Nitro Math

Nitro Math was created by Austin Butler, the founder of Teaching.com, a platform known for developing educational games like Nitro Type. Austin, along with his brother Travis and the team at Teaching.com, aimed to leverage their success with educational games to create a new, engaging way for students to learn mathematics. The idea was born from a desire to combine competitive, game-based learning with critical math skills, addressing the need for a fun, effective way to improve math fluency. This initiative reflects Austin's extensive background in educational technology and his commitment to making learning enjoyable and accessible. Nitro Math has rapidly gained traction, benefiting from the foundational success of its predecessors and enhancing educational engagement among students.

Differentiation: What Makes It Special

Nitro Math differentiates itself by integrating competitive gameplay into the learning process. Unlike traditional math programs that may focus solely on drills or passive learning, Nitro Math uses a multiplayer racing game format where students solve math problems to advance their cars in races against peers. This unique approach not only makes learning math more exciting but also encourages a competitive spirit that can motivate students to practice and improve their skills more consistently.

How to Get Started

To begin using Nitro Math, families can sign up on their official website. The setup is straightforward, requiring basic user information and a configuration of the student's current math level to ensure the game matches their skill set.

How It Works: A Clear Picture for Homeschooling

Nitro Math is designed as an open-and-go, largely independent program that requires minimal parental involvement. Students can start playing immediately after logging in, with recommended gameplay of about 15-30 minutes per day to maintain engagement without overwhelming them. The game's structure is built around short, intense bursts of math practice, ideal for keeping daily math skills sharp.

Educational Subjects Included

  • Basic Arithmetic (Addition, Subtraction)

  • Multiplication & Division

  • Fractions & Decimals

  • Basic Geometry

  • Algebra Fundamentals

What’s Good About It

Users particularly love Nitro Math for its engaging, interactive gameplay that starkly contrasts with more traditional, monotonous math drills. The excitement of racing against others and the immediate rewards for correct answers keep students motivated and focused, leading to noticeable improvements in speed and accuracy in math calculations.

What Could Be Improved

While highly engaging, some users feel that Nitro Math could expand its range of math problems to include higher-level math for older or more advanced students. Additionally, while the game excels in practicing quick calculations, it could further develop aspects of problem-solving and critical thinking that are crucial for higher educational levels.

Advice from Parents

Parents recommend setting consistent daily playtime to build habit and skill. They also suggest engaging with children about their gameplay, discussing strategies and math problems they encountered, to reinforce learning and encourage verbal articulation of math concepts.

Ideal Fit

Nitro Math is ideal for students who thrive in interactive, fast-paced learning environments. It's particularly suited for children who enjoy video games and can benefit from a gamified learning structure that keeps them returning to the subject matter enthusiastically.

Not a Fit For

It may not be the best fit for students who need more structured, traditional learning approaches or those who require in-depth explanations and slower-paced instruction to grasp math concepts fully.

Grades

Nitro Math is suitable for students in grades 1 through 7, offering a broad range of difficulty levels tailored to younger or less advanced students.

Cost

Free.

Ways to Get It

Nitro Math can be accessed directly through their website, with options for both individual and classroom-based subscriptions. This allows for flexibility in how it can be implemented in various homeschooling contexts.

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Explore More Exceptional Math Programs and Curriculum We Recommend

Manisha Snoyer (co-founder of Modulo)

For the last 20 years, I’ve taught over 2000 children in 3 countries (of all socio-economic backgrounds). I pioneered an English language program in a conflict region in the Middle East. I’ve worked as a bilingual public school teacher at some of the highest and lowest performing public schools and in all five boroughs of NYC. I’ve tutored 18 subjects in three languages to some of the wealthiest families in NYC, San Francisco and Paris to make up for shortcomings in private schools they were paying up to $60,000 a year to attend.

Since 2015, I’ve helped hundreds of parents start microschools (way before this was a household buzzword). I founded CottageClass, the first marketplace for microschools and learning pods that was part of the Techstars 2018 class. In 2019, I created a virtual learning program to help families through the pandemic, a free online math tutoring program (masteryhour.org), and schoolclosures.org, a hotline developed in collaboration with Twilio and 80 other partners including Khan Academy, Revolution Foods and the Crisis Text Line, that served 100,000 families impacted by school closures.

I’ve climbed trees with children in forest schools in San Francisco, and tested new digital apps with kids in seven countries.

I’ve also coached dozens of families at different stages in their homeschooling journey. Most recently, I founded Modulo with homeschooling dad, best-selling author and tech entrepreneur Eric Ries, to help families curate their children’s education, social and childcare experiences drawing from a diverse array of in-person and online resources.


During the last three years, I’ve devoted much of my time to reviewing and testing secular homeschooling curriculum and other resource. I’ve spent the last three years talking to thousands of secular homeschooling families, and poring over tens of thousands of secular curriculum reviews and testing physical curriculum and digital apps for with hundreds of students to find the highest quality, most engaging, personalized learning materials for every type of learner.

I’ve spoken about homeschooling and modular learning at multiple venues including SXSW EDU, NY Tech Meetup, and on the LiberatedEd podcast.

In 2022, Modulo was one of 8 organizations who were awarded the Bridge Grant from the Vela Education Fund to expand access to homeschooling and modular learning to under-resourced communities.

My experience in education and homeschooling has led me to believe that there is no perfect education for every child, but families have an extraordinary amount of wisdom they can apply to building the perfect education for their individual child.

My goal with Modulo is to make it possible for any family to easily build a customized education that their child will love, and that will empower the whole family to thrive, taking into account, social, emotional and academic needs.

I love to answer questions from parents and receive feedback on how we can improve Modulo, so feel free to reach out anytime! I personally answer all the questions and comments readers leave on my blogs.

In my free time, I like hiking, traveling the world, tasting ceremonial grade matcha, enjoying dark chocolate.

I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brandeis University with highest honors, with a double degree in French Literature and American Studies and minors in Environmental Studies and Peace & Conflict Studies.

And I love to learn!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/manisha-snoyer-5042298/
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