Eureka Math Review
In this article, we’ll cover Eureka Math, including what it is, how it works and how it might benefit you as a parent or teacher. Keep reading for a full review of the Eureka Math program.
How Does It Work?
Eureka Math is a math curriculum by Great Minds that teaches students how to solve problems. It is designed to help students develop math skills and confidence by building their understanding of math concepts.
It’s is a free, online program that can be accessed through any device with internet access. The curriculum is designed for students in grades K-8 and follows the Common Core State Standards.
According to the Great Minds website “In 2012 the advocacy group that would become Great Minds was awarded a grant to create EngageNY Math. We developed this program over time into Eureka Math, adding rich new resources for teachers and families.”
Great Minds has also developed Eureka Math in Sync which provides digital classwork with short video lessons that can be used for in-person or virtual learning as well as Math Equip, a diagnostic tool to identify a child’s gaps in learning.
How Eureka Math Uses Their Methodology to Help Kids Master the Basic Principles of Mathematics
Great Minds uses a unique methodology to help kids master the basic principles of mathematics. Their curriculum focuses on the conceptual understanding of math rather than the memorization of math facts. The goal is to have students understand the “why” in math problems and solutions and aims to encourage critical thinking skills in math. They try to teach students to think on their own.
What Makes Eureka Math Stand Out From Other Popular Curricula?
Besides being a math curriculum that is designed for students in grades K-8. It is different from some of the other curricula out there because it has an emphasis on conceptual understanding of math. Traditional mathematics teaching methods have been around for centuries, and they are not always effective. Students may be able to memorize formulas but they don’t truly understand the concepts behind them. The Eureka curriculum teaches children how to think mathematically, which will help them in all aspects of their lives and careers to come.
Eureka Math Review – Is it Right for Your Child?
Potentially, yes. Their program is a comprehensive math curriculum that has been used in the classrooms of elementary schools across the United States.
The curriculum has been well received by teachers and parents alike, with many saying that it provides students with a challenging and engaging way to learn mathematics. A lot of people who have used Eureka Math have found it to be one of the best curriculums available for mathematics education.
Although Great Minds offers a few additional tools for teaching, Eureka Math is mainly a curriculum rather than a learning app or tool that can be readily used by students and therefore it’s implementation requires teacher or parent involvement and management.
If you’re looking for an online learning tool that can be used by students “out of the box” then you should look at something like ixl.com or free options like www.2cool4school.org and Khan Academy, both of which include learning videos for students to watch. 2cool4school has the added benefit of being aligned to the Common Core Standards. Given that 2cool4school is mainly a teaching tool, where students can choose a curriculum topic and watch an age-appropriate and entertaining YouTube video to learn the material, you may want to pair that with a tool like ixl.com which focuses on testing the curriculum topics.
Should You Use Eureka Math as a Parent or Teacher
Eureka Math has many benefits and is a quality curriculum. Parents and teachers won’t go wrong by using the Great Minds, math curriculum. The core curriculum is free, but some of the extras, like homework sheets and other digital or print material may require payment to use. However, it’s still an excellent resource for any parent or teacher looking to build lesson plans from a solid curriculum based on the Common Core State Standards. If you’re looking for learning videos to pair with the Eureka Math curriculum and to help reinforce concepts within the Common Core Standards, we’d recommend layering in the use of the 2cool4school.org platform as a supplemental learning resource.