I received the A+ Tutorsoft Inc. CD Software for 1st grade to review. The CD software is for A+ Interactive Math for 1st grade. They also offer an online version of the CD software.
Before I tell you about this product, I want to share a discount code that the company is offering. Through the end of March you can receive 50% off by using coupon code SPOFFER50! Wow! That is an awesome discount and a great one to take advantage of if you're looking for a great math software for your kids. And if you keep reading I'll tell you what we think of this one!
I have to admit when I signed up to review this I thought we would be using it with my oldest daughter. Instead her little brother decided that this was his new favorite thing in the world! He's always liked math and is actually very good at it. He's 6 years old and ahead of his 8 year old sister!
Patrick sat at the computer the first day he used this course and did three lessons. He listened and interacted during the "talking"--lecturish portion and then did the questions that went along with the lesson. After he finished the first lesson I was going to shut it down until the next day but he begged to do another! When a child begs to do school, well it's normally best to let them! So I let him do a second lesson and second question set. He then decided on his own to go to the third and was well into it before I realized he had even begun!
Our regular math book has not begun to teach skip counting yet and he is finding this to be one of his favorite things that the program covers. He will go back to those lessons just to listen to them and count with them. He does not like having to wait until the afternoon to work on his math now because he wants to have more time to use this math program before Daddy gets home from work and might need to use the computer.
My 8 year old daughter is also in the 1st grade math program and has been using this software. She tends to get a bit bored listening to the lessons but loves doing the worksheets. She wants her worksheets in front of her on paper though so we print hers out while Patrick does his on the computer. This works out well for us so that they can both be using the program at the same time with only one computer!
The CD program does not automatically keep track of your children's grades for you. It does however, provide you with a space where you can input when they did each lesson, what their score was on their questions, and a small section for notes. Because it also has you set up a parent account I can do this for both children daily without having to get into both of their accounts. I am like my daughter and prefer being able to do things with pencil and paper so I tend to print these off and fill them in by hand. You can print them off after filling them out by week or by month to include in your homeschool planning folder as well.
The A+ Tutorsoft Interactive Math program was very easy to install. We simply put the disc in the computer and followed the instructions. It allows you to set up a parent account as well as multiple children accounts. We received the premium edition on cd which retails at $124.99. If that seems a bit pricey make sure to remember the coupon code for 50% off that I shared earlier. I think the cost is reasonable considering you have a full years worth of math for your child, you can use it for more than one child, and it also has extra worksheets you can print off to do with your child.
You can learn more and see more examples of the CD premium software by visiting this page on their site.
We are not required in my state to do standardized state testing, but I believe this would cover all of the necessary components for each grade level and provide your child with a very solid basis for 1st grade. I personally love that it doesn't take a lot of my time to sit and teach this to my children. They love the colorful graphics and the "online teacher" helping them to learn. Sometimes I think all our children need to get past a roadblock in learning is someone else to help explain!
Don't take my word as the only ones on this program, check out the other Crew Member Reviews on A+ Tutorsoft Inc to find different grades as well as some reviews of the online program.
Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this curriculum for free in association with the TOS Schoolhouse Review Crew. I was not compensated in any other way besides this curriculum. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own and not influenced in anyway. I was not coerced to write a positive review but rather wrote my own thoughts(or those of my children) on the curriculum. I am disclosing this to be in compliance with the FTC Regulations.
Nice program....sharing!
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