Homeschool Review Crew Snippets
As important as it is to learn how to solve math problems without a calculator, it is just as important to learn to use the technology and resources we have available today. Many college exams, like the SAT, allow for the use of a basic scientific calculator, like the TI-30Xa. Triad Math Inc. provides an excellent way for your students to learn how to solve math problems using this calculator.
Over the last month my 6th grader and I have been able to try out this course, Mastering the TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator: Augmented Intelligence for all 21st Century Students.
It has been a wonderful resource for him to work through the first part of this course. It has helped to further develop his mathematics knowledge.
The videos are very straightforward and to the point. The videos show exactly what Dr. Del is doing on the calculator with the notes page in the background for reference. There is nothing fancy or exciting about the videos, and also no time wasted with filler.
My son enjoyed using this course and learning how to better use a calculator for more advanced functions.
I am so glad we were able to use Triad Math, Inc’s course, Mastering the TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator: Augmented Intelligence for all 21st Century Students.
Even though my son is only ready for the first section of the book, I feel that completing this part of the course has given him a bit of a head-start in preparing for Pre-Algebra, Algebra and Geometry in the coming years. It has been a long time since I have used a scientific calculator for these operations. Therefore it was so helpful to have this resource to teach him how to take full advantage of this technology.
If you are looking for resources to give your middle and high school students good instruction in using a calculator for math you should definitely check out Triad’s Math Inc.’s course.
Mary Oliver
I loved the idea of this course! I remember using a scientific calculator in high school and college, but it has been a few years since I used one. I knew the basics on how to use one, but I certainly did not remember all the ins and outs of how to use one.
I was thrilled when we were given the opportunity to review this workbook. I knew both my kids would need to know how to operate a scientific calculator and I wanted them to have confidence in their ability in using one.
Michael had used one a few times before but was still unsure about all the functions. Therese had not used one before, so this was perfect for her.
Michael felt the first few lessons were easy, but they were review for him. He did like Dr. Del. He liked how he got to the point. He was clear and concise.
Michael does not like jokes, funny stories, or extra bells and whistles when he is listening to a lesson. He likes the instructor to be clear and to get his point across in a simple, quick way. This was the perfect lesson/workbook for him.
Since this was all knew for Therese, she did not mind the repeat of information she had learned in Algebra 1. It was a great refresher according to her. She also enjoyed the clear way the Dr. Del delivered the lessons.
Dr. Del was an excellent instructor and was precisely what the kids needed and wanted.
Monique Gilkison
My son can easily follow along and work with Dr. Del to do what he does. The videos can be viewed right within the browser window, without a need for additional software or add-ons.
My son really enjoyed the teaching style of his video instructor, Dr. Del. It’s straight-forward and gets right to the material.
This can be a completely self-guided program, with almost no help from parents for most kids.
He progressed through the first 7 lessons or so without really talking to me much about it. I could see from looking online, however, that he was grasping the concepts and doing well on the quizzes given to check for knowledge.
I think the best part of this program is that it is a nice extra tool that takes up very little time in an already busy day but that prepares kids for using a scientific calculator in the future.
Even if their math doesn’t require it now, it will someday. Since my son has a high interest in STEM courses and activities, I know that he will likely depend on a calculator for his daily pursuits. Getting him accustomed to how the calculator works and helping him feel comfortable is a big advantage I see for him as he goes through his science and math work.
Even if your child is not at a level of math that requires a calculator, this learning tool has merit.
In fact, I would recommend it for before kids reach that stage, as it can take the mystery out of a calculator that (to be honest) I’m not really that familiar with myself.
Empowering kids to learn independently, online, and with their own calculator has benefits beyond just knowing how to punch the numbers.
Armed with the understanding of what a calculator can do, along with seeing how it’s not something just for scientists or math professionals, kids can be confident in using what can be a lifetime tool — even if the parents are unfamiliar.
This is a no-brainer for kids in pre-algebra to advanced math levels.
Linsey Knerl
I grew up using a Texas Instruments scientific calculator, and I’d be willing to bet many of you did as well.
What I bet most of us don’t know, however, is the sheer amount of power that humble machine has.
In this course, students learn all about the nuances and extraordinary power this calculator has.
From my perspective, the course was very easy to navigate.
I did the first few lessons with my son, and I found the teaching to be very clear and easy to follow.
Here are Ballet Boy’s (17) thoughts: I’ve been using the Texas Instruments calculator for a few weeks now and let me just say: this calculator is AMAZING!
It’s the only calculator I’ve used that was actually useful for math.
I have yet to come across an equation or geometry problem that isn’t made easy with this tool.
The calculator even does trigonometry with a few clicks of a button.
It also has three memory banks for doing complex word problems.
I have done entire math lessons without even scratch paper.
The videos are super easy to understand and follow along with.
All in all I have no problems with the class, only praise. Highly recommended!!
Wendy Robertson
I might be showing my age, but I remember having teachers tell me that I wouldn’t have a calculator in my pocket when I needed to do math. Fast forward to today and most of us carry phones that can do more math than the calculators we used in class.
With that in mind, I was excited to review Mastering the TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator: Augmented Intelligence for all 21st Century Students from Triad Math, Inc.
I know that calculators are common tools and can be a huge help to math students, but only when they understand how to utilize the calculator.
As a former teacher and now homeschool mom, too often I have seen students get problems incorrect because they were not appropriately using the calculator.
My seventh-grade daughter is currently taking pre-algebra. She does fine in math but it is not her favorite subject. However, when I explained that this program was going to be showing her how to use her calculator in her math class, she was thrilled at the chance to give it a try.
We did this program 2-3 days a week in addition to her regular math program. Each lesson took her about 20 minutes to complete.
When I asked for her opinion, she said that overall she liked the program.
After seeing how much it helped her and the confidence it gave her in using her calculator, I plan to purchase another book and have my son who is a freshman take the course. I think he will find it beneficial as he moves forward with higher-level mathematics.
Overall, I would recommend this program for any student that wants to be more comfortable using a calculator in upper level math work.
Dawn Peluso
For us, my 8th grade daughter has been finishing up Pre-Algebra, so this was the perfect time for her to use the program to increase her math skills.
She was so interested in figuring out the different buttons and what they do, she literally grabbed the book from my hands, sat right down, and started working on it.
Before long, she was showing us how to multiply and divide fractions on her calculator. Neither my husband nor I even knew you could do that on the calculator!
She actually finished the first 13 lessons in about a week and a half. She got stumped only a few times, and turned to the videos for help.
She liked the videos because they were short and really easy to understand.
She says she found the program helpful, and enjoyed learning how to use the buttons.
She really liked that she learned how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions along with converting them to decimals, mixed fractions, and proper fractions.
I like that she learned some new math skills-something that will only benefit her ability to do math going forward. The workbook will serve as great reference tool in the future too, which is nice.
The program was easy to use, my daughter learned quite a bit and enjoyed it too – so that is definitely a win in my book!
Rachel Kokes
Does math have your child banging their head on the table? Too often we try to teach too many concepts at once, and for some children, it works out fine, but for many we overload them.
If your child is looking at taking higher math courses, or will eventually need to take the SAT or ACT, they will need to master the scientific calculator.
I used this homeschool math program with Marcus up to lessons 15 with plans to use the rest of the next school year.
Two things that stand out with this program: 1) How affordable it is, and 2) teaching one concept – the calculator and it’s functions don’t overwhelm the student while they are trying to master complex math problems.
I can absolutely recommend this program for your child who is preparing for advanced math classes.
Patty Moliterno
My daughter was already familiar with using the scientific calculator so I especially liked how she was able to pick and choose lessons as a refresher to her. However, if you have a student progressing from one lesson to the next, I like how the online program reflects what has been completed.
The course is easy to follow, and would have been very beneficial to her prior to taking Pre-Algebra. A great teaching tool that we may be coming back to later in high school.
No matter what math curriculum your high school student is using, this worktext along with its video lessons is a great resource for any homeschool.
Susan Reed
Admittedly, I am of the era where we were not allowed to use calculators in school. I’ll further admit that I never have prevented my children from using calculators themselves in their schoolwork. Only one of my children had a scientific calculator in high school, though, until now.
Thanks to Triad Math, Inc., SJ is able to learn how to use this calculator.
I am certain your student will be relieved, and excited, to learn what all those special keys on the scientific calculator are supposed to be used for!
I wish I had been able to use this course for my three older offspring. I am sure they would have found it quite beneficial.
Wendy Ross
Growing up, we all heard that we needed to learn math without using a calculator. Recently, though, I was given the opportunity to review Mastering the TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator: Augmented Intelligence for all 21st Century Students from Triad Math, Inc. and was pleasantly surprised about the content my child was able to learn, even while using a calculator.
There are a variety of ways to utilize the work text and online course.
I allowed my son the freedom to read the introduction and go through the examples.
I found that my son was motivated by this. He took his time and tried his best the first time, which meant that he rarely needed to access the online course.
Overall, this course was a benefit for my son. While there wasn’t anything flashy about the online program, he didn’t become overwhelmed or struggle. He gained confidence in using the calculator.
Joanna Yates
I would have loved to have this course covered in high school. Instead, I had to stumble my way around the calculator trying to figure out what keys were, and basically ignoring the ones I had no clue what they did (which is most of them still to this day).
Needless to say I have been enjoying looking over my boy’s shoulder as he works on this and learning a few of the keys myself!
The videos give a lot of demonstrations as to what is being taught and information needed to complete the exercises in the workbook.
I had my 7th grader work through the first few chapters of this course. He found the first 2 lessons very easy, but after that, it starts into pre-algebra, which is about where he is at.
Ideally, he’ll be able to make it up to about chapter 13 before it gets into stuff that is too hard for him. That’s when it hits the Algebra stage.
So, the beginning chapters of this book can be used for kids about 10 and up depending on their grasp of basic arithmetic.
I am looking forward to working through the rest of the course with my 7th grader as he moves up in math and hoping it will help him to have this knowledge about calculators.
Desiree Winz
The course starts simply with turning the device on, turning it off, and locating frequently used function keys.
By the middle of the book, your child is learning how to use this calculator when working with proper and improper fractions.
By the end of this book your child will know all about using this device for density, weight, volume, area, radius, correctly entering metric prefixes, and more.
After working through a few lessons with your TI-30Xa, future math courses like Trigonometry will now be much easier to pass.
I had Bear work through the first 15 lessons in this book. Initially, he used the Moodle videos to help him but eventually, he was able to just work through the book.
After a few weeks, Bear was able to confidently use this calculator.
I even expressed how I wish this book was around when I was his age.
I also appreciated the message with teaching tips and encouragement for parents.
Though he isn’t ready for Trigonometry, the lessons he was able to complete helped prepare him to use this instrument for upcoming 8th-grade math courses.
He felt the instructions were clear, the information provided was detailed, and the tips about possible errors were necessary.
Knowing that mistakes could be made and how to adjust gave him peace of mind while working through Mastering the TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator: Augmented Intelligence for all 21st Century Students.
We recommend this Triad Math, Inc. product for students ready to use the TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator.
Ta’Neisha Kemp
My younger son (11) has been wanting to learn how to use a scientific calculator ever since he found my husbands very old, big and clunky, one from his college days. Not having a math head myself (or a science one really) I was rather uncertain how to help him follow this rabbit trail.
But then we were given the opportunity to learn how to use the TI-30Xa scientific calculator. How exciting when things come together like this right?
Typically I have drawn a hard line when it comes to using calculators; I don’t remember ever using one when I was in school.
However, my son also pointed out how much I struggle to this day, with math and after looking over the foreword in the work book we received, I was certain that learning how to use a calculator like this would actually be a huge benefit to my son and his educational journey.
My son had no problems, or hesitation, digging into this course (especially online) as he started out learning the many benefits of knowing how to use this scientific calculator.
Referring to this calculator as the power tool of math was an analogy my son could really understand since he loves to build and use tools.
He really loved the analogy that was made in the very first lesson that:
“Math is like a contact sport, You must play and practice to master the necessary skills and knowledge.”
This program excellent for any student (in my opinion) in pre-algebra/algebra but also as an introduction to higher level maths.
Seeing as we had not really delved into these, I was pretty impressed with how quickly he picked up on all of this.
As I watch my son progress through this program I can attest to how quickly and easily he is gaining math skills and also having fun “playing math the sport.”
Jennifer King
Who else remembers having to have a scientific calculator back in high school? I did! Teachers and students alike jokingly said that we needed a separate class to understand how to use them! Well, that class never happened back then, but guess what? Now there is a class, and Triad Math, Inc. makes using the scientific calculator easy.
Dr. Del will gently lead your student through the course, as if he were sitting next to you at the kitchen table.
My son and I both enjoyed his easy-to-follow instructions, and friendly tone throughout. He certainly made using the calculator non-intimidating and perhaps “fun”.
The book can be used alone to get through the course, however I recommend using the tutorial videos also. I found the videos to be beneficial in understanding the lesson, as you can watch exactly what Dr. Del is doing.
In less than 10 minutes, Dr. Del explains everything you need to know.
My son, currently in Algebra, says it is a useful course. He said he learned several things he can use in his current math curriculum.
I tried a few of the lessons myself, and I thought they were simple, thorough, and doable for anyone.
This course would be a great resource for all math students, specifically middle and high school.
Jennifer Grunmeier
One of our major frustrations with upper level math has been learning to use a scientific calculator.
Mastering the TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator: Augmented Intelligence for all 21st Century Students from Triad Math, Inc. to the rescue!
This course offers students a painless way to master the scientific calculator through online lessons and a printed manual.
My tester is in high school and prepping to take the ACT test this spring, so this was the perfect time to explore this course to master those calculator skills!
The information is helpful to watch, listen and read, and will appeal to all learning styles.
Dr. Del, the author of this course, will guide them through using this calculator with the narrated videos that demonstrate skills as well.
We found him easy to listen to and encouraging.
It’s written directly to the student, and they are able to work independently at their own pace.
I wish I had access to a course like this as we were wading through higher level math with my first born!
Renita San Antonio
We were very thrilled to be chosen to receive and review Mastering the TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator: Augmented Intelligence for all 21st Century Students Worktext from Triad Math, Inc. Our youngest daughter Hope, hasn’t worked with scientific calculators much so this was a great addition to her curriculum.
This workbook is geared towards post-elementary students who have a good grasp of the decimal number system.
There are also online tutorial videos to help your student to really understand what they are being taught in the workbook.
It is very easy to log into and as a parent, you will be able to keep an eye on your student’s online grades and progress through the lessons.
Hope said she has really enjoyed the program so far and is learning so much. She said that she didn’t realize how easy it is to use a scientific calculator until she started the course. She said they seemed very intimidating, but with the lessons, she is using it like a pro.
She said she is no longer afraid of using a calculator with so many buttons.
The online quizzes at the end of each lesson allowed me to see if she was understanding what was being taught. Such a huge plus for a teacher/parent. From simple addition and subtraction to exponents, each section is remarkable in how it takes on the task of teaching what the student needs to learn. I wish my other children would have had this resource before taking on using a Scientific calculator.”Dr. Del”, the teacher in the videos, will certainly make it a good experience for his students and Hope is excited to go on to the new lessons soon.
Betty Daley
The thought of using a scientific calculator in your homeschool can be a little intimidating! All of those strange symbols and keys . . . whew! Sure, it has an instruction booklet, but it might as well be in a foreign language for all the help it gives. It’s one thing to know what a button does, it’s quite another to know how to use it properly.
When my daughter completed lessons, she would sometimes watch the videos and sometimes she would just read the textbook and complete the exercises.
Once she got to the more advanced functions, she found the videos to be very helpful.
They are short and to the point without a lot of fluff, which she appreciated.
My daughter loved that the lessons were precise. She could complete an entire lesson, including the exercises, in less than 20 minutes, but she learned a great deal from each one.
Before she began the course, she would only use the basic functions of the calculator – addition, subtraction, etc.
After completing 8 lessons, she feels far more confident in using the more advanced functions. She understands why she is using them and how they work, not only on the calculator but also on paper.
I love that I can track her progress simply by logging into the Moodle system. Everything that she has completed is checked off so that I can quickly see what she’s finished and what she still needs to work on.
Michelle Wyatt
When I was a student, scientific calculators were expensive and confusing to use. I was delighted for the opportunity to review Mastering the TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator: Augmented Intelligence for all 21st Century Students from Triad Math, Inc.
I assigned the course to my math-loving high school son.
I set Sam up with online access and made sure he understood how to navigate the program.
He found the early lessons to be very simple and chose to read the book in lieu of watching the video. When the complexity of lessons increased he watched the online tutorials for better understanding.
Sam has enjoyed learning to use the TI-30Xa scientific calculator. He was especially excited to learn how to calculate fractions on the calculator. This course has been a wonderful support to his math studies and has provided him with a new tool to help solve complex equations.
Teresa Brouillette
High School level math can strike fear in all. Not only must you learn the complex functions and new concepts of this high level thinking, you must also learn how to navigate a scientific calculator.
By the age of 10 most students have a firm grasp of the decimal number system and will be able to use this course.
I have been using this course with my 11 year-old, McKenzie. Typically, we do not allow the use of calculators in our homeschool until Pre-Algebra. McKenzie is strong in math but I am glad to have this opportunity to give her a little taste of what the calculator can do when you know how to use it.
I am happy to say that this math worktext has earned a spot on our overflowing bookshelves. It will be a valuable resource as we continue through our math studies.
Our Personal Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Jacquelin Caffey
Dr. Del is your teacher and he does an excellent job explaining the processes to input the information into the calculator.
My daughter is currently enrolled in an Algebra 1 math class. She was able to follow the video lessons and learn the steps to help her with her Algebra 1 problems.
She enjoyed using the calculator. My kids always love techie stuff, so this was no different.
She had no problem following Dr. Del with the first fifteen lessons, practicing some of the exercises, and then applying that to her math class.
She was done her math classes faster and with a lot less mistakes!
If you have a child that is middle school age, high school age, or even college age that understands math, and needs to take timed math tests, this is the curriculum for you.
Ellen Wike
My son excitedly told me that he is becoming a “master” of the scientific calculator. And that is because, Triad Math, Inc. makes using the scientific calculator easy.
The tutorial videos allowed him to understand the material much easier, as he is a visual and kinesthetic learner.
My son enjoyed using the calculator because he knows it is a useful tool that will help him with high school and college-level math. He knows his ultimate goal is higher education at a University and anything that will help him achieve success, is a win!
He also noticed that with the skills he is learning in this course, he will eventually be able to eliminate some of his usage of scrap paper for some of his math problems.
