Graphics Toolbox: Discover the Creative Graphic Possibilities!

“Brilliant”, “creative”, “limitless” and (dare I say?) “genius” are words that come to mind when thinking about the possibilities that Graphics-Toolbox has to offer. Unfortunately, there are a couple of other words that tag along behind the first group, words like: “big learning curve”, “frustrating” and “huh?”.

Let me back up a bit. Awhile ago the amazing minds at Graphics-Toolbox contacted all of us on the TOS Crew to review their program that enables its users to design professional looking ________(fill in the blank with anything containing a photo and/or text in it) right from their home computer. Not only were they offering us a chance to try their software, but they were enthusiastically giving online sessions to show all of the wonderful things Graphics-Toolbox is capable of.

After viewing the first session, I was quite impressed and really pumped! In fact, this is probably my favorite product of the many fine things I have received thus far in my tenure as part of the Crew. And, I might add, even though I’ve yet to figure it out well enough to complete a single project (hence the “frustration”), I still say it’s my favorite.

Ok, let me back up a bit more...Lynda Holler, the founder of Graphics-Toolbox, spent 25 years working in the NYC fashion industry using powerful graphics software for textile and design. Having been spoiled by such software, she felt the void of no longer having such magic at her fingertips once she left the industry. She also knew she could still utilize such magic for a plethora of other things in this digital age, if only she could have such a program for home use.

Apparently a doer, rather than a dreamer, Lynda contacted William Tsao, the man who designed the "Colour Matters" software she enjoyed using so much (that also costs thousands of dollars, I might add!). Knowing that others would also love to have such potential to create amazing graphics from the comfort of their home, she and William set out to bring the affordable  Graphics-Toolbox to any home PC (just $149).

Fast forward to present day blog...my PC now has some of the coolest software ever, taunting me to let the creative juices flow. Thus far, I have tried and failed, but I will try again. I really hoped to have a cool example of what I made for show and tell with this blog, but as the deadline for this review looms close, my projects haven’t made it off the cutting room floor. I hope that I will have an example for you soon, but in the meantime there’s much you can look at on their website (link below).

The customer service offered is another component of the Graphics-Toolbox product that makes the investment worthwhile. They want you to learn how to use their software and get the most from it. Besides being able to watch videos on their website to train you to use their product (I have watched two thus far), they have been quick to answer questions I have emailed and even offered to walk with me through my snares and obstacles to get a finished product. As you might guess (due to lack of finished product), I have not been able to coordinate my free time with theirs in order to do that.

To this point, I feel I have not given you, the reader, a very good idea of what you can do with Graphics-Toolbox. That is a tough one because there’s a tremendous amount of tools to help you tackle any sort of graphic job you could possibly dream up! Scrapbook pages, school projects, and cards for all occasions may be some obvious ideas that spring to mind. But the possibilities are only limited by your imagaination. Report due for school or work? Resume? Business cards? Newsletter? What about a fun before and after picture in which you take subtle elements from the original picture of your son’s baseball team (let’s say a ball, a tennis shoe, and...oh...hmmm...people’s heads, maybe?) and swap them seamlessly around in a second photo, then pass them out as souvenirs to the team and see how many changes they can spot! Sound crazy? Well, that is actually one of the video demonstrations I watched. It is crazy! You really can clip out one person’s face and swap it with another’s. You can change the logo on someone’s shirt or just subtly change hair color. Add cool borders and text and it looks incredible!

One plan I have for this software is to take a picture of the side of my house and try different awnings (striped, solid, multicolor) and shutters from pictures I find on the internet, to see what will look the best before I purchase it. I can find a photo of an awning and very precisely cut it out and place it (enlarging and shrinking as necessary)on the photo of my home for a realistic idea of the finished product!  If we ever decide to paint our home, we could try any color we want and get an excellent idea of what it will look like in real life. Cool, eh?

I know, it doesn’t make much sense that I cannot quite work the software, and yet here I am bragging about how great it is! Let’s just say, it isn’t the software, it’s me. Well, maybe a bit of both. There is just a tremendous amount of variety in the tools. So many colors to choose from (or you can mix your own), so many ways to cut out an area, erase something, center an image and fill in the background...or is there? So many of the tools do something similar to their counterpart but they aren’t precisely what I want, and even after looking at the manual (which is large and seemingly thorough, yet still being misinterpreted by me when I refer to it), I cannot quite get the effect that I am after. However, I am certain that it is a worthwhile endeavor-- sort of like learning to drive a stick-shift car-- complicated at first, but in the end, it flows easily and you're glad you made the effort!

That said, the ability to create just about any amazing project is sitting there on my computer, I just haven’t mastered it yet (hence the “learning curve”). But I am still stoked about the possiblities and so are my children. I had them watch one of the videos with me and they were truly excited to try Graphics-Toolbox as well. Unfortunately, they hit the same road blocks that I did. (Which makes me feel better about my skills...apparently it isn’t just me). But I am confident that with time and effort we can all utilize this tool for so many projects and we will be glad to have it at our disposal.

I honestly believe you will be too! Once purchased, the software is installed on your computer for good and should pay for itself repeatedly in professional looking reports, fabulous scrapbooks, impressive projects and personalized cards that others will treasure for years. Click here to go to the Graphics-Toolbox site and see for yourself what wonders you can create!

Be a Part of History: World Math Day and Guiness Book of World Records!

WORLD MATH DAY, MARCH 3rd, 2010 - SET TO BREAK A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD.



World Math Day is free and lots of FUN!


Join us in a celebration of numbers as students from
around the globe unite in their quest to set a world record in answering mental arithmetic questions. Be a part of this great education event involving more than 2 million students from over 200 countries.


It's Free and Fun!


• Brand NEW format.


• World Math Day is the education event for the world!


• Your students will love it! Be part of setting a world record!


• It will create an amazing buzz around Math


• Designed for all ages and ability levels. Simple to register and participate. All you need is internet access.


• Great prizes


• And it’s absolutely free!!

HURRY, registration closes March 2nd 2010


www.worldmathday.com

Wow! Our Forefathers Cut Their Teeth on Ray's Arithmetic!

Looking at the sad state of public education today, it isn’t any wonder to those of us that homeschool WHY we chose to homeschool. Certainly the lack of quality and content with the rise of value-based education had some sort of influence on your decision to home educate, (although I don’t presume it is the only reason for that decision). The American school system was not always such a squandering, time-waster that prepared kids to feel good about themselves no matter how poorly they performed (everyone gets a trophy!!!).


There was a time when American’s had the best education in the world. Standards were high and morals were higher. From approximately 1865 to 1916 everyone used the same textbook for math, reading, grammar and science.


“So why did the United States stop using them? It is a sad story: After WWI, John Dewey, the head of the Teachers College at Columbia University launched an all-out campaign to "reform" education. Dewey was a humanist, a socialist, and an atheist. He saw the McGuffey Readers and the entire EES as threats - they emphasize patriotism, traditional values, and the Bible. Dewey believed, in his own words, that public schools should be the "State established church." Dewey viciously attacked the textbooks of the day as "antiquated" and he was able to successfully bring about their demise, as well as the demise of quality public education.”


The above quote is brought to you by Dollar Homeschool Company. They are enabling homeschoolers of today to have the textbooks of yesterday. They sent me a free copy of Ray’s Arithmetic to review from the original Eclectic Education Series that early American's used in their one room schoolhouses.


I have seen McGuffey's Readers, and even had a copy of one of the Readers at some point during my early homeschooling years. I remember how charming, how innocent, how “non-fluff” they were. Yet, also challenging! I had not heard of Ray’s Arithmetic, however, until I received my copy from Dollar Homeschool Company.


Here’s my dilemma: I see the benefit of this rigorous curriculum, I see the lack of intensity that is often present in modern day curricula, and I really appreciate the availability of this material once again. However, if you are not a math-minded sort (which I definitely am not!), I cannot imagine the structure of this math curricula giving you anything but stress.


I feel like the hunter that kills Bambi’s dad saying this; but there’s just no way I could use Ray’s Arithmetic. There are absolutely no visual cues, and it is written much like verses in the Bible. I have never seen math problems in paragraph form until now. Rather than problems separated by space, there are just problems written one after the other for the entire lesson. Although there are directions to use counters such as beans or marbles (in arithmetic, for example), there are not any examples for students to refer to. This would just drive me crazy, as a student or an adult!


I so appreciate what Dollar Homeschool Company is trying to do by bringing back Ray’s Arithmetic, but I also think they may be wise to consider a revised version, in which examples are added and space is provided to have a visual “rest” between problems. Being a visual learner, I would really struggle to do the curriculum as is.


That said, I realize that we are all not alike in our mental wiring. There are probably plenty of you that would see the great potential in this style of textbook and method of learning. After all, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” right? Well, the American education system certainly wasn’t broke before Mr. Dewey came along with his “bright” ideas. I guess I would have figured it out or flunked out as a child back in the day when Ray’s Arithmetic was the only way to do things! I know I would have just adapted in that time period, but I must say I am thankful that I have other choices now.


I will say that if you have a love for all things yesteryear, you should at least give a look to the charming material that Dollar Homeschool carries. The McGuffey’s series is easy to use and has beautiful, old fashioned illustrations as well as providing a solid English foundation. There’s grammar, history and science as well, all at exceptional prices. Ray’s Arithmetic is a phenomenal bargain, giving you the entire collection of textbooks: that’s 12 core textbooks, plus teacher’s manuals, as well as other interesting math texts, such as Surveying and Navigation and Bookkeeping all on one CD for just $59! You couldn’t touch that price for anything similar. Even if it is just for curiosities sake, to peek at what our forefathers used to learn their subjects, I hope you will take a look at the website by clicking here. It is always interesting, to me, to see how other people think and how different we all are in the way that we learn. It will at least give you an appreciation for all the wonderful curriculum choices we have today, and perhaps persuade you to take a stab at the curricula of yesterday, too!

Math Score Takes Your Child to the Next Level, and the Next, and the Next...

Where were all of these math programs when I was struggling through math as a child? Ok, if you want to get technical, I am old. At least too old to have had access to computers for more than learning DOS, and there certainly WASN’T an internet when I was in school. So, I guess that explains it; I’m old. I need to get over it, I suppose.

I have been homeschooling for13 years now and I can see a huge difference in what is being offered in the math realm for students in more recent years, as opposed to the choices even five years ago. Homeschooling parents no longer need to be a math whiz to make one out of their students. With programs like Math Score, kids can move ahead at their own pace, concentrate on topics that make them frustrated, practice on a huge variety of subjects, and all the while parents can sit back and watch the results (or at least read about them in the handy reports that are emailed to you!).

So, what is Math Score? It is a completely internet based math site that requires zero installation on your computer. No software to malfunction or become dated when you buy a new computer. It was designed by some braniacs from MIT, which automatically means (to me) that they must have designed a pretty sweet website and thought of everything!  I think that seems quite likely as some of the topics are so specific, it never would have occurred to me (a non-braniac, NOT from MIT) to set up practice for some of these functions.

For example, there’s practice for things such as tally and pictographs (not sure what that is), odd or even theory (I know the odd and even part...not so sure about the theory), using parentheses (who doesn’t need more practice with that?!), Perimeter and Area of Composite Figures (huh?), and even batting averages! Wow, and that’s just a smidgeon of the topics that Math Score will give your students, from 1st grade through Algebra 1, the ability to practice. Of course, there are loads of the usuals to work through as well. In grade 6, for instance, there are 86 different things to choose from!

If you have read many of my reviews, you know I can get overwhelmed by having almost too much information and choices to wade through. I do feel a bit like that when I get on the website, but that is mostly due to my own wiring. And although there’s much to take in on Math Score, it is arranged very logically and there are links to help you learn to navigate and understand what you are looking at. 

My daughters jumped in with ease, taking assessments and getting started on the worksheets. My 6th grader really loved racing against the timer, and then trying again to  beat her last score. Each worksheet is generated right then, so there is never the same set of problems, and the software is intelligent enough to adjust the level of difficulty to your students progress. Within each topic are different levels, beginning with the basics of that subject and moving on to more complex problems. To move up a notch you must get a certain score, showing mastery in the basics before moving on. By the time all of the levels are complete, you can be fairly certain your child knows that topic!

Parents, you will receive frequent email updates from Math Score (or you can log in and check anytime) that show your child’s progress, what they have mastered, what they are working through and what may need some intervention if they just aren’t showing any grasp or cognizance in a certain area.

Furthermore, there is detailed information for you to know exactly when and for how long your student worked on each subject. Even beyond that, you will see actual working time on the subject in addition to the time logged in; in this way you can see the fruitful time spent learning the subject, not just time logged on but potentially goofing off. I told you they thought of everything!

Although it seems that Math Score is marketed more for serious math practice and skill building, most likely used with other curriculum, it would not be a stretch to see this site used exclusively as a math curriculum as well. With sample problems and step by step solutions, most subjects could likely be grasped through the support offered on each topic. In fact, if you explore the parent section of their website, you can read how Math Score is working in just such a way for homeschooling families.

Of course, one nice thing about the internet based programs is that they usually offer a free trial, so you can really see whether their product will meet your needs. You can check Math Score for yourself, as well as sign up for a free trial by clicking here. If you like what you see, a membership costs just $9.95 per month for the first student, $5.00 for the second and $3.95 for each additional child. I would encourage you to peruse the site and just read up on the information given to see all that is offered by purchasing Math Score. I feel smarter just looking at it!

Math Tutor...Affordable and Specialized Math Help!

Ahhh, Math! Just the sound of the word...gives me hives and sends me into a panic-- especially if I am supposed to teach it!!! Thankfully, there are more and more homeschooling math products available to help those mathematically challenged mother’s like myself!

I would say, that beyond being intimidated by math in general, I find word problems especially troubling, particularly when they get just a wee bit complex. It is rather humbling to help your child through a problem only to arrive at the wrong answer! 

Recently Math Tutor sent me a couple of DVD’s to review and one of them just happened to be “The Basic Math Word Problem Tutor.” In this set of 2 DVD’s, Jason Gibson walks math students through 8 hours of word problem instruction. (Oh glee! Pop some popcorn and put that baby in the player! LOL) From the most basic of word problems (addition) through much more complex calculations such as dividing fractions or decimals, Mr. Gibson leads the students step by step through each word problem. 

Since the DVD is divided into chapters for word problems using a certain math function, the DVD can easily be used as a resource that is specific to a problem (“I don’t understand when I am supposed to subtract...”) or can be used systematically to build in complexity through the course of a school year. (In other words, it isn’t intended to be used all at once! Put the popcorn back...).

This video is definitely not a high-tech media blitz. However, such graphics really aren’t needed. It is a lot like being in a classroom, with the teacher at the front of the room explaining things on the white board. (Ok, in my day, it would have been a chalk board!). No bells and whistles here, just straightforward explanations from an easy to listen to math teacher. 

After a short explanation of the terms and what hints within a problem to look for, Mr. Gibson jumps in, reading a word problem (which is also shown on the screen), and solving it on the white board. He does a good job of walking students through the different steps and explaining what is necessary to structure the problem correctly. He then solves the problem (with neat handwriting). It would be a good idea to have your child write down and solve the problems along with Jason Gibson. It would have been nice to be able to print out the problems in each section and give kids the choice to try some of them as they go along and become more comfortable with these sort of problems.

The only other suggestions I would have for future DVD’s (assuming that Mr. Gibson will read this, be struck by my genius, and incorporate it next time), is to write the “keywords” on the board, as he calls them out, giving a visual child (like me) an extra advantage by getting to see his hints. For instance, if keywords such as “altogether”, “the sum”, and “how many in all” are clues that the problem is addition, then take a moment to write those on the board as they are explained, letting the visual learner take it in via the best manner possible.

Furthermore, it would be my recommendation to have a small music stand or podium nearby for Mr. Gibson to place his notes and pages of problems that he is working from. I found the way he waved the pages around as he talked a bit distracting (did I mention that I am visual?).

However, those are small items that don’t take much away from the big picture of leading kids through the toil of word problems. Truly, this is a most important concept to be grasped in math, since it parallels the sort of math problems we all use in day to day life.

The other DVD that was sent to me was sweet, delightful and lovely to watch. “Young Minds, Numbers and Counting” is geared toward the preschooler that is just learning their numbers. However, this video was not the parental-torture trap that many DVD’s can be for this age group! Set to beautiful classical music, and using vivid nature photos and video clips, the DVD takes its time exploring the beauty of creation while identifying “how many” things are in the particular photo/video. 

The quality of each image is National Geographic-good. A clear and innocent child’s voice counts and identifies objects for the viewer. The pace is slow and leisurely, giving time to soak up the beauty and concept. No wonder this DVD has won several awards including a DR. TOY award for one of the top 10 Audio/Visual products. There are also some simple games/puzzles included in the bonus material of this DVD that reinforce the concepts, such as dot to dots that are solved while counting from 1 to 10.

“Basic Math Word Problems” sells for $26.99, (Strangely, I cannot find anything on the website about the "Young Minds DVD. I will contact the company and update this blog when I get the info-- sorry!) If there are other math subjects that stump you or your child, there are MANY other Math Tutor videos on a wide range of subjects, including advance math, carried on the Math Tutor website. You can even watch samples of the DVDs to get a feel for how they work. Check out all of the helpful products by clicking here. 

Zeezok: Bringing Composers to Life!

“Oh Susannah, don’t you cry for me!” 

Ever wonder where some of these childhood songs got their start? Ever hear of Stephen Foster? Did you know he is considered to be the composer of “Folksongs for the American People”? 

If you answered “no” to most of those questions, don’t feel unlearned; until lately I was in the fog too (not sure if you find any comfort in that!). However, I recently received two biographies of famous composers from Zeezok Publishing, in exchange for my review. And, what fun I had learning about Stephen Foster, as well as composer Edward MacDowell! Forget the fact that these books are geared toward kids about 6-12 years old! Their simple yet engaging story lines had me reeled into the young lives of these genius men; both of whom showed musical brilliance from an especially young age.

Stephen Foster and his Little Dog Tray, by Opal Wheeler told a lively story of a child musical prodigy growing up in the early 1800’s. At age 2 “Stephy”, as he was called by his family, was imitating tunes he had heard on his sister’s guitar. He loved to hear the African American servant girl sing her soulful melodies and often went to church with her, taking to the spirituals sung by the folks there. 

As he matured, Stephen foster acquired skill in playing many instruments; most simply  by picking them up and playing around with them. Eventually, he would become one of the greatest American composers, with people all over the world recognizing and using his songs. From “Camptown Races,” to “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,” we have all tried out a tune or two from this talented man. Have your children? I wouldn’t assume so; folksongs aren’t as common nowadays; we must intentionally expose children to them. 

Wouldn’t it be great to know what shaped the soul of such a musician when he was a child? You can actually do better than just reading about Stephen Foster; you can also hear his music on the CD that comes with the set, as well as print out music and coloring pages that coincide with the the book. Furthermore, the study guide is helpful for asking pertinent questions, doing character study, and finding out a little more background info on the composer, as well as giving timelines of what was going on at this point in history. (Please note that author Opal Wheeler uses the language of the day, referring to African American’s as “colored” and “Negro”, as well as referring to the popular “Minstrel” shows in which white performers put black makeup on their faces and sang and spoke in an imitative manner. This is merely an honest recounting of the times and is not done in a derogatory way.)

The other book and study guide that I was given was that of Edward MacDowell and his Cabin in the Pines by Opal Wheeler and Sybil Deucher. Edward was another very talented child who lived from the mid 1800’s until just after the turn of the century. Your young musician may feel better about their 30-60 minutes of practice when they read that he was required to practice for two hours at just 8 or 9 years of age. This was especially tough on the young boy because he was a dreamer that would much rather invent his own songs than practice scales and someone else’s music all day long. He was also quite a talented artist and an avid reader that longed to visit the far off places he read about. 

Eventually he would have the chance to visit many European countries, his music opening the door for him to study and to play; the beauty of the countries inspiring more music for him to compose. His talent would pave the way for him to be one of America’s most famous composers, writing songs, (which, I admit, are not as familiar as the folksongs from Foster) and eventually returning to teach music.

Both books were long enough to be chapter books, interesting enough to be read by slightly older students and sprinkled with illustrations by Mary Greenwalt to keep younger readers pulled in as well. Furthermore, there are musical scores from each composer placed throughout the book and available to print out from the CD-Rom. I will add that the music on the CD-rom is lacking in depth. It is merely a simple (keyboard?) recording of the tunes, without any words. However, if you wanted to get a deeper appreciation for a particular song, the internet would easily give such access.

Each book from Zeezok publishing is $12.95 and the study guides are currently free with the purchase of a biography (normally $4.95). If you buy two sets of biographies ($35.80), you will also get the companion CD for free (normally $7.95). They are pre-grouped so  you will want to check out the website to see how they are paired together. Of course, there are many other titles in this Great Composers series: Mozart, Bach and Brahms to name a few! Look at all the great selections and learn more by clicking here.

Learning Typing Skills with Christian Keyboarding for the Christian School

Keyboarding (aka Typing) is a crucial skill for kids to have in this computer dependent world. The old “hunt and peck” method, just won’t cut it when it comes to kids typing a paper for college or as an adult putting together a resume. The homeschool family may be able to get by with strictly hand-written papers, but that isn’t going to work out well  once the kids grow up!

Finding a good keyboarding program is the best means of acquiring the second nature skill of typing. I was recently sent Leanne Beitel’s Keyboarding for the Christian School, in PDF format, to review for the TOS Crew. 

First of all, my kids type quite well, so getting a feel for using this program from the ground up wasn’t going to happen. However, I did print out some more complex sentences and scriptures for the girls to try, as well as some practice on the number pad which I don’t think any of us have worked on memorizing.

A PDF book is easy to use, if you have never tried one before. You just store it on your computer, instead of on the bookshelf, and print out the pages you need for practice. Keyboarding for the Christian School is a “no-frills” instruction manual, with some black and white pictures or diagrams when necessary and very basic page layout. 

Maybe I have been brainwashed by years of color photos and interesting graphics, but for me, the book lacks a lot of flourish. I know, I know, that is not the point!!!! I am aware that there is much to be said about teaching kids sans all the bells and whistles...but I am just one that’s wired to like color and creativeness and I think it has rubbed off on my kids as well. (Maybe the big red and yellow swirl on our kitchen wall has something to do with it). When I contemplate handing the pages from Keyboarding for the Christian School to my kids to learn typing from scratch, as compared to the Typing Instructor CD that we used when they were little (full of graphics and games), it seems like giving them the choice between plain, boiled chicken and seasoned, marinated chicken off of the grill. Which one do you think they will prefer? 

Certainly an older child or adult could appreciate learning keyboarding for strictly the educational value in this keyboarding book, but even then, I think a computer CD-Rom would have more to offer if one was starting from the ground up with no typing skills.

On the other hand, when our kids need to type a paper that they have written, or maybe a quote out of a book, they do need to know how to look at the draft and transfer that to the computer. In this way, Keyboarding for the Christian School provides good practice. There are also scriptures provided throughout the book for many of the keyboarding exercises. However, this is something a parent could provide on their own. 

I hate for this to sound like a negative review because this really is a product that fulfills certain needs. The content is good and provides practice on many things that someone who is fluent with basic keyboarding could use for further typing expertise. Practice with Tabs and Columns and the number pad, as well as other lesser-used skills are tackled in the material. It seems geared toward helping with many Word-processing skills, which I must admit I have very little knowledge about the relevance of in this age of computers. 

But, for kids that are just learning basic, from scratch, keyboarding skills, I would say there would be much more appealing options on the market. However, if you are one that desires no-frills practicality (obviously not me) then this would be a good fit, as well as for those who wish to really work on things less straightforward than typing a paper, with greater Word Processing skills.

To look into Keyboarding for Christian the School further (it can be purchased for $15.95), and to see what other products are offered, check out the website by clicking here.

For the Love of Music and Munchkins!

Music, like language, is one of those things that is sooooo much easier to learn as a child than as adult, or even a teenager. Whatever the little miracles happening in the brains of toddlers and young children, it amazingly enables them to just grasp and learn the concepts so effortlessly! That’s a great motivator for teaching music. However, what if you don’t have any skills in the music realm, or a limited budget that just won’t stretch to private lessons?


Well, let me introduce you to Kinderbach! They are an online or DVD provider of early music instruction that requires very little from you. A computer, a printer, and a basic keyboard with 36 to 48 full-sized keys (or piano) are the only tools you’ll need to get your child heading in a musical direction.


My daughters have been playing piano for years and are certainly no longer preschoolers (hallelujah!) but we all sat and viewed quite a few lessons together and found ourselves really amused at the creative ways that founder Karrie Gregor has put together the musical concepts.


In a rather “Blues Clues” setting (Ms. Gregor instructing from an animated set) Karrie introduces students to fun songs, rhythms, and keyboarding basics. With the help of her animated friends, (whose names correspond to the notes on the keyboard), she allows students to successfully grasp small increments of music. The lessons are short, yet not bland --nor are they just for entertainment’s sake.


One of our favorites were the “left hand” and “right hand” football teams (one was the Blue Team, one was the Red), that had little talking finger announcers (think Joe Buck and Troy Aikman) and a fun song that taught some “strategy” on the keyboard. The “play” was called and the football fingers had to play the keyboard in a certain order, with a fancy motion of the thumb, tucking under the other fingers to play a note. Very creative and yet it also accomplishes what it set out to do!


Another favorite was “Balk Talk” in which an animated Yohan Sebastian Bach talked with Miss Karrie about composing music. Kids actually get a chance to make up some songs of their own. I thought it was really clever!


Karrie Gregor is not only a talented musician but also an accomplished artist and she has provided the illustrations and animation for the fun lessons. Furthermore, she sings along and interacts with the characters in a way that is cute without being cheesy (for the age group she is teaching to!). Most lessons have a worksheet that can be printed out to coincide with what is being learned, and there are also coloring pages of concepts and different characters that are a part of the lessons, as well.


Kinderbach will engage little minds and allow that musical part of the brain to be stimulated and developed in the formative years. Research continually affirms the correlation between music and brain development in preschoolers. This product is recommended for ages 3-7. There’s also a program for preschool groups available if you teach a coop or have a ministry to children.


For the individual lessons, there is a choice of using the online lessons or ordering DVD’s to be used at home (that would come with CD’s to print out the material and coloring pages to go along with the DVD’s). The prices vary depending on the method preferred, however, you will come out way ahead of the cost of private lessons. Furthermore, all of Kinderbach’s products come with a 30 day, no hassle, money back guarantee and all DVD’s have a lifetime replacement offer in the event that they are damaged. For all the information you need to get started, click here and check out Kinderbach for yourself!  From the home page, you can try some free lessons as well as print out various pages in order to see if this program is a good fit for your family. And a one and a two...

Book Review: Bertie's War

Bertie’s War by Barbara Tifft Blakey takes the reader on a short trip back in time to the turbulent 60’s where Communists and bomb shelters loomed large on everyone’s radar. For twelve year old Roberta, or “Bertie”, it is a reality that stifles her with fear. But, at age twelve, pretty much everything seems to strike fear into Bertie’s heart.

For most of Bertie’s life, she has used “pretend” as a way to escape her anxieties, retreating into her imagination to places that are safe and where she can control the outcome. However, as she is maturing, as she is caught in the in-between place of childhood and young adult, she is finding less comfort in her private world of pretend. Or, maybe, the world and its implications are becoming so big, they are encroaching on her ability to be a child. Either idea is something Bertie really doesn’t want to contemplate.

Thus the reader finds himself in the trenches of the mind of a twelve year old, a mind with quite a fertile imagination, at an age most of us adults wish to never revisit. Yet, author Barbara Tifft Blakey takes us there with care and tenderness, with honesty and and humor. The lessons learned at such an impressionable age will last a life time for Bertie and help younger readers to see that there is a bigger picture in each situation, that their insecurities, although normal, should not be allowed to define them or have the last say in their character.

My eleven year old could certainly relate to the power of pretend from Berite’s perspective; in fact, reading about Bertie sometimes made me think my daughter must have been secretly observed. Yet the times inwhich Bertie lived were a little closer to what I remember and what I can relate to growing up in the early 70’s when my dad kept a large container of non-perishables in the garage “in case the Russians attacked”. Bomb shelters and Communists were made much more of in the media in my day than the threat of Islam and Jihad are in the present politically correct climate. Still, the dilemma of how much to let the big problems facing our nation affect the oft bigger problems of sorting through life when you're twelve can be overwhelming at any point in history.

Besides missiles in Cuba, Bertie worries about having the approval of her father who is frequently stern and aloof. Trying to win an elusive nod of approval from him becomes almost an obsession. Trying to stay out of the woodshed (where consequences are meted out) is a close second. If Bertie can just do everything right...then everything will be alright...right?

Seems like a simple equation for peace and happiness but that all unravels in many ways as the reader walks through and processes life a la Bertie. The war that sat at the doorstep of our nation back in the early 60’s will eventually become a minor character as the war within Bertie breaks out on multiple fronts. 

Bertie’s War is an excellent Coming of Age story that reveals the depth of complexities within the seemingly simple things of life. Without preaching, it explores matters of the heart while assuming, and eventually healing, with matters of faith. 

I hope you will get your own copy of Bertie’s War, from Kregel Publications, by visiting this link. It’s also a great way to expose your child to the issues facing our nation in the early 1960’s without allowing the perversion of the times to taint their innocence. 

*I was provided with a free copy of Bertie’s War in exchange for my honest review as part of the TOS Crew. 

New Year, New You...Yeah, Right

It’s that time of year again. Time for self examination and self determination...a.k.a. New Years Resolutions. How does it come around again so quick? Surely it hasn’t been a whole year since I examined all of my flaws and resolved to at least pick one to eliminate. Of course, instead of eliminating it, it has only become more glaringly obvious. In fact, I pretty much resolved not to make any resolutions any more. I’m tired of setting myself up for failure. However, that doesn’t stop my mind from thinking about what I would resolve IF I thought I might want to maybe sorta try and do something. Perhaps. Possibly...

There is something about a new year that just  begs a reflection on the past one, at least in my mind. Not allowing myself to ponder it a little is like trying not to blink. Eventually the urge just overtakes me. Before I know it, I am wallowing in disgust and disappointment at my lack of ...anything... and feeling compelled to renew that commitment once again. Why is change so hard?

Well, I have at least come to realize that any change apart from the help of God Almighty is pretty unattainable. Even when I sort of muster some up on my own, it is about as flimsy as cheap wrapping paper. And, honestly, even when I allow the Lord to help me accomplish a little something, the right way, at some point I will inevitably take my eyes off of Him and high-five myself. My hands are still stinging from the smack when I have stumbled back to square one. When Paul wrote those words in Romans 7:18-20 concerning always doing what we should not do, instead of what we know we should do he was pretty much summing up my life of eating too many sweets and avoiding exercise. In fact, there's a picture of me, next to this verse, in the original Greek text. 

So, what’s a failure like me to do? Throw my hands up in the air, flop on the couch and grab a few cookies? Well, that doesn’t sound half bad except I know deep down that with God all things are possible. I know that He who has started a good work in me will be faithful to complete it. I know that through Christ we are more than conquerors. I know God’s word is faithful and true and I can keep coming to it’s truth and clinging to it and renewing my tired out, flabby mind and finding ever-present help in my times of trouble.

Eating unhealthy foods and avoiding exercise may seem like piddly things on a spiritual scale, but that is where my battle continually lies. Ultimately it is about my character. I have grown up choosing to only do those things that come easily for me. I was a skinny, lazy junk food junky. Now it is time to grow up and I know that as I commit, once again, to letting the Lord reign over ALL of my life, it will inevitably spill over into other parts in multifaceted ways. 

What are your struggles? What habits have you decided you can afford to live with, or that you just can’t seem to live without? I hope you will allow yourself honesty before God (and perhaps with yourself) and also the vulnerability with others (i.e. close friends, or... a blog that you know others will read and learn your deepest, darkest secrets...)  because having some accountability will go a long way toward helping you reach your goals or conquer your fears. Trying and failing keeps us humble, but trying again after failing so many times and THEN succeeding...well, I can’t wait to find out what that’s like! 

Worship Guitar Lessons on DVD

                   

I was suffering from Guilty Parent Syndrome. It was a quiet sort of suffering, yet it was always there, right under the surface. Ever since my youngest, who was nine at the time, saved up her own money and purchased a fairly decent first guitar, I have felt guilty for not giving her any instructional help.

At first, I actually did purchase a DVD that taught basic guitar. It was really lame and hard to follow. I realized that I could watch the DVD and learn it myself, then pass on my newfound knowledge to her. I actually tried one lesson. One part of one lesson. Then the guilt set in. Not only did I not realistically have TIME to learn and teach guitar (nor, honestly, the ability) but I was going to have to cut my nails!!! I just couldn’t quite bring myself to do that. So, I settled for feeling guilty instead. 

My intention was to find something different to enable her to learn. I did ask a friend to show her a few things. He tuned the guitar and then played it like crazy, not exactly sharing it in his enthusiasm for the great sound from such an inexpensive guitar. Soooo, it just sort of sat in her room, propped in a corner, strummed on occasionally and shooting guilt-laden daggers my way when I tucked my daughter in at night. I have let my heart grow callused to lessen the effects of the syndrome. 

Enter Jean Welles Worship Guitar, Volume One. When this arrived in the mail, a free DVD for me to review, I had one happy little girl! She wasn’t as little as she once was, for two years she has waited patiently (most likely giving up hope), for a chance to learn the guitar. Now thanks to reviewing for the TOS Crew, she had another opportunity to try.

I feared a repeat of the first DVD I purchased two years before: Low budget, grainy, hard to see and follow. However, I was pleasantly surprised that there was a clear picture, no distractions, and a nice, easy going style that Jean Welles brought to the video. The only draw back was an echo-y sound whenever she spoke, though it didn’t hinder how well she could be understood. Maybe it was necessary for picking up the sound of her guitar, I don’t know.

My daughter enthusiastically began the first lesson, guitar poised. She was absolutely thrilled with the instruction on how to tune a guitar to itself. That may sound like an oxymoron, especially in a grossly out of tune guitar, but it really did work! By the end of the first lesson, she actually could play a simple worship song with two chords! I got a really big “thank you!” from her, even though I really had nothing whatsoever to do with it.

Day by day my daughter has been working through the lessons and building on each new concept. Sometimes the pace is a bit fast and she certainly uses the pause button but I think that is to be expected. She also said she wishes that Ms. Welles would call out the chord changes in a song and slow down a bit. However, since Ms. Welles has been teaching for over 30 years, I am sure there is a reason on both counts.

In fact, Jean Welles has some really impressive credentials. She has a Master’s in Guitar performance from USC. Her instructional DVD’s are in nearly 60 countries and 1500 stores. Over 100,000 students have learned guitar with these lessons. And now I can count my daughter among the successful masses. We haven’t quite made it through all 7 lessons but I am already impressed with the songs she has learned and she is really pleased with the results. I also appreciate the focus being on Christ and using our gifts to worship him.

In all, there are four different volumes of Worship Guitar Class. Each DVD can be played in either English or Spanish and is suitable for children or adults. Also, if you visit Ms. Welles website by clicking here, you can also view the first lesson from some of the programs for free and you can even download the music. The DVD (along with a book containing the lessons and music) is $29.95. There are also DVD’s for piano, percussion, electric guitar, violin and voice. 

So, we now have the best of both worlds: my daughter is learning guitar and I still have my nails. All is right with the world and hyperbole lives on.