Learning comes alive with human connection.
Dear fellow teachers, homeschool families, you can now obtain complete, ready-made courses: Geometry and Algebra 2.
Welcome to Yay Math's full curriculum offerings.
Yay Math is very pleased to offer our fellow teachers and homeschool families complete learning programs for Geometry and Algebra 2.
-
You don't need a textbook, it's fully self-contained.
-
Each curriculum covers the entire course, a full school year's worth.
-
It's a one-time purchase/download, and yours for life. No yearly subscription required. No need to buy per student. Once means once.
-
It's easy and instant to implement, as soon as tomorrow.
-
You decide where to save it, so that it works best for you – straight on your computer, Drive, Dropbox, cloud, anywhere you want. Even stored at multiple locations.
-
You no longer need to painstakingly create content, sift through the internet ocean, or constantly vet sources. All the work is already done for you, at a high quality level. Answer keys and all.
-
Best of all, students, parents, and teachers simply LOVE it. It's the way learning should be.
Someone should say it: it's time to stop subjecting our students to some of the dreadful learning practices of the past. No more learning straight from the book or from emotionless lectures. They only alienate students and stop learning cold.
The education landscape is shifting, and this is the perfect opportunity to seize the moment and step into our new era with fully tested, world-class course materials – all backed by Yay Math soul.
What is Flipped/Blended learning?
Why is this type of curriculum so positive?
"Practice what you preach" – my personal outreach to my students' parents
How our program shines, uncomplicated student work flow, PLUS sample module materials
Take it from them – a student survey directly from my own class
Take it from them – teachers, students, and parents who have adopted our program
What is Flipped/Blended Learning?
Flipped learning is the practice of reversing the order in which students engage the course. Traditionally, students go to school primarily to receive the teacher lesson/lecture, and they take notes. Then they go home to work on homework. Now, by "flipping" that order, students watch videos first. They can watch videos in class, or as their "homework." Then they work on exercise sets, with the aid of other students, or their teacher who circulates the room. For homeschool students, the instruction load is carried by the videos, and the student works independently on included materials thereafter.
Blended learning is a hybrid of the traditional and flipped models. Teachers offer both in-class lessons sometimes, and at other times, they ask students to watch video(s) at home, prior to returning to the next class. Or students watch some videos in class. It "blends" both systems, depending on the teacher, students, or learning setting. So while this program is comprehensive, it can also seamlessly supplement programs you already offer. You have the choice to pick and choose sections from this program to back up your own.
Why is this type of curriculum so positive?
The benefits of this type of model are manifold, and only increasing in magnitude every year:
-
For homeschool students, they now have a fun and complete system for learning, that's end-to-end. No longer the need to mix and match components from all ends of the earth. And dare we say it: learning math is actually fun and positive this way.
-
Students have more time to interact with their teacher and other students during school hours, at the very moment they need help. Traditionally, many students are lost and feel isolated when they need help and don't have that immediate support.
-
Students can watch videos the way they deem necessary, including pausing, replaying, or even skipping ahead. They take control over what they need from the video.
-
The younger generations are very familiar and comfortable with digital learning. Coupled with more face-to-face interactive time in the classroom, it's a win-win for them.
-
Fortunately, this form of learning is self-paced by design. Students go through the materials at a pace that enables deeper understanding. Teachers no longer need to bear the responsibility of heaving the class forward. Instead, they support students by helping them stay on schedule, perhaps by involving parents in that regard. We refocus our energies towards more productive "soft skill" lessons for the students, like time-management, motivation, and taking personal responsibility. (The good news is that this model so beautifully invites the students to adopt such elevated and critical human skills, the same skills they will need for their future careers.)
-
The teacher experience is no longer so repetitive and much less exhausting. It's no secret, even the most proficient and passionate educators are tapped out and/or hoarse after a full day "on stage," including me.
-
Flipped and Blended learning, and video-supported learning, are not some plans that'll only happen in the future, or some theoretical concepts that just sound cool. They're happening now. And more so every school year.
Click on the image below to view some eye-opening stats what teachers say about flipping.
News from around the country on how programs such as ours have taken root:
-
Texas high school flips all its classes – Houston Chronicle
-
Survey: 75% of students say more tech would improve their learning – campustechnology.com
-
Assessment strategies for the flipped learning environment – Faculty Focus
-
Advice from students to teachers on the use of technology – ASCD SmartBrief Education
-
New York State issues recommendations to support flipped/blended learning – The Journal
Practice what you preach – my personal outreach to my students' parents
Historically, many innovative ideas have sometimes been met by resistance from those unready or unwilling for positive change. In our case, it may be parents, or administrators, or both. We fundamentally know that the parental alliance is vital, thus it is our duty to educate them on what they may not fully understand.
I created the following outreach video specifically for my students' parents, which makes the case for modernizing my class. Parents are such important stakeholders in the education partnership, so I'm happy to offer them this transparent explanation for what I plan to implement with their children.
Here it is for you to view as well, an unlisted YouTube video specifically for their eyes, and now for yours. Perhaps you can use this as the basis for making the case to the appropriate stakeholders in your neck of the woods. Enjoy.
How our program shines + easy student workflow + sample materials
Here, let's outline how a student will engage with each new topic. The order of his/her workflow progresses as follows:
-
Online video
-
Printable worksheet that adjoins video, for active video viewing
-
Online quiz
-
Printable classwork packets
Notice how the student see-saws from the digital side to the paper side. This way, he/she is engaged across each platform. Some online programs are entirely digital. Call me old-school, but I simply can not find any replacement for the value of students actively engaging their learning by using pencil and paper. They reiterate the sentiment; it helps them "feel" the work, and own it through a physical-mental connection.
Now let's dive into each component, why they stand out, and best-practice suggestions.
1. Online video
Virtually every lesson included is Yay Math content. Our videos are ranked phenomenally well worldwide, due to their connective appeal to real students in our classroom, who ask real questions, and interact over the material in fun, insightful, spontaneous, and oftentimes hilarious ways. Yay Math videos are viewed more than 2 million minutes every month. A few Geometry topics are not yet covered by Yay Math, so I've personally curated videos from respected providers to complete that program. Algebra 2 is 100% Yay Math based.
2. Printable worksheet
Every video in our program has an attached worksheet that includes the exact same problems on the video itself. This is an important, field-tested element of the program. It ensures the students are watching the lesson with an engaged eye, by filling in prompts that the video and attached worksheet pose. Plus, the worksheet serves as proof that the student actually watched the video in the first place.
In my classes, I remind my students to save their questions for after the video. I implement this policy not only for the obvious reason that their question will probably be answered in the video lesson itself, but also to compel them to put forth a level of buy-in and personal investment to their learning PRIOR to asking for help. Teachers love to say, "meet me half way," which the worksheet helps the students to do. I suggest offering students all-or-nothing points for simply doing the worksheet, at a percentage of the final grade you are comfortable with. Perhaps 5-10%.
3. Online quiz
At this phase, each course offers students additional practice in the form of a Google-based online quiz. Personally written by me, these are a fantastic continuation of the video that the student just viewed. They are usually 5-10 questions long, and multiple choice.
Research shows that students respond best to zero-to-low-stakes assessments early in their learning process. In other words, at the outset of learning, it is important for the students to feel comfortable to experiment and take risks without fear of being penalized. Therefore, I suggest that these quizzes also count for full credit, regardless of their actual score. What I do is mark their actual score as well, to keep an eye on generally how well they are adopting the material. If they know they will get full credit by simply doing it, the impetus to panic or cheat is removed, and they can thankfully just focus on the task at hand. If they do poorly, then such feedback informs them that of their duty to seek help. Within each quiz, students are given the option to email their score to any address they chose. They also see their score right after taking the quiz. (Added bonus: the Geometry course includes direct links to additional online quizzes from hand-selected other providers.)
Teachers, I suggest offering all-or-nothing points for doing the quiz, for a relatively small portion of their overall grade (5-10%), and noting their actual score as information/feedback on how well (and WHEN) the students are working. If they submit all quizzes the night before the test, then that's a problem. If they do consistently poorly, either they don't get it, or they're selecting random answers just to get the points. No matter what, that steady stream of feedback will serve both them and us.
4. Printable classwork packet
Now that the students have had multiple types of exposure to the content, it's time go to work. The practice sets included in each packet go more in-depth and challenge the student to reach the next level of their learning. I believe in taking lots of space when working, so you'll notice how they'll have plenty of room on the page to work. Which fortunately means that students will be able to go back an re-read what they did at some point later on. I put a colossal effort into the exact language of these packets, phrasing the text in easy to understand, digestible bits. In my experiences, packets tend to become long-winded novels (much like this page!) that the students simply just don't read for math study. They will be more encouraged to read if the text is presented in enticing, manageable chunks. Even using words like "please" in the instructions is intentional. The experience needs to be human.
Following several sections ordered correctly for you, students have a practice chapter test, then an actual test. All answer keys are provided. Here then for your review, is a full sample section, as well as a chapter practice test:
Geometry Topic: Geometric Mean
-
(at the end of the chapter) Practice Test
Algebra 2 Topic: Systems of Equations in 3 variables
-
(at the end of the chapter) Practice Test
Take it from them – my own student survey on this very program
I had the privilege to teach geometry using the same exact program I'm offering here, to a group of ten amazing teens during summer school. Nine of them submitted responses to an online Google survey that I asked them to submit anonymously after the course completed. In the spirit of transparency, here are those results:
Take it from them – teachers, students, and parents who have adopted our program
Positive feedback has poured in for our programs from teachers and homeschool families from across the country. Here's what Dan D., a teacher in Benton City, WA is saying:
How have you been using the program?
"Yaymath Geometry has been implemented as a supplement to our current curriculum...Last year I used videos only and this year I have used the videos plus the practice and chapter tests (those are done perfectly as a adaptation from the ones from the book."
What's it like for your students?
"It's like having a team teacher come in present the concepts in a similar, usually in a more fun way."
What's the learning experience like in the class?
"The learning experience is mainly from sensing the positive vibes from Robert and his students....it helps my students think that maybe Geometry can a fun class sometimes!"
What are the students saying?
"He is like you, but younger and funnier"
"Do those kids [students in the video] actually like Geometry?"
What is it like "to be you" (the teacher) these days?
"It's nice to use technology on a daily basis... a long way from my 'chalkboard days' back in the 1990's!"
* * * * *
* * * * *
Here are messages direct from a homeschooling parent, and a student, published with permission:
"Robert, thank you so much for putting this Geometry Curriculum together. As a homeschooling mom of six, I have made use of your Yay Math videos for years. It was a little hard to admit that my children liked you better than me - but they had so much fun learning from you. Your enthusiasm for learning is definitely contagious. The curriculum has been such a welcomed addition to our home school. It is so easy to use, for both student and teacher! My two sons that are currently using it are learning so much and having a good time doing it. We are hoping for similar programs in other courses. Thanks again for a terrific product!"
– Danielle, Roxbury NY
"The Algebra 2 program was such a good investment for me and I’m so glad I made this purchase. I’m an adult returning to college, taking calculus classes and trying to comprehend the material can be challenging. Trying to make sense of it all while studying, I stumbled upon the Yay Math videos on YouTube. I found that the way Robert describes things made it so much easier for me to understand my college math classes. Ever since I found his videos, I’ve been watching all of them from Algebra to Trigonometry, and they’ve helped me get through my classes. Since his other videos were so helpful, and recognizing that I would benefit from more of a solid foundation in Algebra 2, I bought Robert's curriculum program. It’s so much easier to grasp the concepts now, and so easy to use. I would highly recommend this curriculum to anybody who needs a better understanding this material."
– Mario, Columbus OH
* * * * *
Here's another teacher, Ken Williams in Hampton, VA, featuring using our program on the front page of their school newsletter:
FAQs
Is this a licensing subscription that I'll have to repay every year, or is it a one-time purchase?
Fortunately, the latter. Once you purchase the program once, it's yours for life.
What is the return policy?
Since sample materials are provided above that accurately represent the program, no returns please. I believe that you won't want to anyway.
WHAT exactly am I getting?
Each course offers 12 chapters worth of materials, a full textbook's worth. Each chapter includes a workflow, guiding students on which video to begin and then where to go in progression. After they conquer several sections in that chapter, each chapter includes a practice test, and chapter test. All answer keys for classwork and tests are included. Most importantly, your students are getting a straightforward experience, no curveballs, an end-to-end program that makes sense to them, and thus elevates our work as educators.
HOW do I receive the program?
Once you purchase using any credit card or PayPal, I will personally email you the program within one business day. I use a secure online service called WeTransfer.
May I alter the materials you have already?
Of course! The worksheets that mirror the videos are set as pdfs, because they need to replicate the actual problems the videos solve. But for the classwork, practice tests, chapter tests, and final exams, I include in both MS Word and pdf form, for you to tinker with as you wish. Please note: I created images using both MS Word's "Equation" program (which already is a part of Word), or MathType. Editing may prove challenging if you don't have MathType. Nevertheless, you have ample room to alter the materials. Again, everything is also set as pdf, so you're set to go from the get-go.
May I pick and choose parts of the program to supplement my own?
Absolutely. I deeply believe that no single person/entity "owns" information. Because this program is clearly marked by section, named exactly they way the books name them, you can grab practice packets here and there, give online quizzes here and there, etc. And of course, you could simply use this program exclusively, as it covers the entire year's curriculum.
Aren't you afraid that one person will buy this and spread it to everyone else?
The thought crossed my mind, so I want to share my opinion on this. Every summer in my childhood, my family drove to quaint beaches in Delaware, and we passed miles of farmland. Our favorite place to buy massive watermelons and other goodies was one barn in particular: carts of amazing produce with prices on them, and a lockbox to slide your money through the slit at the top. I always remember how quiet and picturesque it was, with no farmers anywhere in sight. A cardboard sign in black marker read plainly: Honor System. It always stuck with me, and now it's my turn. I'm trusting people to be cool. Either way, the students win, so I have nothing to complain about.
Are both semesters included?
Yes.
Are final exams from both semesters included?
Yes.
Is the program Common Core aligned?
There is a massive overlap between the Common Core objectives and this program. But the programs are not explicitly aligned.
Is there a book the program is modeled after?
The Glencoe books for Geometry and Algebra 2 serve as the chapter outlines, for the order and names of each topic. You will find that the majority of books will have the same content, as they have for decades.
Which topics are included for Geometry?
Chapter 1
-
Points, Lines, and Planes
-
Linear Measure
-
Distance Formula
-
Midpoint
-
Angle Measure
-
Angle Relationships
Chapter 2
-
Inductive Reasoning
-
Deductive Reasoning
Chapter 3
-
Parallel Lines and Transversals
-
Slope
-
Equations of Lines
-
Perpendiculars and Distance
Chapter 4
-
Classifying Triangles
-
Angles of Triangles
-
Congruent Triangles
-
Isosceles Triangles
Chapter 5
-
Relationships in Triangles (Medians, Bisectors, and Altitudes)
-
Triangles Inequalities for Angles
-
Triangles Inequalities for Sides
-
Inequalities Involving Two Triangles
Chapter 6
-
Angles of Polygons
-
Parallelograms
-
Rectangles
-
Rhombi and Squares
-
Trapezoids and Kites
Chapter 7
-
Proportions
-
Similarity
-
Similar Triangles
-
Parallel Lines and Proportional Parts
-
Parts of Similar Triangles
Chapter 8
-
Geometric Mean
-
Pythagorean Theorem and its Converse
-
45-45-90 Triangles
-
30-60-90 Triangles
-
Trigonometry for Right Triangles
No Chapter 9
Chapter 10
-
Intro to Circles
-
Inscribed Angles
-
Tangent Lines
-
Secants and Tangents
-
Special Segments in Circles
Chapter 11
-
Area Overview
-
Areas of Circles and Sectors
-
Areas of Polygons and Composite Figures
Chapter 12
-
Surface Area of Prisms and Cylinders
-
Surface Area of Pyramids and Cones
-
Volume of Prisms and Cylinders
-
Volume of Pyramids and Cones
-
Surface Area and Volume of Spheres
General Proofs
-
Intro to Proofs
-
Segment Proofs
-
Angle Proofs
Triangle Proofs
-
Triangle Congruence (SSS, SAS)
-
Triangle Congruence (ASA, AAS)
-
CPCTC
-
Proofs for Triangles
WHOA, did I see that correctly? Are proofs included too?
Yes. The best part is that I cleanly separated them to be stand-alone chapters, so educators can decide to include them or not, and when.
Many of us in the education game know that proofs are notoriously dreaded by students nationwide, as they have been for generations. Happy to report that proofs done by Yay Math are understandable, and actually pretty awesome.
Which topics are included for Algebra 2?
Chapter 1
-
Expressions and Formulas
-
Properties of Real Numbers
-
Solving Equations
-
Solving Absolute Value Equations
-
Solving Inequalities
-
Solving Compound and Absolute Value Inequalities
Chapter 2
-
Relations and Functions
-
Linear Relations and Functions
-
Rate of Change and Slope
-
Writing Linear Equations
-
Special Functions
-
Parent Function and Transformations
-
Graphing Linear and Absolute Value Inequalities
Chapter 3
-
Solving Systems of Equations
-
Solving Systems of Inequalities by Graphing
-
Optimization with Linear Programming
-
Systems of Equations in Three Variables
-
Operations with Matrices
-
Multiplying Matrices
-
Determinants of Matrices
-
Solving Systems of Equations Using Cramer's Rule
-
Solving Systems of Equations Using Inverse Matrices
Chapter 4
-
Graphing Quadratic Functions
-
Solving Quadratic Functions by Graphing
-
Solving Quadratic Equations by Graphing
-
Complex Numbers
-
Completing the Square
-
The Quadratic Formula and the Discriminant
-
Transformations of Quadratic Graphs
-
Quadratic Inequalities
Chapter 5
-
Operations with Polynomials
-
Dividing Polynomials
-
Polynomial Functions
-
Solving Polynomial Equations
-
Sums and Differences of Cubes
-
Analyzing Graphs of Polynomial Functions
-
The Remainder and Factor Theorems
-
Roots and Zeros
-
Rational Zero Theorem
Chapter 6
-
Operations on Functions
-
Inverse Functions and Relations
-
Square Root Functions and Inequalities
-
nth Roots
-
Operations with Radical Expressions
-
Rational Exponents
-
Solving Radical Equations and Inequalities
Chapter 7
-
Graphing Exponential Functions
-
Solving Exponential Functions and Inequalities
-
Logarithms and Logarithmic Functions
-
Solving Logarithmic Equations and Inequalities
-
Properties of Logarithms
-
Common Logarithms
-
Base e and Natural Logarithms
-
Using Exponential and Logarithms Functions
Chapter 8
-
Multiplying and Dividing Rational Expressions
-
Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
-
Graphing Rational Functions
-
Variation Functions
-
Solving Rational Equations and Inequalities
Chapter 9
-
Midpoint and Distance Formulas
-
Parabolas
-
Circles
-
Ellipses
-
Hyperbolas
-
Identifying Conic Sections
-
Solving Linear-Nonlinear Systems
Chapter 10
-
Sequences as Functions
-
Arithmetic Sequences and Series
-
Geometric Sequences and Series
-
Infinite Geometric Series
-
Recursion and Iteration
-
The Binomial Theorem
-
Proof by Mathematical Induction
Chapter 11 BONUS – Taught with StatsCenter
Chapter 12
-
Trigonometric Functions in Right Triangles
-
Angles and Angle Measure
-
Trigonometric Functions of General Angles
-
Law of Sines
-
Law of Cosines
-
Circular and Periodic Functions
-
The Unit Circle
-
Graphing Trigonometric Functions
-
Translations of Trigonometric Graphs
-
Inverse Trigonometric Functions
Chapter 13
-
Trigonometric Identities
-
Verifying Trigonometric Identities
-
Sum and Difference of Angles Identities
-
Double Angle and Half Angle Identities
-
Solving Trigonometric Equations
Fun video note: all advanced Trigonometry is taught in a real-life replica of The Oval Office, in front of real students.
Wow, let's do this. How do I get this thing?
The entire programs, both semesters, all in-order video lists, online quiz resources, worksheets, classwork, practice tests, chapter tests, final exams, answer keys, uncomplicated curriculum workflows, convenient click-and-print full chapter packets, and even my own syllabus transparently explaining the program to students and parents, all for less than the cost of a typical math textbook.
Thank you in advance, for wishing to obtain the program that your students will thank you for. Simply fill out the form below, which accepts any credit card, and I will personally email you the courses in no more than one business day. I will email using a secure online service, WeTransfer. So be sure to look for that sender, perhaps in your bulk mail if necessary.
Final statement from the heart: These programs are what I've personally used in my classes for years, continuously refined to my highest standards. This curriculum reflects on me and my work as an educator; it's everything I believe works. Even more, I've seen how it works, witnessing my students' reactions as I sit right next to them. It is with that sense of joy and purpose that I've made it available to colleagues who care just as I do. After a one-time buy, you have the chance to dramatically alter your education dynamic for the better, permanently.
Happy Yay Math'ing! Please share stories with me about how it's going; my personal contact info is below.