Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue

Today would have been my grandparents 70th wedding anniversary.  I missed their birthdays earlier this month, for which I feel profoundly sorry.  Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue was not written by Fulton Sheen, but who can hear it without hearing it in his voice, and so here it is in his voice, dedicated to my grandmother, a 3rd order Carmelite.  She knew the way, and I loved her very much.

Review of Lone Star Learning's Vocab Cards

Every so often you come across a product that is so neat that you just sit back and say, "That is so cool!" Lone Star Learning's Greek and Latin Roots Vocabulary Cards are such a product.  When you see them on the website, you immediately think what a great idea they are.  When you see them in person, you realize that you are holding in your hands works of art.

What are Greek and Latin Roots Vocabulary Cards?

These great cards, consisting of 30 Latin roots and 30 Greek roots, illustrate the roots they teach visually.  The "answer" is not on the back of the card because it doesn't need to be! With a modicum of imagination, kids can guess the root without knowing anything about it.  Mine were right the majority of the time (N.B.: while my oldest daughter has had several years of Latin and half a year of Greek, my three youngest kids have only had one year of Latin).  Don't worry, though, if you can't guess the root of if you want to, understandably, verify that you are right: the first card in the group is a master list of all the roots and their meanings!

What is hard to discern about these awesome cards just from their picture is how big they are! The cards are 5.5" by 8.5" and are printed on very heavy card stock.  These cards are meant to be used and are meant to last.  This is one time that I wish a review could convey show-and-tell.  There is a tactile element to these cards that should be experienced in order for one to understand the price (see below).  These are not index cards.

How We Used Greek and Latin Roots Vocabulary Cards

Originally, I anticipated that my oldest two children would simply memorize ten roots per week (five Latin and five Greek) by laying out the appropriate roots, studying the picture, writing the root  and the translation, and then writing them out for me at the end of the week (either the Latin/Greek or the English depending on the word I gave them).  I figured that my 8 year-old twins would simply look at the cards and assimilate the roots through the pictures.  I assumed that my 8 year-old son, Michael, would want to draw the cards, as he is my artistic child. As always, though, the best laid plans of mice and men go oft astray!

Clearly, my other kids were taken by Michael's idea.  They, too, wanted to draw the roots.  The cards are so well-done and the roots are so evident by the illustrations that you almost want to copy them.  Of course, as every good teacher knows, when you write something down, you retain it.  By the time my children were done copying a card onto their own index card, they had learned the meaning of the root.  I don't think they are likely ever to forget them.

Honestly, I had intended to display the roots around the schoolroom, and I would still love to do that, as each card is its own little work of art, but I can't do that any time soon: my kids keep removing them to draw them! I think the cards are like the best possible combination of multi-sensory activity, perhaps without even meaning to be.

1. They are over-sized and smoothly glossy, making them a pleasure to handle.
2. They are brightly colored when they need to be and monochromatic when it makes sense.
3. They almost invite you to imitate them by copying them.
4. They require you, as all good language study does, to say them out loud.

Actually, when I saw the way my kids chose to use the cards, I thought of other homeschool products that combine handwriting, history, and drawing, thus integrating multiple subjects in a reinforcing manner.  That's how I think of these cards.  For that and for all of the other reasons listed, I just love them!

How You Can Get Them!

Lone Star Learning offers a variety of amazingly cool products, including these Greek and Latin Root Cards.  You can also get Science and Math vocabulary cards, as well as a wide variety of other computer and even iPad based products.  The Greek and Latin Root Cards that I reviewed are available for $39.99, which I know is expensive. Again, I have to emphasize the high quality of these cards.  They are not going to fall apart on you.  

My kids and I love these cards (which are intended for grades 3-8, but are certainly adaptable for younger or older kids), but don't just take our word for it; be sure to read all of the Crew reviews of Lone Star Learning's creative offerings!

Disclaimer: I received this set of cards free through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review.  I received no other compensation.  I am disclosing this is accordance with FTC regulations.

Fr. Troy's Response to the College Philosopher

I think we have all had to deal with talking to people (drunk or sober) who love to rhapsodize about not being able to believe in a God who would allow pain, suffering, and evil in the world.  Perhaps some of you are even like me and have earnestly tried to explain to such people the salvific aspects of suffering and the consequences of both original sin and free will.  Well, as usual, Fr. Troy cuts through the crap to the best answer of all: "What do you know about God?"

How could I have overlooked this one all these years? When the atheists I know and love start spouting off about God, why do I get so offended and hurt? They are not talking about my God.  They don't know my God from Zeus.  As the good Fr. pointed out, thousands of years of the best minds have been contemplating God and haven't come close to understanding His ways and His majesty, and now Joe and Jane Atheist think they can say something about Him? Please.

I always say (and have usually gotten pilloried for it) that I feel so very sorry for those in my family who have apostasized themselves, but now that is even more true.  They turned away from a God they didn't even really take the time to get to know.  How terribly sad to have the fullness of Truth in the palm of your hand and then to throw it all away, and for what? I *do* feel sorry for them.  In fact, I ache for them, and, even more, I fear for them. There's no invincible ignorance there.

Laus Deo,

Review of Abraham's Journey

Mention "The American Dream" today and you're likely to get either eye-rolling or an enthusiastic endorsement of the welfare state.  To our parents and grandparents, though, The American Dream (yes, it needs to be capitalized) meant something quite different. It meant opportunity.  Independence.  Freedom from oppression and economic dependence.  Sometimes in the politically correct world we live in, it is nice to be reminded of that.  Abraham's Journey: A Celebration of the American Dream from Inspiring the American Dream is a creative and unique book designed to remind all of us, but especially our children, just what The American Dream is all about.




Written by Robert and Kathleen Basmadjian, this book is available both as a physical book (for $14.99) and as an eBook (for $9.99). I reviewed the iPad version and the book looks great in iBooks!

Abraham's Journey takes place during the Great Recession (like, today!) and features a boy named, yes, Abraham, whose parents tell him and his siblings that they won't be able to afford Christmas that year.  While texting his friends looking for odd jobs, Abraham's phone is visited by another Abraham -- Lincoln! Through the magic of the smartphone (or imagination!), both Abrahams time/space travel to meet various inspirational entrepreneurs and innovators in American history.  As a result of his interactions with these historical figures, Abraham discovers a hidden talent (this is a spoiler-free review!) and is able to provide a Christmas for his family.  More importantly, he learns to find what he is good at and to go for it! You don't become great by sitting back and waiting for someone to come to you and hand the world to you on a silver platter.  You have to believe in yourself and take risks.

Abraham's Journey and Michael

I wasn't sure which of my kids would end up reading this book, but I wasn't very surprised when Michael (8) was the first one to open it on the iPad.  He read straight through the book.  Overall, he really liked it.  Of course, anything dealing with Abraham Lincoln is great, and time travel is even better.  He needed several things explained, though.  For example, in the picture above left, the two Abrahams meet Bill and Melinda Gates.  Michael didn't know who they were, even though he could follow their conversation.  In the picture above right, Michael knew Amelia Earhart, but had no clue who Mark Zuckerberg was...until I said that magic word: Facebook.  What he couldn't understand, and I had trouble explaining, was how the two of them could be together in history.  Suspension of disbelief! We do it all the time when we read, right? Overall, I don't know how much of The American Dream Michael took away from this book, but he definitely enjoyed reading it.

Abraham's Journey and Me

I'll confess that I was really excited to read this book primarily because the author, Kathleen Basmadjian, got her Ph.D. in Biology from Catholic University in DC.  I have a special love for Catholic U, plus one of my dear friends was also working on her Ph.D. in Bio there.  It was for those completely irrelevant reasons that I was looking forward to this review! Having said that, though, I think there is a lot that is quite good about this book, although I don't think that homeschoolers are the target audience.  I think that those of us who homeschool are already all about The American Dream.  Many (if not most) of us do it on one income.  Many (if not most) of us do it because we want to counter the prevailing cultural currents promulgated by the schools and the state.  I would love, however, to see this book required in schools.  Too many kids are too far removed from the immigrant experience to hear about The American Dream at home (my husband is first generation American, so that's definitely not true for my kids), and those kids that are the sons and daughters of immigrants are often so conflicted about the *politics* surrounding immigration that the idea of The American Dream can get lost in the shuffle.  This concept is one that all of us can use a refresher on.  Frequently.  

Although Abraham's Journey is told in a non-traditional way that may put some people off, it is a clever story that is well worth reading.  It may work best as a read aloud so that some of the more confusing aspects of the tale can be discussed as the story progresses.  As a read aloud, I would say this book would be good for 2nd - 5th grade, but it is certainly appropriate for older kids (or younger, depending on how mature your kids are).  Also, there is an extensive glossary and biographical section in the back, just in case you're not too sure about some of the people or terms in the book! Too see how other Crew members read this book, be sure to check out the other reviews!

Disclaimer: I received this product free through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest opinion.  I received no other compensation.  I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.

Review of College Common Sense

Given that I was told from a very young age (elementary school) that if I expected to go to college (and, of course, I was expected to go to college), I would have to earn a scholarship.  You do school differently when you know that the only way you can go to college is if you find a way to pay for it! Well, I got a full ride through two BAs, an MA, and a PhD.  Clearly, I took my parents' word to heart.  Needless to say, I let my four children (all of whom will be in college at the same time) know that they will be getting through college on scholarship money.

Having said that, I never would have guessed that you can start finding scholarships as young as elementary aged! I, like most students I suspect, started thinking about scholarships sophomore or junior year of high school.  Fortunately for parents today, Denise Ames of College Common Sense knows a whole lot more about scholarships than most of the rest of us.  Even more fortunately, for a very modest fee, she is willing to share every bit of her knowledge in College Common Sense Online Video and Workbook.

What is College Common Sense?

Available as either a DVD or a one-year online subscription, each complete with a PDF workbook, College Common Sense is a series of six videos (with the six accompanying PDFs):

1. The Big Picture
2. How Financial Aid Works
3. All About the Free Money
4. The System That Works
5. You In the Process
6. Put it All Together

The videos themselves are not long and the PDFs provide summary notes of what is covered in the videos.  At the end, each provides students with directions for what to do based on what was learned in the section.  For example, at the end of Video/PDF 3, students are directed to brainstorm a list of possible scholarship sources (the "low-hanging fruit" as it were).  The exercises students are given depend on their ages.  While the program can be used by elementary aged children, it is high school aged children who do the most in-depth work researching and collecting grants, scholarships, and other aid.

Therese, College Common Sense, and Me

Given that Therese is only (officially) in 6th grade, I didn't expect that we would be applying for any scholarships or making any college visits at this time, and we didn't.  I did, however, have her watch some of the videos that I thought would be most useful for her.  As Ms. Ames says, it is never too soon to start thinking about how financial aid works! Again, though, Therese is not to this point in her college explorations yet, and I have been talking to her about scholarships since before she could understand what I meant.  To that end, much of the specifics of the information given (Pell Grants, FAFSAs, etc.) was too specific for her at this time, and that which was more general was that which she already knew.  She did, however, start keeping a spiral notebook as Ms. Ames suggests, and I anticipate that she will continue to write down scholarship sources as they occur to her.  While I had her do all of the upper elementary/lower middle school spiral notebook assignments suggested by Ms. Ames, this is the one that seems to have "stuck" with her.  It is the one to which she returns most often.

Although I didn't think she was ready to price colleges yet, I did have Therese fill out a worksheet on the cost of attending school.  Currently she is most interested in private, Catholic colleges which are not cheap.  She filled out a sheet for a private school here in Houston (my alma mater) as well as one for the University of Houston.  While U of H is definitely far more affordable, the University of St. Thomas has more scholarship money available, especially merit-based tuition scholarships, such as the one I received.  It is helpful for Therese to know at this young age that she can begin to aim for such a scholarship right now.  I think that Ms. Ames is very smart to have parents *and* their children begin to think about the cost of school and their various options for paying for it as early as possible.

This product is a really great one and one that is so necessary for homeschoolers who don't have access to those great fonts of information - the high school counselors.  As to whom College Common Sense would benefit most, though, I think high schoolers and their parents are the obvious answer.  Even more specifically, I would say that parents who have not themselves gone to college (and gone through some aspect of the financial aid process) can't afford not to pay the minimal fee to gain the knowledge that Ms. Ames has spent her career acquiring.  Because I spent the better part of 12 years in school on scholarship and grant money following high school, there really wasn't much in these videos that was new information (apart from the fact that there is a scholarship for six year-olds! That was a new one to me!).  However, I personally know plenty of parents who worry *a lot* about how they are going to pay for college, and this video/workbook series should go a long way toward allaying their fears.  It is hard to come away from Ms. Ames' series without feeling optimistic that college is affordable and that you will be able to pay for it.  That alone is worth the price of admission.

So What is the Price of Admission?

You have two options when it comes to purchasing this product.  Which you choose depends, I would think, on the age of your kids and how far away you are from college.  The Crew reviewed the online videos and PDFs. These are available as a one-year subscription for $25.  If you have several kids to put through college, though, or if college is still far off but you want access to this great information now, you might want to consider the DVD, which contains the same information as the online videos, but is yours permanently.  The DVD, with PDF workbook, is available for $50 +$5 shipping.  College Common Sense can be used with children of all ages in all grades.  You can decide which of your children could benefit from it most.

No matter what, in life information is power.  When you're talking about money, that's even more true.  Give yourself the informational advantage that will enable you to put all of your kids through college without bankrupting either your future or theirs.  My daughter wasn't old enough for us to put Ms. Ames information to the test yet, but there were plenty of Crew members with high schoolers who reviewed College Common Sense, so be sure to read all of the Crew reviews.

Disclaimer: I received a subscription to College Common Sense through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are mine and I received no other compensation.  I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.

Don't Get Discouraged!

Sometimes life seems dark.  Then you realize that you have the very best sister in the world and that the things of the moment really are just of the moment.

Sometimes you wonder if your ridiculously gifted daughter will ever show the initiative for school that she did when she was little.  Then you find her lugging the laptop to her brothers' TKD class so that she can continue working on her first computer programming class because it just too fun to stop.

Sometimes you worry because unusual things are happening in your Church and you don't like unusual things.  Then you remember that your church is 2,000 years old and it can take it.

Always remember that a bad week (and even a bad month and, yes, even a bad year) is temporary.  The important things in life are the eternal things.  That doesn't mean that what you are going through doesn't hurt - that it doesn't matter! It does hurt.  It does matter.  Just try to remember that it will pass.  It will pass.  For some people, it may not pass in this world.  For those who love and serve Christ, though, it will pass, and if a day of suffering seems to last forever here, just imagine a day of participating in the Beatific Vision!

My week sucked.  There are amazing and inspirational writers out there who can write gorgeous blog posts about suffering and the redemptive power of God's love.  I'm here to be real about the fact that you don't always feel it.  Religion isn't about feelings.  It's about a relationship with God.  To me, it's like marriage.  Marriage isn't about feelings.  It's about a relationship that you build over time.  Sometimes it *feels* great and sometimes it *feels* really sucky.  If we relied solely on our feelings, I'm betting there would be even more divorces.  We rely on a relationship build on faith, hope, and love.  Sometimes I think God is really onto something with His whole marriage/church analogy.

In any case, like I tell my kids.  Tomorrow (next week, next month, next year) will be better.  Never forget that and never lose hope.  Our Blessed Mother promised that her Immaculate Heart would triumph and we know ...the rest of the story (Paul Harvey fans? You with me?).  Here's a hint for my atheist and agnostic friends: God wins.  What a tremendous comfort for those of us who like to read the last page of a book first.  You can endure all of the junk in the middle as long as you know that the good guys come out ahead in the end.

Review of A+ TutorSoft, Inc.

As part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, my 3rd grade twins and I were given the opportunity to review A+ TutorSoft, Inc.'s A+ Interactive MATH 3rd Grade Premium CD software.  This software constitutes a complete 3rd grade math curriculum and it is simply loaded with features.  Best of all, both of my very different twins like it, and for completely different reasons.

A+ TutorSoft, Inc.: The Product

Unlike many traditional math programs, A+ TutorSoft, Inc. gives children a completely multi-sensory experience.  Lessons are presented visually with just enough graphics to teach the concept (i.e., single color pie charts) without creating an unnecessary distraction.  Text accompanies the graphics and the text is narrated by a very pleasant female narrator.  In the past, narrators with accents have sometimes thrown my children when we are experiencing a new product.  Accent is not a problem with this narrator.  Her voice is perfect for presenting a math lesson - lively without being irritating.

The lessons themselves are very short! For example, the entire chapter on fractions (covering equivalent fractions, comparing fractions, and adding and subtracting fractions) took one of my twins only two days to complete.  The lessons (as enumerated above) took him about 7-10 minutes each, including watching the lesson, answering the interactive questions and answers and completing the printable worksheet.  Although Michael has never done fractions before, he understood the lessons as presented the first time, and was able to progress through this chapter quickly.  More on how my twins used this program below, but first, here is a summary of exactly what A+ TutorSoft Inc.'s A+ Interactive MATH Premium CD software includes:

• Multi-Sensory Interactive Lessons
• A curriculum book with the lessons in eBook format (in other words, the textbook version of the lessons)
• Printable worksheets and tests
• Printable worksheet and exam solutions guides which allow you not only to print the answers to the worksheets you give your child, but the detail with which the answers are explained actually allows your child to be able to piece through the answer himself, especially as the solutions are presented in a way that mimics the way the concept was originally taught
• Formula reference sheets
• Recommended lesson plans
• Parental controls to lock the solutions guides
• The ability to track student progress
• Weekly certificates of accomplishment

The last three items are included on the Premium CD I received; otherwise the regular CD and the Premium CD are identical.

When you install the software on your computer and run it, you are able to see the chapter headings on the left hand side of your screen, so you know immediately where you need start up, whether that is continuing from where you left off, or re-watching a previous lesson.  At any time you can choose to watch a tutorial for how to use the software.

Michael, Mary-Catherine, and A+ TutorSoft, Inc.

Like a lot of homeschoolers, my 8 year-old twins aren't easily placed in a grade.  Fortunately, in math they both seem to be solidly in 3rd grade.  Thanks to the easy navigability of A+ Interactive MATH 3rd Grade Premium CD software, I was almost immediately able to see where I should start them in their new math program (decimals).  They transitioned to the new program seamlessly and (spoiler alert!) we plan to continue with it through and past 3rd grade.

When I have more than one child using a computer-based learning program, I usually hook my laptop up to the TV in order to avoid jockeying for position in front of a small screen.  In this way, I am also able to turn the sound up nice and loud (no "I didn't hear! He was talking! The guinea pig squeaked!").  Here, Michael and Mary-Catherine learn about fractions.

It is a true delight not only to have someone else teach my twins math (math is not my friend), but for it to be on the TV (via the laptop) and immediately replayable (key for Mary-Catherine who tends to have math meltdowns).

Michael loves doing math this way.  He is perfectly content to sit down, watch the lesson through, do the interactive Q&A and the worksheet and call it a math day.  Often, because he picks up concepts quickly and because the lessons here are concise and well explained, Michael will do multiple lessons in one day.  For example, two days ago, he did adding and subtracting fractions lessons on the same day.  It is essentially the same concept, so it made sense.  I did have him do both worksheets to make sure that he really did "get" it.

Mary-Catherine is a different story.  I always start her with Michael in math....and we always end up going back and doing it again.  She has watched some lessons three or four times.  I honestly don't think it's because she finds the concepts too hard.  I think that she has decided that math is hard and, therefore, math *is* hard.  Regardless, as much as I love this program for Michael (because he gets in, learns, and gets out), I really like it for Mary-Catherine.  It is not visually intimidating.  It teaches in very small bites (short lessons). She can watch the same lesson as many times as she needs to and it will never take more than a few minutes to rewatch it.  Several times, she has started watching a lesson again (especially in decimals), and has told me, "I get it now," even before the lesson is over.  I think that is the whole multi-sensory thing kicking in.  She sees the lesson and then remembers what it was like before -- and then realizes that she actually did learn the concept. Maybe she just needed the trigger.

Because it is multi-sensory, A+ TutorSoft, Inc's program is great for all kinds of learners.  The progress tracking feature of the premium software is nice, especially if you have more than one child doing the same grade level.  I am able to log in my twins separately and track each of their progress separately.  I don't actually need to since I do math with them, but it's great to know I can.  Truly, this math software takes all of the guesswork out of math: lessons, lesson plans, eText, worksheets, and tests.  It's all here.

You can view a demo of this great software on the A+ TutorSoft, Inc. website.  You can purchase the A+ TutorSoft, Inc.'s A+ Interactive MATH 3rd Grade Premium CD software I received for $124.99.  But wait!

You read that right! This generous company is offering 50% off all of their products, CD and online, through the end of March.  4th grade is on my list! I rarely use the same curriculum more than once; I have curriculum ADD.  For me to say that I plan to use the same math curriculum next year is huge, but I really like how A+ TutorSoft, Inc. is working for my twins.  When you combine a great product with an amazing low price, you have a huge winner in my book!

A+ TutorSoft, Inc. has lots of other great math products.  The Crew reviewed both online and CD versions of 1st-4th grade, so you'll definitely want to check out the other reviews.  If you're in the market for a new math program, or even if you're remotely curious about what else is out there, please give this company a look.


                                                                                                                                       
Disclaimer: I received this CD free through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review.  I received no other compensation.  I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.