Here’s a BJU Press Math Review from our 10+ years of using this math curriculum in our homeschool at every level from K to high school.
Teaching math in homeschool ranks high in adding to the stress levels of homeschool moms everywhere. But even if your child attended public school, you’d still have to help with the math homework. If you have the right tools and choose a curriculum that works for you and your kids, then you can feel confident in your ability to walk your kids through homeschool math – even if you aren’t a math genius yourself.
Let me give you an insider look at the BJUP Math curriculum so that you can see if it would work for your family.
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Spiral or Mastery
One of the reasons I really like the approach of BJU Press Math is because it has a good blend of mastery and spiral learning. BJUP Math books spend a full chapter on a topic (mastery) before moving on to a new topic. But then they come back again to that original topic in greater length in a later chapter (spiral).
BJUP Math Review – Grades K-5
In kindergarten through 5th grade, the BJUP Math books are worktexts, which means that you are able to write in the books. The pages are perforated and there is enough space given to work out the problems. The books are engaging and interesting to look at, with color illustrations. The instructions are clear at the beginning of each lesson.
Most parents would be fine without a teacher’s manual for this age range. You can easily see the concept to be mastered in the lesson and you can read through the explanation with your child, or come up with a way to teach it to them. Each lesson is just the front and back of a page.
Topics are introduced and worked on for an entire chapter. The next chapter will be a new topic, but you can be sure that the book will circle around again and go deeper with previously taught topics in coming chapters.
I don’t give my K-5th kids chapter tests. I let them use the chapter review in the book as their test. If they don’t understand something or get it wrong, we can start there are fix any problems with understanding. At this stage, I know on a daily basis if they’ve grasped a concept, or if we need to take a second day on it.
Price: K-5th worktexts $25-35
You can buy Reviews books for additional practice for each lesson, but I found that it was too repetitive for my homeschooled kids. One page of math each day was plenty.
BJUP Math Review – Grades 6-8
Starting with 6th grade, this curriculum moves from a consumable worktext style to a traditional textbook approach. Students will need to write out their work on their own paper. I give my kids spiral notebooks to write their math equations in. At this point, I also break down and buy the teacher’s manual. This is definitely written for a traditional classroom teacher. I never use the teaching notes or examples, but I buy the teacher’s book because it’s the only place to find the solutions and answers to all of the problems in the student text. It is a big investment, but worth the hassle and expense. At this point I also buy a set of tests and answers.
Approximate Price: Textbook $30 / Teacher’s Edition $75 / Tests & Answers $25
Online or DVD option with books: $299
We used the DVD option one year for 8th grade and the online option one year for 8th grade. It was a big expense and after trying each one with two different kids, I’m not convinced it was worth $299 each time (although I did get it at 15% discount at the time). This year we will be looking to Khan Academy or other YouTube videos if we run into hard concepts that need explained more than the textbook can do.
The teacher’s edition does show how to work every other equation in the textbook. Sometimes my kids can figure out the process on their own by analyzing the solutions in the teacher’s manual.
BJUP Math for High School
These are my initial thoughts when my oldest was in 9th grade. See below for an updated review on BJUP Math for high school.
We have only used Algebra I (9th grade) at this point and will be using Geometry (10th grade) this year. I’ll update this post when I have a verdict on them!
Last year, we did use the online teaching for Algebra I. My son took the tests and quizzes online, and they were instantly graded by the computer. Solutions were shown for each wrong answer. This was helpful, but not worth the cost in my opinion.
For my second child doing Algebra I this coming year, we aren’t spending the extra money for the online teacher. Same with my rising 10th grader. We’ll use the textbooks, helps in the teacher’s edition, and online videos.
I always purchase the test and answer packets with these upper level courses. It is harder to assess each day how well my students grasp the concept. These upper level courses also come with section quizzes, so you don’t have to wait until the end of the chapter to assess. I don’t use all of the quizzes, but just as needed.
Approximate Price: Textbook $30 / Teacher’s Edition $75 / Tests & Answers $25
Online or DVD option with books: $299
2022 Update on BJUP for High School
I consider myself fairly good at being able to help my kids with Algebra I. But once they moved past that and there were multiple kids in high school maths, I just didn’t have the time each day to coach them through difficulties. As of now, we’re about to graduate our second from high school and still have two currently in upper grade math.
So, we have since moved into using CTCMath for all our kids once they reach 8th or 9th grade. I still do have to help sometimes if they get stuck, but CTCMath is a better choice for us in the higher grades because:
- one price per family for unlimited number of students
- small video lessons
- automatic grading
- includes all math courses from K-12
You can read about our experience with CTCMath. I still have my elementary student using the BJUP Math Worktext because I think they are superior to having her online for math in the early years. This is our preference and recommendation.
One other option for you to look into if you want an online and video-based high school math course is Thinkwell Math. We also had a good experience when we reviewed Thinkwell, but the online interface seemed a bit clunkier to us than CTCMath, so that’s why we didn’t continue with it. However, your family might like Thinkwell better, so check it out and see what you think. Here’s our review of Thinkwell Math for High School.
Pros
- there is help and explanations of problems in the teacher’s guide
- worktext for younger kids is inexpensive
- clear instructions in the work text and text
- able to pass textbooks on to younger siblings
- price is appropriate, especially when the curriculum can be passed on
- DVD or online class options
- includes enough practice to master a concept
- takes the guesswork when wondering if my kids will have gaps in their knowledge – solid curriculum, on the harder end of things
Cons
- teacher’s guide can be expensive since I only want it for solutions to equations
- DVD or online class options can be expensive, especially with multiple kids
- very limited in fact review and drills in the younger grades, so you will need to supplement
This curriculum might work for you if you:
- want a solid math curriculum with a teacher’s edition
- like a traditional approach to math
- want math with optional DVD or online instruction
- want a math program that moves with your child from kindergarten through high school
Homeschool Planet offers made-for-you lesson plans for all the BJU Press math curriculum.
This curriculum might not work for you if you:
- don’t want math program with a Christian worldview (some of the equations might reference a church or missionaries, and sections between the chapters discuss Christian worldview)
- want a free or very inexpensive option (especially in the older grades)
- don’t like a traditional textbook approach to math
- don’t feel confident using the teacher’s edition to help your student correct his work
Check out these additional resources:
If you found this BJU Press Math Review to be helpful, then check out our other curriculum reviews and links to other awesome homeschool resources.
Curriculum Reviews:
Homeschool Resources:
- BJU Press Homeschool: free shipping on everything all the time
- CathyDuffyReviews.com has reviews for hundreds of homeschool curricula
- 3 Secrets to Homeschool Peace (one of these has to do with math!)
- My Homeschool Resources MegaList
- >>Get access to my FREE Resource Library<< It’s where I put all my free downloads from all my blog posts!
Bob Jones math is the best on the market, in my opinion. When the girls went to school, they were approximately 2 years ahead and understood concepts that others struggled with because of Mr. Harmon’s teaching on the videos. If we decide to homeschool again down the road, BJU math will be at the top of my list.
Yes, I think so too! When the boys went to Christian school for a brief time, they used Saxon, and in my opinion, it was terrible. Very confusing and doesn’t support a mastery approach at all. BJU math is tough – but in a good way. 🙂