Product Review: AVKO Membership

AVKO aims "to provide free and low-cost resources to home and school educators in order to achieve literacy for all, even despite learning challenges or dyslexia."* Their Research Director, Don McCabe, wrote To Teach a Dyslexic, and Sequential Spelling was born from his research and theories.

AVKO membership offeres many benefits:

• 5 free downloadable ebooks, including To Teach a Dyslexic
• Free access to Don McCabe's most popular workshops
• Discounts on all printed AVKO materials, including Sequential Spelling
• AVKO Newsletter
• Supplemental materials for Sequential Spelling and for general language arts instruction
• Pretests and placement tests

There were a few supplemental materials that I found helpful; however, I was not able to use most of what this membership provides. I do not use Sequential Spelling, and AVKO does not fit my homeschooling needs.

If you already use Sequential Spelling, you would most likely find the membership very helpful and well worth $25 per year for an individual.

*from www.avko.com

I was provided a one-year membership to AVKO for free for the purpose of writing this review. I have received no other compensation and have provided my honest, unbiased opinion based on my experience with the product. Your experience could differ from mine. I recommend you visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to read my crewmates reviews.

Now Presenting...

Our New Pet Beta

He is red, white and blue, so the boys decided against naming him Wally II and to give him an all-American name instead. His name is George, in honor of George Washington.

Thank you to everyone who emailed or commented on Poor Wally Is Dead. Your kind words were encouraging, and the boys appreciated the condolences.

Blessings!

Dawn

Poor Wally Is Dead

Saturday was a day of tears at the Olive Plants house.

Wally the fish died.

Actually, he died on Monday, Wilbur's birthday. There was no way I was telling the resident animal lover that the pet fish went bottom up on that day. I left poor, dead Wally in the tank, hoping no one would notice.

On Tuesday, I completely forgot about the dead beta. I'll blame it on the sugar rush from the birthday cookie followed by the withdrawal crash. Sugar intake does weird things to a dieter. Even though he was positioned sideways on the bottom of the bowl, the boys did not realize Wally was dead. They even continued to feed him.

On Wednesday, Wilbur awoke with a cold. I was too busy nursing him back to health to give Wally any thought. Wilbur was too sick to notice, and Orville never mentioned it. I assume that means he thought Wally was still alive and well.

On Thursday, I finally remembered that Wally's carcass was wedged between the pebbles lining the bottom of the bowl and the bowl itself. The boys had already gone to bed when I had this epiphany so we could not have a proper burial that evening. I did go to the fish bowl to assess the situation. I was totally grossed out by the decaying fish and politely asked (okay, screamed like a crazy woman for) Michael. He rescued me and flushed the critter pronto. I decided to tell the boys of his demise in the morning.

On Friday, I woke up with a cold, as did Orville. Once again, I forgot to mention the fate of our fishy friend, and Wilbur continued to feed an empty fish bowl, completely unaware that his friend was gone.

Saturday I was still sick and spent the afternoon in the bed, typing on my laptop. Late in the day, Wilbur came running to my bedroom.

Mom, Wally's not in his bowl.

Uh oh. Oh, bad mom. Bad, BAD MOM!

I've told y'all before that I'm forgetful. Cold medicine makes me almost amnesiac.

I gently explained poor Wally's fate and let Wilbur know that Dad and I intend to get him a new fish as soon as possible. Like the minute I am well enough to operate a motor vehicle without endangering myself and others. We discussed buying another blue beta and laughed about the possibility of naming it Wally II. I'm not sure why that's so funny, but he found it hysterical. I was relieved by his laughter, and he left my room, seemingly satisfied.

But not really because before I could say "3...2...1…."

Sobbing. Loud, sorrowful, I-just-lost-my-best-friend-in-the-world sobbing.

He returned to my room, and I scooped him up into my arms. I rubbed his head and gave kisses while he cried it out. We talked about death being a consequence of the fall. We talked about man having dominion over the animals, in part, for our pleasure. We talked about the temporal nature of pleasure and about those things that will last for eternity. We talked about Jesus, his victory over death and hell, and the security, joy, and hope we have in Him. I reminded him that although he will never see Wally again, one day he will see Jesus face to face. We agreed we would much rather see Jesus than Wally. We prayed for grace and peace and for help to trust God in the face of death.

Once again he left the room, this time completely satisfied. There were no more tears but laughing and playing and little boy stuff.

A dead pet is hard to face with a child, but Wally served his God-ordained purpose in our lives. He was here for a time for our pleasure , but in the end, gave us reason to contemplate Christ and experience the peace and satisfaction that we have in Him.

Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us…. Rom 5:2-5

Preschool Peace

When my boys were preschool aged, life could be a little chaotic.

Two boys. Not quite thirteen months apart. Whew!

There were many temper tantrums, a number of fights, a whole slew of "stubbing up", and the word "ME" used in epic proportions.

Oh, and there was discipline.

Lots and Lots and LOTS of discipline.

I remember on a particularly chaotic day I had done more disciplining than anything else. In fact, that whole week had been more discipline than anything else.

I was tired and wondered if it would ever get any better. Would the rest of my life be like this? Would I ever just be able to enjoy my time with these two little stinkers or would I always have to be firm and consistent and never let down my guard, even for a teeny, tiny second?

Reaching the end of myself, I put the Write Bros to bed for nap and called my mom. This was not long after our move from Tennessee to Georgia. Her house had been five steps from mine. Now, it was a seven hour drive away.

But we had unlimited long distance, so I called her up pronto and lamented. I proclaimed, "Mom, I need a break! Do you think FedEx would overnight these children to you?!"

They don't. I checked.

But it was our little joke for quite some time.

I imagine somewhere out there on the other side of my computer screen that there is another young mom, just like I was. You have corrected, trained, wiped up messes, fixed boo-boo's, calmed tantrums, broken up arguments, wrestled the resistant, warded off disasters, and generally not stopped all day. Or all week. Or maybe since you gave birth to your first child.

But don't stop.

Don't give up.

Don't despair.

You can't overnight your children to Grandma but if you are in Christ, you can confidently draw near to the throne of grace that you may receive mercy and find grace for timely help. (Heb 4:16)

Each time you do all those hard, child-training things, you are doing the will of God. You are Mommy, and your ministry is motherhood. And God has said that he will neither leave you nor forsake you. (Heb 13:5)

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all things for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. (1Th 5:16-18)

Remember how blessed you are to be a mother. Sing Psalms and hymns. Thank God for granting you the greatest privilege a woman can have. And do these things with your little ones beside you. Even on the days that things are hard. Sing, pray, and praise God in the midst of it all. Don't wait for a quiet time because it may never come.

And know that it does get easier.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. (Prov 13:24) Little by little, you will see the results of training. Certainly foolishness has not yet been driven completely from the hearts of mine, but each year I see a little more wisdom. Grace continues to abound, and my boys are growing in it. It is a beautiful thing to experience and well worth those weary days.

I'm Shocked!

Olive Plants has been nominated in the Homeschool Blog Awards.

I am shocked, humbled, thrilled... this list could go on for quite some time. Olive Plants has been nominated in three different categories: Best Encourager, Best Crafts, Plans & Projects Blog, and (the one that caused my jaw to hit the floor) Best SUPER-HOMESCHOOLER.

Wow, my friends! Wow!

Y'all are good to me.

If you are an Olive Plants regular, just click above to be redirected to the HSBA Post where you can vote.

If you are new to Olive Plants, welcome! Take a little time to look around. I have listed some of my favorite series in my side bar with direct links to all the articles. I look forward to getting to know you.

For those who want to vote for Olive Plants, make sure you read the rules carefully. If anyone breaks them, I will be disqualified. I know you don't want that to happen.

Thanks again for the nominations. You have made my year!

Blessings!

Dawn

Product Review: American Heritage Education Foundation

The American Heritage Education Foundation offers a full K-12 curriculum for teachers of American History and government. A full set of lessons are provided for three distinct level--elementary, middle school, and high school--free of charge to any parent or educator.

The elementary curriculum offers a variety of lessons on topics such as colonists, the first Thanksgiving, George Washington, the Statue of Liberty, and "What Is an American?"… just to name a few. Learning activities include role playing, games, reading primary sources, puzzles, and hands-on activities. It is a very structured program that gives the teacher detailed plans for teaching each lesson.

The middle school and high school lessons expand upon the topics taught in the elementary version. The middle school curriculum includes more primary sources. The high school program takes a closer look at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It is essentially a course in American government and asks students to contemplate their rights and responsibilities as free citizens as well as other hot topics such as separation of church and state.

I am going to give this program two thumbs up for its methodology and for how well it teaches the Constitution and government. The activities in each level are well-suited for the intended audiences and will engage students in the learning process. Students are sure to complete this program as well-informed citizens.

I also give the program two thumbs down for regarding mankind and the American way a little too highly, in my opinion. Though the curriculum teaches that America's heritage is Christian, I could find no statements or lessons that attribute the founding and continued prosperity of our nation to God's mighty works of providence. Instead, it seems to attribute prosperity to freedom and the efforts of mankind.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about this curriculum. If you are looking for a curriculum that teaches government and acknowledges a Christian influence on America's founding, it is a great resource.

However, if you are aiming to teach history as a means of leading your children to a better understanding of God's sovereignty and providence and you want to delve more deeply into our religious heritage, the American Heritage Education Foundation curriculum will most likely disappoint.

I was given this curriculum for free in order to complete this review. I have not received any other compensation and have provided my honest, unbiased opinion based on my experience with the product. Please visit the TOS Homeschool blog to read what my crewmates have to say about this and other homeschool products.

Not Me Monday: Not a Siren

A siren's song did not echo through my kitchen this week.

And by siren, I don't mean the ear-piercing, hurry-up-and-get-out-of-the-house type. Oh no, I would have preferred that siren.

This siren was the mythological type. The sort that lures people off course and destroys their ability to think straight.

I could hear it from the freezer, beckoning me with its sweet, soothing song.

"Dawn… Dawn… I'm here. Come to me."

I did not cave.

I did not race to the freezer and embrace my tempter, deciding just a little bit would okay.

I did not place the carton of luscious sweet butter cream on the counter and in a half-dazed trance jab my spoon into the frozen delight.

Ice cream never tempts me... NEVER!

In my delirium, I did not loose control of my hand and catapult the scoop of ice cream over the counter…

Oh, no... Not Me!

And into one of Orville's galoshes.

I did not do this. I am far too self-controlled.

The sight of the frosty, snow white goodness inside a dirty, smelly rubber boot did not snap me out of my trance.

I did not reprimand myself with the words, "that's what you get for fudging on your diet."

I did not shove the carton to the back of the freezer and quickly wash away the evidence of my transgression.

But only after taking pictures for my blog, of course.

My Audio School Subscription Give-away

My Audio School is one of the best resources for homeschoolers to hit the web, and I am proud to say that it is the brain child of my dear friend, Molly @ Counter-cultural Mom and School. What began as an effort to meet the learning needs of her dyslexic son grew into a home-based business.

You may have seen the MAS button in my sidebar or read the promo I wrote soon after the site's launching. You may have noticed that I nominated MAS for Best Curriculum/Business Blog in the Homeschool Blog Awards. But... have you visited yet? Have you seen the oodles of free downloadable audio content that Molly has compiled?

You can access a portion of the content without a paid membership; however, a one-year subscription only costs $14.99 per family. It is a fabulous deal.

This week, however, you could win a free one-year subscription. Brenda @ Tie That Binds Us is giving away an MAS subscription to one of her readers. You can get all the details on how to enter at her blog.

Product Review: A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers

At the beginning of this school year, I began a composers study with the boys. I had decided to read aloud a book on the topic. I never preview read alouds but just do the editing as I read to the boys. While reading the first chapter on Wagner, I did more editing than actual reading. It went a little something like this:

Wagner was a German composer best known for his operas. He... uh... he did WHAT?! And he was uh... um... well, um.... He... oh, eeek, ugh. Well, that's enough about him.

I decided to shelve the book and the composer study until I could find a better source.

Then entered Bright Ideas Press. Their Young Scholar's Guide to Composers provided the resource I was looking for. Here is what they have to say about the sensitive issue of studying a man's life without applauding his sin.

There is much material available about these composers that is not information we feel is appropriate for the age level of students for whom this book is intended. Composers, even classical composers, were sinners like the rest of us! It takes no real digging to come across sins of every nature.

They go on to explain the caution they exercised in creating this curriculum and selecting which composers would be included... or not. Not every composer included was known to be a Christian; however, they did choose to omit a few, like Wagner. His openly immoral lifestyle makes it difficult to study him with any depth without also having to tackle issues too complicated for the intended audience of this curriculum. I appreciate their commitment to protecting the minds of our young ones.

I also like the presentation of the content. The study begins with ancient music, moves through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and then delves into classical and modern music.

They include an overview of each time period followed by biographies of the composers of that period. I liked how they present the big picture first and work inward. I saw the fruit of this approach as we listened to pieces by each composer. As my boys listened to the works of Bach and Handel, they commented on the use of staccato in the Baroque period. They did not just gather a bunch of random facts about the men but gained a greater appreciation for their music and became more discerning listeners as a result.

The curriculum is a bit routine and does not offer much variety. The study repeats a cycle of reading the section, answering questions, time lining, creating a "composer card", mapping, and listening to music from the time period. The reading sections are long, and I had to break them into shorter segments. I did the same with the questions. My boys could not process all the information included during one sitting.

My boys did enjoy creating the composer cards, mapping, and time lining. The curriculum suggests a way to arrange these into a modified lapbook. Their "folderbooks" are easier to assemble than a traditional lapbook. The emphasis is on keeping the study simple; however, I would prefer more variety and think additional hands-on activities and games would make this good study great.

Suggested music selections are provided. Most of the pieces can be found on YouTube.

I give the Young Scholar's Guide to Composers two thumbs up for its commitment to protecting young minds, organized presentation, and easy, hands-on composer card activities. I intend to continue this study but will look for additional hands-on activities and music games to include.

You can purchase the Young Scholar's Guide to Composers at their website. The paperback book costs $34.95 and the CD-Rom costs $29.95.

I received the Young Scholar's Guide to Composers for free in order to complete this review. I have received no other compensation and have provided my honest evaluation of the product based on my experience with it. Your experience with this product could differ from mine. Please visit the TOS Homeschool blog to read more reviews of this product written by my crewmates.