Looking ahead: Algebra, SAT Prep and University!

 This blog-post was written in partnership with Mr. D Math.
Although I was compensated for my time, and given free access to the online
material, all opinions expressed here are 100% my own.

Before I even began
home-schooling my children, I was planning ahead! 

How will I teach Algebra,
Geometry and higher level Math when it’s been almost 15 years since I was at
school? 

How will they get into University, and how do they prepare for
standardized tests like the SATs? 

I was worried about all this before my son even
knew the alphabet!

Maybe it’s my Type A personality,
but finding out this information gave me the reassurance and confidence I needed to start homeschooling!

Although we live in the U.K., we
have always used Math curriculum from U.S.A., as the choices of Homeschool Math curriculum
in the U.K. are limited. 

We have also considered that the children may choose
to apply to Colleges and Universities in the “States”, as home-education is
more widely accepted there.

So now I was on a mission to find
out, how will my homeschooled children get into University in America?  

How will I prepare them for all the SATs, ACTs
or FCATs? 

What resources are there available for a homeschooling mum like me
from England?

I was delighted in my quest for
answers, to come across Mr. D Math.

Mr. D Math is the creation of an
ex-secondary teacher Dennis DiNoia. He left the school system ten years ago and
has since created an innovative online curriculum of his own, that teaches Math
as a language, with great success, helping hundreds of students improve their
SAT, ACT and FCAT scores.

His online curriculum is taught
primarily through recorded videos, with the addition of accompanying homework
to reinforce what has been learnt.

I really liked his energy in the videos and the dynamic way he presents the
material.

He also hand-writes the questions
and answers, rather than using “computer-text.” Handwritten text has been
proven to be more effective in keeping the student’s attention and helping them
to retain what was taught.   

Students then have to grade their
own work, which again acts to reinforce the lesson. 

The package includes two
exams, online access to Mr D Math teachers (if you have a question), and you can
attend a LIVE online Math class once a week. Here is an example of what the LIVE class would be like:

Mr D. Math offers courses in:

– Pre-Algebra

– Algebra I 

– Geometry

– Algebra II

– Pre-Calculus

– SAT Math Bootcamp

– ACT Math Bootcamp

– Life Skills 4 Teens 

If you want more details about the different courses and packages  available, visit Mr. D. Math. 

They also have a Facebook, Twitter and Youtube channel you can check out!

It didn’t take long to for him to fin the Math Games!

For my family, I think online
classes will probably be the way we go as the children get older. There are so
many benefits to them, including:

– Great for parents who lack confidence
in teaching Math themselves.

– Good for Independent learners
who was more control over when and how they study.

– Great for Gifted Students,
giving them the flexibility to begin the programme at whichever grade level they
are studying.

– Good for large families or
families with small kids, where parents struggle to find quiet time to study
with their children.

– It adds variety into the homeschool
day, when most of the student’s curriculum is paper-based.

– The weekly class teaches kids
to meet deadline and have gives some structure to their week.

– Great alternative to Private Tuition
for families who are on a budget.

I really believe that online Homeschool curriculum have so
much to offer the homeschooling communities. 

I just wish Dennis DiNoia would
make something similar for French…I’m terrible at French!

Are you also from the U.K., looking to apply to American
Universities? 

What resources have you used to prepare for the standardized tests over there? 

Have you ever used any other online Homeschool curriculum? 

How did it compare to other paper-based curriculum?

Please share
with us all and leave me a comment down below.