Heads Up!

As a former teacher of students with special needs, I know how wonderful it is to find something for your classroom that helps your students focus. Through the TOS Crew, I was able to receive some products that do just that! If you are homeschooling a child who struggles in any area, you need to check out the company called Heads Up! This company sells many items that are designed to help special kids. Here is a quote from their website:

Heads Up! is a company designed to provide expert information and products for special needs children. Our items have been selected to accommodate various learning styles and strengths, regardless of curriculum used. These special needs products have been found to be especially helpful for children who are distractible or hyperactive.

Our goal is to provide materials and information for homeschooling families, occupational therapists, speech therapists, teachers, and specialists who work with children who have developmental delays, learning disabilities, or other special needs. Professionals, as well as parents and families interacting with special needs children, need materials and teaching tips that will be effective in promoting successful learning experiences while reducing frustration for children, teachers, and parents.

Some of the products I received are pictured above. These are all different colored "frames" that your child places on her reading material in order to highlight the text to be read. This keeps your child focused on the task at hand! We tried them all out, but the Heads Up! Top of the Line (pictured on the top right) was most helpful for Ella, especially when we were still using "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons". The pages in that book contain alot of extra text for the teacher to read (in red letters, no less) that can be very distracting to some children. Ella found those pages to be overwhelming. The Top of the Line strips are designed to block out anything under the text your child is reading and highlight the line of text to help your child keep her place. This tool was very helpful for Ella. Once we get back to reading longer pages again, we will definitely pull these back out! Heads Up! has many different colors and types of reading strips to choose from and they are listed on this page. The reading strips and frames are all priced at $1.00 each!! Such a great deal!

Please go to Heads Up! to find out more about their wonderful products. And, head on over to the TOS Crew blog for links to more reviews, HERE!

Math Tutor

I had the opportunity to review some of the Math Tutor DVDs from MathTutorDVD.com. Jason Gibson teaches these videos to help students with all levels of math. There is a cute sign on the front of each DVD that says, “A+ CAUTION! The use of this DVD will cause increased understanding of Algebra 2 (or whatever level you happen to be studying) and will lead to higher grades.” I was given the Algebra 2 video and the Basic Math Word Problems video to review (both are 2-DVD sets).

The videos are the same in format. Basically, Mr. Gibson stands in front of a white board and teaches your child (or you) about math. He reminds me of my high school algebra teacher, except that he doesn't make annoying jokes and he actually makes sense! Mr. Gibson speaks clearly and seems to communicate the skills he is teaching to his audience. I think that any student watching these videos will gain a greater understanding of math. Of course, I couldn't try these out on my student, since we are definitely not doing algebra yet, and we're still working on just the basic operations of addition and subtraction (not so much word problems yet!). So, I don't know how Ella would respond to this format. It seems a tad bit dry to me. It really is just straight-forward lecture like you would get in a college class. Mr. Gibson explains how to do the problems and shows several examples on the white board. If this type of method works for your child, then you will love these DVDs!

The best thing about Mr. Gibson's approach to teaching math is that he breaks it down into very simple, easy-to-understand steps. I really like the fact that these lessons are on DVD, so you can go through them at your own pace. You can also watch sections over and over again until you "get" the concept. This gives you the feeling of having a real tutor in your living room, going over concepts until you are comfortable with them.

Please take the time to go to the Math Tutor website. There are many different DVDs offered. Most of the courses only cost $26.99 (including the 2 that I reviewed) and the average length of the videos is 8 hours. This is a great value, considering that you would most likely pay $30/hour for a personal tutor (adding up to a whopping $240 for 8 hours of instruction!). I highly recommend that you preview some of the sample videos at MathTutorDVD.com (links are on the left-hand column) so that you can see Mr. Gibson's teaching method for yourself!

If you would like to read some other reviews of this product, please go on over to the TOS Crew blog for the links!

Another Giveaway!

My dear friend, Martha, makes beautiful, unique necklaces with domino pendants that she decorates herself (**edited after Martha let me in on her secret of making them look like they are hand-painted, lol!)! She has a new blog and is hosting her first giveaway. Please show her some love by letting your readers know about her lovely jewelry, then posting a comment on her blog. You will then be entered to win the cutest St. Patty's Day necklace you've ever seen. :) You have to enter by March 4, so get to posting!

Cool Giveaway at Make and Takes!

I have just discovered this wonderful blog and am so excited about the giveaway going on for it's 2nd anniversary! Find out how to enter by clicking the button below! You have to enter by midnight on Thursday, Feb. 19, so hurry on over there!

Homeschooling ABCs from Knowledge Quest

Are you thinking about homeschooling, but aren't sure where to start? I want to tell you about a wonderful e-book designed to take you step-by-step through the process of getting your homeschool off the ground. As a new homeschooler, I have found this resource to be invaluable! It is called Homeschooling ABCs and it is written by Terri Johnson of Knowledge Quest.

Terri has written this course of 26 lessons (each lesson begins with a letter of the alphabet) from her own experience as a homeschooling mom of 5. Her writing style makes you feel like you are talking to a good friend. Not only do you receive her seasoned advice on virtually every topic related to homeschooling, Terri has also put together a ton of bonus resources (freebies!) that amount to over $250 worth of curriculum!

When you sign up for the e-book, you will receive one lesson per week in the form of a link sent to your email. The link takes you to a page that contains all the downloads you need for that particular week. Each lesson is in PDF format and is short and sweet - usually only 10 pages or so (but chock-full of information!). You can save each lesson to your computer and print it out if you desire. I have to say that I even like the fonts and size type Terri used. Some e-books I have received have been so difficult to read on the computer. I didn't find that to be the case at all with Homeschooling ABCs. Each lesson contains links and reading recommendations, plus ideas of how to incorporate what you've learned into your own school day.

Here are just some of the topics covered by Homeschooling ABCs:

• The basics of homeschooling (beginning with the Bible as your foundation)
• Establishing your own philosophy, with a thorough explanation of the 5 most popular teaching methods used by homeschoolers
• How to organize your materials as well as your life around homeschooling
• How to make math fun (great ideas along with lots of links!)
• Nature study and science exploration

And SO much more! There really is enough material here for those of you just starting out as well as those who have been homeschooling for years.

The best part of this great tool is the price! You only pay $60 for this 26-week course. That is just $2.30 per lesson. Considering all of the help you will get out of studying this course, plus the MANY fantastic freebies, plus the time you will save by not having to find all of this information on your own, Homeschooling ABCs is well worth the $60. You need to sign up now! There are only 585 memberships left. You should be one of them! And, to convince you that you need this course, click HERE to sign up for a free mini-course.

The Critical Thinking Co. - Building Thinking Skills

Before I get back to the CPSIA, I have another review for you! The Critical Thinking Co. sent different levels of their Building Thinking Skills series to the TOS Crew members. I received the Primary Level book (Grades K-1). This particular book contains 272 pages of descriptive question and answer strategies. Students using this workbook will work on similarities/differences, writing skills, describing, number sense, & geometry (just to name a few of the skills covered here!). The skills learned in the book help to reinforce language arts, math, science and social studies.

We have used our Building Thinking Skills book for the past several weeks and it has been such a fun learning tool! Ella feels like she's getting a little break when doing this book because she enjoys it so much! The pages are full-color and the graphics keep her interest. The Critical Thinking Co. has found creative ways to cram so many skills into 1-2 short pages! For instance, yesterday, we worked not only on shape and color recognition, but also on shape, color & position words (first, second, third, etc.). Ella had to identify the position of different shapes, color them, and then match the shape names to their correct position and color words. She also had to trace the position and color words. A lot of thinking that took just a little time! Here are some sample pages of the workbook.

You can buy a set of attribute blocks ($20.99 for 60 pieces) to go along with the Primary Building Thinking Skills book. I chose to make my own using thin craft foam. Interlocking cubes ($11.99 for 100 pieces) are also available for activities introduced later in the book (we have not gotten there yet!). A teacher's manual ($19.99) can be purchased separately as well, if you wish to have lesson plans to help you present the skills.

The Primary Building Thinking Skills book itself is $29.99. I truly consider that a bargain for the great variety of skills offered in one book. The Critical Thinking Co. has over 200 different books & software that "sharpen the mind as they teach standards-based reading, writing, math, science, and history". All of their products are guaranteed to work or you get your money back - you can't beat that! Go to their website now to order one of the Building Thinking Skills books (and be sure to check out the extensive catalog while you're there!).

Please go to the TOS Crew blog to check out the other reviews for The Critical Thinking Co. by clicking HERE!

Confused about CPSIA? Let's clear it up for you...

Well, folks, the day has come...National Bankruptcy Day, that is. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to my posts on the CPSIA to find out. For the most recent update, click this link and you're sure to know exactly what items are now considered banned, hazardous children's items by the CPSIA:

http://cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/cpsiasbguide.html

Hmmm....clear as mud, huh?

I'm coming back a little later to post a few of my favorite things I'll miss because of the CPSIA, but until then, feel free to chew on this blogger's post about books for a while:

http://heartkeepercommonroom.blogspot.com/2009/02/these-are-few-of-my-favorite-things.html

WriteShop - StoryBuilders

WriteShop is a company that has been helping junior high and high-schoolers with writing skills for several years. The company has some new products for younger students that may appeal to you as you seek to teach your children to become creative writers. I got a copy of the World of Animals StoryBuilders and World of People StoryBuilders e-books to review and I absolutely love them!

These e-books mainly consist of StoryBuilder cards that feature 4 sections: character, character trait, setting, and plot. There are 192 printable cards in black print (for printing on colored card stock) and 192 of the same cards in colored print (for printing on white card stock). There are also instructions and ideas along with 48 blank cards - perfect for adding your own touch!

You will want to color code each section to easily identify each stack of cards when printed out. I printed mine on colored card stock. Ella was so excited to get the cards printed out. She had no idea what we were going to do with them, but she couldn't wait! After cutting out the World of People cards, I stacked the 4 decks in front of her and asked her to pick a card from each deck. Of course, I had to read the cards to her, but she was happy to find that she'd picked an amusing astronaut in an abandoned warehouse (she also picked "becomes an animal", but she chose not to use that in her story). She wanted one more character & character trait and she picked an angry soldier! These cards are meant to be a spring board for creative stories when your child has difficulty coming up with something new. With these elements of the story already chosen for her, Ella was able to be much more inventive in her writing (or in our case, dictating!). She usually just writes her own version of stories she's heard before or about her friends/stuffed animals, so this was a good exercise for her. Here's the story she wrote:

An astronaut met an angry soldier. The astronaut said, "Where are you going?" The soldier said, "An abandoned warehouse. What are you doing?" "I am going to my spaceship." So he went to his spaceship. His spaceship was broken. The spaceship had many buttons. Then the soldier came and said, "Why does your spaceship have many buttons?" "Because I bought them," said the astronaut. "You are amusing," said the soldier. The soldier got very angry. Then the astronaut got in his spaceship. The soldier went away. Then he came back. "1, 2, 3," said the soldier. "Is 1, 2, 3 real?" said the astronaut. "Yes," said the soldier. Then the astronaut said, "Climb aboard!" So the soldier climbed aboard. Then they went into the deep sky.

Though she's not old enough to make her story make a lot of sense just yet, I still consider this an improvement on the other stories she's written. I think what I love most about the WriteShop StoryBuilders is that they will broaden Ella's vocabulary. She didn't know what "amusing" meant before this exercise and she now knows the meaning of "abandoned warehouse". Knowing Ella, she will begin to use these words and phrases in everyday conversation after this one activity in which she had to use them in context.

We can use these cards on long trips in the car and we can all get involved in the story-telling. My husband and I can also use them when we have trouble coming up with bedtime stories!

The cards in the StoryBuilder sets can be used alone or interchanged with other StoryBuilder decks. In fact, your child's stories will become even more interesting when animals and sports are added into the elements from which to choose. There is even a Christmas set and more sets are going to be added in the near future. Each StoryBuilder e-book is only $7.95 and you can now get the Christmas set for just $3.95. Because of the e-book format, you will pay no sales tax or shipping.

Be sure to check out all of the TOS Crew reviews on this product by clicking HERE!

Update from Handmade Toy Alliance

Here's the latest on the CPSIA from an email I received from the Handmade Toy Alliance:

Thank you for your continued support to Save Small Business from the CPSIA. It has been an active week. A stay of enforcement was issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on Friday, January 30th. Although it has stayed enforcement of many provisions of the law, the CPSC has made it clear that they lack authority to fully correct the CPSIA. Urge Congress to provide the CPSC with guidance that will protect toymakers, thrift resellers, publishers, and clothing manufacturers from the unintended consequences of the CPSIA. A technical amendment, the CPSIA Regulatory Relief Bill, will be introduced on the Senate floor soon. It is important that we gain Senate support for this necessary legislation. Here's what you can do:

1. Call your Senator (switchboard: 202-224-3121).
2. Identify yourself as a constituent and ask to speak with the Senator or the staff assistant who follows Commerce issues.
3. Ask him/her to co-sponsor the CPSIA Regulatory Relief Legislation, and tell them if they have questions about the legislation they can contact Tom Jones in Senator DeMint’s DC office at 202-224-6121. Tom’s email address is tom_jones@commerce.senate.gov.
4. Ask them to vote for the CPSIA Regulatory Relief legislation when it comes to the Senate floor, possibly as an amendment to the stimulus package as has been rumored.

Get five friends to do steps 1-4. We need to show strong support of this amendment in order to get the Senate to pass it. To read the specifics of the amendment, go to: http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=JimsJournal.Detail&Blog_ID=295d58b2-b6fe-c446-1432-24b6199424ed

We have also made strides in our intiative at change.org. We are in the final stages of teaming with a non profit agency and going forward with our national campaign to save small businesses. There is a new petition that you can sign and send a letter to Congress. To see the petition, go to: http://www.change.org/ideas/4203/view_action/tell_congress_to_save_small_business. Our blog posts have also begun. View these at: http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia .Thank you again for your support. Our grassroots campaign would never have gotten as far as it has without the support of people like you.
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/

This blog has a lot of helpful links about some of the recent events: http://overlawyered.com/2009/02/cpsia-chronicles-february-5/.