“ALEKS is a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system.” It’s an online, interactive Math curriculum that evaluates each student’s math skills and provides instruction in the areas needed.It can be used as a personal tutor, or a supplement to public school, or as a homeschool curriculum. It offers instruction in K-12 mathematics, up to and including Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Trigonometry, AP Statistics, AP Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, Fundamentals of Accounting, and Business Math.
My homeschooled children have been using this system for the past month. April is registered in Algebra 2, and Jonathan in 6th grade. After their initial registration, which went smoothly, they were each given an online assessment to find out what they knew.
A list of topics is then assigned to each student in a colorful pie shape, called MyPie. Each time the students log in they are asked to do review work, or they are placed exactly where they left off from a previous session.
ALEKS provides assessment reports for the parents, and the kids can see their progress right on their MyPie charts. They can pick and choose any part of the pie to work in. ALEKS will not let them move on to more difficult topics until current ones are mastered.
Jonathan, my 6th grader, is plodding along quite well. He’s a kid that has meltdowns from mathematics! I have not seen any of these so far. He likes the freedom to pick and choose his topics from the ALEKS MyPie for the day. The instruction is straightforward and uses diagrams and examples for instruction. If Jonathan gets a problem wrong, he can click for an explanation and it solves it for him. Then it prompts him to practice similar problems. Jonathan says he likes it better than the Saxon math he’s doing. I have him in Saxon Algebra 1/2 which is a little above his level. His ALEKS level is easier for him, and less stressful. I’ll continue to use both programs with him. He needs all the math support he can get.
My daughter, April, works in ALEKS Algebra 2. She’s been working slow and steady through it. She wishes there “was more structure to the program in terms of telling her exactly what problems she needs to do and what “grade” she got on the assignment.” But ALEKS doesn’t work that way! It doesn’t give grades; it provides mastery! She will either learn it and master it, or continue to work on it.
Overall, I’m pleased with the ALEKS system. I’d like to continue with them for both of my kids.
