thinkingwithnumbers.com

What It Is

Thinking With Numbers is a course and assessment platform for foundational math learning, built around “5 minutes a day” of math problem practice. Its online content is organized into three main areas: Counting & Comparing, Numbers & Partitions, and Adding & Subtracting. It also includes online videos, lessons, assessments, student performance tracking, and reports. The website also showcases print curriculum packs covering addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, mental math strategies, fractions, decimals, and related topics from K/Grade 1 through Grade 5 and middle school.

Core Curriculum and Teaching Approach

Based on the available text, this is not a live-class or 1-on-1 tutoring product. It is primarily built around recorded/online resources, word problems, teacher- or parent-guided discussion, and assessment reports. The curriculum encourages children to “explain their thinking,” while parents are advised not to give the answer directly, but to review sample solutions afterward. This makes it closer to a math reasoning and classroom resource platform than a speed-focused drill app. Its emphasis is on foundational concepts such as counting errors, number decomposition, five-frames/ten-frames, part-whole diagrams, addition and subtraction problem structures, and mental math strategies.

Pricing and Services

The pricing is relatively clear: parent accounts are free and can add up to 4 students; individual teacher accounts cost US$59.95/year and support up to 35 students; school accounts cost US$249.95/year and include 25 teacher accounts, with 50 students per teacher. All accounts include videos, lessons, assessments, and performance reports across the three main online modules. Print products and the Tracking Achievement assessment CD are available for purchase, but the main text does not provide specific prices or payment methods.

Instructors and Credibility

The team background is one of the product’s main strengths. Ed Rathmell has around 40 years of experience in mathematics teacher preparation at the University of Northern Iowa and has been involved with mathematics education organizations and state-level education partnerships. Larry Osthus is a long-time mathematics consultant who has worked with schools and education nonprofits. Taylor Olson is responsible for software development. Overall, this feels more like a resource platform driven by mathematics education research and classroom experience than a heavily commercialized course operation.

Pros, Cons, and Best-Fit Users

The advantages are its low price, focused curriculum structure, emphasis on number sense and strategies, and reporting features. It is suitable for parents doing daily guided practice at home, teachers looking for classroom supplements, and schools seeking a low-cost deployment option. The drawbacks are that there is no visible certification, live interaction, Chinese-language support, or clearly defined customer service mechanism. The course language appears to be English, which creates a barrier for Chinese families. It is best suited to families and teachers with English reading ability who value conceptual understanding in elementary math. It is not ideal for users who need Chinese explanations, exam-oriented curriculum, or live human tutoring.

Access from China and Alternatives

The source text does not provide information on mainland China access, payment methods, or localization, so China accessibility is unknown. If access, language, or payment is inconvenient, English math platforms such as Khan Academy Kids, IXL, and SplashLearn may be worth considering. In Chinese-language environments, it can be compared with elementary math and thinking-skills products such as 斑马思维, 学而思, and 猿辅导.