Outsource Your Hardest Subject

2020 was a “lemon” kind of year- one that you hope was just a random rotten one in the bottom of the box. When 2021 followed suit, I was reminded of the gifts even in the uncertain lurching world around us.

When many suddenly found themselves unexpectedly overseeing their children’s educations, I was deeply grateful to already have a well-established referral for math, my most daunting subject. 

My three oldest kids are using Teaching Textbooks, but the youngest insisted he wanted to be part of the photo.

One of the joys of home education is that we can tailor our curriculum choices to the individual needs of our children. I have some children who are naturally more studious than others, and some that are born explorers in the great outdoors. I have one child who pushes her abilities on the piano and sometimes learns extra songs just for the joy of it, while my son found piano lessons a form of cruel torture, even though he thoroughly enjoyed our lovely teacher. But a bookshelf loaded with fascinating stories and information is all he needs to spend hours absorbed in the worlds of past wars, men who have stood for right and ideas of new and cutting-edge technology. The world of words is an endless opportunity to always be growing.

Homeschooling is constantly teaching me to listen and adjust, to embrace what works well and analyze schooling approaches that aren’t working well. But numbers didn’t ring the same thrill for him. I knew he, like me, needed a more fun way to experience this subject. My son has inherited my deep love for the written word, but when it comes to numbers, I need a strong shoulder to lean on and someone else to do the teaching. 

When we chose to homeschool years ago, I knew without a doubt that math would be a subject I needed to fully outsource once it got beyond me. I needed something colorful, fun, and almost like a game. Teaching Textbooks is all of that and more. I love that my children get to sit under a lecture taught by someone else, customize their spread with wallpapers and stickers and choose the right little cheering animal to clap and dance for them on the side.

Teaching Textbooks allows me to supervise my children’s math lessons without needing to teach them. I can peer over their shoulders and explain a problem, but they also have a lecture that they can rewind and listen to again if needed.

Perhaps the biggest seller for me was the automatic grading, allowing me to log on to the Parent Portal and see where my child is struggling and if they are using the hints provided. It does the teaching and the grading, for me. I could not be more grateful. 

Teaching Textbooks is not a magic cure for those who eyes numbers warily, but it sure has made it more fun and achievable for us all. Let’s be honest, we aren’t all math majors. Homeschooling is such a delicate balance of embracing our strong spots and outsourcing for the subjects where others can teach better than we can. There is no shame in that. 

Have you tried Teaching Textbooks? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments. 
Feel free to hop over to their website to try out their free trial, or go to their Facebook page to enter their giveaway!

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(Ad disclaimer: Working with Teaching Textbooks is a delight, and all opinions are expressly my own. I gladly promote this company because it has been a genuine blessing to our family)