If you've been reading Homegrown Learners for any length of time, you know Mr. D is our math hero!
I am NOT a math person, and until last summer my daughter didn't think she was one, either! Anna took Mr. D's Algebra readiness course last summer, and is now completing Algebra I (with an A average - hooray!).
Because my daughter is in the 9th grade, we need to start thinking about taking the SAT.
I contacted Mr. D (because he truly loves to interact with parents and is always available to answer your questions) about Anna taking his online SAT math bootcamp class. Mr. D told me she would benefit from the class and said he could even scale the practice problems for her because she has only completed Algebra I -- the SAT includes Geometry and Algebra II and some Trig.
We enrolled in the bootcamp and I am immensely thankful for all of the information we've BOTH learned about the math portion of the SAT!
*I have been compensated for this review. All opinions are my own. I was THRILLED to write this post for Mr. D because he has helped our homeschool so much!
About Mr. D Math
(and why we like him so much)
Mr. D (Dennis DiNoia) is a degreed math teacher with a Masters Degree in Education. He has been involved in the education arena for 25 years, and has been a Florida State Certified Secondary Math Teacher since 1988.
I first met Mr. D at a homeschool conference. I attended a math workshop he was giving, and was pleasantly surprised that he engaged (and even excited) me in math! Most of all, however, all of the teens in the room were engaged, laughing, and clearly focused on Mr. D.
From a technical standpoint, the Mr. D math interface is EASY to navigate. We have never had a single technical issue with a live class. His recorded videos (for the self-paced curriculum) are all extremely well done and easily accessible.
Students are responsible for completing their assignments, entering grades, and staying accountable for their work.
When you ask my daughter why she likes Mr. D she will tell you it is because he's FUNNY. He makes math INTERESTING, and he puts it into a LANGUAGE SHE CAN UNDERSTAND.
I appreciate Mr. D because he teaches the grammar of math in an engaging way, and it is obvious that he genuinely cares about each of his students. They day he called Anna a "Math Superstar" was a turning point in her math journey. I could have cried with happiness.
(and my husband will never live down the day his daughter beat him at math... Mr. D made the order of operations a SNAP for a certain 13 year old!)
Mr. D offers live, online classes, and he also offers self paced video curriculum.
(In my daughter's case she met each Tuesday afternoon for 1 hour of test prep with Mr. D for 6 weeks.)
Mr. D offers the following courses:
About Mr. D's SAT Math Bootcamp
(and why we liked this so much, too!)
Mr. D's SAT Math Bootcamp meets for 6 weeks.
To participate in the class students need to have completed Algebra I and be enrolled in or completed Geometry.
Each Tuesday we logged on at 5 p.m. EST. Mr. D sends you reminder emails about the class, then he sends a link to login to the live class.
During the class Mr. D goes over sample practice problems with the students. He points out KEY WORDS for them to look for, and imparts his test taking wisdom throughout! Mr. D also doesn't let any student slide... he makes a point to engage EVERYONE and keeps a great pulse on the understanding of the class.
He takes the FEAR out of the SAT because he gives the students TIPS and TRICKS that work. He teaches them how to approach each question logically, and takes the mystery out of some seemingly very difficult math questions.
I also love that Mr. D talks to the students about CALCULATORS - from how to use them best to which one HE prefers for the SAT.
After the class students can practice more problems (found in the test prep portal) and watch one of Mr. D's many videos.
What if you miss a class? (this is my favorite part!) Mr. D sends out a link to the recording of the class and you can watch it that way.
The tuition for this SAT Math Bootcamp is only $197! This includes all 6 lesson and complete access to everything in the Test Prep Portal (read on to find out about that goodness....). Have you SEEN how much test prep classes cost these days?
Mr. D's price is a deal.
Mr. D's Test Prep Portal
(maybe the best part?)
I wanted to share just a little bit about the test prep portal. You receive full access to this when you take Mr. D's SAT Math Bootcamp. This portal has taught ME so much about test taking strategies (not just in math, by the way), and will provide a lot of extra practice for my daughter.
The portal contains lessons and resources.
LESSONS:
Writing Rubrics
Games for Student Practice
Mr. D Math SAT Video Library
SAT, ACT, and PERT Practice
Practice Tests for the new SAT -- all Areas
Mr. D Supplemental Videos for the New SAT
Mr. D Supplemental Videos for the ACT
EOC (end of course) Practice
Mind Benders - Deductive Thinking
The online portal looks like this:
RESOURCES:
This is a huge list of websites that can be used for additional test practice and preparation.
Connect With Mr. D Math
If you'd like to connect with Mr. D - to find out more about his excellent math offerings for homeschoolers, you can find him in the following places:
I'm so happy we've found an affordable, reliable source for high school math courses and test prep! Feel free to ask me any questions about our experience, or you can always contact Mr. D, too.
