Review: LearnBop (TOS Review)

For this review we used LearnBop, LearnBop for Families subscription.  My (almost) 10 year old was the primary user, we used the Single Student Plan.

We used this as our primary math program during the review period, so he used this 4-5 days a week.  He only used it for about 10mins a sitting though.  I have to be honest, he didn’t really like this program, and he can’t seem to explain to me why.  I’m at a loss.  I do know that he worked on it one time for quite a while and it took him about an hour to complete a ‘bop’.  The lesson seemed never ending to him, and I think that is a lot of what turned him off of it.  Maybe we should have adjusted the level to 3rd grade (we had it set on 4th grade).  I told him he could just use it for 10mins a day (in an attempt to not overwhelm him).  So he moved really slowly through the lessons, and I don’t feel like much was accomplished.

I found the program hard to navigate as a parent too, I just didn’t really get it.  It was too complicated for me.  My son and I are both kinesthetic learners, and when there are a lot of directions and such to work though it becomes overwhelming.  I think that was a lot of the problem with this program.  There was just too much stuff to navigate through.  We both prefer something more simple and more cut and dry. 

I would also prefer programs with email notifications, with 4 kids, I get busy, I forget to check up on things (sometimes even when I am reviewing items).  I like daily, or at the very least weekly emails that tell me what my child did and how he is doing.  I think I have acquired ADHD in my adult years, and well, I tend to forget to check up after my child sometimes.  The emails are a great way to keep me on my toes and in check with their progress. 

I know there were several people who just RAVED about the program though, so I’m going to chalk this up to not a good fit.  If you have a visual learner, I think your child would really enjoy this program.  There is a 30 day money back guarantee, so there is no risk to try it out!

The program is designed for grades 3-12 to help catch up or to get ahead in Math.  When a child gets a problem wrong it takes them through step by step to explain why and they correct way to do it.  It can identify learning gaps and adjusts the program accordingly, to meet your individual child’s needs. 

When you get a problem wrong, the program then breaks the problem down into smaller steps.  Helps are also available, such as hints, to help your child learn how to do the problem.  If your child is still not successful, more work in that specific area is added to the workload.

This is where it was frustrating for my son.  I went through the program and I think it is well laid out and explained, but since my son is not a visual learner (particularly in math) all the reading of problems and such wasn’t working for him.  He did enjoy the videos associated with the concepts, but there are only a few, and are not part of the individual bops (lessons).  Perhaps having an auditory factor available for each problem, would be beneficial to those students who are more auditory/kinesthetic learners. 

Here is an example of a problem

Problems like this really threw him off since several of the answers are No match. 

The program bumped him down to the 3rd grade map, even though I set him up on 4th grade math (which he had almost completed in another program we had been using).  The 4th grade map covered a lot of concepts he had not learned yet, so I’m not sure how the level work is determined.   it did not change his road map label though (still said 4th grade) so he didn’t realize he was on a lower grade (and I didn’t either, until I change it myself and was playing with the levels).  I do like this because won’t feel down about being ‘lower’ than they feel like they should be.

They also offer a lot of rewards and other incentives along the way.

This program is not just for homeschoolers though, this would be a great way to help a kid struggling in math who doesn’t homeschool or a way to help keep math skills polished during summer months!

For every LearnBop subscription bought they also donate an equivalent to a student in need!  Love this!

I am really bummed that this was not a good fit for us, it seems like a really great and solid program.  If they added some more audio components to the program, it might help others who are less visual learners in math.  I think we will revisit this program though, and try again in the future.  Try it out, maybe it’s a good fit for you child!