by 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.
Gamification for Enhanced Learning
To go along with the excellent teaching, the Mr. D math courses now include gamification as well!
Not familiar with the term gamification? Well, to put it simply, the Mr. D math courses can now function as a sort of game. Students receive the same instruction, problems, and quizzes, but they can now earn badges, awards, and level up as they progress through the program.
Many of us adults may think, who cares about little badges, but really, gamifying education motivates kids by giving them something for which to strive. Ultimately, the math courses now behave like something all kids are familiar with, video games. They get badges and level up with certificates. It may seem silly to adults, but these are real achievements.
Unlike other online programs we have tried which include gamification, Mr. D Math’s awards and badges are simply given at the end of the lesson as a little pop-up. There are no loud colors or animated characters on the screen during the lesson which while meant to entice students ultimately distract from the lesson. Mr. D’s fun little badges act just as they should, a quick positive reinforcement for a job well done.
At any time the student can look back and see all the badges earned, and any certificates (higher level than badges) can be printed.
Not only can they see the badges they have achieved, they can also see the upcoming badges that they have yet to earn which can encourage them to work to gain those badges too.
Gamification is especially good for my ADHD kiddo as she loves video games, and the dopamine boost she gets by earning something small can help keep her going to achieve something bigger.
And if she doesn’t earn the required grade to earn a specific badge, she can retake the quiz. Kind of like an extra life in a video game except in this case, she can retake a quiz just to get a higher level badge! You better believe that extra practice is going to result in better retention.
How is the LIVE Pre-Algebra Class Different?
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.
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