Teaching Creatively Giveaway

Next week the Schoolhouse Review Crew will be hosting a Blog Hop. The theme is Teaching Creatively. On Monday I will talk about the difference between inspiring and requiring and catching the inspirational sparks a child has. Tuesday I will highlight a spark I caught in my kitchen while making breakfast one morning. Yes, school happens in the kitchen even during breakfast cooking! Wednesday I will highlight some of my favorite educational toys, games, and puzzles- be prepared for lots of links! Thursday highlights dealing with homeschooling when life throws a curve. I will talk about some hands on projects for Friday if all goes well. 

Along with the Blog Hop, some of the leaders of the Schoolhouse Review Crew has worked hard to put together a pretty incredible giveaway. There will be 3 winners of homeschool materials worth over $1000.

 

As I mentioned above, Marcy @Ben and Me and Sam @Sam's Noggin worked hard to bring you this awesome giveaway during the 5 Days of Teaching Creatively Blog Hop, hosted by the Schoolhouse Review Crew! The Blog Hop won't begin until Monday, but we are starting the fun early by giving you the opportunity to win incredible bundles of books and homeschool resources!

There will be a total of 3 winners chosen -- one GRAND prize, a 1st RUNNER-UP and a 2nd RUNNER-UP! The contest will begin at 12am on March 9 and end at 12am on March 17.  Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter, but read the contest rules, found at the bottom of the widget, first.

The GRAND PRIZE WINNER will receive ALL of the following -- a $525 value!

Geography Matters -- Profiles from History Package ($50 value) Looking for a way to help your students connect with history? The Profiles from History series is dedicated to telling the stories of people, whose lives are worth remembering. Whether they made a discovery, led heroically in a war, created a masterpiece through music, or art, used a pen to change the world, or impacted humanity with their bravery—they made a difference. We can learn so much by looking at those who came before us. Be ready to change your mind about history, with Profiles from History, Volumes 1, 2, and 3.

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine --  1-year membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com, a new Print Issue of The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine, and a Homeschooling with Heart Tote Bag ($90 value)

SchoolhouseTeachers.com is an online classroom and has more than 2 dozen expert teachers who cover 25 different subjects presented via teaching videos, ongoing lesson plans, worksheets, lapbooks & unit studies, writing prompts and other assignments to choose from, students can additionally interact personally with the teachers by asking them questions and gaining feedback.

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett -- Passport Geography set, consisting of the Combos (K - 12) for United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany ($50 value)
Taking an in-depth look at world geography with the new Passport Geography™(PPG) series by Amanda Bennett. These one-week studies use a cross-curricular approach (covering geography, history, science, etc.) to take students on virtual journeys around the globe. Each study is interactive, including daily lessons for both elementary grades and Jr/Sr High grades, with no prep required.

Shining Dawn Books -- Early Spring Bundle ($21 value)

Early spring is known for its wonderfully rainy weather, leading to lots of beautiful fungi. It’s also the season when animals busily go about their regular activities after the relative quietness of winter. This bundle will help you to explore each of these exciting aspects of the spring season in-depth.

A+ Tutorsoft -- 1-yr subscription to the online A+ TutorSoft math program -- winner's choice from    grade levels 1st-4th ($150 value)
A+ TutorSoft, Inc. provides Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH Full Curriculum products to help students improve their grades at all levels. Our Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH helps homeschooling families as well as public and private school teachers and students. A+ TutorSoft offers everyone a FREE 30 day trial on all products. Visit the top right corner of our website: http://www.aplustutorsoft.com/. And through 3/31/13 they are offering 50% off all products with code spoffer50!

Five in a Row -- Complete Digital Holiday book ($34 value)

A complement to any lifestyle of learning, this book is different from the Five in a Row manuals. It doesn’t give a specific book to study for each holiday, rather it is a treasury of traditions, memories and ideas for making your own! Each unit also includes calendar pages, blank pages for recording your own memories, and combinations of traditions and recipes, book and movie suggestions, quotes, decorating ideas, and more!

Knowledge Quest -- Wonders of Old Timeline Book ($25 value)

Wonders of Old is divided into four historical time periods: ancient, medieval, new world and modern. Significant dates are listed at the conclusion of each section as a helpful reference. This hardcover book measures 9x12 and is printed on extra thick 70# paper for durability.

In the Hands of a Child -- 1-Year Super Membership ($75 value)

Super Memberships Save You Time and Money! Each month Super Members receive two free downloadable Lapbooks. These Lapbooks are always brand new and have not been released for sale to the general public. Super Members also receive:

• 15% discount off all purchases of existing eBook Lapbooks.
• A free Birthday
• Lapbook10.00 off the price of any custom ordered unit

Southern Hodgepodge -- A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook ($20 value)
Looking for an easy way to add art to your days? With A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook – just add chalk pastels and paper! Short lessons for a whole year, 100 pages of tutorials, art for all ages.

Tricia Goyer -- Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska ($13 value)
Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But When singer Ginny Marshall travels to the isolated town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, she is charmed by the town's colorful characters and stunning scenery. She discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between an early missionary to Alaska Territory and his accidental mail-order bride. Written by homeschool moms, Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss.

Frontier 2000 -- No Regrets: How Homeschooling Earned Me a Master's Degree by Age Sixteen by Alexandra Swann and Looking Backward: My Twenty-Five Years As a Homeschooling Mother by Joyce Swann ($20 value)
No Regrets: The engaging story of Swann's experiences growing up as a Southern Baptist homeschooled child from New Mexico earning her education at a highly accelerated pace. At the age of fifteen she became the youngest student ever to graduate from Brigham Young University in its 111 year history.

Looking Backward: From 1975-2000, Joyce Swann homeschooled each of her ten children from the first grade through master's degrees by the age of sixteen. In this book, she discusses the methods she used to teach as well as the obstacles that threatened her success.

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The 1st RUNNER UP will receive ALL of the following -- a $225 value!

Geography Matters -- Cultural Geography Package ($50 value) Have you ever thought that geography was a boring subject? Then you've never used these books! Eat Your Way Through the U.S.A. and Eat Your Way Around the World are a taste buds-on approach to geography. Each state or country has its unique geographical features and agricultural products. These influence both the ingredients that go into a recipe and the way food is prepared. Why stop with only your taste-buds? Let's involve all the senses by adding Geography Through Art! This hand-son approach will supplement any study of geography, history, or social studies. Geography Through Art is sure to make a lasting addition to your home or school library. You'll find yourself reaching for this indispensable guide again and again to delight and engage students in learning about geography through the culture and art of peoples around the world.

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett -- Discover the Senses Download N Go ($9 value) In this study, your child will investigate a new sense each day, learning what it is and how it works, as well as what it does for him. He will learn what impacts that particular sense. And he will meet some of history’s heroes, such as Louis Braille, who helped along the way. Each day, your student will explore and investigate, creating and adding more learning components to his Discover the Senses lapbook—building a wonderful reminder of all that he is learning to be enjoyed for years to come.

Shining Dawn Books -- Remarkable Rain ($9 value)

Quiet and peaceful, or wild and raging – rain comes in many forms. This NaturExplorers unit sets out to examine rain in all its beauty, observe its effects and make you look forward to the next rainy day!

A+ Tutorsoft -- 3-month subscription to the online A+ TutorSoft math program -- winner's choice from    grade levels 1st-4th ($50 value)
A+ TutorSoft, Inc. provides Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH Full Curriculum products to help students improve their grades at all levels. Our Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH helps homeschooling families as well as public and private school teachers and students. A+ TutorSoft offers everyone a FREE 30 day trial on all products. Visit the top right corner of our website: http://www.aplustutorsoft.com/. And through 3/31/13 they are offering 50% off all products with code spoffer50!

Five in a Row -- Set of Five Audio Files from Steve Lambert ($20 value)

We all need some inspiration from time to time! Steve and Jane Lambert have been encouraging homeschoolers on their journey since 1994. These Five in a Row audio files have been recorded at major state homeschooling conventions around the United States and Canada and have been chosen because we believe you’ll enjoy it for its wisdom, humor and encouragement shared by Steve. Including: Where do I Begin?, I Can't Teach All the Grades at Once, Making Your Children into World Changers, On Becoming Great Teachers, and High School and Beyond.

In the Hands of a Child -- 6-Month Super Membership ($55 value)

Super Memberships Save You Time and Money! Each month Super Members receive two free downloadable Lapbooks. These Lapbooks are always brand new and have not been released for sale to the general public. Super Members also receive:

• 15% discount off all purchases of existing eBook Lapbooks.
• A free Birthday
• Lapbook10.00 off the price of any custom ordered unit

Southern Hodgepodge -- A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook ($20 value)
Looking for an easy way to add art to your days? With A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook – just add chalk pastels and paper! Short lessons for a whole year, 100 pages of tutorials, art for all ages.

Tricia Goyer -- Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska ($13 value)
Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But When singer Ginny Marshall travels to the isolated town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, she is charmed by the town's colorful characters and stunning scenery. She discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between an early missionary to Alaska Territory and his accidental mail-order bride. Written by homeschool moms, Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss.

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The 2nd RUNNER UP will receive ALL of the following -- a $190 value!

Geography Matters -- Adventures of Munford Package ($35 value) Although he's just two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, Munford is all adventure. He can be rain, snow, sleet, or steam. He has traveled the world in search of excitement. Throughout history, he has been present at some of the most important and world-changing events. Fun and educational, Munford will inspire your children to learn more about many of history's greatest moments. These readers make a great addition to your learning experience in areas such as history, geography, and science. This book series is written on an elementary reading level, but provides plenty of read-aloud entertainment for the entire family!

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett -- Discover the Senses Download N Go ($9 value) In this study, your child will investigate a new sense each day, learning what it is and how it works, as well as what it does for him. He will learn what impacts that particular sense. And he will meet some of history’s heroes, such as Louis Braille, who helped along the way. Each day, your student will explore and investigate, creating and adding more learning components to his Discover the Senses lapbook—building a wonderful reminder of all that he is learning to be enjoyed for years to come.

Shining Dawn Books -- Remarkable Rain ($9 value) Quiet and peaceful, or wild and raging – rain comes in many forms. This NaturExplorers unit sets out to examine rain in all its beauty, observe its effects and make you look forward to the next rainy day!

A+ Tutorsoft -- 3-month subscription to the online A+ TutorSoft math program -- winner's choice from    grade levels 1st-4th ($50 value)
A+ TutorSoft, Inc. provides Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH Full Curriculum products to help students improve their grades at all levels. Our Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH helps homeschooling families as well as public and private school teachers and students. A+ TutorSoft offers everyone a FREE 30 day trial on all products. Visit the top right corner of our website: http://www.aplustutorsoft.com/. And through 3/31/13 they are offering 50% off all products with code spoffer50!

Five in a Row -- Volume 4 Digital Unit of Winner's Choice ($9 value)

Five in a Row was created by Jane Claire Lambert, a successful homeschool teacher with more than 17 years of experience. To use Five in a Row, just pick one of the 70 books used in Five in a Row, locate the corresponding lesson plan in your teacher’s guide, read the story aloud each day during the week and use Jane’s suggestions and lesson plans to lead your children on a wonderful learning adventure. It’s that simple! Each unit covers Social Studies, Geography, Language Arts, Applied Math, Science and Art in a way that causes children to fall in love with learning.

In the Hands of a Child -- 2-Month Super Membership ($45 value)
Super Memberships Save You Time and Money! Each month Super Members receive two free downloadable Lapbooks. These Lapbooks are always brand new and have not been released for sale to the general public. Super Members also receive:

• 15% discount off all purchases of existing eBook Lapbooks.
• A free Birthday
• Lapbook10.00 off the price of any custom ordered unit

Southern Hodgepodge -- A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook ($20 value)
Looking for an easy way to add art to your days? With A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook – just add chalk pastels and paper! Short lessons for a whole year, 100 pages of tutorials, art for all ages.

Tricia Goyer -- Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska ($13 value)
Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But When singer Ginny Marshall travels to the isolated town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, she is charmed by the town's colorful characters and stunning scenery. She discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between an early missionary to Alaska Territory and his accidental mail-order bride. Written by homeschool moms, Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss.

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ARTistic Pursuits- Schoolhouse Review

Among homeschoolers, ARTistic Pursuits tends to be a commonly named curriculum for art with good reason! In the past I had the opportunity to review ARTistic Pursuits for early elementary students so I was already aware of the high quality this curriculum offered. When the opportunity presented itself to review Elementary 4-5 Book One: The Elements of Art and Composition, I couldn’t wait!

Just this year, ARTistic Pursuits updated, revised, and expanded their art books. The new edition has 16 units, each with 4 lessons. Each of the 4 lessons includes a lesson on observing the environment with respect to a specific art topic, a picture of a work of art from an American artist, making an original piece of art using a new technique or material, and then an application of the new techniques and topic for a final project. The Elementary 4-5 ARTistic Pursuits book is written to the student. There is a mix of pictures of techniques, master works, and each final project page includes an example of a student’s art. For a full year’s curriculum, it is suggested that art should be scheduled twice a week for at least an hour of class time. The materials list and table of contents for Elementary 4-5 Book 1 is fairly short and can be found here. As techniques are introduced, the book shows diagrams and examples of the techniques to help students understand what is being asked.

Butterfly was my primary tester. She had been taking art lessons for the past year and a half but unfortunately her teacher decided to retire from teaching so she could pursue her own art career. Given the choice, Butterfly would spend all her time doing art and never do anything else. She likes a lot of freedom to create but also likes to learn new techniques. I really hoped that ARTistic  Pursuits could provide her with some of the instruction she craves but allow for plenty of free expression.

And the first lesson…   

 

The first two units were a little tough for Butterfly. At first Butterfly didn’t quite grasp what the lesson was teaching. I was not much help because I am not drawing artistic and didn’t always understand what was being asked of the students. In these cases, she just did her best.  I think the real issue was that they were teaching use of space and lines and shapes. I think the explanations and definitions could have been a little clearer in those lessons. She seems to instinctively see those things so to have a lesson focus on placing the object in the space appropriately was a bit odd to her. After the first two units, she began to explore details and texture and had more fun with her lessons. The lessons also seemed to be written more clearly.

 

I think another issue for Butterfly is she hasn’t worked in strictly pencil much. Elementary 4-5 Book 1 focuses on various elements of art and the main media used are black and white- pencil, scratch paper, and white pencil on black paper, and ink. Butterfly loves color and fantasy so focusing on black and white definitely stretched her a bit. In fact, once she was done with the assignment from lesson 1 (shown above) she went back, drew in a window, wall, and tablecloth and colored the whole scene. Once she got going though, she began to enjoy herself more and more. 

 

This was her lesson on texture.

 

Tiger tends not to be a huge art person, but occasionally likes to draw or create something. Tiger did some of the work as well when he wanted to. He really had fun drawing the detail scene from imagination.

 

I really like that ARTistic Pursuits assumes no knowledge before beginning. While this might frustrate a student who has had art before, I think it is valuable to those who don’t typically do art. In the first lesson it says to just do your best, make mistakes, and eventually the student will notice success in his efforts. I also really like that students are asked to draw from observation, memory and imagination to develop multiple areas of their artistic abilities.

 

Elementary 4-5 Book One: The Elements of Art and Composition costs $47.95 for 1 year of quality art instruction. While the new edition and grade level brought some changes and adjustments, we continue to love the quality of ARTistic Pursuits in our home. Be sure to check out what other members of the Review Crew thought of the various levels and books available from ARTistic Pursuits- we reviewed them all!

 

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. Prices are accurate at the time of the review.

When it rains it pours… or maybe I was actually given an umbrella

A week ago I woke up to fast running water. That didn’t sound good since no one was up yet, the dishwasher wasn’t set to run, and neither was the washer. I went downstairs and found water pouring into the water heater and the little pressure release valve jiggling. GREAT! Didn’t we just replace that thing a few months ago?

B came downstairs and turned off the water to the water heater. There was a nice flood of water from the release pipe in the backyard. Now we knew that there was a problem with the release valve or the expansion tank. After calling the water heater company and being told to check the pressure coming into the water heater, replace the pressure release valve and maybe the expansion tank, etc. We had to do some research. How do you check the pressure coming in?

This research led to a discovery- there is a pressure regulator valve on the water that comes into the house. If the water pressure is too high, it could cause some serious problems. Let’s see, in the last year we have replaced both valves in the shower, replaced the pressure release valve, noticed that turning off the water was very difficult on some sinks, kids couldn’t get the water to switch from tub faucet to shower mode, replaced water faucet in bathroom, and pipe in my bathroom sounded funny when the toilet was flushed and here we were 6 months later with another blown pressure release valve!

So off to the hardware store… B bought a test kit and discovered that our pressure was 144 psi! Ooops. It is supposed to be under 80 psi coming into the house. It seems that all these breaking things has been a result of a bigger problem. Isolated, they seemed to be the problem but really there was a bigger problem at hand. Even though the failure of the pressure release valve seemed to be pouring rain, I think it was actually the umbrella. The water heater didn’t explode, the pipes haven’t burst (which they could have), and we figured out the problem…

In the end, it was an expensive repair because we decided to move the location of the pressure regulator on the incoming water line. The builder put it in the crawl space between the duct work. It was not accessible and it was going to be hard to replace. Moving it was going to cost a certain amount to repipe the incoming water lines, but replacing the 10 yr old water heater that turned out to have corrosion we couldn’t see until it was moved was only a couple hundred dollars more than just moving the water line. If we waited to replace the water heater when it totally failed, we would have had at least $1000 more expense… so we ended up repiping the small section, replacing the water heater, and regulator valve, and thermal expansion tank.

I have to say, I am grateful for umbrellas to protect us from the downpour. Sometimes those umbrellas don’t prevent all the water from getting to our clothes, but they certainly help! I am also grateful that we were able to take care of this BEFORE the baby came. Last time I had a baby the roof started leaking the week after Baby was born…

And as for the lesson learned- buy a $10 pressure test kit from the hardware store and periodically test the pressure on your home. If it starts creeping up, you can adjust the pressure at the regulator valve. If that doesn’t help, then replace it. It is far better to replace the regulator than to have a series of plumbing problems that could get worse and worse!

A Right of Passage- Crossing into Boy Scouts

We had our annual Blue and Gold banquet for cub scouts this past week. In many troops, Webelos cross over into boy scouts at Blue and Gold because they follow the school year calendar and it seems to be a good time. In our pack, boys don’t cross over until the pack meeting just before they are 11 years old. Tiger will be 11 next week so it was his turn. It was his last Blue and Gold too.

The Webelos performed a couple of skits together for part of our evening’s entertainment.                   

Then after the skits, it was awards time. I mentioned before that Tiger had a goal of earning the Super Achiever Award for Webelos. He did it! As he leaves cub scouts, he leaves very decorated- 7 arrow points for both Wolf and Bear, an entire belt full of belt loops, and his Webelos colors sporting every single activity pin possible to earn in Webelos. Some might think I pushed him or because he was homeschooled he was able to do this. Those assumptions diminish his accomplishments. I never pushed him- these were his goals he set for himself, worked hard, asked for help when needed, and achieved. He did his scout work during hours when other boys would be at home too and not during learning time. He earned every award he received and I am proud of him.

Then he was welcomed into boy scouts.

Abraham’s Journey- Schoolhouse Review

 

Inspiring the American Dream wants to inspire the next generation to understand and seek after the American Dream. They have published a book to help with their goal. Abraham’s Journey: A Celebration of the American Dream by Robert and Kathleen Basmadjian is about a boy named Abraham. Both his parents lose their jobs and he wants to provide some sort of Christmas for his family. While texting his friends on his smart phone, a character named Abraham, who looks like Abraham Lincoln, pops out of the phone and takes him on a journey to meet famous and currently living Americans as well as historical characters. Through these people Abraham  learns about creating his own success. The book’s mission is to teach children about the American Dream and to encourage them to work for it. It is available for $14.99 from  and is geared for children ages 7-12.

 

I believe that anyone can accomplish anything they set their minds to and I also believe fully in the American Dream. I believe that even those who are born into less than ideal circumstances can rise up and do great things if they believe in themselves.

I felt like this book had a noble goal but fell short. First, the parts I liked were the beginning and end. Abraham starts on his journey because he loves his family and wants to do something kind for them. He seeks to find a solution to his problem rather than being a victim. The end shows that after success he continues to do good for others. Ultimately anyone who lives the American Dream will be most successful if he reaches beyond himself and makes the world a better place. Beyond this, the character development was very weak as was the story line. Abraham’s journey to achieving his dream consisted of him choosing to paint a nativity scene for an orphanage Christmas play. His painting is so good that Norman Rockwell tells him he has a talent for painting. Then he meets a few more characters culminating in meeting Mark Zuckerberg who tells him to advertise the painting with social media. His painting captures the attention of Bill Gates who sees the painting on “Mark Zuckerberg’s social networking site.” Bill Gates then buys the painting. Throughout the story, I didn’t really see Abraham learning or growing through meeting the various characters. The story made it seem like his first attempt at painting was a masterpiece and success comes from knowing the right people. Masterpieces are not created on the first attempt. To become truly great, a person must work hard. In addition to the rather convenient and miraculous masterpiece of Abraham, the historical characters seemed shallow. Most of the historical and famous characters mentioned something he or she was passionate about but there was little exploration on who they were or how they applied the American Dream.

Tiger read the book right after I did. I didn’t say anything to him about my opinions, as I wanted his unbiased opinions. I asked him what he thought about the book and he said he liked it, but then he said, “Everything just happened to Abraham and he didn’t really do anything to make himself successful.” I think Tiger hit the nail on the head. Abraham didn’t work for his dream. He happened to meet certain people who told him what he should do next and basically orchestrated his life for him. He did not work hard to achieve his goal. The American Dream is not easy. It requires hard work, perseverance, and faith. It requires effort. I don’t think this came across in the story very well.

Each of the characters in the story had a dream in real life, whether monetary or not, and worked for it. While there were very short biographies of each character at the end of the book, I would really have liked to see more information on the historical characters woven through the story. Who were these people? How did they achieve the American Dream? What circumstances did they rise up from? What made them great? What lessons could be learned from studying their lives? Rather than being told what to do next, it would have been more inspiring to see how Abraham applied the lessons learned from the lives of the various characters.

Every book has its positives and negatives. While this book isn’t one I will add my family classic list, others loved it. Be sure to check out the other reviews from the crew below.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

College Common Sense- Review Crew

I keep hearing about tuition in the colleges going up and up and the budget shortfalls for higher education. Parents worry about how their children will afford college without going into massive debt. Is there a solution that parents and students can find to climb the hurdle of paying for college? I also hear that many scholarships go unclaimed each year. Where do you find those ones? There is something that can help- Going to College and Paying for it Online Video and Workbook.

 

Denise C. Ames, a financial aid consultant for the past 10 years, is the owner of College Common Sense. She started College Common Sense to help parents and students navigate the financial aid process. College Common Sense offers a free monthly newsletter, free lesson plans, lots of resources, and an online subscription workbook and video lectures called Going to College and Paying for it Online Video and Workbook in order to help parents and students navigate the financial aid process. The online lectures and workbook cost $25 for 12 months access. Some families choose to purchase a DVD so they can watch the videos year after year. The physical DVD costs $50 plus $5 shipping for a DVD. College Common Sense intends for parents and students to watch the videos at least once a year to refine and navigate the the process of applying for financial aid.

 

The online subscription consists of seven 15-25 minute videos totaling about 2 hours and coordinating worksheets. Each videos clearly explain such topics as navigating the FAFSA, types of money available, a system for keeping track of scholarship applications, resources for finding scholarships, which scholarships to apply for, and even tips for how to right a good essay. Each video has a PDF worksheet with a brief summary as well as assignments to help apply the principles taught in the video. These assignments include watching other videos, outside reading, and writing assignments. The goal of these assignments is to help the student develop themselves and understand themselves so he can apply for those scholarships which are most appropriate and thus avoid wasting time on scholarships which he is not likely to earn.

 

As I watched the videos, I was taken back to my days applying for financial aid.  Unlike many youth going to college, I knew about how to apply for federal and state and school aid. Those moneys are only part of the puzzle though. Furthermore, many parents and students didn’t understand this process. A product like Going to College and Paying for it would have helped me with the scholarship process as well as many of my friends. Throughout the videos, there were tidbits here and there that I wished I had known or thought of! Had I known about the scholarship databases Ms. Ames discusses, how to organize myself to find scholarships, and how to apply efficiently, I might have had more scholarships on my college journey.

 

College Common Sense is a small company dedicated to customer service and helping families secure financial aid. During the review period, I had some technical difficulties while working on this review and College Common Sense worked hard to help me find a solution. I really appreciated how much care they took in following up and finding a resolution. The monthly newsletters and weekly lesson plans also show their dedication to their cause. Unlike many business newsletters which offer little information and a lot of advertisements, monthly newsletter offers solid information on finding financial aid and encouragement for families navigating the process. The weekly lesson plans are a weekly outline to help parents guide their children towards financial aid, prepare for college, and learn more about themselves. They include a positive statement for the month and weekly assignments for seniors, freshman through junior high school students, middle school students, and elementary  students. One week there was a link to a short video with a question for the student to write about what the video meant to them. This is good practice for preparing to write essays.

 

While most people begin thinking about financial aid when their child is a senior in high school, it is the belief of College Common Sense that if a 6 year old can win a scholarship from a department store, then parents and students should begin the process of learning about and working towards securing financial aid early. I agree with Ms. Ames that it is a good idea to be aware of the process, even now with elementary age students, but I found most of the information was not relevant for my family at this time and chose not to have my children watch the videos yet. Most of the financial information would have been over their heads and none of them are quite ready to think about paying for college even though we discuss going to college frequently in our home. In a couple of years, I can see Tiger watching the videos to get an idea what is coming down the line. The two things I took from the lessons were the importance of being prepared, working diligently and methodically through the financial aid process in order to secure the most possible aid for my children and laying the groundwork for applying for scholarships can start earlier than the senior year by preparing an About Me notebook. I felt that this would best be suited for late middle school through the high school years rather than starting in elementary school since children change so much over the years between 5th and 8th grade.

 

For a family with high school students, this would have been much more beneficial than it was for my family.  I think that College Common Sense is a solid resource that would best be used in the high school years. It provides many great tips, suggestions, and resources to help families secure financial aid. When I was in high school, there were companies selling financial aid advice for several thousand dollars per student. College Common Sense is an economical program with sound advice. If my students were in high school, I would definitely invest in this program.

 

Be sure to check out what others on the Crew thought of this program.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.