Encouraging Moms Who Homeschool

Math Rider is a computer math game aimed at helping children of all ages master addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts with ease. Math Rider is compatible with Windows, MAC, and Linux operating systems (it uses Adobe AIR runtime). The game can be played by several users on the same computer, with each user creating their own rider and completing their own adventures. Math Rider is not a multi player game, however. Each student works on his or her own, one rider at a time. When the student is actually playing the game, Math Rider uses it's "intelligence" to determine what the student needs to work on and adjust the facts accordingly. Mastery is the end goal with this program, and this is one of the ways they ensure mastery actually happens for every student. The game takes place in the imaginary land of "Ray" . As the student rides the horse (named Shadow ) on quests throughout the land, they can find gems and rescue princesses, etc. The story l...

If you are looking for a fun yet educational product to use in your homeschool that is also cross-curricular, KID SCOOP could be just what you need! KID SCOOP consists of an online program and a "hands-on" product called "The Reluctant Reader Solution". And while I can't say I have any reluctant readers, I can tell you that this product contains all the necessary ingredients to help a non-reader become an avid reader. (I think of the process in Star Wars terms ~ the reluctant reader begins to enjoy reading and turns from the Dark Side...) There are 3 key components offered by KID SCOOP : 1. FREE ~ By visiting the website www.KIDSCOOP.com you can sign up for 30 days of "Make Reading Fun" and a tip-of-the-day. 2. "The Reluctant Reader Solution Download" ~ This product is basically a series of e-books contained in a zip drive (takes up minimal room on your PC or laptop). You receive and email link to download the product and a link with inst...

I've realized that my life has been so busy as of late that I haven't had any time at all to do one of my favorite things ~ ~ ~ which is attempting to encourage other homeschooling mothers via this little blog!! And while I haven't suddenly unearthed an unfathomable amount of the precious commodity TIME I have discovered that giving myself a short break in order to blog is allowed even in the midst of my busy busy busy life. So this post isn't typical for me. It's probably not meant to encouraging anyone else as much as it is to give myself a little boost! After all, I have begun to feel a bit weary and God's Word says not to grow weary in well-doing so that I might reap a harvest in due time if I don't give up. One of the ways I keep myself from caving into weariness is by reminding myself of God's promises from His Word. And one of the best places I've found declare God's Truth is right here in Blogger-Land. I am ready for spring; I am ready f...

VocabAhead 's softcover book entitled "SAT* Vocabulary: Cartoons, Videos & MP3S" claims to be " the entertaining and effortless vocabulary building solution " on it's cover. I'd say that description is pretty accurate. The book has an appealing layout - a nice flow from start to finish. Sometimes a book can be intimidating to use based solely on it's layout. VocabAhead has created a product that is fun and easy to use. My 16-year-old daughter says the book is "not at all overwhelming". Visual learners are provided plenty of pictures, which help with vocabulary recall. The humor incorporated throughout the book also makes it easier to remember the vocabulary words. The authors haven't given users an exact lesson plan for using "SAT* Vocabulary" per se; rather they have laid out the words in groupings of ten (called "Units") and each Unit is followed by a "Review" that tests the student's retention ...

Today's review is of a computer learning game that focuses on archaeology and ancient Roman life. It was developed by a professional archaeologist in an attempt to make the study of archaeology fun. Judging by my 7th grade daughter's reaction to Roman Town , I'd say the goal was achieved! My daughter is fascinated with ancient history - primarily that of Ancient Egypt. The reason she enjoys learning about Ancient Egypt is because she loves archaeology. So much so that when she hears of a new archaeologcial find she laments that it wasn't her doing the finding! Having access to Roman Town by Dig It! Games has been more fun than school work for her! The game Roman Town comes with a downloadable Educator's Manual , which makes use of the game easy for moms and kids. While the game is fun, it's also very educational. We learned quite a bit about archaeology, which is impressive when you consider that it's a topic we're well acquainted with in our homeschoo...

I just wanted to take the time to do a "shout-out" about Senseney Music , where my daughter Lindsay takes piano lessons. To see Lindsay and her classmate playing at the Wichita Art Museum at Christmastime, see the link below. www.Lindsay'sWAMPerformance.com We could not be more pleased with Lindsay's progress since she began lessons at Senseney. Her teacher Megan ( http://web.mac.com/megan.decker/Megans_Piano_Lessons/Home.html ) is absolutely terrific and the staff at Senseney are wonderful to work with. The price is the best deal you will find in the Wichita area (trust me, I've shopped around!). And the personal service we receive from Kathy Fehrmann (music education department manager) is fabulous! To learn more about Senseney Music, visit their website here: www.SenseneyMusic.com Or contact Kathy personally at 316/262-1487. Many of my blog followers don't reside in the Wichita area, but for those of you who are locals, I strongly encourage you to check ou...

Learning times tables can be tedious, frustrating and even boring...for homeschooling moms! Who knows, even your children might struggle as they memorize their math facts. Every child learns a little bit differently and while many children pick up the facts quickly and easily, many others struggle to memorize them. Times Alive! (from City Creek Press) is a simple to use program designed to help students of all ages master all of their multiplication facts with ease. It uses a variety of methods which incorporate different learning styles in order to help each student achieve complete mastery of the times tables. City Creek Press offers this curriculum in different formats, but the product I received was a download for use on my personal computer. It was quick and easy to install and simple enough to begin using right away. The company website offers a variety of products for use in different settings, and they have a specific program for homeschool use. Prices vary for the products ...

TenMarks is an online math program for students in grades 3 through high school. It's able to used by homeschoolers, as well as educators, parents and public or private school students. It's a breeze to use; each student works at their own pace doing the weekly assignments. The tutorial video makes using TenMarks very "underwhelming" but the long and short of it is that it's simple, it's self-grading, and it works. From the very first time I looked at the website, I liked TenMarks . The login process is easy. The workspace for the worksheet assignments is "clear". As I mentioned previously, student's work is instantly graded and incorrect problems can be reworked right away while the concept is fresh in the child's mind. The entire layout of this website is uncluttered and tidy. I just plain like the way TenMarks does things! My 10th grade daughter and my 7th grade daughter both tried TenMarks for this review. While my 7th grader loves the...

My first impression of the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids was that it is much larger than I expected it to be. I have no idea why, but I assumed it would be about the size of a Bible. It's actually closer to 8 inches by 11 inches. The more I used the book, the more I like the size Holman made it; it lies flat when it's open, no matter what segment of the book you are using. The binding is well done - I don't foresee this book falling apart as we continue to use it. And the slightly larger size allows it to sit well on the bookshelf without tipping over. The youth in our church have used Holman products in the past, primarily when we participated in Bible Drill . I have always been very impressed with their products and their commitment to advancing young people's knowledge and understanding of God's Word. So I was not at all surprised by the quality of the content in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids . In addition to being a homeschooli...

Wow - I haven't posted anything on this topic in quite a while! Perhaps I haven't WANTED to learn any lessons from the life of Michal as of late? Or maybe I just let this sit on the back burner while I've been working on other things? It's neither here nor there, since I am posting about Michal today, LOL! When David wrote Psalm 18 , it was meant to be sung as a song of gratitude. What was he grateful for? Many things, I'm sure; specifically, David was grateful for God's help and deliverance from King Saul's raging fury. I'd like to look at David's heart expressed in this Psalm in contrast to his wife Michal's heart. In verse 2 David refers to God as his stronghold. We typically use the word stronghold to imply a negative; here David uses it as a positive. How would the word "stronghold" have been used to describe Michal's life? She had an idol at the ready to place in bed disguised as David (see 1 Samuel 19 ). I'm assuming it...