course free to aid in my honest review of this product. I was compensated for my time but not required to post a positive review.
Do you have a homeschool student that is not a math lover? I know I do. I also know as a homeschool parent, I don't want to fight to teach my non-math lovers especially when it comes to upper level math. If I'm honest, I don't want to teach any of them upper level math because I don't love math either! Yep, I said it.
I don't love math. It would be a stretch to say I even like math.
That is what I have found refreshing about Mr. D Math; it isn't like any math class I have ever taken or given to my kids.
At first glance it looks similar, online videos, quizzes, and grading, but when you get into it you see how very different it is.
Mr. D, Dennis DiNoia, has been teaching for over 25 years. He left public school, where he was a high school math teacher, to develop his online curriculum. His curriculum offers math from pre-algebra all the way to pre-calculus as well as a few other subjects like ACT/ SAT Bootcamps, College Preparedness, and even ASL (although he has added additional teachers for some classes).
We specifically looked at the Pre-Algebra class.
First of all, there are multiple options for how you take the pre-algebra class. There is the self-paced online version you may be used to from other online classes, but there is also a LIVE class option! A little more on that later.
Now the actual instruction is also different. Mr. D breaks down every math concept into the simplest form, into the words that make up the math. He introduces math as a language. This is fabulous for kids who get a bit flustered with the numbers alone.
The course work is also set up a bit different. There is a lecture section as well as a printable worksheet to fill out, but Mr. D wants the kids to fill out their course work while they are watching the lecture. This is true of the self-paced classes as well as the live classes.
Note: all course work can be printed at once, so you aren't printing everyday if you are a planner like me.
Once they complete their course work instead of putting in their answers to see if they are correct, they (with the help of a parent) grade their work. They are shown the solutions, so they can look through them and see where they went wrong on any problems they may have missed. Then if they understand their errors they can enter the correct answer. This puts a lot of responsibility in the child's hands, but it also helps eliminate anxiety they may be feeling about math.
Quizzes occur at the end of each lesson. They are short and not timed, and the student can take the quiz twice. If after that they are still struggling they can ask Mr. D directly about the questions or ask for a third try.
Mr. D also offers optional help sessions if kids are struggling or needing extra review in one area!
Everything about this curriculum is super low stress! There are even a ton of tutorials to help you learn how to use.
My daughter is a bit shy, so she wasn't interested in chatting, but I can definitely see this as a bonus for kids who like to talk through things.
Mr. D is also very energetic and very good at relating to the kids and drawing them in! In fact, for a large part of the live pre-algebra lesson, my 8 and 5 year old were also watching (nosy homeschoolers).
I also like the fact that your student can see other people are actually doing the same thing in case they still believe they are the only ones "tortured" with pre-algebra.
You can see that pretty much all homeschool families with kids in an upper level math class could benefit from the expertise of Mr. D! If you have a student entering pre-algebra or higher math, be sure to consider Mr. D Math for your child's education.
Do you have a homeschool student that is not a math lover? I know I do. I also know as a homeschool parent, I don't want to fight to teach my non-math lovers especially when it comes to upper level math. If I'm honest, I don't want to teach any of them upper level math because I don't love math either! Yep, I said it.
I don't love math. It would be a stretch to say I even like math.
That is what I have found refreshing about Mr. D Math; it isn't like any math class I have ever taken or given to my kids.
At first glance it looks similar, online videos, quizzes, and grading, but when you get into it you see how very different it is.
Mr. D, Dennis DiNoia, has been teaching for over 25 years. He left public school, where he was a high school math teacher, to develop his online curriculum. His curriculum offers math from pre-algebra all the way to pre-calculus as well as a few other subjects like ACT/ SAT Bootcamps, College Preparedness, and even ASL (although he has added additional teachers for some classes).
We specifically looked at the Pre-Algebra class.
Math Instruction with Mr. D Math
First of all, there are multiple options for how you take the pre-algebra class. There is the self-paced online version you may be used to from other online classes, but there is also a LIVE class option! A little more on that later.
Now the actual instruction is also different. Mr. D breaks down every math concept into the simplest form, into the words that make up the math. He introduces math as a language. This is fabulous for kids who get a bit flustered with the numbers alone.
The course work is also set up a bit different. There is a lecture section as well as a printable worksheet to fill out, but Mr. D wants the kids to fill out their course work while they are watching the lecture. This is true of the self-paced classes as well as the live classes.
Note: all course work can be printed at once, so you aren't printing everyday if you are a planner like me.
Once they complete their course work instead of putting in their answers to see if they are correct, they (with the help of a parent) grade their work. They are shown the solutions, so they can look through them and see where they went wrong on any problems they may have missed. Then if they understand their errors they can enter the correct answer. This puts a lot of responsibility in the child's hands, but it also helps eliminate anxiety they may be feeling about math.
Quizzes occur at the end of each lesson. They are short and not timed, and the student can take the quiz twice. If after that they are still struggling they can ask Mr. D directly about the questions or ask for a third try.
Mr. D also offers optional help sessions if kids are struggling or needing extra review in one area!
Everything about this curriculum is super low stress! There are even a ton of tutorials to help you learn how to use.
How is the LIVE Pre-Algebra Class Different?
Live classes are just how they sound. You show up online, on zoom specifically, along with all the other students taking the live class. You watch while Mr. D goes over the math lesson. The main difference is you have the ability to answer questions he asks, ask for help, or get clarification on things right then and there in the chat bar.
My daughter is a bit shy, so she wasn't interested in chatting, but I can definitely see this as a bonus for kids who like to talk through things.
Mr. D is also very energetic and very good at relating to the kids and drawing them in! In fact, for a large part of the live pre-algebra lesson, my 8 and 5 year old were also watching (nosy homeschoolers).
I also like the fact that your student can see other people are actually doing the same thing in case they still believe they are the only ones "tortured" with pre-algebra.
Who Would Benefit from Mr. D Math?
Most kids would enjoy the fun, stress free atmosphere of Mr. D Math. The few who may not would be those who are already quite good at math and don't want to talk through every step, but really a lot of them may still enjoy the easy going nature of Mr. DiNoia. So for the most part this pre-algebra course would be great for the majority of homeschool kids and parents including:- Kids who are uncomfortable with math.
- Kids who may not have a solid math foundation.
- Kids who do better with one on one instruction.
- Kids who are learning to be independent workers.
- Parents who are not comfortable with teaching upper level math.
- Parents who question themselves or their ability to help with upper level math.
- Parents who just need an engaging math curriculum for their kids.
You can see that pretty much all homeschool families with kids in an upper level math class could benefit from the expertise of Mr. D! If you have a student entering pre-algebra or higher math, be sure to consider Mr. D Math for your child's education.
