Review of The Write Foundation

I was recently provided free, in exchange for my honest review, a copy the first 15 lessons of The Write Foundation's Essay level course.  The Write Foundation offers three levels of writing courses: sentence, paragraph, and essay.  Sentence is recommended for ages 11-13, paragraph for ages 12-15, and essay for ages 14-17. Obviously, there is some overlap in the recommended ages since children vary in their writing ability.  

My daughter is only nine, but after speaking extensively with the creator of The Write Foundation, she agreed with me that the essay level was right for her.  Therese has had a lengthy writing background, probably because I write for a living.  She is also a naturally gifted writer.  One thing that The Write Foundation offers that Therese's other writing programs have thus far eschewed is a creative writing component.  I appreciate the fact that, while they include this component, The Write Foundation still places its emphasis on formal writing.  To help you decide where to place your own child in its program The Write Foundation provides this very helpful metric. 

The Write Foundation's approach is not particularly intuitive.  Although the methodology becomes clear if you just put your head down and proceed through the program, teachers (homeschool moms!) who really like to understand the ins and outs of a program before they dive in might have a little trouble with this one.  Still, it is worth it to give yourself time on the learning curve to become adept with The Write Foundation.  It borrows a very little from the classical Progymnasmata, but really creates its own methodology.  If you are intrigued by Classical Writing, but don't want to invest the time in the program, The Write Foundation would be a very good alternative for you!

In order to determine if The Write Foundation Essay Level is a good fit for your family, take a look at the sample lesson provided on the website.  For my daughter, I must confess that I have fallen in love with our current writing/language arts/grammar program, and I don't think that I would switch to any other program for anything.  Having said that, though, if I ever considered a switch, The Write Foundation would be a serious contender.  It is heads and shoulders above many other programs I have seen, primarily because it recognizes the primacy of the formal essay.  Our children won't be using creative writing to get into college, to get out of college, or to find a great job: they'll be using their formal writing schools.  All too many kids lack the fundamentals, and I can say with confidence that The Write Foundation will provide those fundamentals.

To find out more about The Write Foundation, visit their website here, or email the author of the program at bcelsor (at) sbcglobal (dot) net. You can also call her at 281-356-3556.  She is extremely helpful at figuring out where to place your child! The Write Foundation has different pricing structures which can be seen on this page, but for the full Essay program, you can expect to pay $100, which, for what your receive, I think is very reasonable.

To see what other members of the Crew thought about The Write Foundation, visit the Crew blog here.

Review of Simply Draw from Timberdoodle

Like many homeschooling moms, there are some subjects I love to teach my children (history! grammar!) and others I sort of, well, dread (art). Needless to say, then, when I am given the opportunity to consider an art curriculum of any kind, I jump at the chance, particularly if the art program is an actual hands-on, learning to create art program. If left to my own devices, I would be more than happy for my children just to study an artist in the context of his historical time period and to look at some of his major works. How wonderful it would be if they could actually create art, though! That talent is one that completely eludes me!

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Timberdoodle, I was given the opportunity to review the combination book and software drawing program Simply Draw. In exchange for my honest assessment of the program, Timberdoodle sent me the drawing package free of charge. To be honest, it was terrific that they did so, because as much as I want my children to be able to draw, I am so intimidated by the prospect of teaching them, that I am far more likely to spend my money on anything except art. I never know where to begin!

Other art-phobic moms (and even art-savvy moms!) rejoice! Simply Draw is a wonderful place to begin teaching your children to draw! Bob Parsons, the creator of this fun and innovative program, does all of the work for you. Beginning at the very beginning, with the proper technique for sketching lines, Parsons uses perfect camera angles on the included DVD, as well as a calm and pleasing instructional manner, to skillfully guide your children through the world of drawing. Using a building blocks technique, wherein each skill builds on the previous skills learned, Parsons creates sketchers out of even the most reluctant and un-naturally talented artists.

Each of my four children, ages 5-9, used Simply Draw. While the program is recommended for children from grades 3 and up, all of my children had fun with it. My oldest daughter (9) definitely had the most success, and her work certainly reflected the fact that the older a child is, the steadier her hand will be when she sketches. Even so, my 5 year-old twins learned some solid sketching techniques, and they loved being part of the group that got to evaluate the program. I would concur with Mr. Parsons' assessment, though, that 3rd grade is an ideal age to begin this program. Moms should feel confident that their youngers will have a good time following along, however!

The strengths of the Simply Draw program are many. The combination of a 200 page instructional book and a 3+ hour DVD make for a compelling pairing. Children with different learning styles will all find something that will work for them in this set. If for some reason one does not have access to a DVD player (the disc is to be played on the computer, and not on the TV), the book is an excellent instructional aid on its own. A child progresses very quickly from sketching lines to drawing fun and fantastic figures. Boys especially should be drawn to the quirky and crazy Bob Parsons creations included in the book. I took great delight simply in paging through the book, even absent any drawing!

At $37.50, the set may seem at first glance to be on the expensive side for many homeschooling families. It is true that you can find other art programs for less. In fact, for a dizzying variety of possibilities, just try to resist a purchase from Timberdoodle's art store! After some thought, though, I do believe that the price for Simply Draw is a fair one. Comparisons to Mark Kistler's books are almost inevitable, as some of the instructional techniques are similar. With Simply Draw, though, the included DVD makes a real difference. Especially for art-challenged moms, being able to see an artist execute the sketching steps helps tremendously with the ability to perform those same steps. Although the book that is included in this set is a great stand-alone resource, the DVD is what makes this set stand out!

If you know all there is to know about SPLs and the eight key words to explain drawing concepts, then you probably don't need Simply Draw. If, like me, however, Single Parallel Lines and foreshortening and its friends are strangers to you, then I would encourage you add Simply Draw to your curriculum lineup today!

Review of The Old Schoolhouse's June 2010 Module: Travel the World

One of the latest fads in the homeschooling world is web interactive unit studies. Make no mistake, I don’t use the word fad pejoratively here – I love this kind of study. They’re fun, different, diverting, and usually cost-effective. Sometimes, though, they’re not really very well done. Unless you really know and trust the publisher of the study you’ve chosen, you can end up with disorganization, dead links, and disappointment! Enter The Old Schoolhouse’s June Module, “Travel the World.” It is designed to accompany the 2010 TOS Planner, but it is also perfectly capable of standing as an independent study. If you own the 2010 planner from The Old Schoolhouse, then you already know that one of its most phenomenal features is its ability to hyperlink from one area of the planner to another. This particular module is no different. In fact, the hyperlinks in “Travel the World” take you to numerous external sources, making this seemingly modest fifty page introduction to Geography in actuality a full-fledged Geography unit study!

World Geography can be one of the most intimidating subjects to teach, especially if you plan to teach it to multiple children at once. The Old Schoolhouse has made this task infinitely more enjoyable, and has taken all of the work out of creating an introductory Geography course. As a seventh grader, my gifted nine year-old daughter hovers on the edge between enjoying the activities for younger children, like the marvelously detailed coloring pages of each of the continents, and the offerings aimed at older children, such as the Geography and Literature and Geography and History expansions. We used the provided copy work for dictation, rather than as straight copy work, and we spent copious amounts of time playing the geography games available at many of the links cited in this module. Unfortunately, my daughter is past the lapbooking stage of schoolwork, and a decent percentage of this module is occupied by lapbooking components; however, my three younger children loved being able to take advantage of this portion of “Travel the World.” They were not necessarily as entranced with visiting numerous websites and looking at atlases, but they always love a good cutting and pasting activity! Whenever I review a product, I always feel it incumbent upon me to point out at least one thing that my family didn’t particularly like. In this case, finding that one thing was easy. As with many of its products, The Old Schoolhouse includes clickable links to dozens of related eBooks and products at the end of “Travel the World.” That kind of financial pressure I can do without! The temptation is almost overwhelming!

I am a huge fan of all of the TOS Planner Modules that I have been privileged enough to use. Each one is similar enough that I know my family will be able to use it, but certainly different enough for me to know I will be getting my money’s worth. In this case, though, a DISCLAIMER is in order: I received the TOS June 2010 Planner Module “Travel the World” free in exchange for my honest review. I did not, however, receive any other compensation. If you are looking for a creative, pain-free, and, most importantly, FLEXIBLE way to teach introductory World Geography, you won’t go wrong with this particular eBook. If you are as interested as I was, feel free to check out this product here: http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_193&products_id=16122 where you can purchase it for a reasonable $7.95. Still thinking about it? You can read even more at The Homeschool Crew Blog here: http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/782810/

The Secret of Zoom

The Secret of Zoom is a delightful and engaging book, appropriate for ages eight and up (of course, the parent is always the final arbiter of what constitutes appropriate reading material for her child!). In the fictional and slightly dark town of Dorf, the central town family is the Loompski clan. Although Leo Loompski, a scientific genius and founder of Loompski Laboratories, has not been seen for years, his brother Lenny carries on the Loompski legacy by heading up the family business and endowing the primary town charity. The town orphanage seems to have a never-ending supply of orphans (does this make them Dorphans?). On the surface, they seem happy. They compose elegiac poems and songs to their benefactor, and they eagerly (?) volunteer for work duty in the hills above Dorf. The problem is, those who volunteer never come back.

Christina Adenoid is insatiably curious about several things (sadly for her scientist father, employed by Loompski Laboratories, math is not one of them): what really happened to her geologist mother who was blown up in a Loompski Lab accident when she was just a toddler? What really lies up in the Starkian Mountains, guarded by a fence and a sign "Trespassers Will Be Boiled"? What is the real story behind the orphans of Dorf? Fortunately, Taft, one of the Dorphans, escapes from the orphanage to help her answer each of these questions. Behind all of the mysteries? The Secret of Zoom!

Apart from one potentially troubling image (don't want to give anything away - feel free to email me if you have questions) that won't stop me from giving this book to my newly nine year-old daughter to read, this book is a treat for children and parents alike. Resourceful children, creepy adults, daring rescues, and magical machines: all are present in this charming children's novel.

Review of March Molly's Digest

Having received Molly’s Money-Saving Digest for March in exchange for my review, I find myself in an uncomfortable position. I must recant something I said in a previous review. I’ve been fortunate enough to review one of Molly’s Digests before, and in that review, I said that if you have never tried one of Molly’s Digests before, that that Digest was the one to try. I was wrong. As wonderful as that Digest was, the March issue of Molly’s Money-Saving Digest is better. Molly packs more money and time-saving and life-enhancing suggestions into the March Digest than one would believe possible. In its trademark format, with all of the usual category headings included, Molly manages to pack in so many recipes that I’m still not quite convinced that the Digest couldn’t double as a cookbook. The best part is that every single recipe is one that my four children and my husband will enjoy. In fact, I’ve already incorporated two of her recipes into my dinner menus this week!

For those of you unfamiliar with Molly, I have found that one of her finest skills is the ability to pass on information without condescension. Imagine my delight, then, when I discovered that Molly included in this digest step-by-step grilling instructions. As with many families, my husband is the grill master in ours. I don’t question his methods; I merely prepare the food that he carefully cooks on the grill. How lovely, though, to be led incrementally through the entire process of grilling, from lighting the coals (for a charcoal grill), to soaking the wood chips (with a convenient explanation as to why one definitely does not want to skip this step!), to cleaning the grill after use. I feel confident now that I could take over the grill and not make a single error; what a great feeling!

While I love to cook, and look first to the wonderful recipes Molly provides, one of the things I appreciate most about Molly’s March Digest is her frugal decorating/recycling section. In this digest Molly provides nine uses for a common household item which probably usually ends up in your recycling bin. It won’t anymore! You’ll be asking your neighbors to save theirs for you once you read what Molly (and you!) can do with this ubiquitous article!

Finally, although I often describe myself as having a black thumb, Molly’s upbeat style and gentle encouragement have given me the courage to take on one of the many backyard projects presented in this month’s Digest. If I can manage a container herb garden without injuring Rosemary or running out of Thyme, then maybe I’ll have the courage to take on one of the more ambitious projects that Molly makes seem so doable! Whether you love to cook, or prefer to garden; whether you love to repurpose old objects, or just can’t pass up a wonderful directory of Internet links, Molly’s Money-Saving March Digest has something in it for you! Molly just keeps getting better and better!

Review of E-Book: I Want to be a...Doctor

Within the past several months, The Old Schoolhouse has introduced many new entries into its “WannaBe” E-Book series. Until being presented with the opportunity to review “When I Grow Up, I Want to be a…Doctor”, I had never read one of these books. Now I want to read all of them! While I concede that the editors have found a catchy name in “WannaBe E-Book”, I regret the fact that the name does not truly convey all that these books have to offer a homeschooling (or even an afterschooling) mom.

So much more than just an E-Book, “When I Grow Up, I Want to be a…Doctor” is in fact more of a unit study on the career of medicine. It begins with a biographical sketch of a family that practices medicine, which I rather naively assumed would comprise the majority of the E-Book. I actually would have loved to have read more about the Drs. Atwi, but the editors of this E-Book had so much more in store for me! After reading about the day-to-day doings of the Atwis, the E-Book continues with the all-important salary information for the medical profession, as well as with a reading comprehension style quiz.

Then the real fun begins! The next ten pages of this E-Book consist of optometry-specific information. How do our eyes work? What is a lens? What is color blindness? Activities including vocabulary, a diagram of the eye, and a test to diagnose color blindness are included in this section of the E-Book. While all of the text is written at a level that is easily understood by children, there is much in this book that can benefit parents as well. After all, for many of us, it has probably been several years since we have studied these subjects ourselves!

One of the preeminent features of this E-Book is its versatility. In addition to providing solid information for students who might seriously be considering a career in the field of medicine, the E-Book also contains plenty of material for younger siblings, who might merely be along for the ride on this particular lesson. A hidden pictures activity (a favorite with my preschoolers) and coloring pages are included for the youngest scholars, while a crossword puzzle and a word search are included for slightly older students. Copywork and handwriting practice are incorporated for all age levels. Finally, end-of-unit activities and games round out the student portion of the E-Book. For mom, the E-Book closes with several pages of resources that can be used for further study, including books, videos, and websites.

This E-Book has much to recommend it. I must confess that my favorite part of the book is the story of Dr. Atwi and his family. I think it is this kind of personal narrative that is likely to draw students in, and to make them truly consider what it means to have a career in the field of medicine. Any student who reads this E-Book has, most likely, already expressed an interest in a medical career. Reading about a faith-filled man, who is committed both to God and to his patients, is likely to deepen that interest. The activities that follow can then be used to hone a student’s focus on the “what next” aspect of his possible career path in the kind of fun and hands-on manner to which most homeschoolers are so well accustomed.

As a first time reader of a book in this growing series, I was very pleasantly surprised by how comprehensive and interesting, while still compulsively readable, “When I Grow Up, I Want to be a…Doctor” was. Many elements combine to make this book well worth the nominal monetary investment. My only suggestion would be to create a separate E-Book entirely entitled, “When I Grow Up, I Want to be an… Optometrist”, and separate out the optometry material from this E-Book. In this way, students who are specifically interested in eyes can be directed toward that profession, while students with a general interest in medicine, an extensive field in its own right, can focus exclusively on the broad-spectrum discipline of medicine, exclusive of optometry. Overall, however, this E-Book is a welcome addition to the WannaBe E-Book series from The Old Schoolhouse.

Review of Embracing the E-Book Revolution

I have a confession to make: like the contributors to the E-Book “Embracing the E-book Revolution”, I, too, am an E-Book junkie. While I would never permanently trade the delicious experience of a “real” book, I recognize the immense value of E-Books – both the financial and educational value. Due to the fact that I consider myself something of an E-Book connoisseur, I was skeptical as to whether I would learn anything from this new 42 page offering from The Old Schoolhouse’s storefront. What a pleasant surprise I had in store for me as I delved into the E-pages!
Once again, as is often the case with offerings from The Old Schoolhouse, about half of the nine chapters are written by names that should be quite familiar to many homeschoolers. All of the chapters end with brief biographies, demonstrating that each author is eminently qualified to comment on the subject of E-Books in particular, and homeschooling in general, which I find to be quite a nice touch. In two separate cases, I found myself navigating to the Internet in order to find out more about these particular, less familiar (at least to me) authors.
One of the best features of this E-Book is that there truly is something for everyone. Whether you, like me, are already a fan and a user of E-Books, or whether, like many of the homeschooling moms I know, you are just slightly intimidated or put-off by the whole idea of electronic media, you will find something helpful in this E-Book. The chapter entitled “E-Books: How am I supposed to Read Them?” is a great primer for someone very new to the genre. If you have never downloaded an E-Book, you might want to start here. Kim Kargbo walks you step-by-step through the process of reading, printing, binding, and storing E-Books.

For someone more familiar with this type of media, though, chapters five and six on the topic of storing E-Books will be particularly delightful. Isabelle Lussier and Michelle Amos have so many great ideas for organizing and storing E-Books. After all, E-Books are useless if, once downloaded, you can’t find them on your computer! Whether you prefer a more micro or macro approach to your organizational technique, both of these chapters include some impressive ideas guaranteed to help you find your E-Books more efficiently.
While all of the information contained in this E-Book is well worth reading, it is the other features of the E-Book that make it truly exceptional. The glossary at the end of the book is a huge a bonus for those people unfamiliar with E-Books, as it defines key terms used throughout the book. Best of all, these terms are hyperlinked in the text. Perhaps you’re reading along, mesmerized by the possibilities of these things called E-Books, when you come to p. 31, and find that your E-Books can be stored on a flash drive. The only problem is, you have never heard of a flash drive. No problem. Merely clicking on the words will take you immediately to a definition of the term at the end of the E-Book. Problem solved, with almost no interruption in your reading.

In addition to the glossary, though, all of the companies mentioned in the E-Book, including many homeschool favorites such as Homeschool in the Woods and The Mystery of History, are hyperlinked as well. Effectively, if you click on the company’s name, you are directed to that company’s website on the Internet. Thus, the E-Book “Embracing the E-Book Revolution” demonstrates one of the very best features of E-Books in general: the ability to navigate the Internet directly from a book! Thus, the activities of reading and research are truly integrated in a unique and amazingly advantageous way! Everything from lesson planning to writing your own E-Book (another topic quite ably covered in this E-Book) is now so much easier than ever!
Finally, since you will now certainly want to delve even further into the universe of E-Books, “Embracing the E-Book Revolution” provides several sites for you to explore. I can personally vouch for the treasure trove of material to be found at all of them. The one thing that this E-Book does not mention is that you can actually be a part of making even more E-Books available to the general public! Both The Baldwin Project and Project Gutenberg, two of the sites mentioned in “Embracing the E-Book Revolution”, rely on volunteer proofreaders to bring even more E-Books to their sites. Anyone can be a volunteer proofreader for these sites (I volunteer for both!). It is one more way to bring more E-Books to more people – an idea that I feel certain the authors responsible for “Embracing the E-Book Revolution” would endorse!

The 2009 TOS Planner - Review

I am coming out of hibernation for a worthy cause: to review the 2009 Schoolhouse Planner from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. This year's planner is even bigger than last year's version, while still retaining all of the features that made last year's such a valuable and eye-popping resource. Checking in at 374 pages, it is almost a misnomer to refer to this all-inclusive resource as a planner. It is, in fact, a collection of educational resources, combined with planning forms which can easily replace your current day planner. It is further a cookbook, a reference guide, and a compendium of all of the homeschool forms that you are likely to need, whether you homeschool pre-schoolers or high-schoolers, and whether your style is unit study or unschooling. Best of all, the planner is delivered as a writable .pdf download, meaning that you can begin exploring it and filling in dates on the calendar immediately.

With almost 400 pages, and not a single one wasted, it is literally impossible to discuss each and every feature of this amazing resource, so in an effort to convey the reasons for my excitement, I will instead elaborate upon my favorite features.

First, the Schoolhouse Planner replaces all of your existing planners, both personal and homeschooling. It perfectly merges both of your roles as homeschooling mom (or dad!) and head (or co-head) of household. The search for the perfect system of recordkeeping is over! At first, the sheer number of forms may seem overwhelming, but it need not be! Simply peruse the planner, and make note of the pages that you want to print (if you're the kind of person that needs to see it all in pen and paper, like I am). Print only the forms that you need, and rest assured that the others are there for you if you change your mind. Personal financial inventory? Check. Grocery lists and menu planners? Check. Garden planning? It's there, too. The homeschooling section includes all of the forms that you would expect, from full planners (including twelve year plans!), to library reminders, to an extracurricular activities log. There is even a section for handwriting practice for the little ones! Once you print and organize the forms according to your specific needs, you truly can fit your life into one binder!

Second, for each month of the year, The Schoolhouse Planner focuses on a single topic and covers that topic in depth. Articles by many familiar authors lead off the month, followed both by actual resources included in the planner, and by lists of additional resources available through The Old Schoolhouse Store (as a nice touch, these items are hyperlinked, making purchase temptingly easy!). The month concludes with recipes that are both appealing and practical.

Finally, the section entitled "Miscellaneous Educational Information" is a goldmine of possibilities. Everything from lists of famous composers and artists and their associated works, to lists of inventions, to states and countries and their captials, to various conversion tables is included in this section. While it is true that all of this information is available elsewhere, it is wonderful to have it consolidated in one place: in my planner! I see mini-lessons galore as we wait in doctors' offices, during "adult swim" at the pool, and on those days when school is just not happening the way I want it to. There is more than a year's worth of educational joy just waiting to be explored in these pages!

I generally dislike reviews that don't suggest ways in which the resources could be improved, but I would be disingenuous if I tried merely to "come up"with some suggestions. My only hesitation is that some users might be chagrined by the sheer size/length of The Schoolhouse Planner. 374 pages is a lot of material. To any such user, I would simply urge patience. Spend some time looking through it, and getting to know the forms. Make use of the excellent table of contents, which is linked to the document itself (meaning that if you click on a form in the table of contents, you will be taken there in the document - a HUGE timesaver!). There *is* something in this planner for everyone!