ElCloud Homestead: Waiting on God

I edited my puppetools review

KinderBach Piano For Children -- Learning For Fun

If your preschoolers are anything like mine, they love to make noise.  They bang on the keyboard, bang on the coffee table with sticks, and blow on any whistle they find.  Why not turn that desire to make noise, into the ability to make music?

KinderBach is a program created by Karri Gregor, to teach piano to preschoolers, and young children in general.  It provides an introduction to the keyboard, its keys, and rhythm.  Through music, games, movies, and cute cartoon characters, children learn about the piano and making music.

When we log into KinderBach, my children gather around.  The 2 year old, the 4 year old, a reluctant 7 year old boy, and the 9 year old.  The 11 year old and 13 year old girls navigate the website and lead the younger children in the activities.  I sit back and rock the baby, while the remaining children explore the world of music.  My preschoolers enjoy it so much, they ask their older sisters for "Dodie".

They've made friends with Dodie, Frisco, and Engine #9; learning where they live on the piano.  Even the reluctant 7 year old boy can be found doing a "walk" on the piano when he thinks no one is looking.  It's a fun and gentle introduction to the piano.  Your  3-5 year olds really can begin to learn how to play the piano ... without leaving the house!

KinderBach lessons can be accessed online, or bought on DVD if you have a slow internet connection.  There are workbooks available to supplement the lessons.  You can even try the first two weeks of sessions FREE.  There are over 300 KinderBach sessions.  Website membership can be bought one of two ways:  a one time payment of $85.95 ($7.16/month), or a monthly payment of $14.95.  That's a great value for beginning piano lessons.

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members. 

Trusting in Him,
April

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Peterson Directed Handwriting is a very in-depth handwriting curriculum designed to develop handwriting fluency in children.  They truly have a passion for helping children write easily, neatly, and quickly.  Their website has a wealth of information and resources to help you teach handwriting to your children.   They also sell a variety of products to help your children hold their pencils and pens correctly, learn their letter formation, and position their bodies correctly.

I was glad that we received Peterson Directed Handwriting to review.  Reading the material inspired me to work harder with my children regarding their hand position on their pencils.  I did have several children who held their pencils "funky" and suffered from hand cramps when writing.  I had not pushed this issue since they write neatly, at least legibly.  The weeks that we worked with the program did help improve their grip and position.  I can definitely see how the right tools (those triangular shaped pencils) can make this easier to learn. 

I was most impressed with their early levels of handwriting curriculum, and can see how the animation CD and air writing can help children learn their letter formation.  Having children use large motor movements  by air writing before trying to use fine motor movements involved in handwriting makes sense!

However, I didn't care for the curriculum itself.  There is so much material to wade through, and the teacher/student manuals are not as user-friendly as we are accustomed to.  This program also depends fully on teacher involvement.  If you have several students using the program, you will need to work with each child individually, each day that they do handwriting.

In general, this curriculum requires much more teacher involvement, time and effort (for the children and the teacher) than we are accustomed to.  Although I do not feel this level of detailed instruction would be necessary for everyone, I can see how it would be helpful for children who struggle with handwriting.  Some of the Crew members with special needs children were especially blessed by this curriculum.

Rand Nelson, of Peterson Directed Handwriting is available by email or a live meeting room to help you best choose a level for your child, or to help you work through your student's problems.  He is very helpful, and is truly passionate about handwriting.

Peterson Directed Handwriting has reasonable prices.  Their Basic Grade 1 Homeschool Kit is $15.05, and the Complete Grade 1 Homeschool Kit is $38.55.  Their other products and tools are also reasonably priced. 

Although this curriculum is not one we will continue with, I'm so glad it is available for those whose children have processing disorders, or for children who struggle with fluid handwriting movements.  Being able to write easily and neatly is very important, as Mr. Pencil (Rand Nelson) will tell you.

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members. 

Trusting in Him,
April

All About Spelling -- a hands-on spelling curriculum

All About Spelling is a multi-sensory approach to teaching beginning or remedial spelling.  It is a truly unique and wonderful program!  As a Mom of distractible and active children (sizzlers!) I love reading Carol Barnier's books on teaching distractible children.  This curriculum is exactly what she recommends for those distractible children:  hands-on, short lessons, fun games, variety, mixing oral work with written work.

Pros:

• this is a hands-on curriculum
• it covers multiple learning styles:  visual, auditory, kinesthetic
• it is phonics based
• reinforces reading lessons
• teacher's guide is easy to follow
• minimal daily preparation
• gentle approach to early spelling lessons
• fun lessons
• includes daily review along with new material
• All About Spelling sells accompanying games to reinforce the lessons
• perfect for the distractible child, or children with other learning problems
• not workbook based, for the child who hates writing and workbooks
• includes some writing each lesson to reinforce the lessons
• part of each lesson is done orally, and it could be used completely orally if necessary
• teaches HOW and WHY words are spelled as they are, rather than just memorizing how the words are spelled
• All About Spelling has articles and newsletters with helpful information for teaching spelling
• the books are not assigned grade levels
• non-consummable, reusable curriculum

Cons:

• this is not a self-teaching workbook approach, it requires Mom's time to teach each lesson
• cutting and preparation work required at the beginning of each level (although they are switching to perforated cards soon)
• more expensive than some spelling curricula

I've been struggling with this review.  My struggle isn't with how to review this curriculum, but whether or not to switch to All About Spelling. The curriculum is wonderful!  Our approach so far has been to delay spelling lessons until after a child is reading beginning chapter books, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to change our approach.  Spelling isn't a subject we've struggled with ... yet.  We've been able to give it minimal attention, and our three oldest girls have still progressed each year. 

But, I can definitely see the advantages in continuing to use All About Spelling with 7 yo J.  He is learning to read, and I love how All About Spelling reinforces the phonics lessons we are working on, as well as teaching him how to spell.  Not just memorizing how each word is spelled, but HOW to spell, and WHY words are spelled as they are.  It will be one more lesson for me to teach to our younger students, and my flesh is struggling with that -- selfishness.  I love the gentle, fun, phonetic way this program works, and so does Steve.  We will be switching 7 yo J (and subsequent children) to All About Spelling.

All About Spelling has six levels:  four are currently available, the fifth will be released in 2009.  If you need help knowing what level to start your child in, read THIS PAGE.  Also, you can view sample lessons HERE. 

All About Spelling level one, with all its components, can be bought for just over $60 (would need an additional student packet for each child, and additional spelling tiles if you want them to work together on the same level at the same time).  That is more costly than the usual workbook approach, or a K-12 complete program, but it's reusable and non-consummable so it can be used with future students (or re-sold to another homeschool family).  The spelling tiles, magnetic tiles, and phonogram CD-Rom are used in the future levels and would not need to be bought again, so the cost would decrease with future levels.  In other words, if your student is struggling with spelling ... it's worth the additional cost to buy All About Spelling! 

I'm so glad we had the opportunity to review All About Spelling.  If we hadn't reviewed it, we'd have continued on with our minimalist approach, until we were stopped short by a curriculum crisis when we were faced with a student who needed more than that.  Then we'd have been scrambling to figure out what other methods were out there, and what would work best for our student.  Switching to All About Spelling will be enjoyable and helpful for all our students, and prevent a spelling curriculum crisis from ever occurring.

I definitely recommend All About Spelling, especially if you have a kinesthetic learner, a distractible child, or a child who is struggling to learn to spell. 

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members. 

Trusting in Him,
April

Motherboard Books How To Make A Web Page E-book

I've lost my title as "Amazing Mom!"  My daughters used to stand by in awe whenever they saw me tweaking the template for my blog.  They'd tell me I was amazing, or a genius.  Really, they did!  

But now, thanks to Motherboard Books' e-book, How To Make A Web Page, the awe and mystery is gone.  They have now created their own web pages, and explored the language of HTML.   I'm going to have to find some new way to be "Amazing Mom!"

My 11 and 13 year old daughters tested this e-book for me.  It is written TO the student and FOR the student.  My 13 year old daughter told me I needed to tell everyone that this e-book is easy to follow, and very clearly explained.  She said it breaks it down into simple steps.  The girls had fun creating their web pages, with very little help from me.  I helped 13 yo A with one small thing because she'd skimmed over a page and missed a step.  11 yo R needed a little more help, but A walked her through it. 

It's designed for children, ages 8-12, however the younger your children are, the more help you'll need to give them.  There is a Jr. version for younger children, as well, but I think this version can be stretched to fit more ages, younger and older, and would recommend it instead.  The e-book includes helpful screen shots so you can SEE what you are supposed to do next, as well as read the instructions.

I'll be honest, as I read the e-book myself, I thought "Aha!  I can make my own blog template now, instead of just tweaking other templates to suit me."  My children aren't the only ones who will benefit from this e-book.  I am sure I'll be referring to it, as well.

If you need a computer science credit or want to explore vocational training for your  kids, then check out Motherboard Books!  They have a 30 day money-back satisfaction guarantee.  The  Let's Make A Web Page  E-book costs $29.99, but is currently available as an introductory offer for $19.99.

Check out these other Motherboard Books products, as well:

• Free Internet Scavenger Hunt, 
• Let's Make a Web Page Jr. (ages 7-9),
• sample chapter from Computer Science Pure & Simple Book 1  (grades 5 & up),
• sample chapter from Computer Science Pure & Simple Book 2 (grades 7 & up), 
• Logo Adventures for children age 8-12. 

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members. 

Trusting in Him,
April

Free Month Trial of Aleks Online Math

If you read my December 11 review of Aleks math, and are interested in trying it free for a month, follow THIS LINK to sign up for a free trial.   Enjoy!

Trusting in Him,

April

Core-Learning Crayola Art Studio Software

Puppetools: Advancing the Language of Play

The TOS Homeschool Crew has had the opportunity to review a unique website, Puppetools.  Puppetools is the creation of Jeffrey Peyton, whose mission is to "open the door to sweeping change in education by advancing the principle of play in teaching and learning."   You can read more about the mission of Puppetools and the website HERE. 

The Puppetools website offers training videos on how to use puppets to teach,and interact with children, instructions on how to make puppets from paper (using the Paper Talker Hinge), discussion forums, templates for creating puppets, and photos of hundreds of puppets made by others to inspire you.  Not only can teachers create puppets to use with their students, but children can create puppets to use for play and for presentations and reports. 

There are two different subscription plans for Puppetools.  There is the 1 year regular membership, for up to 30 members per group, for $99.00.   This can be used for homeschool groups, church children's programs, clubs, daycares, or personal family use.  There is also a 60 day trial memberships for individuals for $20.00.  The trial membership would allow a family to explore the website, learn how to make the Paper Talker Hinge, use the 37 provided templates, and get ideas on how to use puppets in their homeschool or group, without a long-term commitment.  The puppets could be used for teaching, reports, creative play, using in nursery, Sunday School classes, children's church, or while babysitting. 

My children enjoyed making puppets to play with.  Even my 11 yo and 13 yo enjoyed making them for their 2 yo sister.  The 4 yo and 7 yo boys, who love to create with paper, were the most excited.  Paper, scissors, and glue!!  (A few of their favorite things.)  It was easy to teach them how to make the Paper Talker hinge, and I'm sure I'll be seeing many more puppets using the Paper Talker hinge.   We didn't have colored construction paper in the house, so we just printed the templates, colored them, and used them for the puppets.  These are obviously not going to last long.  I definitely recommend using thick construction paper, colored card stock, or the foam paper.

Despite the fact that my children did enjoy making puppets, this isn't a website that I would subscribe to.  I can not see me using puppets to teach my children on a regular basis, because I don't have problems engaging my children's interest in our lessons.  We use a curriculum and educational style that engages their interest already.  However, for those needing to find an affordable way to make a variety of puppets themselves, this website may be just what they need.  Although, you could probably also find puppet-making information (not the same style he teaches) for free on the internet or from a book at the library.

If you're looking for ways to grab the attention of your visual students, to inspire your kinesthetic students, to help your children explore their own creativity, or to help them use puppets in their presentations ... then check out Puppetools!  It may be what you're looking for.

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members. 

Trusting in Him,
April

Aleks -- Research Based Online Math Program

 Aleks uses an artificial intelligence program to teach math and assess how well the student is learning and mastering the subject -- while avoiding multiple choice questions most of the time.  It is web-based and accessible from any internet-connected computer.  It can be used for tutoring, or as your complete math curriculum.

Aleks has a wide range of courses available.  It covers math from 3rd grade, through precalculus and trigonometry.  They have a chemistry course, and preparation courses for high school exit exams.  There are also college level courses available, both as complete tutoring courses, and as preparation for other courses. 

My daughter enjoyed her subscription to pre-algebra tutoring.  She was challenged to improve her pie chart and master more areas.  Every time I turned around, she was at my computer trying to work just a few more math problems.  She doesn't enjoy math, and has struggled with this subject her entire school career.  Yet, she looks forward to working with Aleks.  It inspired her to keep working, and to do better.  She said that some of the problems she learned on Aleks were things she didn't fully understand as explained in her normal math curriculum.  She was proud to finally "get it". 

As a parent, I was able to log on to my account and view my daughter's account.  I could see how her assessments were going, what areas she had mastered, what areas she was still needing to master, and if her percentage of mastery was improving.  I could print reports of her progress, as well. 

Aleks is user-friendly, and the website is easily navigated.  We did find that for some reason my daughter couldn't use Aleks on the "kids' computer" but could on mine.  It would get "hung up" and stall on her computer, but didn't on mine.  We aren't sure why that is, and we didn't really invest time in figuring it out.  There were also times when my daughter needed to log out, and log in again to proceed.  The program would get stalled, or not acknowledge the answer she was putting in.  We'd log out and in again, and proceed from there. This mainly happened in the initial assessment that was performed when she began her course.

However,  despite all its good attributes, Aleks isn't reusable.   If I buy a subscription to Aleks, it is not like putting a textbook on my shelf that I can use with my next student.   And, I confess, I still prefer that most of our curriculum NOT be computer-based.  Those two issues, along with the cost, make it not an option for our family.

While the cost is not something my family can afford for a non-reusable curriculum/program, it is still more affordable than most private tutors.  Memberships are sold for $19.99 per student per month.  They can also be bought for $99.95 for 6 months, or $179.95 for 12 months.  If you are enrolling multiple students for a 6 or 12 month subscription, there is a family discount available.

If you have a struggling math student, or if you lack confidence to teach higher level math to your students, then you should consider Aleks as a possible solution for your family.

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members. 

Trusting in Him,
April

Meet Molly Green -- Molly's Money Saving Digest

Molly Green is the main character in a new series of e-books from The Old Schoolhouse, and she happens to share a passion of mine and Steve's -- saving money! 

As homeschooling families, frugality is often one of our main concerns.  How do you stretch one income to provide for your family, and your children's education?  How do you reach your family goals, and pay off debt?  It takes creativity, self-control, patience, planning, careful spending, and sacrifice.  Molly Green has all of that, and wants to share her knowledge and ideas with us! 

Molly's Money Saving Digest will be an e-book digest, publishing monthly modules.  There will be a new featured article each month, as well as standard columns, including three write-in features where readers can share their ideas and stories.    The standard monthly columns will be:  Molly’s Minute, Begin with the Basics, On Sale this Month, Keeping it all Together, Feather Your Nest Frugally, Pull Up a Chair, Parenting that Pays, Something Old – Something New, Goal-Getter Spotlight, Readers Write In, Molly’s Question of the Month, and Words Worth Saving.   Each digest will also include helpful forms for budgeting and planning.  As an added bonus, if a reader writes in, and their suggestion is used in a digest module, they'll get that module free.

I enjoyed reading the January 2009 Molly's Money Saving Digest.  It encouraged me to continue with my money-saving efforts, and reminded me that I am not alone in my efforts.  Sometimes it feels as if we are the only family homeschooling on a tight budget, and I needed to be reminded that we are not.  It also reminded me of ways I can better organize our finances, as well as our home.  I especially enjoyed the ideas for decorating our home frugally, and finding new uses for old items. 

The Begin with the Basics column on bread-baking inspired me to resume this yummy household chore, which I had abandoned.  Molly also challenged me to open my home to others, an area where I need improvement.  I open our home to family several times a year, but I fail to invite community friends over.   I'm looking forward to trying some of the recipes included in the January digest, and sharing it with friends.

Molly's Money Saving Digest really has a little bit of everything.  I'm sure everyone will find something new and something inspiring in each and every digest.  Whether you're facing difficult times and tightening your belt for the first time, or whether you're an old-hat at living frugally ... Molly can help you.

Keep your eyes open at The Schoolhouse Store  for Molly's Money Saving Digest, January 2009 e-book.  In the meantime, be sure to check out Molly's new website:  Econobusters.  It's still under construction, and the store isn't open yet, but Molly is already posting ideas on the Econobusters blog.  I'm sure you can find some inspiration there, while you wait for Molly's Money Saving Digest.

Trusting in Him,

April

Time 4 Learning Review

Time 4 Learning is an online curriculum designed for preschool through 8th grade students.  It can be used as supplemental curriculum, after school activities, summer school activities, remedial education, or a complete homeschool curriculum.

I had not heard of Time 4 Learning before we were offered the chance to review it for the TOS Homeschool Crew.   That is probably simply because I prefer not to use online or computer-based curricula.  It doesn't fit well with my Charlotte Mason educational methods. 

After reviewing Time 4 Learning with four of my children for the past 5 weeks, I'm ready to share my list of pros and cons for this website.

Pros:

• My children did enjoy their time at the Time 4 Learning website.
• It is based on a standard scope and sequence, which is helpful for those in more restrictive states or homeschooling with external boundaries placed on them:  ex-spouse, educational probation, state requirements, etc .
• Can be customized to move at your child's pace.
• You can choose the correct level for your child.
• Parents can track their children's progress and print reports for their homeschool records.
• Would work well for those needing to provide records to the school district each year.
• Would work well for those desiring a computer-based curriculum that students can work on independently.
• Allows schooling to continue when the parent is sick, or busy with other demands.
• Provides fun interactive lessons and games that can be used for supplemental reinforcement, or tutoring in specific subjects.
• More affordable than many other computer based curricula or online curricula.
• Has helpful discussion forums where parents can seek support and advice from other parents, including forums for homeschooling parents and Christian parents.
• The visual, interactive lessons may work well for students who struggle with textbooks and workbooks.

Cons:

• Too expensive for my family:  a 12-month subscription for 5 children would be substantially more than we spend on all our yearly curricula.
• No high school grades currently available.
• Not reusable -- reusing curriculum with future children saves money in the long run.
• Computer based curriculum is not my preferred method of education.
• Online classes are difficult to manage with larger families: requires a schedule or multiple computers with internet connections.
• Requires parental supervision to be sure the student does not repeat the same lessons over and over.
• Does not fit our Charlotte Mason homeschool style.
• Since it is not a Christian curriculum, you will need to work around the evolutionary viewpoint of some of the lessons.

While Time 4 Learning doesn't really fit with our family's educational style, or our current educational budget, I can see how it would be very helpful for other families.  If I were to be hit with a long-term illness that made it difficult for me to manage the daily tasks of homeschooling, then Time 4 Learning would be an option I'd consider.  If we were suddenly to find ourselves with an extra $80 per month (and no debt to pay off), I would consider a membership to use as fun, supplemental educational materials.

Time 4 Learning memberships are available for $19.95 per month for the first student, with no long-term commitments.  Additional students can be added at the discounted price of $14.95 per month, per student. 

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members. 

Trusting in Him,
April

Don't miss out on the LOWEST price ever for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!!

The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine is having an amazing sale on subscriptions during their annual Black Friday Sale November 26 – 30. For those 5 days only, they are drastically reducing their one-year subscription price for the print magazine to $7.95! That's the price you would usually pay for just one issue at a bookstore!

This is their lowest price ever on the magazine and they want all of you to take advantage of this offer and share the info with your friends.  I've never seen it priced that low before!! This is not for renewals, but only for new subscriptions.   If you do have a subscription already, you can buy a gift subscription for someone else instead.  It really is an amazing price, and I'm sure your homeschooling friends would like to know about it, too.  Spread the word!

Please don't miss out. Your one-year subscription will pay for itself time and time again as you receive practical tips and Biblical encouragement to keep going strong in your commitment to homeschooling and to the Lord. Since it's a quarterly magazine, they even have a monthly subscriber's only E-Newsletter called Teacher's Toolbox that will give you seasonal teaching ideas and a free E-Book download! It's like joining a unit study of the month club! The free E-Books alone are valued at almost $250/year. It's really perfect for people who are homeschooling on a shoestring or just wanting to add in some little extras to your teaching.

Plus during the Black Friday Sale, they have all kind of bonus gifts when you spend $50, $75, $100, or $150. Some are electronic downloads that you can download immediately, while other are physical products mailed from various vendors directly to your home.

AND, their Win Big contest is going on so if you just happen to be customer 67,000, you will receive a prize package valued at almost $500 which includes a $150 gift certificate to the Schoolhouse Store! Who couldn't use that? And you can qualify to win it no matter how much or how little you spend!

Mark your calendars for November 26 - 30^th and do a little shopping from your seat, not your feet at the Schoolhouse Store's Black Friday Sale!  And don't forget The Old Schoolhouse Store always has free shipping.

www.TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com

Trusting in Him,

April

Trigger Memory Systems -- Times Tales Deluxe

Trigger Memory Systems  sent the TOS Homeschool Crew members Times Tales Deluxe to review.  This is another product I've seen advertised for years, but haven't had a chance to try out.   We were glad to receive it, since it looked like such a fun way to learn math.

When I first opened it, I was confused.  That's what happens when you don't read the instructions first.  A quick glance at the introduction explained the code names for the different numbers.  And then it all made sense!   The Times Tales stories provide a mnemonic-based memory peg to help our children remember the most difficult multiplication facts:  3x6, 3x7, 3x8, 3x9, 4x6, 4x7, 4x8, 4x9, 6x6, 6x7, 6x8, 6x9, 7x7, 7x8, 7x9, 8x8, 8x9, and 9x9.

I explained it to my 9 and 11 year old girls and had them read through the first section of number stories.  Both of these daughters have not fully memorized their times tables.  One of them skip counts to figure out multiplication problems, and the other one is just very slow to remember the answers.  I confess that I haven't pushed the matter, as long as their answers were correct.   After they read the stories, the girls spontaneously returned to tell me about them.

A few days later, I had the girls read them again, and then I asked them to tell the stories back to me.  My 9 year old daughter already remembered the number stories, told them to me, and then told me the multiplication fact that went with each story.  My 11 year old daughter didn't recall the stories as easily, after just two reading sessions, but she did remember most of them.  We reviewed the discussion questions and worked with some flash cards.  We'll be enjoying using the flash cards and games as we continue with the program.  Now, the girls need to keep reviewing the times tales, so they can remember the times tables more quickly.

Times Tales Deluxe ($29.95) comes with a teacher's guide, discussion questions, multiplication flash cards (both with the visual clues and just numbers), division flash cards, tests, games, and activity pages.  The first half of the book is the new 3's and 4's supplement to the Original Times Tales, which comprises the second half of the book.  If you bought the original Times Tales, you can now purchase the Upper 3's and 4's Supplement to complete the curriculum ($12.95).  There is also a mini-flip book which has the multiplication stories on it, for your children to easily review in the car, or anywhere.

I am impressed with the Times Tales Deluxe product.  It provides a fun, easy way to remember the more difficult multiplication facts.  I have read so many books that talk about making learning fun, and using games to teach ... but I usually fail to follow through.  I lack the creativity, or perhaps it's more a lack of determination, to create the games myself.  Trigger Memory Systems has done that work for us.  They also have articles, hints & tips, games, creative learning ideas, and other resources linked from their main page.  And of course, it's totally non-consummable and can be used with each of your children ... key features I always look for in a product.

Right now, Trigger Memory Systems is offering a special.  If you order their Times Tales Deluxe  OR the Zone Cleaning for Kids chart, you get one Bedroom Cleaning for Kids  chart FREE.   You just need to enter FREEFLIP in the comments section during your order process.  Not in the coupon code section, but the comments section.  

Click the banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.

Trusting in Him,
April