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Do you love math? Or was it the subject you hated most when you were in school? If you answered math, you may have a harder time teaching your own children mathematics. Additionally, they may sense your overall anxiety when it comes to teaching math. While I love higher math, and I actually took Calculus in college for fun, unfortunately, many of my own children do not embrace the fun I have with high school algebra! Shocking!

My high school junior has not loved math. So when I recently had the opportunity to review an algebra program by Math Essentials, I was eager to try. Could No-Nonsense Algebra be the key to motivating my son to at least give math a try?

What is No-Nonsense Algebra? Is it a complete high-school algebra course?

No-Nonsense Algebra is a book and video series that has short, concise lessons. Each lesson takes approximately 20-30 minutes and explains one concept. Remember that if you do not have a great foundation, you cannot move on to the next step.

Unfortunately, in most math programs, there are several concepts that are introduced at once, and if children do not fully grasp one concept in the lesson, it is harder to diagnose where the difficulty in learning math first developed.

While No-Nonsense Algebra is a complete high-school algebra 1 course with just the book alone, there are also corresponding online video lessons taught by Richard W. Fisher. Fisher was a mathematics teacher for 31 years, and has won the Intel Innovations in Teaching Award. 

What do you get with your No-Nonsense Algebra purchase?

A sturdy paperback book with 10 Chapters that will cover Algebra 1. Each lesson has an Introduction which gives you an overview of the concept taught and helpful hints. There are examples of the work that is presented in the chapter. Exercises usually consist of 10-18 problems.  Finally, there are 2-4 review problems to aid in remembering lessons learned previously. 

Video Lessons that cover each unit in the book.

Lessons Covered in No-Nonsense Algebra

What We Love About No-Nonsense Algebra 

The video lessons are great, short, and easy to follow. I am firmly convinced that this is where most math programs go wrong. When you have too many problems or try to cover too much in a day, children get bored and lose interest. Marcus is having no trouble with completing a lesson and doesn’t seem to be losing interest.

Each unit ends with a chapter review test which can help you pinpoint any problems your child may be having.

Additional Thoughts on High School Algebra

I was the child who did every math problem in school even if the teacher just assigned the odd problems. I loved math, algebra, trigonometry, and really did take Calculus for fun. However, I recognize that I was not the typical student. While I have homeschooled for 26 years, and have successfully graduated 3 of my 5 children, the majority of my children did not embrace my passion for math.

However, learning mathematics and especially high school algebra shouldn’t be painful. If your child is struggling with math there may be one of two issues: 1) They are not ready to learn the concepts you are trying to teach them, or 2) The curriculum you are using isn’t suited for them. I have found the wrong curriculum has caused the most tears in my household. 

My Recommendation: No-Nonsense Algebra

This course is a simple step-by-step approach to teaching high school Algebra. When too much information is presented in a math lesson, students quickly get overwhelmed and shut down. No-Nonsense Algebra eliminates that problem with the short lessons. Furthermore, this program is easy to understand and easy to teach. 

For more reviews of Math Essentials materials, VISIT the Crew Blog (via the big banner below). Additional awesome bloggers have left you reviews for No-Nonsense Algebra, Math Refresher for Adults, or Mastering Essentials Math Skills Book 2 – Middle School/High School.