Learning Math with LearnBop
LearnBop is an online mathematics program for students in grades 3 through high school. The topics of learning can be categorized by grade level or by the particular topics. I choose the grade level path for the girls, and they are working through their current grade levels which are grades 3 and 5. I chose this method versus allowing the road map to be determined by topic to serve as a review of the material they have learned this year.
One thing that I like about using a different math programs is that the girls are exposed to different ways of thinking. Although math is math, it can be explained in a variety of way, and it can be introduced in different ways. LearnBop paths are on the same track as our paper and pencil curriculum, but I did notice in some instances the girls had to take time to think about what was being asked since it was presented in a different way. Again, I see this as a good thing because it allows them to get out of their comfort zones and apply previously learned knowledge in a different way.
The questions are presented in bops. Learners pass each bop by achieving a certain percentage. The assignments are set to a 90% default, but students can continue to work on a topic after achieving the goal. The bops are only accessible after watching the videos for the section. Each section has at least two to three required videos while some lessons offer an additional video before the lesson. LearnBop is aligned to Common Core, and I don’t have an issue with this. I found the information presented in the videos was clear and easy to understand. There were a few instances where the questions were not as easy to understand, and I had to step in to help with comprehension. Some may see this as a problem, but for us I found it helpful because it allowed me to work through comprehension skills with them, and help them to see how previous knowledge applied to the question.
Some of the methods used the girls do not often incorporate into their daily assignments such as diagrams or drawings. Although I attempt it, the girls often shy away from this form of solving math therefore I was pleased to see that this method was reiterated over and over again in the teaching. Because each lesson begins with several videos which included visuals, I know that this helped my older daughter better understand some topics. She is a visual learner, but she doesn’t enjoy creating the visuals so having her plugged in with a virtual teacher is helping her to move past these hang ups.
LearnBop has been a great math review resource for us. Our youngest daughter likes seeing work from her text and/or workbooks being explained on the computer. Although she is pretty good at math, she has shared that she enjoys hearing the explanations presented on the site.
