Thinkwell vs Shormann Interactive Math
There are three MAJOR differences between Thinkwell and Shormann Math:
1) Shormann Math is built on a Christian foundation; Thinkwell is not. We believe that the Christian foundation makes learning math easier. It brings the "why" of math alive in ways a secular foundation never can. There are some things in math, like infinity and irrational numbers, that no human can fully comprehend, so we just have to "believe in" them. A Christian foundation helps students understand what real, biblical (Hebrews 11:1) faith is.
2) Shormann Math is integrated; Thinkwell is not. Thinkwell uses the standard American public school format of teaching math in "chunks" of Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2. Shormann teaches math like you would learn a language, or a sport, or anything really, where you start with fundamental ideas and then build on those later. Just like you wouldn't have a foreign language class where you learn nouns for a year, verbs for a year, etc., with no integration into speaking the language, it's really not a good idea to break math up into pieces either. Shormann Math integrates algebra and geometry, so the student is learning both all the time helping them build fluency in all their math while making it easier to apply math in the real world, and in science courses, and on standardized tests. Think about it: if a good student spends 3 years in Shormann Math and finishes Shormann Algebra 1, 2 and Precalculus all with integrated geometry (and trigonometry, etc.), compared to a student doing Thinkwell Algebra 1, STOPPING algebra to do Geometry, then STOPPING geometry to do Algebra 2, which student do you think will come out better prepared to take an ACT or SAT math test?
3) Shormann teaches math as the language of science; Thinkwell does not (or at least this idea is not foundational to the course). After the introductory 25 lessons in Shormann Math, at least 1 problem in each lesson highlights an application of math to science, engineering, business, sports, etc. But we think the key difference is measurement. MEASUREMENT IS MISSING FROM ALMOST EVERY STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL MATH CURRICULUM except Shormann Math and John Saxon-authored Saxon math texts. Now, most courses will cover perimeter/area/volume. But they almost never teach students how to convert between units. When Dr. Shormann taught lab courses as a college graduate student, he was amazed at the students' inability to perform simple unit conversions. It was a major, if not THE stumbling block to their success in actually doing science in a laboratory setting (which is what real science is about--doing it, not just passively reading about it in a book). When he started teaching math to homeschoolers, he was thrilled to see that John Saxon had included lessons on unit conversions in all his courses. With Shormann Math, we continue Saxon's tradition and build on it by also teaching students how to do foreign currency conversions.
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