I have used Teaching Textbooks since my now 19 yo was in the 5th grade. We have used 1.0, 2.0 and we are now embarking on 3.0 with my oldest daughter who is in the 8th grade.Carrie did a very thorough review of the new 3.0 that you can also read here.
We love Teaching Textbooks and I am happy to say that we really have used every version! I remember using 1.0 and having to grade everything. We loved how it taught and I didn’t have to, but grading, and keeping track of the grades was so tedious. I was happy that I only had one year of 1.0 before they switched to 2.0 which is the self-grading version with the gradebook. This was such a game changer for me.
We have been using the 2.0 version of Teaching Textbooks for 9 years now. As the grades got higher, so did the price. I usually would try to buy used, or I would make sure that I always kept every grade so that I could pass them down on to my other 3 children. I did end up selling my highschool versions since there is a 6 year gap between my oldest and my second oldest. My second oldest is now in Pre-Algebra. I have been saving all of her levels and the discs for my next 2 girls that are just a couple of years under her.
The only downside about passing down levels is that the discs can get a lot of wear and tear. By the time they got to the third child, they would be pretty scratched up and some wouldn’t work anymore. Luckily, you can get a replacement disc straight from the company for only $15 and they will ship it to you for free! There is also the issue of keeping track of all the discs to save for the next child. I have had a disc that just “disappeared” to never be seen again. Teaching Textbooks was to the rescue again with a replacement disc, but these replacements can add up over time.
I longed for the day when they would have an online program with no discs to keep track of!
Enter Teaching Textbooks 3.0 and why we love it:
Cost:
I was so excited when I found out about the brand new 3.0 version that was just released. It couldn’t come at a better time as my daughter is now in Pre-Algebra and I knew the price was going to jump by $35 making the total cost for her curriculum $184.90. With the new 3.0 version Pre-Algebra is only $67.08 for a 12 month subscription.The upper grades have always been the most expensive and now they are so affordable.
No more discs:
This is self-explanatory. I love that we don’t have to keep track of the discs anymore. 3.0 will also now work on tablets and mobile devices. The screen is very small on a cell phone, but having it on a tablet would be great if you needed to free up a computer for another child and makes it convenient for travel.
Super fast set-up and parent interface:
It literally took me 30 seconds to set up our account after I was emailed the link. You can log in from any device to view your child’s grades and change the hints/second chance rules. This is also where you can print out the student textbook (one week at a time), and you can manage your subscription and pause it when you know you will be taking a break for a week or longer.
Student Interface with new buddies and wallpaper:
If you have a child that has been using Teaching Textbooks for a long time, they will be most excited about the option for new buddies and the wallpaper. My daughter noticed the wallpaper option immediately and was so happy about that! I love that the student interface is personalized for your child. They can even view their own grades and view the textbook to highlight concepts they want to take “notes” on and remember.
Why we are sticking with this curriculum for ALL of our children:
No gaps:
When my son hit 10th grade he wanted to try something different so we switched and it was miserable.There were some gaps and he just didn’t do well with another curriculum. We tried for 2 years and he really struggled. We ended up switching back to Teaching Textbooks his senior year and he did great. I will now make sure to never switch again, because when you find something that works, you really need to stick with it.
Cost:
The price of the subscription 3.0 just can’t be beat! It is so much more affordable! I still have a few grades of discs that I will be passing down to my other children, but then we will be using 3.0 for the rest of the time. Since you can print the ebook out one chapter at a time, this saves money on needing to purchase a new textbook for each child as well. The more children you have, the cheaper it is with their large family plan! You can purchase a family subscription for only $199.08 and can use it with 4-8 children. This is an amazing value! They truly have thought of everything with this new program.
Easy on the mom of many:
My oldest has graduated from our homeschool, but I still have 3 girls I am homeschooling. It is so difficult to teach math to 3 different kids in 3 different grades, especially since I am not very strong in math. Teaching Textbooks has been a lifesaver for me as a busy, homeschool parent as I don’t have to teach it or grade a thing!
If this all sounds amazing to you, you can check it out with a FREE TRIAL HERE!
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Sarah is a wife, daughter of the King and Mama to 4 children (one who is a homeschool graduate!) She is a an eclectic,Charlotte Mason style homeschooler and has been homeschooling for over 16 years now. She is still trying to find the balance between work and keeping a home and says she can only do it by the Grace of God, and Coffee!
