Calculadder

by Sharon
(Leavenworth, Kansas)

Likes:
The copyright laws on the three spiral-bound Calculadder books have enabled me to give quick math drills to the kids in my immediate family for many years. They still have plenty of use left, too! I never found the need for drill beyond Caluladder 3: Advanced Multiplication and basic Division. I felt that the ground work done by reviewing with the first three books set my kids straight for future math skills.

Recently I read an article by a college professor; it stated that one thing home schoolers tend to lack is the ability to take timed tests. This has made me rethink our need for the next three levels of this program.

The pages can still easily tear out (you will need to snip off the edges) and stored for portfolios. Since there are several copies of each page, you can either help the child get faster, help him become more proficient, bring the same page out for later review, or save the same page for a younger sibling. As previously mentioned, you can even copy the pages for your portfolio.

I have used different math curricula through the years, but my workbooks have fit with everything!

Dislikes:
Frankly, what I like about these books also has its flip side. I am not the kind of person to enjoy timed tests; this makes it difficult for me to give them to my kids. There is no plan that tells you when to give these tests. You must decide that on your own. Now that I see how truly important they are for my kids in the future, I can give them with a real smile.

Builds Confidence a Little at a Time

by Kim
(Borger, TX )

Product: Calculadder MasterPak CD
Levels Used: 1
Dates Used: February 2011 to present

Likes: Building confidence in my son's math ability. Redoing the same problems over and over burns them onto his brain, and getting a faster time each day builds his confidence. I've seen much improvement in his math assignments since he started... I really wish I'd started doing this at the beginning of the year! We plan on doing these drills through the summer so he won't have as much catching up in the fall.

Dislikes: None so far.

Systematic, Self-Checking, and Reusable

by Laurie
(Hull, IA USA)

I have used this program since 1999.

Likes:
- systematic
- self-checking
- child can chart progress
- it is quick
- reusable with the plastic sheets - I have used for 7 children
- can be used along with any math curriculum
- drill from writing numbers to advanced mathematical concepts

Dislikes:
- can cause a child to want to give up if level can't be mastered after a few times
- doesn't line up with the order that Saxon introduces the addition facts