Ever since I was a child, I loved math. I loved how straightforward simple math equations were, the ways we could manipulate them in algebra and how useful they were in geometry. I loved math so much that I would often skip ahead to the next chapter and explore concepts before we covered them in class, which meant I was usually ahead of the class. In grades 7 and 8, I jumped at the opportunity to participate in Gauss Mathematics contests and thrived later in high school when I elected to study calculus under the direction of any equally passionate math instructor. I remember being surrounded by several of my peers who harboured a love of math and the feeling of pride that I felt when I could provide a different solution to the same problem that no one else had thought of. In fact, my strong abilities in math were a great boost to my self-confidence during a period of my life where I didn't quite fit in socially.

Now that I have kids of my own who are growing up in a digital age, I believe that math and computational skills are more important than ever before. I have to remind myself, however, that math doesn't come easily to everyone as it did for me. While my son has been able to quickly grasp math concepts, my daughter has built up a wall of resistance. I don't know exactly what the reason may be but, when it comes to doing math homework, she doesn't want to do it. In short, she hates it. And that breaks my heart. We have tried supporting her with her homework, purchasing additional math practice workbooks and flash cards, and have even contemplated enrolling her in an after-school program. What I am slowly discovering is that, once we remove the pressures of completing math activities under our watchful eye and replace it with something that is fun, engaging and targeted to her needs, learning math can actually be fun. And I have Mathletics to thank for it.

What is Mathletics?

Mathletics is an online educational resource that is transforming the way students learn math. Designed to support students in a supportive environment, Mathletics targets and adapts content based on the learning pace of each individual child and aligns with provincial math curricula in Canada. The program offers a Concept Search feature where children can find an interactive and visual dictionary of mathematical terms, a variety of problem solving puzzles that explore real-world math problems, and, for younger children, Rainforest Math, a vibrant area of Mathletics with easier activities.

For the past month, both of my children have been testing out the Mathletics program. Off the bat, I knew it would be well-received by both of them because they were able to download the tablet version on their iPad Minis. This gives them a better sense of ownership and allows them greater freedom to practice their math skills at a time that is best suited to them. They have the option of selecting "something easier" if they are struggling or "something harder" if they want to challenge themselves. My only requirement is that they each complete a certain number of activities of their own choosing where they achieve a gold bar. This means they have successfully completed 85% of the activity. The good thing is that they can attempt an activity as many times as they like and will still get points for every correct answer. Plus, they receive real-time results with automatic marking and, as they progress in understanding, the activity automatically adapts to their level. 

As a parent, I love the ability to monitor their progress by way of weekly reports that summarize the number of times my children have signed in, the total length of time spent and the number of points they have earned. It also details which curriculum activities they have attempted and how well they scored. I also have the option of signing into the Family Centre and assigning particular tasks so that the next time they sign in, those must be completed first. For example, my daughter has spent a lot of time on Number and Place Value activities, so I have assigned tasks from Multiply and Divide Facts. 

While the gamification elements of earning points and certificates in Mathletics motivates my kids to improve their math skills, I have found that LIVE Mathletics has been the greatest motivator. LIVE Mathletics matches them up with kids from all over the world in a real-time, fast-paced challenge where they must answer mental math questions in a 60 second time limit. My kids are so amazed when they get to compete with kids as far away as Australia and have so much fun, they lose track of time. I was a little hesitant at first because I was concerned about privacy. However, there is no direct communication and student details are kept anonymous. Plus, I was reassured to learn that Mathletics is fully compliant with the most recent data privacy legislation ("FIPPA", "PIPEDA" and "PIIDPA) and all student data highly encrypted and stored on secure servers based in Canada. So, not only are my kids having fun, I can enjoy peace of mind while they play and learn online. As an added bonus, Mathletics activities can be downloaded directly to their tablets so that they keep up their practice while on the road.

Mathletics is available for students in grades K-10. Parents can purchase a 3-month subscription for as little as $35. Half year and full year subscriptions are also available. For more information, please visit Mathletics.ca.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by 3P Learning, the makers of Mathletics. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

A few months ago, while attending a TCDSB 21C Innovators workshop, I bumped into a former teacher candidate who is now teaching her own class and uses iDoceo 4 for record keeping and planning. It was the first time I had heard of iDoceo and, based on her experience, I thought I would give it a try. Up until that day, I had been using an Excel grade book for recording marks and my day plans were designed using Word. The idea of going paperless and having an electronic grade book has always been appealing to me, especially given the current trends in the education sector. But the fact that I could carry my iPad with me to class, easily record marks and anecdotal observations on the go, and backup my data to Google Drive was something I was willing to spend $13.99 to try. Certainly, with such a high price tag, the iDoceo 4 app would be worth it, right?

There are so many other great features, such as the ability to e-mail student reports to their parents, and I'm still discovering the many other built-in features. Given that the cost has gone up by three dollars since I purchased it in January, I know it may not be an option for some teachers but I would highly recommend it if you don't mind the cost. As such, I am giving it the Toronto Teacher Mom Seal of Approval.

Have you tried iDoceo 4 or any other similar apps for teachers? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

In the several years that I have been an elementary school teacher and a mother of two, I have come across my fair share of tools and teaching strategies designed to help young children learn to read. Many of these tools had certain characteristics that stood out as effective in building upon the basic skills required to become a fluent reader. When I think of what makes a teaching tool so successful, I think of its ability to appeal to a variety of learning styles, such as visual, auditory and tactile. Combine this with a personalized reading program based on 25 years of research, that also motivates the learner by way of gamification, and you have a unique reading experience that supports the learner in a way that is fun and engaging. Enter Ooka Island, a game-based reading app designed to help build confident readers.

Given the educational value of Ooka Island and the creative design and functionality of their iPad app, I have given it 4 1/2 stars out five. I would have given it a full five stars if there were a way of adjusting the settings so that we didn't have to see the intro to every game. You do have the option of clicking on "skip" but I feel it's an unnecessary added step. I would also love to see the addition of new games in future version updates and, if possible, a way to access the library when offline.

Share your love of reading with a budding bookworm in your life by gifting them a subscription to learn to read on Ooka Island!

Available now for the web and iOS, so kids PreK to Grade 2 can play and learn anywhere.

The Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

• STARTER SUBSCRIPTION - $39.99 - Gift a 3 month starter subscription to Ooka Island and jumpstart them into reading. An excellent choice for any kid!
• 1 YEAR PROGRAM - $99.99 - Gift a 12 month subscription and watch them become a confident reader! Recommended to complete program.
• 1 YEAR + FIRST LIBRARY - $149.99 - Gift their first paperback library by bundling the One Year Program with a colourful collection of 11 Ooka books!

Attention, shoppers! How many times have you switched wallets and then found yourself at checkout looking for a loyalty card you swore you had placed in your new one? Maybe it's your credit card you couldn't find. This has happened to me on numerous occasions. I tell myself that if I plan on shopping at a store where I use a loyalty card, I'll just pull it out of my old wallet beforehand. But that rarely never happens. The alternative of lugging around a bulky wallet isn't an option for me, either. Surely, there must be a better solution. Enter UGO Wallet, a free mobile payment app where you can store loyalty cards within a single app on your smartphone. How convenient is that!

And just when I thought the app gods had answered my prayers, UGO Wallet takes it a step further and combines loyalty card organization with credit card storage all in one place. Since this mobile payment app has the capability to store your tap and pay TD credit card or PC Financial Mastercard, you can use it for virtually any transaction via select compatible NFC-enabled phones, usually up to a $100 limit. So, if you know the store accepts Visa payWave or Mastercard PayPass, you can rely on UGO Wallet to make your purchase easier. No more scrambling through your purse while at the register. 

It's nice to know that UGO Wallet helps to simplify things by de-cluttering your wallet and ensuring that you never miss out on the opportunity to save or collect points. The other day, I used UGO Wallet to collect PC Plus points at my local Valu-Mart and pay for my purchase. As part of this campaign, I was sent an HTC One M8 courtesy of UGO Wallet since the app is not compatible with my current phone, the LG G3. Installation and setup was a cinch as was uploading a digital copy of my loyalty cards. In less than fifteen minutes, I had added eight rewards cards and had begun setup of my TD Visa, which took about another ten minutes for verification.

For those of you who've been following my blog for a while now, you probably already know that I'm far from perfect. I procrastinate, struggle with organization and fail miserably in the kitchen. I make no apologies for my imperfections but I feel the need to explain that I do try my best to get things done on time and in an organized fashion. Improving my cooking skills? Well, let's just say that it isn't high on my priority list right now. But mark my words when I say that, over the next few weeks, I am determined to accomplish all that needs to be done in time for Christmas without breaking the bank. Or losing my sanity. 

As one of Canada's Walmart Moms, I was tasked with a mission to flip my way of thinking when it comes to shopping for the holidays. With the help of the innovative Flipp app, I had to browse through Walmart's electronic flyers, make a shopping list and visit my local Walmart store in search of the selected sale items. I had previously downloaded the app on to my phone on the advice of the wise Gail Vaz-Oxlade a few months ago and fell instantly in love with the idea that I no longer needed to rely on paper flyers. They were are all at my finger tips, including previews of new flyers to come. The app is very intuitive and makes it easy to clip items to your shopping list as well as comparison shop. Plus, you have easy access to affordable gift ideas from top brands available at Walmart!

If you've never used the Flipp app before, I highly recommend you connect yourself to a WiFi and download it now. Your cafe mocha can wait. It really doesn't take long. Then, search for "Walmart" to find all new and any soon-to-be released e-flyers. Don't forget to click on the heart icon to add Walmart to your list of favourites for ease of reference.

If you're looking for big savings, use the percentage slider at the bottom to isolate items that are within your desired discount range. Any items that do not fall within it will be darkened making it easier to find the best bargains. Found an item that you want? Tap it once and it will be circled in yellow and automatically added to your clippings. Not sure if it's what you were looking for? Tap and hold to pull up details about the item and either clip it or buy it now via Walmart.ca.