Teaching Textbooks

Teaching Textbooks was founded by Greg Sabouri, motivated by a vision to create a math program that would lift the burden of math education from parents. This commitment to making math accessible and reducing stress for homeschooling families was born from the challenges he observed within the homeschooling community, especially in teaching subjects like math that often require specialized knowledge to teach effectively. Greg's background in education and his direct involvement with the homeschooling community positioned him to identify these unique challenges and address them through a specialized curriculum​ (The Smiling Homeschooler)​.

Differentiation: Unique Features of Teaching Textbooks

Teaching Textbooks sets itself apart with its comprehensive digital tools that support both students and parents. It offers automatic grading, progress tracking, and interactive aids like the in-lesson Scratch Pad and on-screen keyboard. Its courses are known for their engaging audio/visual lessons and accessibility on various devices, which help accommodate different learning environments—from home to road trips—ensuring flexibility in education. Additionally, the inclusion of a tutor helpline for extra support highlights its commitment to student success​ (Teaching Textbooks)​​ (The Smarter Learning Guide)​.

Teaching Textbooks for Special Needs

Teaching Textbooks is a versatile and supportive math curriculum that caters well to various special needs. Here’s a closer look at how it can be beneficial for specific conditions:

1. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

  • Engagement through Interactivity: The multimedia content, including video lectures and interactive exercises, helps maintain the attention of students with ADHD, making lessons more engaging than traditional text-based instruction​ (How Do I Homeschool?)​​ (Homeschool of 1)​.

  • Self-Paced Learning: Students can work through lessons at their own pace, allowing them to spend more time on challenging topics without feeling rushed​ (How Do I Homeschool?)​.

2. Dyslexia

  • Audio/Visual Support: The program’s reliance on audio and visual elements helps students with dyslexia better understand math concepts, bypassing some of the difficulties they might encounter with reading-heavy materials​ (The Smarter Learning Guide)​.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions: The clear, step-by-step video tutorials are beneficial for students who struggle with processing written instructions, providing a more accessible learning pathway​ (Homeschool Hideout)​.

3. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

  • Consistency and Routine: Teaching Textbooks provides a consistent structure and routine, which can be very comforting and effective for students on the autism spectrum. The predictable format helps reduce anxiety and increases focus​ (TheHomeSchoolMom)​.

  • Minimal Distractions: The digital interface is designed to minimize distractions, creating a focused learning environment which is crucial for students with ASD​ (Teaching Textbooks)​.

4. Learning Disabilities

  • Customizable Pace: Students with learning disabilities can benefit from the ability to revisit lessons and practice problems multiple times, ensuring they grasp foundational concepts before moving on​ (Homeschool Hideout)​.

  • Instant Feedback: Immediate grading and feedback help students understand mistakes in real-time, reinforcing learning through timely corrections​ (Homeschool Hideout)​.

5. Anxiety Disorders

  • Supportive Learning Environment: The automated grading and lack of pressure from constant human evaluation can help reduce anxiety, making learning math a less stressful experience​ (The Smarter Learning Guide)​.

  • Built-In Support: Features like the tutor helpline provide additional support when students are stuck, without the intimidation of face-to-face interaction​ (Homeschool Hideout)​.

How to Get Started

To begin using Teaching Textbooks, parents need to set up an account on their website, select the appropriate grade level, and start with a free trial to test the curriculum's compatibility with their child's learning needs. The setup is user-friendly, designed to transition seamlessly from trial to paid service, retaining all grades and progress made during the trial period​ (How Do I Homeschool?)​.

How It Works

Teaching Textbooks is structured around daily lessons that are designed to be completed independently by the student, requiring minimal parental supervision. Each lesson includes a video lecture, followed by practice problems that are automatically graded. The program is flexible, suggesting 3-5 days of math per week, depending on the child's pace and family schedule. This structure supports a balance of guided learning and independent practice, with additional resources like printable worksheets and offline capabilities for on-the-go learning​ (Teaching Textbooks)​​ (Homeschool Hideout)​.

Educational Subjects Covered

Teaching Textbooks covers a broad range of math topics across grade levels:

  • Basic arithmetic

  • Algebra

  • Geometry

  • Pre-Calculus

  • Statistics and probability These subjects are divided into lessons that build progressively, ensuring comprehensive coverage and mastery of material​ (Homeschool of 1)​.

What’s Good About It

Users often praise Teaching Textbooks for its engaging, multimedia approach that helps demystify complex math topics and fosters an enjoyable learning experience. The program's automatic grading and progress reports are particularly appreciated by parents, as they minimize the need for direct oversight and make it easier to track their child's progress. The ability to use the program across various devices and offline enhances its practicality for families on the move​ (Teaching Textbooks)​​ (Homeschool Hideout)​.

What Could Be Improved

Some users have noted that while Teaching Textbooks does an excellent job at facilitating learning, its depth in covering complex mathematical concepts might not be sufficient for students seeking more rigorous academic challenges. The program is also noted to be somewhat slower in pace, which could be a limitation for advanced learners. Moreover, the motivational tools like stickers might not appeal to older students, potentially affecting engagement levels​ (The Smarter Learning Guide)​​ (TheHomeSchoolMom)​.

Advice from Parents

Parents recommend taking full advantage of the program's features like the tutor helpline and the flexibility to pause and resume the curriculum to align with family schedules. They suggest integrating real-world math problems to complement the curriculum and reinforce practical application, thereby enhancing the learning experience and ensuring that students not only complete their lessons but truly understand and can apply the concepts learned​ (Homeschool Hideout)​​ (TheHomeSchoolMom)​.

Ideal and Non-Ideal Fits

Teaching Textbooks is ideal for families new to homeschooling or those who prefer a more guided approach to math education. It suits students who thrive with structured, interactive learning sessions and benefit from the spiral learning approach, which revisits topics for reinforcement. However, it may not be suitable for families seeking a highly challenging or accelerated math curriculum, or for students who need a curriculum that delves deeply into advanced mathematical theories​ (The Smarter Learning Guide)​.

Grades and Cost

Teaching Textbooks is designed for students in grades 3 through 12. The cost varies by grade level, generally ranging from $43.08 to $67.08 per course, per year. This pricing structure includes access to all the digital tools, video lessons, and customer support​ (How Do I Homeschool?)​.

Ways to Get It

Teaching Textbooks can be purchased directly from their website, where parents can also access free trials to evaluate the program before committing to a purchase. This direct approach ensures that all features and updates are immediately available to users​ (Teaching Textbooks)​.

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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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