The Best MATH PROGRAM for Kids {and Moms} Who HATE MATH

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The Best MATH PROGRAM for Kids {and Moms} Who HATE MATH

Math-U-See

Horizons Math

Life of Fred

Christian Light Education

Learn Math Fast

Math Lessons for a Living Education

Teaching Textbooks

You might be thinking this is a list of available homeschool math programs, and in a way,  you would be right. 

But, really, this is a list of math we have used in our homeschool.

And by used, I mean, actually used for a decent amount of time during a school year. 

And, the best part of this, is that all of them were for ONE KID. Yep, six different math programs for one kid.

He’s an only child and HE HATES MATH. 

He didn’t hate it from the very beginning when it involved counting blocks and tracing numbers. But as soon as it involved computing problems, even as simple as single digit addition, HE HATED IT. He could do it but HE HATED IT. 

And, the way he felt about math resulted in

TEARS,

FRUSTRATIONS and

more than a few whispered

SWEARWORDS

from me. 

As you probably know, if your child hates doing something, it’s really easy to start hating the experience of asking that child to do it. 

So, soon enough, I HATED MATH too. 

But, we all know math is necessary to learn so we didn’t give up. 

But, we did try out a whole bunch of math programs. 

We started with Math-U-See and stuck with that for a few years. It was great for its hands on blocks and visual number street concept. I also loved the way the pages were laid out with their spacious work areas. And, the fact that Steve Demme taught all of the lessons was helpful. But somewhere along the line, Steve started using a strategy that made no sense to me, which meant I could not help the kid with it, and since HE HATES MATH, he always needed my help. So, I decided to make a switch mid-year. 

We switched to Horizons Math. I thought the kid would like the colorful pages and that I would like the spiral approach. But, the pages were crammed with too many problems and for a kid who HATES MATH and is a messy writer, more space and a better layout were necessary. But, we finished out the school year with it and then tossed the half-used book into the trash. 

Next up was Life of Fred. I had heard so many great things about this unconventional program with its story approach and real-life applications. I decided we’d give it a go during the summer months. But, with its unusual approach, I figured we needed to start at the beginning. So we started with Apples….and didn’t get too far. Neither of us really enjoyed the stories; we found them weird. And, there was simply not enough practice to accompany the stories. So, that was the end of Fred. 

When the fall rolled around, I was searching for yet another math program.  A fellow homeschool mom suggested Christian Light Education. The small booklets were appealing to me and I thought would be less overwhelming to my son. So, we did the placement test, which resulted in him being more than a grade level behind. Though I didn’t like that fact, I knew it must be true. After all, HE HATES MATH and we were now on our fourth math program {in six years.} So, I swallowed my pride, and ordered the level that the placement test suggested. But, apparently, I did not swallow ALL of my pride, because I was determined to catch him up within that year. So, we doubled up on math. Yeah. For a kid who HATES MATH, that was a really dumb move on this mama’s part. But, he’s a compliant kid and did what I asked….with lots of frustration, tears and whispered swearwords {from both of us, truth be told.}

And we actually used CLE for a few levels. He was catching up, but still hating it, and then I was offered a full set of Learn Math Fast for free and I took it. It is promoted as a program that works for kids who don’t like math, find math difficult to grasp or need to catch up. That was surely a description of my kid so we gave it a go! But, it is very clearly designed to start with Volume One {they don’t use grade levels} and work through the rest of the volumes quickly {that’s the “fast” part of the title, I guess.} Well, it didn’t work. Their approach was totally different to what he had learned with the other eighty-two programs he had tried {okay, it was only five by this point, but it felt closer to eighty-two}, so that program was abandoned fairly quickly and the remainder of the set was passed on to another family. 

So, now we’re sitting a few months into a new school year and,  yet again, need another new math program. Teaching Textbooks was being promoted heavily and appearing in ads all around me. When I looked into it and found that it was fully on-line, I thought… “hmmmm…for a kid who has limited technology time but who loves technology, THIS could be it!” But, it wasn’t. Turns out, while he might like to spend time on the computer, he also likes to have a physical book. Somehow, the process was simply not tangible enough for him.

So, along came a new year and another math pivot. Math Lessons for a Living Education offers simple books and includes no technology or manipulatives. And it had stories to go along with it. So, that’s what we did for seventh grade. And we both hated it. But as much as the kid loves to read, reading stories while doing math was not his jam. He just wanted MATH. So, we finished one book of that during 7th Grade but I knew I needed to find something else for 8th Grade and beyond. 

And, then the kid announced his firm intention of being a zoologist when he grew up. And I knew that meant that I needed to make a very specific and rigorous plan for his High School science and math.

So, back to the drawing board I went. Or at least, I started to go. But then God took care of all of my math worries and woes by sending me on a quick and unexpected trip multiple states away close to the end of that summer.

While in California for a funeral, I stayed with my favorite auntie. This favorite auntie happens to be my ultimate role model for homeschooling. She homeschooled all of my cousins long before it was even legal to do so. And, in the end, she produced five well-adjusted, gainfully-employed, mathematically-literate adults. 

Why I hadn’t approached her about math before is beyond me. Maybe because it had been two decades since she had actually taught my cousins so I assumed she’d be out of touch with today’s programs? I don’t know. But, I should’ve known she’d have the perfect suggestion for us because, really, does math change? 

You can add manipulatives and color pictures. You can add DVDs, video streaming or live instructors. But, does the actual math really change? No. 

When I explained where my son was in math and where he needed to go, she immediately got up, walked into her garage and came back with the math book that all five of my cousins used in 8th Grade:

Saxon Algebra 1/2

I took that old, worn, hardbound book and opened it. On the inside cover I discovered the signatures of all my cousins and the dates they used the book. It made me think of when I was in school and had been assigned a textbook for the year. 

But beyond the sweet nostalgia of realizing that a second generation would be using that book, was the sudden “ah ha” moment of what my son needed. He just needed straightforward, simply presented normal math. 

So, I packed that Saxon book into my luggage with a newfound excitement for the upcoming school year. 

And then I got home and sat down to plan the lessons out and got overwhelmed. I actually cried.

It was straightforward all right. I knew it was what he needed to finally set a firm foundation in math and get him ready for the rigors of Algebra, Geometry and Calculus in high school. But, it was so straightforward that I knew he would need more than just the plainly written daily lessons for him to actually learn. And, now that we were dealing with the beginnings of advanced math concepts, I knew I could not teach it. 

And then God stepped in again. I wish I could recall exactly where I read about Nicole the Math Lady. I think it was in a FaceBook group for homeschoolers. But, I am not sure. But, no matter where it was, I am positive that God placed Nicole right there in my path for a very specific purpose. I had never ever heard of Nicole before. Ever. But, I will be forever grateful that I discovered her when I did. 

Nicole TEACHES Saxon math lessons to your kids. For a very low subscription fee, you can log into her videos and watch her go through EACH LESSON. She does it efficiently with nothing but a big whiteboard, some colored markers, total clarity and a sweet smile. 

It was like hiring a one-on-one private and highly qualified teacher to tackle the one subject that was hated in our house. 

The kid and I watched the daily lessons together {so I knew what he was supposed to be doing and could help him correct mistakes of his written assignments} and then he would do his daily assignment. Every day, Nicole saved the day in our home. I’m not kidding. I cannot adequately praise her approach or thank her enough for her lessons. 

After one year with Saxon and Nicole, my son is ready to take on Algebra for Ninth Grade! 

And, for once, it’s just the middle of the summer and we’ve already got Math all figured out: Saxon Algebra with Nicole the Math Lady. 

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If you are interested in “hiring” Nicole the Math Lady, you can find the details by clicking on her name…just pick one of the 54 times I dropped it for you. Oh, heck, let’s make it a nice round 55 times because, in case you didn’t notice,  I LOVE Nicole!  

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The kid may never love math, but I know we will have much fewer tears, frustrations and swear words with this approach to math. 

And I know this approach will give him what is necessary to take the required science courses in high school. 

And I know this approach will have him all prepped and ready to roll for college in four years. 

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FEBRUARY 2021 UPDATE: We are now half-way through his Ninth Grade year and the kid is rocking Algebra! And, really, all of the credit goes to Nicole! Not only does she offer easy-to-understand videos for every lesson in his Saxon Algebra 1 textbook, she now also offers online grading. So, she does ALL THE MATH WORK for me!

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SEPTEMBER 2021 UPDATE: We are now six weeks into his Tenth Grade year and now Nicole and the kid are tackling Algebra 2! Every day, she teaches him the next Saxon lesson via video, he does all the problems in his book and the online grading system gives him immediate feedback. My only participation is reading the email report I get each day that outlines how many problems he got correct/incorrect. And, not only is he scoring well on his Saxon assignments, he is applying everything he has learned to his Honors Chemistry class. His math is so strong that he is averaging a solid A in his super rigorous Chemistry class!

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NOVEMBER 2021 UPDATE: Fifty lessons into Algebra 2 and I’m happy to report the kid is still holding strong. It’s not easy, but he’s doing it. He’s not overjoyed to do the work, but he’s not crying either, ha ha. But, really, he is not irritated, frustrated or discouraged and he has an “A” in the course. As a matter of fact, he now claims that math with Nicole is easier than his Chem class. And for a kid who loves science, that is saying a lot!

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JANUARY 2023 UPDATE: My kid is halfway through Saxon Geometry, and thanks to Nicole, I have not had to do ANY math this year. Like, NONE! My kid watches a lesson each day, does practice problems with Nicole and then works through the 30 mixed problems set. As he completes each problem, he checks it in the online grading system. If it’s wrong, he reworks the problem and tries again. When he is all done, I get a report emailed to me! He’s rocking a solid “A” with NO stress or frustration from either of us. But, the best part is that he has a 98% in his (live, online) Honors Physics Class which is filled with so much math it makes me shudder. But, my teen is killing the class…all thanks to Saxon and Nicole the Math Lady!

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APRIL 2024 UPDATE: I cannot believe we are in his final year, but here we are. And he is taking Advanced Math with Nicole. Advanced Math is Saxon’s title for Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus. It also includes half of a Geometry as well. Does he LOVE Advanced Math? No. Does he HATE it? Also no. Is he learning? 100% yes! Do I need to teach it, grade it or worry about it? 1000% NOPE!