We were not unfamiliar with VideoText Interactive . It was one of out top picks for Algebra last year. So this year, when it came up for review with the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I jumped up and said Pick ME! for the Geometry: A Complete Course for our 10th grade son.
We received a wealth of information from VideoText Interactive. I read through it online, and then printed it for Nate’s binder. They have pacing guides, progress checklists, scope and sequence, the ‘why’ behind it, expectations etc. Very detailed with many requests to email or call with the smallest of questions.
We received the following from them for the review:
- Video Lessons – 5-10 minutes in length each.
- Course Notes – Like a stueden workbook.
- Student WorkText – review text and the Student Workbook.
- Solutions Manual
Progress Tests – short quizzes and longer tests which are assigned periodically to assess student mastery of concepts.
The online version of the programs are priced as follows:
ONLINE GEOMETRY Module A – (Classic Print Version – $99.95) ……. $59.00
ONLINE GEOMETRY Completer Package – Modules B-C-D-E-F (Classic Print Version – $429.05)…….$240
($299 pricing reflects licensing for two students. Add an additional student in your family’s household for $49. A student license will last three years from the date it is activated for each student, and instructor accounts may also be turned on for a short period by request for SAT/CLEP prep after a student license has expired. Online Programs have a full 30-day money back guarantee.)
Other delivery options, such as DVD, are available as well as the option to purchase individual modules and extra materials. Pricing on these items varies and may be found on the website.
Nate started Geometry this year. It was a choice for us because he may need PSAT or SAT in the near future for a specific goal in mine. If it were not a consideration, we would have gone with Algebra 2 this year.
After instructions the first day, Nate was able to navigate the software independently. So far, I have only listened to two of the videos. The instructor Strongly Urges the parent to be a part of the class. One of our reasons for wanting a video tutor, is so that I do not need to be involved. Just throwin’ it out there. I keep tabs on where he is, helping with grading, answering questions, but I have just not had time this year to pick up Geometry. It was actually a course I took in school with math that I did quite well.
When you log into the software a daily list of tasks is shown in links to the left. A Quiz most days, Video, WorkText, etc. He just moves through the list. I read through the pacing guide this week and noticed that there is a slower track – that you don’t need to do every step every day. Math was taking quite a while, and he was still getting 100 percent accuracy. I saw that he could do 5-10 of the problems, so we cut it back this week. It also says you could do the video on day one, 5-10 practice problems, then the video on day 2 and do the rest. They have pacing ideas for taking the course in 1-3 years.
I asked Nate how he liked the video, since that is a biggie. The need to connect with the voice. He said the first day was really strange and wonderful all at once. He had plugged in his little green guy for a speaker and it felt like the green guy was giving him geometry lessons. Sigh. Roll my eyes. “Nate you have to give me more than you thought your speaker came to life for a review.”
He likes it. He wishes the daily lessons were more like one week lessons. This is why we looked back at the pacing to see if we were doing it correctly. Portions like today, shown below, going over simple shapes, he can breeze through, but no problem doing a lesson over the course of a few days.
I enjoy watching the video (I’ve watched almost all of them, just without sound). They are full of color, movement, and text. Each type of learner would like the quality of the presentation.
The homework is at the bottom of the WorkText – which means one needs to scroll through what was learned on the video to start on the solving/answering. They can just scroll up to be refreshed, so far Nathan has not felt discouraged or frustrated.
The solutions for the day are also in the left hand list, easy to access with full written out answers.
This is a huge complete program intended to carry you through pre-calc. There is an option above for just one module, but we generously received the full package. I asked Nate, now that the ‘review period’ is complete – (using the program 4 times a week for several weeks) does he want me to order the curriculum that we expected to use this year. He said no. This one works great and he understands it. That’s good enough news for me!
Fun bit to leave you with. Today he is studying shapes. He says, “Mom, you know how we build a pyramid in the pit to help light our fires? Did you know that Pyre and Fire are the same word?” I asked him to write down Fire Pyre for my review to help me remember – so at the top of his homework today is “Fire Pyre for my Review. Pyramid PYRAMID”. Funny boy.
We’ll keep you updated on our blog and facebook photos/posts how geometry is going this year. They describe everything so clearly between the videos and text that I can’t imagine getting hung up. I do wish we had the text in hard bound form, it is much too large for us to print, but I have heard that my friends have printed theirs out. I would think that any age is appropriate. When your child is ready for Geometry, for us 10th grade, 15 years old, this is a great resource – full curriculum choice.
+Angie Wright
Pebblekeeper 
Hi, thank you for your review it certainly has been useful. I am considering VT geometry for my daughters as they are almost completing the VT Algebra. However, I haven’t found any evidence of the existence of module F in geometry so please help me !
Has your son completed the course? Were you able to get module F which is the precalculus unit ?
Regards
SB