All students whether in homeschool or public school break into two groups when coming to algebra. Which group the student falls in determines much of rest of the student's academic life. When students reach 9th grade and algebra, they'll join either the "Strugglers" or the "Advancers" group.

This is not surprising. When students make the transition from concrete arithmetic to the symbolic language of algebra, they begin to develop the skill of abstract reasoning. This skill carries over to the sciences and other subjects.

The homeschoolers face a different landscape than public school students when it comes to algebra. The homeschool Strugglers need the close help of a teacher-usually the parent-but often the parent doesn't know Algebra well enough to be able to help the student gain the necessary abstract reasoning skills. In contrast, the public school Struggler gets lost in the back of the class unable to gain the close assistance required to make the leap into abstract reasoning.

The homeschool Advancer quickly races through the algebra course if they have help on the problems they become stuck on. The homeschool Advancer will often finish two years ahead of the public school counterparts because the public school Advancer is held back by the pace of the class.

Whether the student is a Struggler or an Advancer, algebra is of key importance to the student's academic and then later career. For example, researchers have found that math and reading skill levels required to work as an electrician, plumber or upholsterer are comparable to those needed to succeed in college.

To further emphasis the importance of algebra, doing well in high school math is the one subject that predicts how well a student will do in college. Once a student masters the abstract reasoning skills of algebra, the student is prepared to succeed in their subsequent math and science courses.

Ironically, the tool that helps the Struggler understand algebra is also the tool that lets the Advancer march through their textbooks quickly. This tool is instant online math help known as the "teaching cloud".

The teaching cloud helps both the Struggler and the Advancer for different reasons. The homeschool Struggler can ask as many questions as needed without being made to feel dumb. The Struggler can get different perspectives from different teachers and not have to hear a repeat of the same explanation that wasn't understood the first time.

The homeschool Advancer moves very quickly through algebra as well as other math textbooks when no longer stuck on problems. Perhaps even more importantly, the fact that the Advancer wastes no time being stuck gives the Advancer more time to solve additional problems which further reinforces their problem solving skills.

Learn Without Limits' teaching cloud is a very cost effective tool for homeschoolers that helps both Strugglers and Advancers.