Cool Tools Math – Make Math Enjoyable!
E-mail: cooltoolsmath@gmail.com
Facebook: Cool Tools Math
801-756-6282
By Michael Leppert
Evelyn Fannin, creator of Cool Tools Math is a former public school teacher who has worked with many children who experienced difficulties with math and knowing the basic math skills. The testimonials on the website show that her methods work in helping children to enjoy math and have confidence in their ability to master the four functions of basic math – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The program also includes fractions, decimals, percent, ratios and their conversions with each other. A simple explanation of metric & U.S. measurements with conversions is included.
Her website states: “If mistakes are made, a comment like, ‘Let’s look at this one more time!’ can be helpful.” That is a very skillful piece of advice, since many of us do not know how to respond to our child’s errors in a positive way.
Evelyn’s, Cool Tools Math offers lessons via a video presentation and colorful, hard copy dry-erase “activity” books that coincide with the video lessons. The child watches the video, then performs the tasks in the activity book with a dry-erase marker. When an activity is completed, s/he informs the teacher, who can then check the work. If the page is correctly completed, the student can erase it and move on. Each lesson in courses 2 and 3 have a timed Race Game as a reward to show the child how quickly s/he has learned the skill. Online quizzes show parents the child’s success.
Cool Tools Math begins with an easy-to-use, web-based math-facts assessment that helps parents and children know exactly where to begin in strengthening the child’s math knowledge. It is a Pass/Fail quiz and if the child Passes easily, the parent can move on to other skills. From this quiz the parent knows what skills need improvement and can press the button to the video introduction of each lesson to achieve these skills followed by practice activities to embed them.
There are 4 levels to the complete course, which can be purchased as needed:
• Counting & Numbers is for younger children to learn to love math early and learn skills they will need later.
• Add & Subtract is best for 1st grade or age 6, but appeals to students all ages who depend on slow methods for basic addition and subtraction facts. It is ideal for a catch-up program or a 1st time introduction. Skill level, not age oriented.
• Multiply & Divide is ideally for 3rd grade and higher. It is skill level not age oriented. A great Catch-Up program or 1st time introduction. Successful learning is a Great Reward.
• Fractions & More is designed for students who are ready for this challenge – typically 5th or 6th grade. It includes all about fractions, decimals, percent and ratios and their conversions with one another and more skills. An additional bonus is metric and U.S. measurements and their conversions. All this in a 20 page wipe-off activity book in 12 lessons. Many students have completed this course in 5 – 6 hours with the video guides.
Cool Tools Math takes the lesson planning issue out of the parent’s hands, so that monitoring the child’s work and progress is the only issue to deal with. If your child has ANY struggle with math at all, please visit Evelyn’s website and see the extensive products and assistance available! MjL