I know it’s summer and most of us are finished with school, well some of us are.. and are not ready to gear up for next year. However, I found a program that I couldn’t wait to share with everyone!

Xtramath.org is a  free online course that helps kids master basic math facts through drilling and games. This is a super supplement to add with any math program. I can’t see us using Flash Cards EVER AGAIN!!! <insert mom doing happy dance>

Setup is easy. You can set up an account as a parent or as a teacher. If you are using this with your co-op, select Teacher (I used teacher setup because I have more than one student). Each student will be assigned a PIN to log in (privacy issues and all) that I HIGHLY recommend printing out because they will come ask you for it..again and again.

Once you are all set to start, the student begins by taking a placement test so the program learns which facts the student has already mastered and which ones they need to focus on learning. The program will gradually add new facts while reviewing the mastered ones. Each math operation is mastered before advancing.

I set myself up as a student in 10th grade in order to test the program. Oh My! While I didn’t miss any of the questions on the placement test (yay mom) I did have to stop and think about a couple of them! OOOOO… I got a check mark instead of a smiley face! Made this mom realize that review is important at any age!

Your student will have three (3) seconds to respond with the correct answer in order to receive credit for mastery of a fact (smiley face). The three (3) second timer is set at the mastery level, it does not allow time for finger counting!  Students quickly master the keyboard and find that the timer is adequate when they know the answer. I love the eye hand coordination lesson by helping them to look at the screen and not at the keyboard. This will come in handy as they advance in computer usage!

Xtramath keeps track of the student’s mastery and graphs tracking the progress. If you have a teacher account, you will be able to see all your students progress. I found this helpful as I could easily see which math facts have been mastered, which ones are being worked on, and which ones are yet to be learned.

 

If your child balks at flash cards or struggles with fact drills, you will find this program to be a much welcomed relief and time saver. I highly recommend this program!

To learn more about XtraMath and to set up your own account, visit them online or on Facebook.