review – Page 5

Princess Cut from Watchman Pictures: A TOS Crew Review

April 11, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

Family friendly films are sometimes hard to find. I’m excited to see a resurgence of this genre in theaters and on the small screen. We are extremely cautious about what our daughters watch. This is not only because of the language and violence, which is an extreme problem. We are also concerned about how women and love are portrayed in fictional stories. We watch very little live tv and when we do we often turn the tv off during commercials because even they objectify women and promote a value system completely opposite from our own.

I was interested in the opportunity we had to view Princess Cut from Watchman Pictures. The premise definitely intrigued me.

The story opens with a young girl, Grace, looking for love in all the wrong places. While many well-known love stories start this way, this one goes a completely different route from most mainstream films. Grace begins a new relationship which concerns her parents. She is given advice from sources which are completely opposite from her parents who are striving to raise their children with a biblical worldview. After this advice goes badly, she finally talks to her parents who give some guidance about growing close to the Lord rather than just seeking someone to marry.

I thought her love interest would be someone completely different than it turned out to be. I actually kind of liked the guy she started to date at the beginning. He was not portrayed as creepy or weird until Grace turned down his physical advances. I’m glad the movie took this approach. Usually you don’t like the guy you aren’t supposed to from the start. This really shows that you must be discerning and listen to wise council. Just because a guy seems nice doesn’t mean he is! I want my girls to be discerning so they are not manipulated in their future relationships.

I like that the idea of faith plated a pivotal role. Still, this is not a preachy film. There were minimal references to Scripture, but biblical themes still ran throughout. I’m a Christian and very serious about my faith, but “preachy” films annoy me.

While I really did love the message and themes presented throughout this movie, the plot felt pretty slow. Some of the conversations and wording in extremely serious moments felt forced and unnatural. Grace’s character was very genuine and I liked her very much, as well as her youngest brother who provided some fun light comedic moments. One funny spot was when he places an ad in the newspaper to get his sister a guy and all sorts of weirdos show up!

It would be a great family movie night if your kids are a little older. If they are still in the cartoon phase most of the time they probably won’t really be into it though. I believe my 12 and 10-year-old would like this one, but probably not my youngest who is eight.

Check out the trailer!

My final assessment is it is definitely worth checking this out if you are a fan of faith-based films!

Check out what my Crewmates have to say!

Deceivers: A New Book Review Crew at New Leaf Publishing Review

April 9, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

We live in a world of deception. The prince of this world thrives upon deception and our culture has done more than merely accept it, it is glorified and honored through media and pop culture. So how do we wade through the mire of lies and falsehood presented to us in a constant stream? Deceivers: Exposing Evil Seducers & Their Last Days Deception, a new title from New Leaf Publishing Group, is a collection edited by Terry James and written by a variety of authors. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of religious and social deceptions around us offering unique perspectives and approaches.

Sometimes we have a hard time discerning truth in our culture. A good lie sounds appealing, it is something we want to accept. It usually contains an element of truth, but is wrapped up in packing of falsehood. It is especially difficult if you do not have years of experience walking out your faith. In these pages you will identify the deceit presented as “religion” and be better equipped to recognize it.

Prepare yourself: A lot of incredibly trendy names from the 1990s through today and named as falsely teaching the gospel in the first chapter. While I am in no way opposed to this naming I felt the it was perhaps too focused on this. I was not surprised by who was listed or what was stated because I already had come to those conclusions myself. If someone is coming out of the emergent church movement or prosperity gospel movements this could be extremely helpful, but I would have appreciated a bit more Scripture to help back up the statements.

Subsequent chapters contain a bit more practical information although I am cautious to accept all that is written here as absolute fact, especially the chapter concerning prophecies. It is very important to study biblical prophecy of the end times and it is equally important to recognize we are living in the “last days”, but I believe the authors of prophecy, especially in the New Testament, firmly believed they too were seeing signs of the end times and that Christ’s return was imminent. I’m cautious anytime a current teacher assigns particular current events to specific prophecies in Scripture. They may be correct, but they may not.

The chapters I liked best were ch 4-6: Cultural Craftiness, Tracking Truth in Deceptive Times, and The Schoolroom Seducers. These particular chapters contained the most practical information as well as what I felt was the most biblical backing without adding personal opinion as fact to the mix.

One chapter left me feeling rather uncomfortable and a bit confused. It focused heavily on UFO sightings and reports of animal mutilation. The final conclusions in this chapter were that all of these events are actually satanic occurrences carried out by the ancient false gods of the Old Testament and many ancient cultures that require blood sacrifice. I believe the author of this chapter contends that this is part of the spiritual warfare occurring in a realm just beyond our own we cannot fully behold. I absolutely believe in spiritual warfare as the Bible teaches, but this particular chapter left me with little conclusion to the UFO sightings and supposed abductions.

Overall there is some good information in this book, but I was not as pleased with it as I usually am with titles from New Leaf Publishing. Too many chapters dealt with author opinions, but stated as fact without much for biblical backing. I would be cautious to recommend this particular book in its entirety even though some chapters were useful and of great benefit.

Chemistry: A New Book Review Crew at NLPG review

April 7, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

My worst memory of high school was my chemistry class. Honestly, I don’t remember very much about this course except that I hated going to the point that I would make myself sick. My teacher was from another country as a part of a teacher-exchange program. He told my honors class we were stupid idiots multiple times a day, every day, for an entire year. I was afraid to ask questions and he gave us spelling tests because he said American schools were stupid. Yea, I didn’t come out of that learning very much chemistry!

Currently my daughters are taking a weekly science class which makes my heart extremely happy. One less thing off my plate, they are learning in a safe and God-fearing environment, and they are collaborating with peers with the one subject I think that particular skill is highly valuable. Still, this class ends with Middle School and I am looking ahead to what we will do for high school. I’m very excited to have the opportunity to review the student edition go Chemistry by Dr. Dennis Englin from Master Books (A Division of New Leaf Publishing Group).

First of all, this book is intriguingly beautiful! The cover is only the beginning. When my youngest daughter saw this she said, “Oh! Are you going to learn how to make clouds?” Let me assure you the inside of the text is just as lovely! The illustrations and photographs are gorgeous!

The content of this text is as lovely as the illustrations. Beyond a few element symbols, whatever I learned during that horrific year of chemistry did not stick. I was a little bit intimidated opening this book initially. What if I was completely confused? There is no way I could guide my daughter through this course on the knowledge I have. I shouldn’t have been nervous at all! The conversational style of writing really kept me interested! I haven’t gotten through the complete text yet, but I plan to by the end of the summer!

There are experiments throughout each unit to help understand the concepts. Hands-on is always the best way! These experiments can absolutely be done in the home, but being a high school level course, expect the need to purchase high-school level equipment. Some of the items will be found around the house like food coloring and vinegar, but other such as balances and weights or a molecular model kit will probably need to be purchased. I personally feel this to be a valuable investment which will aid your student’s learning as much as math manipulatives do in early math instruction. Don’t skimp on the important things!

The teacher guide provides lesson plans, scheduling help, quizzes, and tests to give a full years-worth of high quality high school science. You can rest assured your student will have a wonderful foundation of chemistry once completed.

As with all of the Master Books’ materials the quality of the science taught is paired with a biblical worldview of creation. This is as important to our family as the quality of the material. Biblical connections and seeing creation through that lens while still providing interesting and quality material is sometimes difficult to find. You will be very pleased with this particular study through chemistry!

Disclaimer: I received this title in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Snow Unit Study & Pine Trees from Creation Illustrated: A TOS Crew Review

April 2, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

Our family has a traditional boxed curriculum we use regularly, but every few weeks we need to do something different. We need a change of pace so we don’t become too routine or bored with what we are working through. I love using unit studies for this purpose. I was incredibly excited to use two unit studies (Snow Unit Study and Pine Trees) from Creation Illustrated for my girls. Rose (12) and Beth (10) worked through these studies and enjoyed them very much! My favorite part of these studies was the Scripture study. I really like that there is a list of Bible verses for the kids to look up and see what the Bible had to say about the particular subject matter studied.

Rose (7th grade) – Pine Trees
Rose worked through the study on pine trees. She used the Fall ’17 Digital Edition of Creation Illustrated for her study. Throughout this study She learned about the intricicies of these majestic trees. Living in North Carolina this was the perfect time to study this particular tree. We are observing their rather annoying explosion of yellow pollen currently, but understanding them better makes it a little less annoying! The Bible portion of this study had Rose determine whether the reference was to a pine tree or a fir tree. The explanation of the Hebrew word was incredibly interesting and helpful in understanding the verses better. She loves learning about biblical languages anyway, so I liked this a lot.

Beth (5th grade) – Snow

Beth worked through the study on snow. She used the Winter ’18 Digital Edition of Creation Illustrated for her study. We love a good snowfall although it can we don’t enjoy it all the time. Beth really enjoyed all of the word activities and I was excited about the mathematics section. This is the perfect kind of study for use when we take a break from the ordinary because its interdisciplinary nature covers everything!

In the study Beth determined whether the reference to snow was being used figuratively or literally. That is a pretty advanced line of thinking for her, but she completed this section very easily.

In addition to learning the scientific information there is also mathematics, a word study, and a Bible study! The world is telling our children to ignore everything they may have been taught about the beginnings of time. We are scoffed and mocked as ignorant at best and deceitful at worst for believing in a literal Genesis account of Creation. We constantly weigh the resources available to us for world-view and perspective. We use many resources which do not hold the same world-view as we do, but when we find something that teaches science from the perspective that God is the Creator, it is golden. This magazine is beautifully crafted and scientifically accurate while maintaining the absolute authority of God and His Word. I highly recommend this new-to-us resource and am excited to see it available as a digital magazine! Here is a sneak peek at the spring issue!

Take a look at what my Crewmates have to say!

Answers for Homeschooling: A NLPG Book Review

February 18, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

Homeschool moms face a barrage of questions. When you are just beginning, this can lead to an enormous amount of self-examination and questioning the decision you felt was best for your family when you made it. It can be tempting to respond with snarky answers to those who ask things like, “How can you be qualified to teach?” or, “What about socialization?” There are some hilarious blogs and vlogs geared in this manner, but my experience has been most of the time these questions are genuine curiosity. Even if you get tired of answering the same thing over and over, remember many people asking you may never have encountered a homeschool family. Wouldn’t it be nice to leave them with a pleasant memory? Israel Wayne‘s book, Answers for Homeschooling: Top 25 Questions Critics Ask, will not only help answer some of your questions, but give you a good resource so you can articulate accurate and kind answers to those who question or critique your choice!

Israel Wayne is a well-known author and speaker in the homeschool community. His mother was one of the pioneers of the homeschooling movement before it was legal in every state. He and his wife, Brooke, have homeschooled their own children and his personal experience as both a homeschooler and homeschool parent provides a wealth of information for those of us newer to the scene. His writing is clear, factual, and compelling. It is evident he is not only knowledgeable about the homeschooling community, but also passionate to support families in their endeavor to home educate their children. The most important part about the Wayne’s writing is his biblical world-view. When confronted on-the-spot with uncomfortable questions it can be hard to remember God called us to this season. With this book you can have a few Scriptures tucked in the back of your mind to help you navigate some of your answers, even to those who don’t know or follow the Lord.

I live in a more diverse community in which homeschooling does not appear as quirky as other locations around the country. Most of our encounters with non-homeschoolers is positive and many tell me their children have asked them to homeschool at one point or another. Still, I believe all 25 questions have been addressed to me at one point or another by friends, family, and strangers! Sometimes people aren’t questioning me, but their own ability to teach their children. I love encouraging parents that they do have the ability if they want it!

One of my favorite chapters was entitled, Do You Know What Causes That? Believe it or not, our little family of 5 has been asked this very thing. I never have felt like we had a so-called large family until I encountered questions like these or other unknowingly rude comments. Again, I don’t believe this kind of question is necessarily intended maliciously, but it can be very uncomfortable especially when asked in front of your own children. I appreciated the biblical reminders of just how precious children are to the Lord and therefore ought to be to me. It’s not a common view. Based on many blogs and articles I’ve read online many in my generation don’t exactly seem to appreciate or even like their children. I don’t doubt they love them, but they are more interested in pursuing their own interests and desires. I often see this when I’m out shopping with my kids as well. We don’t have a perfect little family where we all get along every minute of the day, but generally speaking we really enjoy each other’s company!

Whether you are a newbie to the homeschooling community or have been at this a while, this title will be a great encouragement to you. You may even find a grounded answer to these questions which never occurred to you before!

Disclaimer: I received this title as a part of the New Book Review Crew at NLPG. I did not receive any compensation for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Books I and II in the Remnant Trilogy: A New Leaf Publishing Group Review

February 1, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

I love reading a good book. The written word captures my imagination and draws me into new worlds like nothing else! These days my free-time is limited, so when I read I only want to read quality literature that is also going to be edifying. I also love historical fiction, but didn’t really delve into biblical literature until the last year or so. I have found that I really love it!

I was very excited to have the chance to review the first two novels in the Remnant Trilogy by Tim Chaffey & K. Marie Adams and published by New Leaf Publishing Group. Everything I’ve read from New Leaf Publishing previously has been nonfiction in nature. The writing is always engaging and keeps my interest and I was excited to give these fiction reads a try. I am pleased to say I was definitely not disappointed! I was captivated from the start and am greatly anticipating the third in this series!

You might wonder, as I did, how in the world could there be enough about the life of Noah to require three entire books! There are only a few short chapters in the Old Testament and a handful of verses in the New concerning this man of God in Scripture. I was warily curious initially. I have read plenty of historical fiction which took way too many liberties with the facts. This irritates me to no end! I’m fine with a little creative license to fill in the gaps, but not at the expense of historical facts. I am pleased to say these novels do nothing that contradicts Scripture. Don’t get me wrong, the authors absolutely take creative license, but in a beautifully artistic way that does not take away from the Word of God. It was really fun to imagine along with the authors what Noah’s life may have been like, what his relationship with his parents or siblings may have been, more details about the society. It was so much fun to imagine the possibilities! I don’t want to give away the stories, but if you like biblical fiction you will really enjoy these reads!

In addition to a really great story-line there are some other features of these books you won’t want to miss. There are several sections at the end of the novel that provide further information I found completely fascinating. The first is a section intended to answer questions which you may have as you read the novel. They are focused on the apologetic side of faith and they are very well explained. This could provide some wonderful discussion for a book club.

Because the novel intentionally breaks stereotypes many believers have about Noah which aren’t actually grounded in Scripture, the next section is very helpful in detailing what is found in Scripture. To be honest, there isn’t that much concerning the life and times of Noah in the Bible so having this factual list really helps clear some of that up, showing where the authors greatly used their imaginations.

The final section is incredibly fascinating if you have had or plan to have the opportunity to visit the Ark Encounter! There is a fabulous list of details found in the novel which you can see in the various exhibits on the Ark. We had the opportunity to visit the Ark Encounter in May. It was an incredible experience. Reading this novel makes me want to go back and take it with me to find all of these elements!

You won’t be disappointed by this novel. I also would encourage middle school and high school students to read this as well. This would make an excellent read alongside your studies in apologetics!

Disclaimer: I received digital copies of Books I and II in The Remnant Trilogy from New Leap Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Review of Historical Stories of Survival Unit Studies

January 13, 2018 Grace-Filled Writer

In our family history and literature are the core of our studies. It is always exciting when the two overlap and the girls get to see interdisciplinary learning at its best! This is the case with the Historical Stories of Survival series of unit studies written by Justine Gamble.

We had the opportunity to review the following two studies:

I Survived Curriculum – Historical Stories of Survival Unit 5 Surviving The Great San Francisco Earthquake 1906

I Survived Curriculum – Historical Stories of Survival Unit 13 Surviving Hurricane Katrina – 2005

We already owned several of these engaging historical fiction books, but they are readily available at libraries across the nation. They are enjoyable for a wide variety of ages. While they are recommended for grades 3-5, my 2nd grader was fully engaged and my 7th grader finds them enjoyable. If you think your kids are not quite ready for the reading level they also make very engaging read aloud books which would work very well for these units for family learning.

Thanks to these fabulous unit studies, the book is only the beginning! The author has created a fully integrated unit study with varied learning style activities which will appeal to a large age range. I used them as independent studies for Beth and Grace. Beth studied about Hurricane Katrina and Grace studied about the San Francisco Earthquakes. My girls did fine with the stories, but remember they are fictional survival stories of historical tragedies. The idea of death as well as natural disasters and man-made tragedies are explored. You should absolutely take into account the sensitivities of each child when choosing a study.

I love that the literature is fully covered. Students identify various literary elements and write about different aspects within the novel. This is compiled into a lapbook. Lapbooks aren’t a regular part of our day-to-day learning so the girls really enjoy it when they get the chance to create one. Guided literature questions will assure your students are retaining what they read and vocabulary/spelling lists will help them build their skills with word usage.

In addition to the literary elements there are excellent questions guiding students to learn more about the historical period and scientific investigations to engage the learners in the science behind the disasters. Students will create timelines, learn about the cultural and social aspects of the times studied, and learn about the geographical region of the novel. My girls had the chance to learn more about earth quakes and hurricanes, two really fascinating natural disasters! Hurricanes were especially interesting to Grace because her grandparent’s had just spend time preparing for one that came through South Florida.

Grace’s only concern was if she had to fill up all the space provided. That is the wonderful flexibility of this unit study! You can have your kids write as much or as little as is appropriate. This makes is a great fit no matter the age. She is in 2nd grade, but is advanced because she has a later birthday. Still, she gets overwhelmed with too much blank space on a page. I easily fixed this by marking the lines part-way down and telling her where she needed to aim.

The girls’ favorite part far and away were the games included! I had the girls cut and prepare the games for each of their units. This built up quite a bit of anticipation by doing it themselves! For Grace’s game we grabbed some game pieces from another game to be our “people”.

They also played together! The really cool part about this was that since each of them studied a different historical event, they spent time explaining various historical facts through the game-play. I never told them to do this, but it was an excellent way to assess their actual learning as I listened to the interaction. I played as well and they loved that I participated!

In addition to the games each unit also has suggested field trip ideas and several artistic creations which can engage those students who love hands-on learning.

If you are looking for a new way to spice up your homeschool studies or even just as a new way to engage with literature, I highly recommend Historical Stories of Survival from Justine Gamble. Your kids will love learning as they dive into any one of these studies!

Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of each of these units for use with my family for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Weave Your Word in Me — Part 1 from Kid Niche Christian Books: A TOS Crew Review

October 23, 2017 Grace-Filled Writer

Our family has committed to raising our daughters with God’s Word as our guide. We don’t want our children to merely modify their lives to a list of rules. We don’t want them to follow God because we do. Our greatest desire as parents is to see them grow in their relationship with the Lord and serve them with their lives because of their individual desire to follow Him. We are constantly looking for creative, new, and fun ways to make this a reality. Weave Your Word in Me — Part 1 from Kid Niche Christian Books intrigued me. It is geared towards pre-teens (Grades 4-6) which is the exact season I find myself in with my daughters. This study is a beautifully crafted 36-lesson set which studies the Lord’s Prayer in great depth. I was amazed at just how detailed this study was. Most of the time studies for students in this age are not as deep as I have found this to be. I was very impressed with the biblical detail and while the teaching and explanations were incredibly kid-friendly, they were not in any way watered down.

I had Beth, 10, use this exclusively. She was right in the center of the target age-range and was also very excited to give it a try! She is no stranger to Bible study. As with all of our daughters she has been a part of family devotion time since birth. Beth has studied Scripture in our church and through our children’s program as well as a consistent part of our homeschool. She dove right into this study and right away told me she liked it. When I asked her why she said it was because she could do it herself and that it was easy for her to understand.

This is a self-paced course has an answer key for the 6 most popular translations. My husband uses NASB and the girls memorize their verses out of the NKJV. I really liked that there were several options included with this study. Most other curricula either doesn’t provide a key or requires a particular translation. This flexibility is absolutely wonderful. I love that it is simple fill-in-the blanks for most of the lessons. This is less intimidating and still provides plenty of learning.

Beth was fully engaged while she worked through this study. She often asked if she could do more than one lesson in a day which is a good indicator that she enjoyed what she was doing. I love how Scripture is used to interpret and explain Scripture. This is one of the best indicators of an excellent, in-depth study for adults and I believe this is the first time I’ve seen it applied to a study for children. In addition to the fill-in-the-blanks there are illustrations, cartoons, scripts, multiple choice, true/false, and more. This covers just about every learning style imaginable. While Beth worked on this independently it would be great for a group study either in home or church setting.

My favorite part was having the opportunity to read Beth’s responses in prayer after her time in Scripture. It was such a blessing to have these recorded responses! Sometimes it is hard to know how much of our discipleship and training is reaching the girls’ hearts. These little glimpses inside my girls heart and mind were such a precious thing and this will be something I treasure forever.

I highly, highly recommend this study. I have used and observed more Bible studies than I can recall for both kids and adults. I can this study is not only one of the most engaging I have come across, but also the most thorough.

Check out what my Crewmates have to say!

Six Month Membership from Reading Eggs: A TOS Crew Review

October 16, 2017 Grace-Filled Writer

When I first learned of Reading Eggs a few years ago my girls were already strong readers. I still took a look at the website and was impressed with what I saw. I’ve since recommend the program to many friends and they have raved about it! I was very excited to learn that there was much more to Reading Eggs than when I first looked at it many years ago. Both Beth (10) and Grace (8) had the chance to use Reading Eggspress and absolutely love it!
You can get a 4 month free-trial with Reading Eggs by clicking here! There is so much to explore on the Reading Eggs website. The most exciting portion is the latest update for homeschoolers. Within this section is full, 36-week lesson plans for kindergarten, first, and second grades. They are very thorough and cover all four core subjects: language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The material needed within the various disciplines are available on the website within the library and included with the subscription. If you are looking for an online curriculum for your younger students I highly recommend checking this out.

These smiles can tell you just how much my girls loved using Reading Eggs. It is the first thing they ask to use each day. Honestly, I don’t think they realize that it is a learning program. They really look at it as a fun game. Because of this I used it as a reward for completing the rest of their work. They have never worked quite so fast! After completing the assigned reading passage or lesson they would take assessments to see how well they recalled the information they were taught. I love that I can check their progress and see how well they are progressing. I can see their assessment scores and check to make sure they are moving forward in their learning. I have been happy to see them progress throughout their time using it so far.

Beth was excited to show me her Avatar (personalized character). She loved that it had a little panda purse because that is her favorite animal! Another aspect which is really nice is printable worksheets for each lesson. These can be used as supplements to the lessons and can be very valuable for families using this as their main reading program. I found them to be very well done and thorough. I personally like to have options which will allow off-screen assessment and practice so this is excellent for those who like to have that ability.

Even when they weren’t using Reading Eggs themselves these two were often sitting side-by-side watching the other one work! Rose (12) was even intrigued by the fun graphics and style of learning. The only part I did not care for was teaching slang as vocabulary. For instance, in one story the word “sick” is used and they were supposed to identify the definition based on context. I absolutely love the fact that it teaches inference. I am not thrilled that this is taught by using slang. I personally feel there is better use of instructional time than this. While my girls clearly enjoyed it and I do think the reading comprehension assessments are highly useful, this would be best suited for families with younger children or less advanced readers. I also know many who love to have their children’s learning online for a variety of reasons, but that is typically not my preference. I will absolutely recommend this to families looking for online learning options because although it is not my personal preference for the majority of my girls’ learning, this is one of the best and full programs with which I’ve had the opportunity to work. Take a look at what my Crewmates have to say!

Family Membership from CTCMath: A TOS Crew Review

October 9, 2017 Grace-Filled Writer

Math seems to always be that one subject that I find myself questioning if I’ve chosen the right curriculum. If you have a math-minded kid this is usually not an issue. My experience is they will thrive with any curriculum as long as it is challenging enough. It’s a completely different story with those kids who are less mathematically inclined that the struggle begins. I have heard rave reviews about CTCMath online. We had the opportunity to review the Family Membership and right now homeschoolers can get 60% off + 6 bonus months. This is an amazing deal if you are looking for an online program! Also there is a wonderful free trial available. (Hurry! Both of these offers end November 15!)

All three of my daughters used CTC Math.Grace – 3rd GradeBeth – 5th GradeRose – Basic Math and PreAlgebra (7th grade) I appreciated very much that this is perfectly suited to customize to each student. Grace has a late birthday so while she is “officially” in 2nd grade she is much more advanced in her studies and is ready for 3rd grade work. Beth is also advanced although not a full grade-level ahead. Rose has always felt a struggle with math. I personally feel it is simply a mental block because it isn’t enjoyable for her, but even so she needs some shoring up in certain areas. Having the opportunity to adjust their mathematics studies to their personal needs is spectacular. With most other online programs I’ve used my girls are assigned a certain grade level and must work through in an orderly pace. This is not necessarily bad, but for us the customization abilities have been a great benefit.

Beth prefers to use pencil and paper when making calculations, but that is only option with this program as there is allowance for traditional borrowing and carrying. This is also a unique feature I have not seen before in an online program. Grace and Rose preferred to do everything on the screen and knowing they would be able to continue as they had been taught was wonderful!

I had the girls take assessments of each section and then only assigned their weak areas for assignments. This was great because some of the concepts were already mastered. I very much appreciated they did not have to work through extra. I know it never hurts to review concepts, but I like knowing they can move at their own pace. This is especially helpful in the beginnings of the grade when there will always be a minimal amount of review.

The girls did their work all together this one day so I could get some nice photos of them in progress. Usually they did their work at different times and in different locations. The living room couch was a favorite for Grace and Rose while the living room floor was the preferred location for Beth! This is one benefit to online at-your-own pace programs. I really wasn’t involved in the learning process at all. That can be both good and bad. When they are getting things wrong and I need to explain if I haven’t first watched the video my explanations may be more confusing. On the one hand I liked having someone else teach the concepts because sometimes I struggle with that. On the other hand I’m not sure if I’m ready to completely hand over the teaching of mathematics. I’m still considering that.

My one frustration was in learning how to work with the program from a teacher perspective. My girls had no trouble at all once I was able to get their assignments in the “task” sections. I felt rather confused at the start. I easily setup the girl’s individual accounts, but after that I wasn’t sure what to do. I would have liked to have some instruction and guidelines for where to start for assessment or if it is expected just to begin at the start of the grade-level. I like step-by-step instructions for the beginning of any program and that seemed to be lacking. Still, this was my only downside. My girls loved the program!

How about you? Have you had experience with CTC Math? I’d love to hear about it!

Take a look at what my Crewmates have to say!