I’m starting off this MathsOnline review by telling you all that maths and I do not get along. I still count on my fingers, I can no longer do anything without a calculator and I don’t know my timetables. At high school, I did Maths in Practice, where we learnt how to take 10% off shopping items and read a train time table. So, I really wish I had MathsOnline when I was a kid.
This post is in collaboration with MathsOnline
MathsOnline is an online tutoring service for kids who need a bit of help with maths. The thing about maths over any other subject is, if you miss even one part, or don’t understand the concept, it has a massive flow-on effect on everything that comes after it. Sometimes, in class, you’re likely to say you understand, even when you haven’t quite got it. I know I did, all the time.
MathsOnline is set out in a pretty basic way. It’s not bells and whistles and bright coloured cartoon characters dancing and giving you prizes every time you do something. Instead, it’s clear, concise lessons in a distraction-free screen. When you first login it feels a bit old school compared to what I’m used to seeing with kids’ programs and it takes a bit of getting used to.
Contents
Setting up MathsOnline
Once you register you set up profiles for your children. You can set the passing grade wherever you think is necessary. I set ours at 80% because you may as well aim high. You then choose the lessons for the right grade. Tully is in year 1 so I chose the kindy to year 2 lessons (stage 1), but the lessons go all the way up to year 12.
Diagnostic tests
Once you choose your lessons there is a series of diagnostic tests your child can do to see where they are up to. Then you know what areas they need to concentrate on. Take the tests again after they are done and see if there are still areas they need to work on.
How the lessons work
First, your child watches a video explaining the lesson and the concepts. Once they finish the video they work their way through the questions. One of the great things about the lessons is that you can either read them or listen to them, so even if your child isn’t a great reader yet they can still do the lessons with minimal supervision from you.
After the lesson, there is also a downloadable lesson sheet for revision. Students can earn trophy stickers as they go but it’s not a huge part of the program. It more about the reward of learning the work rather than getting a sticker.
Configure the look
As I said originally, the website style is quite old school, but students can configure the look of their page by selecting different colours for the screen. So, they can still personalise it to their preference.
What do I think?
I think that if your kid needs some extra help with maths then MathsOnline is a great place to start. The lessons are clearly explained and it’s well paced. Your child can work at their own pace, watch the video as many times as they need to and easily assessing their own progress and knowledge. As a parent, you can easily track their progress as well and see where they might need a bit more help. I think an online maths tutor a great option for parents looking for some maths tutoring to help get their kid up to scratch, or to make sure they don’t fall behind in the first place.
What does it cost?
MathsOnline costs $197 for 12 months for a single student and $297 for 12 months for a family (living in the same house). It also has a 12-month guarantee so if you don’t find it’s working for you then they will refund you the money.
To check it out visit www.mathsonline.com.au
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