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K5 Learning for Your Little Ones {Crew Review}

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K5 Learning is one of our favorite supplemental programs for homeschooling.  We’ve used this Online Program off and on for years with our children, since their early days when they were just the K5 Reading program.  Now they’ve expanded to cover K5 Math and K5 Spelling as well.
Why Is This A Great Program:
This program is fun for kids but also great for adults who wish to see just how well their children are learning academically.  The program offers online assessments to help evaluate where your child is in their learning.  These assessments cover the 8 key reading and math skills your child should be learning then the program uses these skill assessments to tailor the program to fit your child educationally.  These assessments are also immediately available to view and print for your records.
The program is fully online.  There are no downloads required so no space is taken on your computer or laptop.  You simply log-in and get started.
As an awesome bonus, K5 Learning also provides printable worksheets to bring learning off the computer and on to the learning table at home.  We enjoyed these as they allowed the kids a break from the computer and brought them back to traditional learning educationally.  My kids love worksheets so they really enjoyed this aspect.
Because K5 Learning is tailored to your child through the online assessments, it’s hard for your child to become bored with the program.  They are challenged and continuously moved up in the program as they learn key concepts.  Lessons gradually become harder so that they develop as your child develops skills to find answers and complete the tasks at hand.
Kids work independently and at their personal skill level.  This is important to me when homeschooling my children.  I know my kids aren’t on any grade level like in the public school systems.  They work on their own personal levels to complete assignments as they are ready.  We have no goals to meet and K5 Learning is set up similarly.  Even though it’s developing as my children learn, it’s not pushing them to learn things they aren’t ready for.  They are learning on their own, at their own pace by using the program for supplemental lessons.
Another great thing is that students receive full instruction through the program.  Some programs just quiz a student on the things they’ve learned elsewhere but not K5 Learning.  The program instructs and teaches as you work through.
This program is great for Special Needs students as well.  Children with High Functioning Autism can benefit from the program because of it’s adjustable pace.  Students with dyslexia, ADHD, ADD, and who are slow learners can also benefit from the adjustable pace in learning.  The program doesn’t push these students above their learning skills but grows along with them building as they are ready.  This has been a huge asset for our family.
How We Use It:
K5 Learning is for students from Kindergarten through 5 Grade but can be used with younger student who are advanced educationally as well as students who are older that are challenged in learning.  For us, this is a wonderful thing.
My oldest uses K5 Learning to learn key skills that he didn’t develop as we first learned these concepts.  His struggle is reading and K5 really allows him to develop better reading skills by working at his pace, and teaching him skills that he didn’t grasp in other programs we have used.  Plus he learns better with video games and online activities so this was another huge bonus of the program since it’s an online program.
My oldest daughter uses the program as sort of a quiz on things she knows.  It helps her to reinforce things she missed along the way but much of the program is review for her to build her already amazing skills.  Still she enjoys the pace set for her and she enjoys the style of learning online through the provided lessons.
My second daughter used the program briefly in the past but wasn’t quite ready for the concepts.  Now she’s able to pick up better and understand.  She enjoys the characters and the lessons provided.  She benefits most from the program as these skills are new to her.
My youngest son follows along with his siblings mostly.  The program is slightly above his learning skills but he does listen with the others and has picked up a few things from their lessons.  In another year he’ll be ready to join in as well and learn great things through K5 Learning.
How Can You Gain Access To K5 Learning:
You can sign up for a Free 14 Day Trial from K5 Learning on their website.  Cost for the program are $14.95 a month for the first student and $9.95 a month for each additional student.  You can purchase an annual subscription for $119 a year for the first student and $79 a year for each additional student.
You Can Find K5 Learning Online At:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/k5learning    Tag:   @k5learning   
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/K5Learning    Tag: @K5Learning   
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/k5learning/            Tag:   @k5learning   

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K5 Learning {Reviews}
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Memoria Press: First Form Latin {Crew Review}

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homeschooling, classical christian education, classical christian curriculum, classical, christian homeschool curriculum, memoria press
Back in April we completed a review for Memoria Press for their wonderful First Form Greek Complete Set curriculum. (Read our review here!)  We found this to be an amazing curriculum to use for Greek as a foreign language but my daughter was lacking the prerequisite of Latin in order to best understand what she was learning through the program.  Thankfully, not long after, Memoria Press came up on the vendor list for the Homeschool Review Crew again.  This time we were offered Memoria Press’ First Form Latin Complete Set, just what Emmalee needed to be able to complete her lessons with Memoria Press’ First Form Greek.

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What Is First Form Latin:

First Form Latin is a complete Latin program for learning Latin.  This program includes everything needed to learn Latin as a foreign language.  First Form uses a Grammar first approach to learning which focuses on teaching Grammar and Vocabulary to young students so they learn the basics as they build through the lessons.  First Form Latin and all of the First Form courses are great for students in grades 4-9.

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What We Received:

Our First Form Latin Complete Set included the following in our package:
First Form Latin Student Text
First Form Latin Student Workbook
First Form Latin Pronunciation CD
First Form Latin Instructional DVD 3 Disc Set
First Form Latin Teacher Manual
First Form Latin Teacher Key (Workbook, Quizzes, Tests)
First Form Latin Quizzes and Tests

First Form Latin Flashcards for Vocabulary, Latin sayings and Grammar Form

Who and How We Used It:

Since this program was for Emmalee as a prerequisite to her previous lessons from Memoria Press First Form Greek, I handed the box straight to her.  Em is a very independent learner and doesn’t like to have her hand held when learning.  She always comes to me with questions or any help she needs but generally she’s a figure-it-out-herself kinda girl.

Memoria Press is laid out so well that it’s always extremely easy to follow.  Emma had no problems setting her pace with the program, following along with the plans and scheduling already provided by Memoria Press.  I was able to help her set up a pace that worked for her (a few lessons at a time, taking as much time as she needed.)  She was able to take her time working through her lessons, watching the instructional videos for each lesson through the provided DVD’s.  Her favorites are always the pronunciation CD’s which she listens to over and over until she gets the sounds trained in her mind and also the flashcards which she uses along with the Pronunciation CD to better learn what she is reading and listening to.

She completed her worksheets as she went along through the lessons with very little problems.  Emma loves a good workbook and Memoria Press materials are always well-laid out and easily followed along.  Emma did use some of the quizzes and tests on her own but I never require them as my concentration is never to test her skills but to ensure she’s learning and enjoying the lessons as she goes, which she always does.

Memoria Press First Form Latin was a great fit for Emmalee and she’s very excited this curriculum will count towards her High School Foreign Language requirements.  She’s also taught the little ones a few words in both Latin and Greek that she’s learned through both of these curriculum.  She looks forward using the other Memoria Press Latin programs in the future as well.

Where You Can Buy First Form Latin:

Memoria Press’ First Form Latin is available for $125 through the Memoria Press website online.  It is for grades 4-9.  You can also take a look at all the other great Memoria Press Latin Complete Sets by clicking here!  Additional program supplements are also available.

Memoria Press Social Media Links:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/memoriapress/    Tag:  @memoriapress   
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MemoriaPress    Tag:  @MemoriaPress   
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/memoriapress/            Tag:  @memoriapress   
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Read More Reviews of Memoria Press: 

Latin, Nature and Trees {Memoria Press Reviews}
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June 2017 Update {Thoughts From Me}

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I admit it.  I’ve been slacking.  Last week I didn’t post my Wordless Wednesday or my Thoughts from Me or my Simple Woman’s Daybook posts.  Honestly, I’ve just been super busy.

My Mom is here clearing our some of her stuff.  We’re putting it in storage until she has a place of her own and that often takes time.  She’s getting it done though and our house is getting less cluttered.

It’s time for a change.  I’ve been going through the kids clothes.  Man they are growing so much.  Laycie had to have new outfits because she’s gotten so tall and I’m heading to get Win some new shorts because he too is growing larger.

Everybody needed new shoes too.  There feet have all gone up a size and nothing fit.  Thank goodness for flip flops and cheap tennis shoes at Walmart.

We’ve got some family plans for the weekend so I look forward to next week’s Wordless Wednesday.  I’m sure we’ll have some great photos to share from our adventures and fun.

For now though, I’ve got to get back to working on the house.

Dana

Heroes of History: Laura Ingalls Wilder {Crew Review}

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We are huge fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder around our house.  The whole Ingalls Wilder family is a favorite for us.  So when the opportunity arose to learn more about Laura and her life through YWAM Publishing’s Heroes of History series we were really excited.  Heroes of History – Laura Ingalls Wilder shares Laura’s storybook life to show where Laura came from the the stories behind the books.  This review also included access to the Heroes of History – Laura Ingalls Wilder Unit Study Guide.
Laura didn’t intend to be a writer.  She was happy just being a housewife (like me!).  But one day, Laura decided to put pen to paper and bring her thoughts to life.  Her “journals” became stories and those stories have brought many families like ours great joy over the years.
Laura shared her childhood with us.  She shared her hardships and her fun experiences, her rivals as well as her loves.  These things show us the life that Laura Ingalls Wilder lived over many decades, bringing to life a past that we could only begin to imagine without her stories.
Laura was an inspirational woman.  She is someone I, and my daughters, greatly look up to.  She’s been an inspiration to my life, to our future as homesteaders learning to live in our community. using what we have in life.  Reading about her struggles and her gains has been so uplifting for us all.
Heroes of History is a book series that shares the lives of well-known and some not so well-known heroes of the past.  Through the books in this series we learn more about the past and the way people lived.  We learn of the great things these wonderfully inspiring people did.
I chose Laura Ingalls Wilder as our review book because of our families great interest in her stories but mostly because my Emmalee truly loves Laura and her life more than any of us.  I believe she is a great role model for my teenage daughter and I knew that Emmalee would love learning even more about Laura and her life.
Through Heroes of History – Laura Ingalls Wilder, Emmalee has learned that Laura didn’t intend to be the family storyteller but she had a great story to tell: the story of her family and her life.  She learned that Laura’s prairie life wasn’t easy.  She learned that the life the Ingalls lived brought them closer together as a family because they had to work together and share.  She learned the specific places that were most important to Laura throughout the history of her life.  She learned how the Ingalls survived through one of the worst snows in South Dakota history.  She followed as Laura found love and a life with her husband that was better than she could have hoped for.
As a bonus to this book, YWAM Publishing provides an Unit Study to be used along with the book.  This guide really brings the book to life by providing additional information to expand the lessons.  For this book, the unit study guide is aptly named Heroes of History – Laura Ingalls Wilder Unit Study.  This guide is a complete printable guide that covers information shared within the book.
You receive a downloadable file which has a start page that helps you maneuver the guide to make the most of it.  You can select which form of the study guide you’d like to use: Small Group, Classroom or Homeschool.   Of course, we used the homeschool file.  This file is made for the small home classroom or as I like to say the “one room schoolhouse”.  It explains how to use this study guide for your homeschool class.  This guide is around 24 pages long.
There are two parts to the guide itself simply named Unit Study-Part One and Unit Study-Part Two. Unit Study-Part One is around 80 pages in length.  The guides are black and white for easy printing.  Through these guides you learn quotes, you breakdown the chapters to better understand them and you are given extra information and additional sources to expand your lessons for your students.  Unit Study-Part Two is a small file that includes the index printables for use with the study.  All these come together for a great study on the character you are researching.
Heroes of History-Laura Ingalls Wilder is available for purchase for $9.99 or if you buy from YWAM Publishing they offer the book for $7.50.  It’s also available as an e-Book.  The downloaded Heroes of History-Laura Ingalls Wilder Unit Study Guide is available for purchase for an additional fee.
You can find YWAM Publishing online at:


Twitter:  https://twitter.com/YWAMpublishing     Tag:@YWAMpublishing   
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/YWAMpublishing          Tag: @YWAMpublishing     


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Christian & History Heroes {YWAM Publishing Reviews}
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The Typing Coach {Crew Review}

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The Typing Coach Online Typing Course is a fully online course from The Typing Coach.  This course is designed to teach children and adults to type and use the computer.  This work at your own pace program is perfect for anyone to use.
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As I mentioned above, this is a fully online program to teach typing to all ages.  It was created by David Kimball who has gone above and beyond to make typing an easy task (class?).  No matter, he’s made the complicated issue of typing instruction EASY!
The program uses a combination of written, video and audio instruction to develop teach the skill of typing to students.  Through the program you learn the proper stance for sitting when typing and hand structure with typing.  My favorite part of this program is that it goes at your personal pace so you are never behind.
This program also allows you to test your progress to see how well you are learning and what areas you need to work on.  Some of these tests are timed which measures how quickly your student is typing.  Some are scored to give you an idea of proficiency.
The program’s goal is to get students typing at a standard employment goal of over 45 words a minute!  By the program’s end, your student should be typing at at least 10 words per minute.  This is a wonderful start for typing.  
Since this is a self-paced course, you can set your own timeline for completion.  Access to the program is for one year but the cost is fair at $17 per Typer for the One Year Access Pass.  This is a steal for a good typing program!
How The Typing Coach Works:
The course begins with a quick introduction and explanation of the layout.  There is a visual tour of the course and an explanation of how to use this course and a word processing program at the same time.  It also explains how you can use the audios and type at the same time.  It’s easier than you may realize.
There are student packet printables that should be printed at the beginning of the course in order to prepare for the course.  These printables are used throughout the program for instruction in typing.  They are a PDF download and easily printed.
There is a section of slower paced lessons for your struggling typer or the beginner to use for practice.  They are the same as the core lessons and great for younger students or special needs children who are finding typing more difficult as well.
There’s a section that gives an explanation of how to use the testing part of the program.  This part is important for this program to show progress and measure how quickly your student is able to type, as well as how well they are learning their typing lessons.  I never worry with testing but I do feel it’s important with typing so to me it’s an important aspect of this program and I was glad to see it included.
Next you jump right into the lessons, beginning with posture.  Students learn how important good posture is in typing and for business as well.  Good posture is so important so that you don’t have stressed muscles and end up with a hunched back or carpel tunnel issues.
The next step is learning the rows, beginning with the home row where your fingers rest while typing, moving up to the top row and then down to the bottom row.  This is the tricky stuff.  Memorizing the key patterns and placement and how to make them come together is taught through these very important steps.
Following learning the rows, comes learning how to use the shift keys and their importance in typing.  After some practice with these steps, students then learn to add the number row into the mix.  To me the number row is a little more complicated as it contains the symbols we use as well as numbers for typing.
This section is followed by some serious practice where you put everything you’ve learned in these lessons to use.  It is followed by a final session and then the Conclusion to all the lessons.  This is the basic explanation of the course provided.
The audio’s provided are clearly spoken and easy to understand.  The video’s could have slightly better quality but they load quickly and are easy to follow along with.  They work great together for instructional purpose though.

How We Used It:
As this program is self-paced, we took our time to use and learn with it.  For review purposes, I used the program as well as my older daughter, mostly.  All the kids showed interest but they lost interest quickly due to the lack of interesting characters to capture their attention and keep them interested in following along.
My daughter learned a lot from watching the videos and following along.  Some of the course parts she was able to complete quickly while others took more time because she kept going back over what she was learning.  She learned that typing properly is tricky stuff.  You really have to pay attention and remember the key placement which can be very challenging.  She kept have to stop and correct herself which was a little frustrating for her but she managed through it.
Overall, I found this course to be a fair program for instruction in typing.  The price is fair, the work isn’t too hard though it can be a bit confusing for some students.  It’s one I’d recommend to others looking for a typing program for homeschool though or to an older person who needs instruction in typing as well.
Where You Can Buy It:
You can purchase an online subscription to The Typing Coach Online Typing Course for $17 per person for a One Year Subscription directly on The Typing Coach website.  This is a really great deal as I previously mentioned.
You can also find The Typing Coach on Twitter:
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thetypingcoach    Tag:@thetypingcoach





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The Typing Coach Online Typing Course {The Typing Coach Reviews}




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What It All Meant {Thoughts From Me}

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Soon I’m going to take the big step to move us over to WordPress and off this current format for blogging, so this past week, I’ve been going through old posts and making a few changes that will make this easier for me.  I’ve also been correcting a few things I didn’t know I had been doing wrong with my coding.  (Blogging is a daily learning experience.)  It’s a lot but it will be well worth it in the end.

Going through old posts means taking a step back into the past.  This hasn’t been easy.  There are things I wish I could erase.  There are things I have deleted just because I don’t want to be reminded they happened even with this blog.  Nothing I’m ashamed of, just things it’s time to let go of.  I know I can never change the past, and I never would because our past is what makes us who we are today.

I have deleted a few irrelevant posts.  I’m not sure what I was thinking when I wrote those.  They were just filling space.

I also took notice that my life was going in a certain direction back then but somewhere I got off that track.  It’s a road I’d like to find again, and I will in time.  See, life sometimes hurts so much that you lose yourself and you become someone who covers  the pain with a fake smile or a positive word that deep down doesn’t mean a thing. Sometimes the abuse is so hard that you want to pretend it just doesn’t exist, so you do pretend and you paint a picture that all is right with the world, even when it isn’t.

I took notice that my ex was rarely mentioned in my previous posts.  He was in my day to day life and frequently mentioned on my social media while we were together but not here.  He didn’t want to be part of my life and he let me know it so often that I just left him out as much as I could.  I wanted him but he never wanted me and honestly, I’m okay with that now.

I see now that we were not right for each other and God has blessed me more than I could ever have imagined with my husband, Don and our beautiful family.  I see now that God had a bigger and better plan for me.  The experience with my ex was something that was forced and something that was unwanted by one side but  it was an experience I learned greatly from and one I can go forth and share my pain with others like me who need someone to understand.  Having Don in my life gives me hope and strength and love where once their was none.

My blog used to be Christ centered, and though God is still here in my writing,  I wish to find Him again, to share encouragement and love, to spread his Truth through my own testimony for God gave me a great one to share.  I wish to help others, to inspire them, to show them that a better life is ahead, not to give up and to fight for what their heart desires, for it will come.  With God all things are possible and our dreams will come true.

So here I am, finding my way again, working on bigger things that will come about in time.

Until then…

Dana

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