Talking Fingers, Inc.- Read, Write, and Type Learning Systems

*Spoiler alert* I'm going to tell you up front that I love this computer product! But please,don't let that stop you from reading on, because there is more information ahead :)

Learning how to type has come a long way since I was a schoolgirl. It was actually an uncle who taught me how to properly position my hands over the keys, and while, yes, it got the job done, so to speak, it was rather, ho hum on the fun scale. Fast forward to the present, to the Read, Write, and Type Learning Systems by Talking Fingers, Inc..I first approached this as another typing product. But what makes this one unique is that it doesn't begin and end with typing. It also tackles reading, phonics, spelling, and word processing!

First of all, I was soo delighted that the volume level on this product is loud enough that the user is not required to find the darkest, quietest, most isolated part of the house in order to hear the directions - which has been an issue on occasion with other programs. I could even run the dishwasher and still hear everything- oh glory!

Being that this particular system is geared towards the younger set, it has some really cute, engaging characters. The whole program is set up for the user in a way that reminds me of a superhero theme. We first meet the typing facilitators, which are the right hand and left hand. They introduce us to the characters on the keyboard, and where they are located. Each character has its own story. My favorite,(and my daughter's favorite too) is the evil computer virus. He steals all of the characters. So begins the task of freeing the letters from the virus, and putting them back where they belong on the keyboard.

How do they do that? Well, with a little help from the animated hands, they read, sound out words, identify their sounds, read, and then type those words in a series of increasingly challenging activities

My girls loved watching the virus get more and more mad, until he would finally melt, or blow away, or meet some other silly fate.

Whenever a mistake is made, as will happen, the computer comes in with a prompt of what needs to be typed. In the beginning, the directions are repeated often, and as the child progresses, the directions are not automatically repeated anymore, it is assumed that with the previous experience, the child knows what to do. We adjusted to that easily - or my daughters did - and the instructions may still be heard by clicking the question mark on the screen if they forget where they are in the lesson.

After completing four "letter" lessons, a certificate is earned, and may be printed out. My girls were very proud of each of these little milestones. There are also progress reports for the parent to view, with a chart tracking each students progress in each category - reading, spelling, etc., and where that student is in the program - the current level, how many are completed, how many left to complete.

Interestingly enough, after working through all of these lessons, I would not consider my daughters fluent typists. Not even close, actually. It may be that the small motor skills that typing requires as you keep your fingers over the same basic keys, while reaching out to the other ones, still needs fine tuning. However, as I mentioned above, we're not talking about Talking Fingers only as a typing tutor, but as a reading, phonics, and spelling guide as well. So, looking at it from that perspective, I like the foundation that my daughters are getting in their keyboarding skills. They are learning the positioning of each hand and finger on the keyboard, so I know they are on their way to grasping the typing skills, and that they are having those other areas reinforced as well. And, quite honestly, they love it. I have never had to coerce them to do their lessons. I have even found myself "helping" them on occasion, just so I could play too!

The prices vary, depending on how many students will be signed up. When you purchase this system, you're purchasing a license for a set amount of time, which you may choose. You should check their website for that information. Each license allows one user.

I really think you'll find this a welcome addition to your homeschooling curriculum. Really, even if you don't homeschool, it provides a great education in several subjects at once. A wonderful selection for us multitasking moms. Now go, and check it out for yourself!

* In return for this resource, I agreed to write up a review for Talking Fingers,Inc. with no additional compensation.

Talking Fingers, Inc. -Read, Write, and Type

830 Rincon Way

San Rafael, California

Phone: 415-472-3103

Toll Free: 1-800-674-9126

E-mail: contact@talkingfingers.com

Age: 6-9 years old

Price: Varies according to amount of users and license duration. Check website for details.

I See Cards - Pyramath

Math is one of those subjects that automatically makes me break out in a sweat. I know that I'm not alone here. As a child, I had many different math teachers, some really good, some very bad. Unfortunately, I tend to remember the less than kind remarks other than the praise. Because of this, I've tried to be intentional about doing everything possible to make learning math a positive experience for my kids. Which brings me to this month's featured resource - Pyramath, from I See Cards.

In teaching math, I have enthusiastically added counters, file folder games, fun worksheets, etc. to make the subject more palatable for my girls. As with most people, we've had varying degrees of success with each one. Enter Pyramath cards, an intriguing card game for anyone, age K and up, and allows play for 1 person or an entire class.
This card game is so versatile. I was amazed at the seemingly endless ways to play the game. Let me start by saying that the object of the game is to be the first player to build your cards into a pyramid, thus the name... catchy, yes?

Okay, so whether you're working with 1 child, or 10, there is a game variation available. There's solitaire, my favorite, the basic 2 player standard, pyramid for a class, pyramath speed, and actually, quite a few more. You can check out the website for a complete list. No matter how many play, the stategy remains the same. How to begin? Glad you asked! The dealer shuffles the deck, and places 7 cards face up, side by side. The cards are numbered on each side so each player or team can see them. (Side note- each card also has the written word in addition to the numeral in several languages. Bonus learning feature! ) The remaining cards are placed in the middle. The first player chooses a card and sees if it can be played between any 2 of the cards lined up in the row. A card is played by adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing. If the card is playable, the first player continues. Otherwise, the next player takes a turn. Play continues until someone completes their pyramid.

It's no secret in our family that our oldest is not exactly in love with math as a subject. However, all I had to say was math game, and her interest was piqued! My children love, love, love to play games! The best part for me is that you can play according to your child's ability. I love this card game for reviewing our current math facts. It's also great that it isn't necessary to wait for enough people to play, because no matter who's available, it's game time.

So, if you're in the kitchen preparing a meal and your child wants to play, she can. Or, if it's game night, and your family of six wants to play, divide into 2 teams and get started.

I feel that I must warn you, though, that pyramath has the potential to become very addicting!

I think you'll find that you're sharpening your own math skills as your kids are learning. Such a simple resource, such a great find. On top of everything else, it's among the most affordable products on the market. From my family to yours, two thumbs up all the way!

I See Cards - Pyramath

http://www.pyramath.com/

Price - $6.95 per deck

Age Range - K +

Time 4 Learning

I don't know about your children, but my daughters are always asking to play a game on the computer, so when I learned that we would be trying out the Time 4 Learning program, I knew that they would be pleased.

Let me begin by sharing a little bit about Time 4 learning. First of all, it is a computer based program for children in preschool up to 8th grade, and offers lessons in subjects like language arts, math, science and social studies, and includes various lesson extenders and games, not to mention the computer skills that will be learned along the way. You purchase a monthly subscription (prices occasionally change, so check the website for current information), that may be canceled at anytime, and they offer an initial 2 week money back guarantee if you are unsatisfied with the program.

Each child has his/her own password to log in, with the younger ones checking in to the lower level and the older ones checking in to the upper level.

One of the nicer aspects of this program is that it is customized to your child's level of ability. Prior to starting the lessons, you, the parent, will select the various skills that your child has mastered, and Time 4 Learning will then choose the appropriate level for them. Additionally, as your child begins to work, if you find that the subject matter is either too easy or too difficult, you have access to one level above or one level below the one you 're using. There is also the option of changing the level permanently should it become necessary.

Okay, so you've logged in, now what does a typical lesson look like? Well, you'll notice a little timer at the upper right side of the screen. For my kindergartener's level, it begins counting backward from 15 minutes. This will help you keep track of the length of your lessons. Your child may pick from the menu of subjects- and there are many to choose from! Highlighted arrows then guide your student through the sequence of events as they complete the lesson. Upon completion of certain subjects, you'll find that there is a quiz or a test to take.

It's easy to track improvement with the progress reports. The program allows you to either check in on the computer, or print them out for your portfolio. You can then see in what areas you need to review, if any, or perhaps increase the level of difficulty.

Some of you may be wondering how to figure out how many activities to include in your school day every week. Well, there are quite a few to choose from, but never fear! Once again, they've done the hard work for us. If you click on the tab for lesson planning, you'll find that by simply plugging in the number of activities per subject, you will easily be able to divide them up for each week.

I would guess that the favorite part of each lesson for your kids- if they're like my own, is the computer games. Time 4 Learning has included a playground section with a fun selection of games to play. A good incentive for them to complete their schoolwork.

Already you're probably agreeing that this resource offers so much, but there's still more! A parent forum is available to meet and share with other parents, ask questions, encourage each other, etc.. If you find that there is an issue or a problem that you simply cannot get an answer for, then Time 4 Learning is available by phone or e-mail to assist.

As with so much of the curriculum and various resources that homeschool parents use, there can be too much information to keep track of, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed or even just forget where to find specific information. To help with this, every time you log in, you'll see a tab called Getting Started. Everything you need to remember may be found here. Also very useful is the Hints and Help tab, for technical issues and program hints.

That should provide an adequate overview, now for perhaps the most important part of this review, our family's sentiments regarding this product.

I mentioned earlier that I knew that my children would enjoy reviewing this product, and did they ever! There has not been a day where they have not requested- many times- to take their turn on the computer. And why wouldn't they? Time 4 Learning offers colorful characters, fun games and songs, "painting pages", stories, all while learning concepts that might otherwise be on the mundane side of things. As for the success of the material, my youngest was spouting off her newfound knowledge of language arts as we shopped for groceries. It's been an effective educational tool for us!

My purpose in trying this out is to provide my honest opinion. So, in light of that, I do need to bring up a few aspects that made using this a challenge.

The programs were child friendly, allowing my kids to work mostly independently. But occasionally there would be a part of the lesson where the directions were unclear, and sometimes downright confusing for all of us. As a result, there were times where my daughter would get an answer wrong, although she did know the material.

Logging out presented another source of frustration. The program did not provide a way to exit without completely getting offline, which posed a challenge when it was the next child's turn, as I had to reboot everything.

I guess the question is, would I recommend Time 4 Learning? My answer would be yes, I would. The issues are minor, in my opinion, and the product has been effective in teaching my daughters material that might otherwise be a bit tedious to learn. Also, the kids have clamored to use it, and make a noise when their time is up, which isn't the worst thing in the world, you know what I mean?

Time 4 Learning

time4learning.com

Phone: 954.771.0914

E-Mail: info@time4learning.com

Age Range: Preschool - 8th Grade

Price: Monthly Subscription - prices occasionally change- check website for current information

Homeschooling is a Labor of Love

Our family's decision to homeschool was made even before our children were of school age. While I knew of a few friends, and even some family members, who homeschooled their children, I knew very little about the subject. So began my search throughout the library, bookstores, and other various booksales to gather as much information as I could to see if indeed, we were being called to embark upon this homeschooling journey. It was at one such bookstore where I happened to come across a copy of The Old Schoolhouse magazine. What? A magazine for homeschoolers? And it's Christ honoring? I was sold!

As I made my way through the pages of TOS, I found myself encouraged, admonished, inspired- what other adjectives can I use? I'm telling you, this magazine has everything a busy homeschooling parent is looking for; ideas for unit studies, encouragement in light of the issues specific to these parents, recipes, so much information on the best and latest curriculum and other resources, contests, and much, much more, and the best part is, that TOS puts its focus on our homeschooling families loving and serving Christ, and teaching our children to do the same.

Without fail, I have felt my spirit lift with each new subscription that I read, and I feel a connection to the other homeschoolers who are walking the same educational path that I am. Why am I telling you all of this? Well, read on...

We know how seriously homeschooling parents take their conviction to homeschool. Our "Labor of Love" subscription sale is a celebration of the committment to homeschool, and we want you to know all about it!

The Old Schoolhouse magazine is extending an extraordinary subscription offer to homeschooling families. Receive a one-year print subscription for just $7.95 or a one-year plus current issue subscription for $12.95. One-year subscriptions start with the winter issue. The one-year plus current issue starts with the fall issue. Only 5000 of these special subscriptions are available from August 31 through midnight on September 15. Once the 5000 are gone, they're gone! Hurry and grab this crazy price today!

http://www.theoldschoolhousemagazine.com/homeschool/Labor-of-Love.htm



* note* - I wrote this post with the intention of promoting The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. In return, I am receiving Fall Expo To Go for free.

Peterson Directed Handwriting

This past month, I was given a copy of the Peterson Directed Handwriting print step 1, 2, and 3, in exchange for my honest review of it. Up until learning about and using this product with my family, I had no idea how much research could go into teaching handwriting- what I assumed was a simple task. This program is not like most of the others available on the market. It goes way beyond providing pages of copywork and pencils or crayons and having the little ones trace away the day. Oh no! I have to admit though, that at first, I was skeptical.Why would going through all of these extra steps produce better results than the handwriting curriculum I had previously used? Well, let me tell you...

Peterson Directed Handwriting includes 4 objectives:

1.) Internalizing the sequence of movements for handwriting

2.) Learning to write smoothly

3.) Improve control

4.) Improve fluency

As I mentioned before, I was skeptical at first, and reluctant to put down my tracing pencil and try this method. Then, I checked out their website explaining the science of handwriting, not to mention all of the research that went into the planning of this program. I would encourage everyone to take a look at it too, before you make up your mind.

http://www.peterson-handwriting.com/Info.html

Moving on now, the main goal here is to produce within your child's writing, smooth, rhythmic movement. You are to begin this process by first "illustrating and describing" as the instructions put it. Print step 1 - and the others too- include color coded pages to demonstrate where to begin, and in what order the writing strokes should be made. So, you begin at the starting dot, and as you make the movement with your finger, you also say out loud the movement. For example, if I was teaching how to write number 5, I would say, "small down, roll around, slide" as I followed the lines with my finger.

The next step is air-writing. I think that is pretty self explanatory. Then comes finger tracing, and only after all of that does the child move on to actually writing the letter itself. You probably understand by now that this resource is more time consuming than a lot of the others out there, and it is. However, if the goal is to provide a strong foundation for the many years of writing ahead, then you may find it is well worth the effort.

I was convinced enough after viewing all of their information on the why's and how's to jump right in with my own daughters. How did it go? Well, quite honestly, I've had mixed results. We all know that kids are not cookie cutters, and what works for one may not for the other, etc... I tried it first with my youngest, who has just started kindergarten. She has been the most receptive of the two, mostly, I think, because she has had really no other instruction. I'm not discounting how her personality factors in to the equation though, because she is more physical and chatty, and therefore took to the verbal part of it all, and the air-writing,fairly enthusiastically. In fact, she really enjoyed the chanting aspect of the instruction, and it did seem to help her internalize what she needed to do when she actually began writing the letters and numbers.

My eldest daughter, on the other hand, was a little more challenged by this new method. Having learned how to write in what is probably the most traditional form, she repeatedly told me that she already new how to write, so why did she need to learn everything again? Well, I did not give up, and she has warmed up to it a little bit. We've used various silly voices as we say the directions out loud together, as well as air-write not only with our fingers, but our feet, noses, elbows, you get it, right? Initially, she wasn't thrilled about the out loud chanting of the instructions either. She tends to be a bit self conscious, but as long as I say it with her, most of the time she's receptive. Really, I think it's good for her to relearn some of this anyway. I appreciate the attention to detail as far as things like the paper position and pencil grip. They're just good exercises in the discipline.

My family has only worked with the print step 1, 2, and 3, but there are other resources available from this company to use in conjunction wh the program. These include pencil grips, sticky backed paper positioning guides and animated letter cards. You can check the website for the various prices.

What really impressed me as I went about learning how to implement these, was the excellent customer service. I cannot say enough good things about Rand Nelson, who created the program, and his willingness to do everything in his power to make this product work for you. He and his team are very accomodating to whatever your particular needs may be. In fact, when you first get on their website, you'll see that there are live meetings available pretty much whenever you need them. They want you to use their product, but more importantly, they want you to succeed in your teaching.

I've been back and forth as we've used this product, but overall, I like it and would recommend it, although I would say that I think it might be best for those children who have had no prior instruction in handwriting. Then you may save yourself the trouble of forgetting old ways of instruction, and learning the new ones. At the very least, I would advise anyone who is looking for a program like this to stop and take a look at Peterson's material, their research, and sit in on a web meeting. It's well worth the time.

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Print Step 1, Print Step 2, Print Step 3 - $19.95 each

Phone: 724.837.4900

Fax: 724.836.4110

315 S. Maple Ave.

Greensburg, PA 15601

Join the Schoolhouse Expo!

It's back to homeschool time and registration is open for the online Schoolhouse Expo, October 4-8. It's 5 days of top homeschool speakers,fellowship, and fun door prizes.

Save $5 per ticket! Register between August 16 and midnight August 22, and you'll pay only $19.99. Plus you'll receive over $200 in free E-Books.

You'll be inspired by speakers including: Zan Tyler, Dr. Jay Wile, Jeannie Fulbright, Carol Barnier, Diana Waring, Todd Wilson, Davis Carman, Kim Kautzer, Lee Binz, and many more!

A special teen track is planned--the entire family will definitely want to listen to these special sessions. We've also planned a special focus on a topic that touches every homeschool--writing.Plus, an array of other topics that will inform and inspire you throughout your homeschooling years.

Don't forget, MP3 copies of each session comes with your live event ticket.

Two special preconference shows on August 24 and September 21 with Dr. Jay Wile, Jeannie Fulbright, and Kim Kautzer!

Register starting 12:01 a.m. on Monday, August 16.

The theme this fall is "Celebrate Homeschooling!" We're going to celebrate the unique blessings of homeschooling, the beginning of another school year, our families, and the freedom to tailor our children's education to best meet their needs.

If you cannot make the Live event, then the October Expo To Go is just your ticket! You'll reserve MP3's from all of the workshops. This week only, pay just $14.95!

You can visit either of these links to get more information.

http://www.SchoolhouseExpo.com/

or

http://bit.ly/aWHFiL

* Note - I received Expo To Go free in exchange for promoting this event.

It's Here! The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner

Note: As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew for the 2010-11 year, I have reviewed the 2010 Schoolhouse Planner with the intention to promote it.

It was one of those days. You know the kind I'm speaking of. From the moment you wake, you just sense a storm brewing in the day ahead. Actually, saying that I awoke suggests that I had been sleeping, when in fact, our youngest , (who, by the way, has felt from her birth that mommy never needs more than 3 hours of sleep at a time) had once again spent the night traipsing up and down the stairs between our rooms for various "emergencies"- can't sleep, a drink, bad dream, etc.. Anyway, I'd like to say that, as CeCe cheerfully bounced back into the room again at 6a.m., and my dear husband kissed me goodbye to go to work( the lucky duck), I enthusiastically greeted her, made the beds, prepared a delightful and healthy breakfast for both of my sweet angels, tidied the house, threw in a load of laundry, had a meaningful devotional time with them and then dove into an exciting day of learning- a well rounded curriculum including Spanish, history, art, math, reading, and science, with some P.E. thrown in. It's alright, I can wait until you're done laughing. I'm sure you've already figured out that my day DID NOT go that route. Here's how the morning actually played out; rewind to CeCe entering our room, AGAIN. The first thing I see as I open my very tired eyes is my youngest sweetie's smiling face, 1 inch from my nose, asking, "Are you getting up yet?" I mumble a grouchy yes, at which point the little darling launches into random conversation about, well, everything. I make the bed, make my way upstairs where I discover an accident needing cleaning up from our dog, toys strewn about the floor, and scattered bits of chewed up crayons, which aforementioned dog has enjoyed munching. Our oldest daughter sits at a table in her room, coloring. Seeing me, she offers a cheerful "hello Mommy". Walk into the kitchen, where a sinkful of dishes greet me, ( I really meant to take care of those last night). Complaints come my way fast and furious as I set the bowl of cereal ( which they could not get enough of the day before, but now sits untouched and rejected) before them. Hoping for 10 minutes of peace- and distraction- so I can get it together, I flip on the t.v. (for an educational program naturally). So begins the fight between my daughters over which show to watch. The voices get louder, mine included, my head is already pounding, and I look outside (longingly) at the passing schoolbus. Forget the kids, put me on the bus!

But then, the most wonderful thing happened. As I logged on to my computer, there it was, waiting for me, the solution to all of my homeschool challenges, hey the solution to all of my household needs! Oh joy, the new 2010 TOS Homeschool planner! It's here! It was like the heavens opened, and a great light shone into my lowly kitchen onto my computer! Can't you hear the angels singing? Alright, alright, so I'm a bit dramatic, but honestly, I did clap my hands together and squeal yaayy! I also may have jumped up and down, but anyway, let me share with you why this planner has me so excited.

Okay, so you already know that my purpose here is to plug the new 2010 Schoolhouse Planner, so it's a given that I'm going to rave about it. But seriously, it is such a wonderful tool, I promise you it lives up to the hype. Now, with over 500 pages, there simply is not nearly enough room here to share everything. Therefore, I'm picking out some of my favorites to talk about. The beginning is a good place to start, right? There are several years worth of calendars here, with ones that have year at a glance, and then broken down into weeks and days. It doesn't stop there though, because each month includes articles, recipes (including gluten free ones), organizational tips, seasonal activities, and various TOS resources.

Every family differs in the ages and stages of their children, and there are activities and information sheets to meet each specific area. If you have preschoolers, there are alphabet coloring pages, educational activities, and a place to record them. Likewise, if you have high schoolers, there are transcript pages, test score sheets, tracking logs, community service project logs, and extracurricular activities logs. For every age in between, there are bible reading schedules, journaling pages, field trip logs, report cards, progress reports, homeschool requirements for your specific state. That's a lot right there, isn't it? Let's add some more then, curriculum forms, yearly goals and planning, educational objectives - and there is so much more that hasn't been mentioned!

There are around 50 pages of miscellaneous educational info sheets for your printing pleasure. Just a few - 13 colonies, branches of the gov., cloud types, the miracles and parables of Jesus, letter writing tips, U.S. presidents, countries and capitals, various conversion charts. Do you belong to a co-op? The info and planning pages are right here. Going to several homeschool conventions? Here's a place to record all of your important stuff.

Are you sold yet? Wait there's more! (giggle) The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner has so many additional forms for ... everything! Bible memory work? Check. Library due dates list? Check. Attendance charts? It's all here. They've even included a ton of stuff for all of your home repair projects, finances, grocery planning, emergency information, and on and on. Whew!

One of the greatest aspects of this planner is that it allows the owner to customize it according to his/her specific needs. You can print the entire book out, or just those that you need. It even allows you to use it on the computer if your desire is to be paper free. As for me, I'm printing off 3 months at a time, enough for me to plan ahead a bit, plus a few of the daily/weekly schedules, the grocery and budget lists, and I've got my eye on a few of those yummy recipes for the next few weeks. I'm thinking Indonesian Pork, Peanut Butter Cookies, and Cheesy Burger Croissants!

So there you have it in a nutshell, but you really must pick one up for yourself and see why I'm so excited about the 2010 Schoolhouse Planner. The price is right, it's customizable, you simply won't find a better planner around. C'mon, get over to The Old Schoolhouse Store and get it now! Look forward to chatting again soon,

- Laurie

The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine,LLC

Price: $39.00

Phone# 1-888-718-HOME