Time4Learning review

Time4Learning is an online education program that can be used as a homeschooling curriculum, an afterschool tutorial or for summer learning. As a member, I've been given the opportunity to share my experiences. The content in this review was not written by Time4Learning. While I was compensated, the opinion is entirely my own.



I decided in Feb. I wanted to do a few months of Time4Learning.com at the end of this school year. I wanted to expose my kids a more "traditional" version of school. Also, I knew that the usual end of the year fatigue would eventually set in.

Though I did not know it then, that decision ended up being a huge lifesaver. We are staying w/ relatives for an extended period of time, while our house gets exterminated. Having school on the computer has been a huge blessing.

Years ago, I did Time4Learning as a full curriculum. I was hoping it would be "fun" for the kids, esp. the one w/ learning disabilites. But only one of my kids thought it was fun(the first grader). I am sure that some kids would find it fun, but it's not a guarantee. Some kids just don't find school fun no matter how you dress it up. I liked it, but decided it wasn't for our family as a full curriculum.

Our experience this time has been a great one. It's not up to me to get everything ready, it's all prepared. I help when they need it. It has made them more independent and has shown me some areas that they need more work.

I have had one of my students(so far) complete the simulated state assessment test. It has been very eye opening. After the first section of the test, I asked why he never looked over the passage again. He told me he thought that would be cheating!! I love that they will be exposed to this type of test taking.

It has been good to see where they match up w/ their grade level. One of them who turned out to not be on grade level in math, I chose a lower level of math and let him work on multiplication and division facts. I think that was a great use of program.

It is $20 a month for the first student and then $15 for each additional. Paying for months in advance gives you a discount. If someone lists you as the one who recommended them, you get $$. When we did it before, I received a check in the mail because 2 people listed me. Also you can earn $$ by writing a blog review. It's nice that they offer these things.

I will definitely want to do Time4Learning.com again at the end of next year's school year!

Check it out, there is alot I haven't mentioned. :)

Sonlight and Time4Learning.com

Just signed up for a month of Time4Learning.com. I might even do longer. I just felt the need to supplement what I have been doing(Sonlight) w/ some traditional learning.

I think this will be a nice way of rounding things out. I love the literature based approach of Sonlight and will not change from it.

Time4Learning also has a simulated state test. Will be a confidence booster to let them take that! :)

Good thing this blog isn't a pet!

I haven't been very attentive to it! Today I am forcing myself to just throw out any old words. ;)

We are easing back into homeschooling.Slowly, but surely.

I am looking ahead to next year as we purchase our curriculum in Feb(w/ our income tax refund).

For those of you fellow curriculum junkies, I am no longer using Time 4 Learning. I still feel comfortable recommending it, though. It totally saved my life and helped me not to lose my mind last year. Now I am able to continue on w/ Sonlight.

For those who really love specifics, here are the specific reasons we stopped doing T4L:

The oldest(13) liked T4L, but didn't really retain the info. He did like the lessons, but for whatever reason(learning style, maybe?), it just didn't sink in.So we decided to stop it for him, but continue on w/ a few of the others.

JD,(10 at the time), has dyslexia and some other learning disabilities. No curriculum could be fun enough for him. But he did like not having to read or write and he liked having choices for the answers. Eventually, I decided if he was just going to fight me on it, we could fight about something that wasn't costing us $20 a month! ;)

My nine year old, Jr. liked T4L just fine, but she also liked Sonlight LA and the math program that we use. So after a time, I felt I was able to let her go on back to SL LA and our math book and keep some of the others on T4L.

My youngest(a 7 year old girl) would actually still like to be doing T4L!! And if I had the $20, I probably would let her. I think this is a GREAT program to allow the youngest child to "play on". Sometimes she gets left behind. I am sure she is still learning, but w/ T4L, she could be independent and it was "grade level". It made me feel good. But since she was the only child still needing/wanting to do it, I made a deal w/ her to buy her a work book she wanted. She was ok w/ me cancelling after that. :)

As for N, my extra student, he was the main reason I switched from SL to T4L in the first place. Before I knew better, I thought all learning problems were the same. Let me assure you THEY ARE NOT. ;) T4L was great for him because he had choices for the answer. Then if he got the answer wrong, it would explain why it was wrong and what the right answer was. It helped improve his comprehension skills and his reading level. But the higher up he went, the information just got to be over his head. By that time, I felt more comfortable doing things on my own.

Right now, all 4 younger students are using a workbook from WalMart that cost just under $8. It covers basic skill for a grade level.

JD works one page from each section w/ me every day. Jr. does it all on her own, several pages at a time. I only bought her one because she wanted one too.N does one page from each section w/ me everyday and then one page(from each section) for homework everyday. JJ just started and for now we are doing one page from each section. That is where each child is able to work comfortably. I cannot tell you what joy and peace this brings to me!!!!!

From here, it is my plan to add on other subjects now that these basic subjects are being covered.

These last 2 years I did not finish my SL Core 1+2. But we have accomplished so much learning.

I am just going to move on and purchase Core 100 American History for my oldest who is a few months away from 14. He is going to go ahead and start 9th grade.

The 3 younger ones will all move on to Core 3 American History part 1.

I am just going to teach what my kids need, on the level that they need it. If it takes one or two of them more than 4 years to get ready for college, then so be it. A wise woman told me recently, that if the kid can't do high school work, then he certainly isn't ready for college, and did it really matter if the kid started college at 19 instead of 18?

scheduling

Well now that we are doing time4learning, I am starting over at square one making a schedule. Actually it feels like square ZERO! ;)

3 kids have a turn doing their t4l work on the computer. My schedule had them always working as a group.

Lighten UP!

School has started and I still don't feel it "in the air". So much for that theory.

Today we started so late, but still did mostly everything. I didn't sleep well and couldn't drag myself up.I was tempted to stay down and just do nothing for the day, but it eventually occured to me that sometimes you just have to lighten up. When things seem like they are rock bottom, there is nothing to lose in having a little sense of humor. So instead of feeling bad, I just started from where I was.

It is hard for me to see that I am still the same person no matter what is going on. I want to feel good about myself when I act good. But God isn't so fickle.He continues to grow me and use and change me. I don't need to rush Him or question His timing or help Him along.And I don't need to clean myself up on my own.

I am really enjoying this time of review. My confidence is really building.On Sept. 15, 3 of the kids will begin Time4Learning again, so I guess we will have to tweak things again. I am anxious to see if I feel like I still need it. It was such a life saver last year!!!

More

I am just going to keep writing for awhile about my experiences w/ ADHD. Let me emphasis that I am relating my personal experiences.I do realize that everyone's journey is so personal and unique, and I respect whatever choices loving parents make for their special needs kids. :)

Yesterday I recommended time4learning curriculum.

I should mention that t4l pays you for referring people to the program. If you recommend someone and they list you as the one who referred them, (at the start of their second month I think is how they work it), you get a check for $20. They even have an email form you can send out to people recommending the program. I have never done that, but just from people asking me what homeschool program I use, I unexpectedly received a check in the mail when someone signed up!

My point is that if you were so inclined you might be able to offset the cost of the program!

Anyhow, back to ADHD...

Two of my kids are diagnosed w/ it. When I first found out about the kids, I went to my pediatrician and talked to her. She recommended medication and I agreed. She is a very good dr and I trust her. They took the medication for about 4 days when I started doing some reading and just did an about face deciding that I did not want to START w/ medication. My ped. doesn't believe you can treat it successfully any other way, but other people who have written books believe you can. So I stopped the medication.

For my son, he is so skinny, and the medicine tends to make kids lose thier appetite.And my daughter, for some reason, I just feel that she is too young to start w/ such a powerful drug. I worried how it would effect her development.Honestly, I don't know if that is fear or mother's intuition or what!

Before I tell you my favorite resource on ADHD, a disclaimer is in order. Do not come crying to me when the author of this book ticks you off! Because he will. ;) I do not think everything he says is true, but his method has worked the best for us so far. Even JD's occupational therapist noticed a difference in his memory after a short time on the program. Sorry,but shortly after that we discontinued OT, so I can't update you further. What can I say? I have ADD too!

The book is Unraveling the ADD/ADHD Fiasco by Dave Stein. In a nutshell, the consequence for misbehavior is a boring timeout. Sounds simple, but what could be worse for a kid w/ ADD? :) After the time out, ask the child why he went there. If he doesn't know, then send him back to think about it(up to 3 times). This stimulates their impulsive brains to evaluate their behavior and stretches the memory.

He also says alot of things I totally disagee w/. I don't have the book in front of me(I got it from the library), so I won't list specifics. Maybe I will one day. That would be fun.

ADHD

I don't write about ADD/ADHD that much, but it seems that every day I get at least one visitor who has googled adhd, so I figured I should have SOMEthing for them to read when they get here!

A great homeschool resource is Time4Learning.com. It is also a great place to start for new homeschoolers. It is $20 a month or you can get it a bit cheaper doing 3 months or even a year at a time.

You can sign up to review the program and they will let you do a month for free.

Ok, believe it or not, I have been sitting here way too long, so that's it for now.

You like me...you really like me!

The most exciting thing has happened to me. Ok, it is exciting for me, in my little life, that is! I was asked to be a contributing writer for a time4learning blog.

Here is the blog description:
"This group blog is owned and operated by Time4Learning.com. The authors are provided monthly compensation to participate. They are selected from existing Time4Learning members. Their instructions can be summarized as follows…Please write candidly about your homeschool experience and how Time4Learning fits into the overall program. We are interested in details about how your days are organized, how and what your children are learning, and what is working and what is not. While the intent of the blog is to spread the word about Time4Learning, it is NOT to mislead. Our use of members to get the word out is an effort to avoid sending out “advertising” messages which over-emphasize our strengths, and fail to mention our shortcomings. We believe in establishing a fair trusting relationship with our members and potential members. We ask our members to blog with this in mind."

Check it out sometime here!

Homeschooling

I love posting a pic and then writing. It really helps get me motivated to write!

This picture was taken last fall. Doesn't it look like a fun way to have school? See, I figure, when all the kids' memories have faded of day to day struggles, all they will have left are the fun pictures!! I will love that day!! lol

Today on my mind is homeschooling. I know that I am supposed to be doing it. When I think of my life's purpose, or God's will for me, I think of Homeschooling.

It's not always pretty and I am not always able to do everything that I want to.

My latest little worry session is over curriculum. I am definitely drawn to Sonlight. Oh my, it is aLOT of reading. I don't understand what it means that you can pick and choose the activities. Why are they listed in the daily schedule then???!!

I look at WinterPromise that is supposed to be lighter, but I don't want to change. What if it is worse?!

So I continue to press on using time4learning for most all subjects, which is a wonderful thing right now as I continue to seek relief from health issues.

If I have learned one thing, it is to continue on, even limp along if needed, but just keep going forward!

Health battles

I am going through some health issues right now. I had a flu like virus for about a week and a half, plus I am pretty sure that I have sleep apnea(stop breathing during sleep, and therefore wake up tired). So I am sleepy and tired all the time. Not to mention the constant headache, it's dull, but always there.I am certain it is weight related. I am trying to consume more fruits and veggies...The house is falling apart even though we are working on it.

But homeschooling goes on.I was just thinking today that I don't think we'd have had school today if I was doing more traditional school.

A few weeks ago, the summary exercises brought on raised voices and tears, and now those 2 students are just sailing through them!! JD, who is dyslexic~ we have found a rhythym for him. One second grade LA lesson and then onto the third grade LA lessons. His mind is ahead of his reading, so I am treating him accordingly. He can do the older lessons if I read them to him, so I do.

It is good to find something that works. I do hope one day to be able to do Sonlight for history, which is basically just reading aloud, but for right now, it is too much for me. I am going to build this foundation a bit more before I add anything else.

I am so glad I have some dr. appts in place to deal w/ all my issues!! Hope is in sight!! ;)

Tips for Time4Learning

I have been recommending Time4Learning whenever I hear about someone looking for something new.I read on another homeschool mom's website that she wished she could be the perfect unit study mom, but she never got it done consistently. That is SO ME!! T4L works because it gets done. Daily. It isn't a struggle.

Here are some great tips:

~If you decide to try it for a month, make sure that financially you can continue it after your month is up OR set aside $4 per child so that t4l can hold your account til you are ready to return.Then you don't lose your records. You should still print out your records frequently, however. I have chosen to do it once a month.

However if you can only try it for a month and then you have to totally cancel it, it is doable. It's just more "neat and tidy" to do it the first way I mentioned.

~As wonderful as this program is, there is a learning curve. Don't expect to log in on day one and understand everything completely and have no bumps. It takes about 2 weeks to get it down.

~The forums are excellent. There is a moderator, and I hope t4l compensates her in some way because she is a doll and will just answer any question anyone has!! :)

~Doing school on the computer/internet is not w/out technical issues. T4L is very quick to respond to emails and phone calls. I have been very impressed.

~If you do decide to try a month, you must cancel before your 30 DAYS is up or you will be charged. You can cancel before the date and still have access to lessons and records. Just print your records before you go!

~You can get a month of T4L free by signing up to write a review of it. The review can be positive or negative.

I have chosen to write my own personal views about t4l w/ out compensation.

If you decide to use T4L and want to list me as the person who referred you, just email me (my addy is in my profile)and I will send you my name. When you enroll, you will be asked if someone referred you.

However don't feel that you have to do that, I mention that because someone asked today about it. T4L is really a great homeschool help to me and I share about it in case it might be helpful to someone else. ;)

the small stuff

Hello again.

We are back in the rhythym of time4learning. I am really learning to do each and every pleasant and unpleasant task as a service to Lord. It totally changes everything!

Many thanks to my pastor's wife for this priceless reminder!!!

I wanted to point ya to my pastor's blog. Joe reads it regularly and so I have checked it out and there is some good stuff there!!

starting over

ARGH!!

So today started out good, because w/ our income tax on the way, I re-enrolled the other 4 kids in time 4 learning.

Let me stop right here and recommend that if you ever do try it for a month, make sure that you are financially able to continue if you want to. I don't really "regret" doing it the way I did, but oh boy, it could've been better!

I signed up knowing I would have to let my membership lapse, thinking it would be no big deal. Well, it was a big deal. For one thing,I thought I had a monthly membership(as in calendar month), when really I had a 30 DAY membership. So we ended up getting charged when I meant to cancel.Secondly, it is best to sign up kids at the same time or w/in a week of each other for billing purposes. I don't have the energy to elaborate on the trouble that caused, just trust me.

So today we are learning time4learning all over again. When you start a subject from the beginning, there is an arrow that points to the next assignment. Today we are starting as new students, but having already completed some lessons, I can't use the handy little arrow pointing to the next assignment, now I have to keep up w/ everybody's individual assignments. For each subject!!!

I was so much more relaxed after my month w/ t4l. Now I am completely frazzled again!!

Live and learn...

Climbing Sonlight Mountain

Well my time4learning month is now up and I am definitely planning to go back to it when we get our income tax. Cancelling it didn't go very smoothly due to computer and (mostly) human error, some of it my error. But it is all settled now.

My student who is my neighbor is still doing his month of t4l because he started later than us due to Christmas vacation. If you ever want to homeschool another child and the child ends up not being a good fit joining in w/ your kids, look into time4learning. I started him where I thought was best, lowered the level of some subjects and we should be all set. No more confusion on my part on how to teach to his strengths and no more feeling guilty about what works for my family not working for him.

One thing about Sonlight not to be overlooked is the counseling! I have been exchanging emails w/ an advisor and am making changes and finally understanding how to make things work. Honestly, I don't have the energy to find and learn a whole new curriculum!! So I am so relieved that things are going more smoothly.

So what's it about???

I guess I really don't have a theme or a reoccuring topic that I write about. Heck, I don't even know WHY I even have a blog, really. I once considered myself a good writer, but lately(the last few years or so) I find myself unable to get words from my head to the paper in a relevant, humorous or any kind of meaningful way.

Things are sailing along in the homeschooling department. I continue to love Time4Learning as we are almost half way through our first month in the program. I have always been a big fan of "better late than early" and letting kids mature, not rushing them.I have always been more of a relaxed homeschooler. However, it doesn't seem to have worked in my case. Oh well...live and learn.

Or maybe that was for then and this is for now! I love doing a more formal curriculum. Now I can tell ya what "grade level" each kid is in each subject. It really is neat and I think necessary(?) for the special needs child to be able to gauge what level they are on.Now when I talk to experts and professionals about my son, I can talk their talk. I can pull our printed reports and grades and timed reading scores. And if he will ever alert me to print before he logs off, I will have examples of his writing(well, it is typed, but it is a story). That is something else he has a hard time doing.

Also, time4learning helps me meet the goals the school set for him if he were enrolled in their special ed program. I don't know how accurate or ambitious these goals are because they were set w/out evaluating my son, but I am meeting them or almost meeting them. Time4Learning helps me w/ that!!

Just in case anyone stumbles across this post, I will say that the best thing we did for our son who has sensory processing disorder(I think that is what they are calling it no) was take him off of milk! I don't have many issues w/ that area very much. Well, not major ones anyway. I really think when he stopped drinking milk, he really turned a corner. I can't be sure, but all of us have noticed a big difference. He is so much easier to get along w/! Sometimes I forget how far he has come. He still doesn't like change very much, but I don't get screamed at and cried at very much at all anymore.

And we have also learned a thing or two about picking which hill to die on, and choosing our battles. I am sure that plays a part too.

A Wonderful Homeschool Help

Do you ever feel that you just aren't getting everything taught? Do you have a child that needs to be caught up to grade level? Have you felt that you can't explain things well enough to your students? Have a child w/ special needs? Need a more formal, yet fun curriculum?

Do yourself a huge favor and give Time 4 Learning a try!

It is $20 a month(no contracts!). Each additional child is $15. 2 week $ back guarantee. OR you could get a free month by signing up to be a reviewer.There are discounts for paying for 3 months and 1 year.

I don't know if I can quite express everything adequately.First of all, I needed something more for my ds10 w/ dyslexia and learning disabilities. I meet w/ professionals and get so intimidated trying to explain to them about my homeschooling methods and materials. Time4Learning uses CompassU (I think that is the name!) and it is used by schools so it meets the national standards. The second grade Language Arts program actually times his reading, so now I know how many words he reads per minute! I cannot tell you how confident I will be speaking w/ the next professional! I will have grades, reading scores, etc! I will be speaking their language!!

Plus, the suggestions they give me to help him are so overwhelming sometimes. This program meets so many of their suggestions, so now I don't have to start from scratch trying to supplement my usual teaching to make sure he is getting everything. I sometimes fantasize that the whole public school situation worked out because it is so daunting to think that I can do all this! But I didn't like him getting beat up, so I know homeschooling is better. Well, now I have the teaching and the methods and the consistency of the school. And he doesn't have to get beat up!!

To be continued...

PS~ Time4Learning does compensate ($20) for posting reviews, however, I am not taking advantage of that, but am posting this just because I have been helped by it.