Whoop Dee Doo and a Review Too - 2

As my last post ended,

I decided to focus on what she needed which was more grammar and paragraph writing skills.

I wanted to redeem some of the school year, so my compromise: Complete all the vocabulary and grammar lessons for EP English 8, use every story you have written as the writing component in which she is responsible for rewrites, editing and character development. BOOM. Done.

Pre-Algebra/Pre-Algebra

Just kind of didn't work for their learning style.


So we went with an online program ALEKS.com after receiving a link for a 2 month free trial. (Two month trial is now over - BOOOOO! but there is a 48-hour free trial PLUS a discount code for monthly subscription)

What is ALEKS Math? (From their website)

http://www.aleks.com/about_aleks

ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces) is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system.

ALEKS combines advanced learning technology with the flexibility of the Internet, and provides an interactive tutoring system with unmatched features and capabilities. ALEKS was developed with support from the National Science Foundation. It is based on a field of Mathematical Cognitive Science called "Knowledge Spaces," which models human knowledge for precise assessment and efficient learning in interactive computer programs. 

• Completely web-based
• No Textbook required
• Available in English and Espanol
• Not Multiple Choice based - All questions are algorithmically generated and require a "free response."
• PC and Mac compatible
• Catered to their needs - what they already know, they don't have to do.

Throughout the class they are given assessments to guage what they know.  If questions are answered wrong, it gets added BACK to the lesson plan, thus it encourages students to learn. My oldest go pretty frustrated, she just wants to rush right through everything and leave the details to the end. 

So what does that mean?  My kids finished a whole years worth of math in two months; my oldest finished a college math class in less than a month.  Am I encouraging speedy work?  No, but it made sense to me to go ahead and start my oldest on a higher level class while the work was still fresh.  AND she can get college credit for it through the American Council of Education

Throughout the class they are given assessments to gauge what they knew. If questions were answered wrong, it gets added BACK to the lesson plan, thus it encourages students to learn.


****Disclaimer: I am in no way being compensated for this blog post from McGraw Hill, I'm not that advanced yet in reveiws.  My words are my opinions alone.