Math this year:
Sandra continued with Teaching Textbooks at the Algebra II level. I’m still happy to have found a program this good, and this independent. Learning higher mathematics from someone other than me is definitely the better way to go! Our only problem with the program this year was the fact that as the year drew to a close in the last few weeks, the lectures got longer and longer. At a time of year when she was mentally wrapping it up, the program was asking even more time of her. It was not necessarily harder, but longer.
Matthias has always hated to have math instruction, which obviously made progress difficult. This year I decided to try a mastery approach rather than the more common spiral approach. The Key To… series takes one concept in math and works the student through it from simplest element onwards. You can do just one concept as an extra help in an area that’s challenging the student, or do them all in any order. We’ve started with Fractions and will move on to Decimals next. I’m hoping (and it’s based on what I’ve seen so far) that this approach will give him both the fundamentals and confidence at the same time.
Handmade Homeschool 
Good to know, we are using TT4 this year because I could really use help in that area and having someone else explain the lessons sounded great. I have wondered what The Key to… series is like. Let us know how it works out. If TT doesn’t work we’ll have to look into that. Thanks for the review. Have a good one. 🙂
I am really enjoying your “things that worked” series! We don’t homeschool, but supplement my son’s public school work quite a bit. We’ve already ordered Vocabulary Vines, and will look into maths soon! Thank you!!
bought the first Key to Fractions book for my girl. quite inexpensive (less than $4 in the US.) thanks for the recommendation!