Our fabulous lesson planning superhero, Jason Pessemier of Lessontrek, is about to make your New Year fabulous!
Extended to the first 700 (you read that right!) folks who really need a new plan for this New Year, he is offering a FREE FOR LIFE membership!!! Here are the instructions (follow them exactly):
1) Go to this link. Click the Sign Up button in the upper right hand corner of the website, then click the 14 day trial (this will enable the Referral Code text box where you enter the code), if you choose the 14 day option and not enter the code, you will not receive the Free Membership. If you click either the Monthly or Annual plan it will not work as this is a free code, so no credit card needed.
2) Enter the code exactly like this (or else it wont work): FFL15
If you don’t enter the code and only do the 14 day trial, you will not receive the Free Membership.
3) Enter the rest of your information (make sure your email address you use doesn’t have capital letters).
4) Then proceed to checkout and begin planning your new school year!
We have had a great time during our “Homeschool Homestretch” event! So far we have been able to offer these encouragements to lucky winners in our group:
Come join us! Prizes post at 9am (Mtn Time) daily, with winners drawn via Random.org at 9pm. Two prizes tomorrow, and the remaining for a Grand Finale on Friday!
Doing a lot of thinking, this September 11th. I could reminisce about what I recall from that morning, but it doesn’t really matter. There are bigger things to discuss.
I wonder if it has occurred to many of us that our “Christian” nation has become a vast mission field. I wonder if it has occurred to those of us who are Christian parents that our children will very likely be called upon to stand and look such atrocities square in the eye. I wonder if I am doing my best to build the kind of character in our children that will enable them to do it.
American culture teaches our kids to aspire to fame and riches. I’m not a “Doomsday Prepper”, but I completely believe there will come a day when fame and possessions won’t matter to anyone any more. When life is reduced to the questions of survival and faith, there are precious few possessions that seem important. There will be no status symbols…the only status differentiation will be “Are you a Christian?” or “Are you not?” And the cost faith will once again be high. Paul the apostle, who stood for his faith many times, wrote:
“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
So I ask myself today, how will I teach our children to stand? How will I instill courage? How will I inspire them not to cower, but to endure…not to be paralyzed by fear when hateful, horrible, unjust and unspeakable things happen? They have to have their anchor planted in something bigger than politics and military might. I have to point them to something much bigger…a firm foundation, the only solid Rock, the Mighty Fortress.
“Remembering” is only the first step. Being mindful of the past needs to change the future. It must be a catalyst, or all it accomplishes is to make us remorseful. I may never have political influence, beyond my votes in elections; but I have a daunting responsibility to the children in our home, to teach them what patriotism is (and what it isn’t), what it looks like to stand faithful for right and truth, and to remind them that above all principalities and powers, our hope is Jesus.
Before I focus on the sacrifices made by prominent patriots for our independence and freedom, I plan to teach more about the heroes of the faith. I want to grab all the missionary biographies I can, so these humble, courageous giants of the gospel can inspire our homeschool (using this free resource to create a missionary biography notebook) and show them what it looks like to be unflinchingly, unshakably committed, and to grasp truth tightly, while also extending a loving hand in decided confidence to others.
We need this next generation to be resolute…a word which has come to be very weak in meaning today.
It starts today. We have stood upon the shoulders of great ones who have gone before. Now it is time for us to provide a firm footing for our children.
“It is wonderful what great strides can be made, when there is a resolute purpose behind them.” ~Winston Churchill
I learned about Bouncy Bands while researching for my upcoming Specialtember Giveaway Event at my homeschool group, Schoolin’ Swag. This event will target the special needs families among our 4,000+ members, providing prizes and discounts on some wonderful products and services which address everything from autism to dyslexia to ADHD. Here is the video that caught my attention:
In combing the internet for vendors whose products I wanted to feature for the event, I was drawn to the idea of the Bouncy Bands. I’ve seen firsthand in our own homeschooling experience how movement (the right kind) can actually enhance the learning experience for children.
Children who genuinely need movement in order to stimulate their brains, often opt for unacceptable choices to get out their energy. They make multitudes of trips to the rest room, feel the need to sharpen that pencil down to a nub, rock back on the back legs of their chairs (and we all know how well that goes), tap pencils, stomp feet, or simply go into a stupor from being sedentary, and the brain just says, “I quit!”
While I’m not a fan of having kids sit at desks for very long spans of time, there are indeed periods during our homeschool day when it is necessary. I especially want this to be able to happen successfully when we have any sort of handwriting or copywork to do…assignments which require a solid writing surface for quality performance.
In the past I’ve actually used an exercise ball during school. It helped get wiggles out while doing reading and drill work, but an exercise ball is not the most stable thing in the world, and things often got out of hand. Our school “room” is part of the master bedroom, and we repeatedly had problems with hitting furniture and rolling into things! Periodically, I would opt for “wiggle breaks” where, in between subjects, I’d have our young student get up and dance around to something like “Flight of the Bumblebee”. Trouble is, it was hard to get her to refocus after that. Same thing was true of the trampoline breaks, and the ride-your-bike-for-3-laps breaks, and the do-a-little-on-Wii-Fit breaks.
Enter Bouncy Bands.
I really like this option! The Bouncy Bands come in two different sizes, one for desks and the other for chairs. The installation on our school desk was an absolute snap. Less than a minute, and we were ready for action. They are also available in two colors, royal blue and yellow. Our student liked that she could choose. It made her feel like it was more “hers”.
The day I received our Bouncy Bands in the mail, we were not doing school. We were having a sick day because our little student had the flu. But that did not stop her from wanting to test drive this new product. She sat right down at her desk, and giggled with glee, flexing and bouncing!
I love that this product is completely quiet. You hear nothing at all as the student is able to move and wiggle while working. No more creative excuses for why she needs to get up…yet again. We got our little school desk from a yard sale at our local elementary school. She enjoyed the novelty of it for a day or two, and then quickly grew to hate sitting in it. It was so stiff and rigid. Her work suffered for it, too, as she tried to write on a clipboard while constantly shifting on the couch, or a chair, or a bed. I’m so grateful for this easy solution for us both!
Katie’s review:
“I think while you are doing your school, you can have exercise! It’s pretty cool! It’s really bouncy! I like to put out my extra energy while I am doing my work, and this is very fun! Little kids are so full of energy, and if they have these they can pay attention to their teachers. It’s a really cool idea. I think it’s very comfortable, and I like that you don’t just have to sit there and be still and stiff. Having fun while doing school is AWESOME!”
Another added benefit for us personally is how Bouncy Bands help with test anxiety. Have you noticed your student nervously tapping or twirling a pencil, tapping fingers, jiggling feet and other sorts of behavior? Now we have an outlet for that little bit of nervousness, and performance is improving! As a matter of fact 87% of students reported that Bouncy Bands help them feel calmer when they take a test (and 71% of teachers agreed). Click here to view statistics gathered in a recent 2015 Survey!
This has been a win-win in our home. Actually a win-win-win-win!
My little student sits better, concentrates better, performs better.
My stress level in constantly having to reel her in has decreased a great deal!
In addition to having a set of Bouncy Bands to enjoy in our own homeschooling, I was able to share the second set with a family I know will benefit from them.
I was also given a special 15% discount code to share in my homeschooling group, as soon as this post goes live! Come grab it!!
Thank you Scott Ertl of Bouncy Bands for being such a blessing to our family, for giving me the privilege to review your terrific product, and for passing that gift on to the terrific members of my group!
I highly recommend this product! Click here to go to the site and order. They come with a 100% money back guarantee! What do you have to lose…except the wiggles? 🙂
GIVEAWAYS!!! Hey everyone, just wanted to remind you that we have weekly giveaways that end every Friday at noon at Home Education Council of America. This is part of our summer Not Back to School celebration!
This week, Unlock Math is giving away a full year membership ($349 value!), Order out of Chaos is giving away student planners ($50 package), PlanitWisely is another planner being given away (full year at $49 value), Homeschool Tracker is giving away a membership ($59 value), Mystery of History is offering their full Volume 1 on mp3 audio ($40 value), Times Tales is giving away some DVD’s, and ABC Mouse a $95 subscription.
How do you enter?? Super easy. Register for Not Back to School (our upcoming FREE online conference with 30 speakers and more than 50 live presentations), and then head to the Celebration Page. All of the giveaways are there on the page!! Enter as many as you would like (it’s all about the “share”), but ENTER. Because someone has to win, it might be you!
If you are familiar with the great giveaway events I’ve had at Schoolin’ Swag, you can look forward to the same quality products and services to be offered as giveaways for this event! I’ve contacted some of my favorite folks to jump on board and join us in offering terrific encouragement and incentives. Click here to get your free ticket for the Summit, and join the fun in the Celebration Room!
My sweet friend Leslie Josel, sent me a couple of her beautiful Academic Planners to take for a test drive this school year. I was going to wait until we were actually using them to post a review; but I’m so excited about them that I wanted to jump right on it and get the word out, so folks could get theirs ordered before August rolls around!
The planner is available in four different styles, to suit your taste. I loved the blue kaleidoscope design! The front and back are beautifully colored vinyl…very durable! I love the size of this planner, too…a generous 7″ x 11″ which gives plenty of space to write, as compared to impractical “pocket” planners. It is also 3-hole punched to fit into a binder, if you so wish!
I’ll post some photos here to show you the inside (click to enlarge). This is a great, intuitive organizational tool that is easy to use, without a lot of flipping around…and it teaches the student how to own their school planning!
If you need help, Leslie will hold your hand a little bit!Write in your subjects and activities once on the left…Neat vinyl storage pocket in back!
Here is a nifty video, explaining the perks of this great tool:
As a perfect accompaniment to the planners, Leslie was gracious enough to include her new book, “What’s the Deal With Teens and Time Management?” What a great pairing! The handy little book covers everything from procrastination (oh boy!) to homework strategies. These are important life skills for your teen! Click here to preview!
Speaking of teens managing their time, while you’re at it, sign up for the FREE Back to School Webinar (Monday, August 17, 8pm EST), targeted specifically for middle and high schoolers, titled “Have You Done Your Homework Yet?”–click here!
In searching various options for math for our 3rd grader next year, I came across CTC Math. What a great program! I immediately loved how intuitive it is, very streamlined and user-friendly.
Click here to watch a video about how it works (I highly recommend watching this…it is brief, but by the end I think you’ll see why I wanted to jump on board).
The program provides:
1,367 animated and narrated math lessons
A bank of over 57,000 interactive questions
Diagnostic tests
Instant feedback to students and regular reporting to parents
Algebra, statistics, geometry, trigonometry, probability plus more
I love that this program goes at my speed. Rewind, review, pause if you like. Take lessons in the order listed, or choose specific lessons which are trouble spots for your K-12 student.
Screen shot with Katie’s opening page and “Speed Skills” window.
The teacher, Pat Murray (who’s got 10 kids of his own!), uses a variety of techniques so your visual, auditory, kinesthetic learners can all get a firm grasp on concepts…their way. Students can print lesson summaries to keep in a notebook for review. Lessons are reinforced by online quizzes which increase in difficulty as the student progresses. There are printable worksheets for lessons as well. You can easily view the progress your student is making, and they receive certificates as a reward for their accomplishments.
I’m really looking forward to plugging into this program more thoroughly this coming school year. Wow, how I wish there would have been something like this when I was in Jr. High Algebra. I suffered terribly because I learned one way, and the teacher taught another way…and never the twain did meet. I was too shy at that age to ask questions, so I muddled along, failed the class, and had to take it again in summer school. How different things could have been with CTC math!
In searching for material for electives for our son’s freshman year, I came across a website which immediately caught my eye. Our son is very mechanically-inclined, and is just on the verge of being old enough for a learner’s permit, so this was a no-brainer!
Auto Upkeep is a very thorough program, set up to instruct the student about each automotive system, as well as basics on purchasing a vehicle, insurance, and practical points like automotive safety, care and expenses. There is absolutely no shortage of resources in this complete program! There are plenty of web links and books listed for further research.
Auto Upkeep materials include a student textbook and workbook complete with review questions for your student to answer, as well as practical exercises to perform. If your child is a hands-on learner, he or she will not be disappointed, as they are called upon in each chapter to put into practice what they have learned. You’ll get some fluid level checks, cleaning and general maintenance for free!
Also available is a teacher resource cd, including: course syllabus, PowerPoint slides, lab activities, chapter tests, exams and final, and answer keys. For home educators, there is a special homeschool curriculum kit available as well.
Not only have these materials provided our son with detailed information about the things he *thought* he knew about taking care of a vehicle, but they will also be a very handy resource for the future when he wants to go back and remind himself of what he’s learned.
If you have a potential driver in your family, or a student who has exhibited an interest in a career as an auto tech, the Auto Upkeep course would be an excellent investment! Right now there are some excellent discounts going on…nearly 50% off! Click here to go check it out!
Note: I was given the homeschool curriculum kit in exchange for an honest review of these products.
Our youngest is 9 years old. She is very musical, so I decided to search for some budget-friendly options for her to get some piano and voice lessons started during summer break. I was so delighted when I found Hoffman Piano Academy!
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that all of the actual lessons (100 of them!) on the Hoffman Academy website are FREE! You heard that right. And they are not slipshod or boring!
Our daughter was engaged from the moment I pushed the “play” button. Joseph Hoffman is entertaining and very kid-friendly. Lessons go at a nice, doable pace. Because they are recorded, you can go back and review as many times as you like, you can progress as quickly or slowly as you need to. Lessons are available 24/7, so you can plug in your piano lessons when they fit best in your schedule. All very convenient “perks”!
By the end of the first lesson, our daughter could play a song. What she learned was “Hot Cross Buns”…a very simple tune, but because she could say “I can play a song” it was immediately gratifying to her. A great move on Mr. Hoffman’s part. Even in the very first lessons, children are taught to think in terms of high and low notes and where they will occur on a musical staff later on.
Piano lesson fun!
At the end of the lessons, there is a little fun moment for the children to enjoy. Our daughter looks forward to these, and they serve as an incentive for her to stick with the session until the end. Another great, kid-friendly idea!
There are printed materials available for each Unit of study (for instance, Lessons 1-20 would comprise the first Unit). These printable materials support the concepts learned, and review important ideas. I highly recommend purchasing them to accompany the free lessons. They are extremely reasonable, at only $19 per Unit (or you can purchase the materials for all five units for just $85.50 by clicking here). Students learn in this first set of materials how to think in terms of note values, high and low, notes on a scale, and more.
Our daughter looks forward to every lesson with Mr. Hoffman. Click here to get started with Lesson 1!
Click here to sign up for their free newsletter which gives weekly Piano Parent Tips, as well as to receive the 5 Piano Parent Boot Camp emails. You’ll also get some Bonus Materials for Lesson 1, free!
Enjoy!
Note, I received a copy of the printed materials for Unit 1 free in exchange for an honest review.
Grammar is one of those things that most students find pretty boring. So, as homeschooling parents, we look for palatable ways to accomplish what we know needs to be done…covering the basics of grammar so that our students can express themselves well. I’m going to tell you about a tool which can help you reach this goal!
I first heard about Daily Grams from a missionary friend who had used it for her children. When we hit a road block with our current program, I decided to finally look into it.
I chose to use the Junior/Senior High version for our son, who is a freshman. He had battled with some reading disability through his earlier school years, so I was looking for something that would keep things fresh but without being cumbersome. Daily Grams did just that.
This level of Daily Grams is set up more as a review of what is learned in earlier grades. There is a worksheet for each day, featuring reviews on basic concepts like capitalization and punctuation (often requiring a re-write of a given sentence which includes some errors). There are also some simple exercises to remind students of the various parts of speech, as well as sentence combining sections which help with composition skills.
The information on a day’s worksheet is challenging enough not to be tedious, and varied enough to keep all of these aspects of grammar well-groomed. The workbook has 180 daily lessons in it…enough to carry a student through an entire school year. The answers are included in an index in the back of the workbook.
In doing these daily review pages, the teacher/parent can make note of skills which are a bit rusty and may require a bit of refreshing. I’ve found this to be a well-rounded, thorough (but concise) review workbook which reminds students of types of letters, types of sentences and clauses, subject/verb agreement, active/passive voice and more. It is not designed to teach a lesson (although some questions may provide a little “retrieval cue”) as much as it is to keep things sharp for the larger papers and projects which will be written during the upper level years.
I would recommend this product for students who have had a solid foundation in grammar. It will be frustrating for a teen who can’t define terms such as gerund or predicate nominative. A good grasp of more than just the basic parts of speech is a prerequisite to using this particular workbook. Check out the earlier levels of Easy Grammar by clicking here!
Note: I received a copy of the featured workbook in exchange for an honest review.
Our fabulous lesson planning superhero, Jason Pessemier of Lessontrek, is about to make your New Year fabulous!
We have had a great time during our “Homeschool Homestretch” event! So far we have been able to offer these encouragements to lucky winners in our group:
The Schoolin' Swag Blog 