This post was originally published in July 2013
If you are reading this blog, I'm sure you already know that telling kids they are smart does more harm than good. So, what else does the research say about self-esteem?
First you should realize that most of us have the wrong definition of self-esteem. Self-esteem is not about feeling good. Self-esteem is simply a set of opinions about yourself. Self-esteem is built though competence and new achievements. There is a balance of the two. Trying a new experience you can't possibly succeed at will not build self-esteem any more than a high level of competence at something you have been doing for years.
Our society need to shift from our current view of children as helpless and needing to be protected. We need to support them through the difficult times, not rescue them. One of my personal pet peeves is hearing parents talk about how they don't want their child to be behind or have to try "too hard" at something. No one is the best in everything and the earlier you learn that the better off you will be. You should not try to get rid of the bumps in the road for your child. Instead, teach them how to handle the bumps. We should not teach our children to give up when it's difficult or they aren't the best. Imagine what that society will look like when they are adults. The goal here is to raise children to be independent, successful adults. You can't always protect them, so learning to deal with the bumps when they are small is crucial.
"Intelligence is what you use when you don't know what to do." Piaget
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Throwback Thursday: Motivating Students
This post was originally published in July of 2013
There are some things children are motivated about on their own and some things we need to help them find motivation for. So, what are the best ways to motivate using brain research?
First you need to know about the nucleus accumbens. For those that want this simplified, it's known as the reward center of the brain. It's a limbic structure that sends dopamine throughout the brain. This is the specific part of the anatomy that generates and sustains motivation. When you think dopamine you probably think Ritalin and ADHD, so let's start our discussion there.
Volkow (2009) found a disruption in two dopamine reward/motivation pathways among adults with ADHD. The severity of this disruption was related to the severity of inattention. Another study done in Barcelona, found that children with ADHD have a smaller ventral striatum (including the nucleus acumbens), especially on the right side. The volume was correlated with hyperactivity. We know that Ritalin produces significant levels of dopamine in the brain. This increases motivation and makes tasks seem more interesting. When you look at brain wave activity in typical kids versus ADHD kids there is a huge difference. The theta/beta ratio for typical kids is 4:1, while the ratio for ADHD kids is 9:1. For some kids necessary tasks require a Herculean effort.
Typically, our society adds pressure and stress when people are not completing required tasks. It has been proven that when under stress, students work harder, but produce poorer quality work. The more stress you apply, the worse the results. While students are trying and giving it their all, they accomplish less. This also decreases motivation and makes students want to avoid challenges. This becomes even more harmful in the long run.
Sleep also plays a huge part on working memory, attention, and reaction time. Forth and sixth graders were paid to sleep one hour more or less for three consecutive nights. After a loss of 35 minutes each night for 3 nights (most couldn't make it an entire hour less) they lost two years of efficiency in these three areas. We are just starting to understand the impact of sleep and how many areas it impacts. I suspect this area of research to have a huge boom in the near future (3-5 years).
So, how do we motivate our children and students? Students need optimal challenges, feedback from the task (rather than from the teacher), freedom from demeaning evaluations, a sense of autonomy, choices, and self-direction. In other words, they need more meaningful projects and less testing. Good luck getting this in traditional schools. There are certainly teachers out there who are doing exactly this for each of their students, but they are becoming more and more rare.
There is one other thing I feel I should mention here. The brain interprets rewards and punishments as a loss of control, which is demonstrated by the stress hormones being released in the brain. The brain is wired to try to find ways of getting the reward without doing the job/assignment. We should stop fighting this and change the way we are teaching. 80% of education in public schools is competitive. While this is motivating for the top few kids, it's extremely demotivating for the other 95% of students. Why try if you aren't going to win? Stop and think about this - 95% of students are being discouraged 80% of the time in school. In order to address this, our society keeps adding more tests and rankings. We are just making it worse rather than embracing the research and trying to help the students.
There are some things children are motivated about on their own and some things we need to help them find motivation for. So, what are the best ways to motivate using brain research?
First you need to know about the nucleus accumbens. For those that want this simplified, it's known as the reward center of the brain. It's a limbic structure that sends dopamine throughout the brain. This is the specific part of the anatomy that generates and sustains motivation. When you think dopamine you probably think Ritalin and ADHD, so let's start our discussion there.
Volkow (2009) found a disruption in two dopamine reward/motivation pathways among adults with ADHD. The severity of this disruption was related to the severity of inattention. Another study done in Barcelona, found that children with ADHD have a smaller ventral striatum (including the nucleus acumbens), especially on the right side. The volume was correlated with hyperactivity. We know that Ritalin produces significant levels of dopamine in the brain. This increases motivation and makes tasks seem more interesting. When you look at brain wave activity in typical kids versus ADHD kids there is a huge difference. The theta/beta ratio for typical kids is 4:1, while the ratio for ADHD kids is 9:1. For some kids necessary tasks require a Herculean effort.
Typically, our society adds pressure and stress when people are not completing required tasks. It has been proven that when under stress, students work harder, but produce poorer quality work. The more stress you apply, the worse the results. While students are trying and giving it their all, they accomplish less. This also decreases motivation and makes students want to avoid challenges. This becomes even more harmful in the long run.
Sleep also plays a huge part on working memory, attention, and reaction time. Forth and sixth graders were paid to sleep one hour more or less for three consecutive nights. After a loss of 35 minutes each night for 3 nights (most couldn't make it an entire hour less) they lost two years of efficiency in these three areas. We are just starting to understand the impact of sleep and how many areas it impacts. I suspect this area of research to have a huge boom in the near future (3-5 years).
So, how do we motivate our children and students? Students need optimal challenges, feedback from the task (rather than from the teacher), freedom from demeaning evaluations, a sense of autonomy, choices, and self-direction. In other words, they need more meaningful projects and less testing. Good luck getting this in traditional schools. There are certainly teachers out there who are doing exactly this for each of their students, but they are becoming more and more rare.
There is one other thing I feel I should mention here. The brain interprets rewards and punishments as a loss of control, which is demonstrated by the stress hormones being released in the brain. The brain is wired to try to find ways of getting the reward without doing the job/assignment. We should stop fighting this and change the way we are teaching. 80% of education in public schools is competitive. While this is motivating for the top few kids, it's extremely demotivating for the other 95% of students. Why try if you aren't going to win? Stop and think about this - 95% of students are being discouraged 80% of the time in school. In order to address this, our society keeps adding more tests and rankings. We are just making it worse rather than embracing the research and trying to help the students.
Thursday, September 7, 2017
Throwback Thursday: Early Education Priorities
This post was originally published in August of 2013.
Kids were tested going into Kindergarten on their knowledge of reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies. What was the best predictor of later reading and Math tests (2nd grade and up)? Science and Social Studies, in that order. Kindergarten reading was not even correlated to 2nd grade reading. Early reading certainly didn't cause higher reading scores. It is much more important to do Science with your kids than any other subject when they are young. This is great because most young kids would rather do Science than reading anyway. Everyone's happy! Also interesting is that early reading doesn't improve later Science and Social Studies scores. Since those subjects are most traditionally taught through reading, I found that interesting. So far the research hasn't figured out why, but still fascinating.
The best way to improve Math scores is going to surprise you. Fine motor skills help with Math. The larger the fine motor deficit, the more impaired later Math becomes. This is most obvious when replicating figures or models, but is true for all areas of Math. They tested many different ways to improve Math scores and the top interventions are: drawing (but not coloring), Legos, fuse beads, pattern blocks, Montessori triangles, puzzles, paper folding, blocks, knob cylinders, and Colorforms. No worksheets, flashcards, or tutoring made the list. Kids tend to shut down when forced to do something they think they aren't good at, but hand them a bucket of Legos or teach them paper folding and they are willing and successful.
Now for something that makes me feel old. These studies weren't just done with young children. These studies went all the way through college students. At the beginning and the end of the college student study they needed a novel way to test their ability to do mental rotation. Something the kids hadn't done before and were unlikely to practice in between the two tests. They used Tetris. For those of you who are around my age you just freaked out a little that college students have never played Tetris. I was presented with this information at a conference. The group of young guys in the row in front of me spent about 5 minutes debating what Tetris is before using their smart phones to look it up. They decided it must be a game for old people.
It's well known that the current educational policy is dill and kill. Everyone says they want their kids to have critical thinking skills. You need to know that these are learned before/after and outside school, usually through play. Music, sports, fine motor, problem solving, etc. It's also important to realize that most colleges care more about these activities than you might expect. When looking at two kids with identical grades and test scores the one that will stand out is the one who was involved in things outside of school. This is also one reasons the homeschooling movement is growing in the United States.
Kids were tested going into Kindergarten on their knowledge of reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies. What was the best predictor of later reading and Math tests (2nd grade and up)? Science and Social Studies, in that order. Kindergarten reading was not even correlated to 2nd grade reading. Early reading certainly didn't cause higher reading scores. It is much more important to do Science with your kids than any other subject when they are young. This is great because most young kids would rather do Science than reading anyway. Everyone's happy! Also interesting is that early reading doesn't improve later Science and Social Studies scores. Since those subjects are most traditionally taught through reading, I found that interesting. So far the research hasn't figured out why, but still fascinating.
The best way to improve Math scores is going to surprise you. Fine motor skills help with Math. The larger the fine motor deficit, the more impaired later Math becomes. This is most obvious when replicating figures or models, but is true for all areas of Math. They tested many different ways to improve Math scores and the top interventions are: drawing (but not coloring), Legos, fuse beads, pattern blocks, Montessori triangles, puzzles, paper folding, blocks, knob cylinders, and Colorforms. No worksheets, flashcards, or tutoring made the list. Kids tend to shut down when forced to do something they think they aren't good at, but hand them a bucket of Legos or teach them paper folding and they are willing and successful.
Now for something that makes me feel old. These studies weren't just done with young children. These studies went all the way through college students. At the beginning and the end of the college student study they needed a novel way to test their ability to do mental rotation. Something the kids hadn't done before and were unlikely to practice in between the two tests. They used Tetris. For those of you who are around my age you just freaked out a little that college students have never played Tetris. I was presented with this information at a conference. The group of young guys in the row in front of me spent about 5 minutes debating what Tetris is before using their smart phones to look it up. They decided it must be a game for old people.
It's well known that the current educational policy is dill and kill. Everyone says they want their kids to have critical thinking skills. You need to know that these are learned before/after and outside school, usually through play. Music, sports, fine motor, problem solving, etc. It's also important to realize that most colleges care more about these activities than you might expect. When looking at two kids with identical grades and test scores the one that will stand out is the one who was involved in things outside of school. This is also one reasons the homeschooling movement is growing in the United States.
Friday, August 25, 2017
Educational Apps for Kids
My kids don't play Pokemon Go, but many of their friends do. I have explained it to them and they don't seem interested. When they are outside they want to do something other than look at a screen. However, when they are inside they always wish they had more screen time!
Whether you love it or hate it - or don't know what it is - Pokemon Go is one of the most popular apps in the world right now. Here are some alternatives created intentionally to foster learning, making them a truly worthwhile time investment. For fun, and since Pokemon's from Japan, I'll count the 4 apps in Japanese - Ichi, Ni, San, Go!
I like this app because kids can read quietly and be entertained wherever they are. It also gives the entire family access to thousands of books on an iPad, kindle, phone, etc, so there are options for all ages! Turn screen time into story time with this “Netflix for Children’s Books” app. It's great to be able to save books to the app so they can be read offline anywhere! For example, in a home office, at the park, in the car, and of course at bedtime. Great for: Ages 2-9 Cost: For a limited time, $19.99 (Save $20!)
Love Hooked on Phonics at much as I do? They've really brought this time-honored system to the 21st century with this amazing app. It has educational games to keep kids engaged at home or on the phone anywhere. I love that it syncs children's progress to all devices - so if dad is on the road he's up to speed on the kids' progress, and if you don't have the iPad around, you can just download the app, sign in, and have the kids pick up right where they left off. Seamless. Great for: Ages 2-8 Cost: For a limited time, $29.99 (Save $20)
Do your kids love video games and winning badges? Use that to get them coding! The Learn to Mod program is a browser-based software that teaches kids how to “mod” Minecraft with both Blockly and Javascript (neither of which I understand, but there you have it). The program includes hundreds of video lessons, puzzles, and quizzes that get kids learning this impressive skill while having fun. The cool badges keep them coming back for more, and even pique mom's interest. :) Great for Ages 7-13, girls too! Cost: $29.99
Does your high schooler need help in a particular subject? Are you strapped for time to help with homework? There’s an app for that! GradeSlam provides 24/7 tutoring in all subjects to students in middle and high school, as well as college. With their award winning chat-based tutoring platform, your kids can access tutors anytime they (or you) need. This is a perfect supplement for subject matter beyond your scope, busy spells, and for when kids head off to college. For anyone gearing up their juniors for college entrance testing, this is a no - brainer. Great for: upper school to college ages, tougher subjects Cost: For a limited time, get a whole year for $99 (save $81!)
Whether you love it or hate it - or don't know what it is - Pokemon Go is one of the most popular apps in the world right now. Here are some alternatives created intentionally to foster learning, making them a truly worthwhile time investment. For fun, and since Pokemon's from Japan, I'll count the 4 apps in Japanese - Ichi, Ni, San, Go!
Ichi (One): Have story time anywhere with the FarFaria App
I like this app because kids can read quietly and be entertained wherever they are. It also gives the entire family access to thousands of books on an iPad, kindle, phone, etc, so there are options for all ages! Turn screen time into story time with this “Netflix for Children’s Books” app. It's great to be able to save books to the app so they can be read offline anywhere! For example, in a home office, at the park, in the car, and of course at bedtime. Great for: Ages 2-9 Cost: For a limited time, $19.99 (Save $20!)
Ni (Two): Improve reading skills with the Hooked on Phonics App
Love Hooked on Phonics at much as I do? They've really brought this time-honored system to the 21st century with this amazing app. It has educational games to keep kids engaged at home or on the phone anywhere. I love that it syncs children's progress to all devices - so if dad is on the road he's up to speed on the kids' progress, and if you don't have the iPad around, you can just download the app, sign in, and have the kids pick up right where they left off. Seamless. Great for: Ages 2-8 Cost: For a limited time, $29.99 (Save $20)
San (Three): Learn coding skills with the browser-based Learn to Mod program
Do your kids love video games and winning badges? Use that to get them coding! The Learn to Mod program is a browser-based software that teaches kids how to “mod” Minecraft with both Blockly and Javascript (neither of which I understand, but there you have it). The program includes hundreds of video lessons, puzzles, and quizzes that get kids learning this impressive skill while having fun. The cool badges keep them coming back for more, and even pique mom's interest. :) Great for Ages 7-13, girls too! Cost: $29.99
Go! (Four): Need help with homework help? Use the GradeSlam app and ask a tutor!
Does your high schooler need help in a particular subject? Are you strapped for time to help with homework? There’s an app for that! GradeSlam provides 24/7 tutoring in all subjects to students in middle and high school, as well as college. With their award winning chat-based tutoring platform, your kids can access tutors anytime they (or you) need. This is a perfect supplement for subject matter beyond your scope, busy spells, and for when kids head off to college. For anyone gearing up their juniors for college entrance testing, this is a no - brainer. Great for: upper school to college ages, tougher subjects Cost: For a limited time, get a whole year for $99 (save $81!)
I hope I've expanded your digital horizons beyond Pokemon today! What apps do you and your family use? Comment below and share the knowledge!
Friday, August 18, 2017
2nd Grade Curriculum Choices
I wanted to post about the materials we used in 2nd grade - i.e. The year you will see me start posting about now since I keep the blog a year behind.
Moving Beyond the Page - Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Rosetta Stone - Polish
Life of Fred - Math
Khan Academy - Math
Typing Instructor for Kids
- Typing
The Complete Elementary Music Rudiments, 2nd Edition
- Music Theory
Sequential Spelling - Spelling
Private Music Lessons
Homeschool Band
Sports
Moving Beyond the Page we have been using for years and we used the 8-11 curriculum for 2nd grade. We did every lesson in every unit. The kids asked to take it slowly so we only worked from it 3 times a week. It lasted more than a calendar year, but they have grown up and learned so much.
With family in Poland, it is important the kids learn Polish so they continue to work through that. This year in addition to understanding, speaking, and reading it, they added learning to write in Polish.
Life of Fred is a series of math books. The kids were working their way through the rest of the elementary series and started the intermediate series. Since they are so far ahead of where they should be we only did 1 lesson per week out of these.
Khan Academy is a free online math site. The kids were required to spend 40 minutes per week (not all at once) working on math here. By the end of the year both have finished all of 2nd and most of 3rd grade as well as many skills from higher grades.
For typing we increased their goal speed to 20wpm. Our idea is once they can type 50wpm they can be done with typing forever. We are hoping they increase at a rate of 10wpm per year so they would be done with typing around 5th grade.
For music theory we are using the book that prepares them for the Royal Conservatory Music Theory tests. We have also added a private theory lesson for Sweet Son as he surpassed my theory knowledge and I couldn't help him answer questions any more.
We only work on spelling twice per week using Sequential Spelling. When we were just over half way through the first book they both took the new online placement test. Sweet Daughter scored half way through the first book - perfect! Sweet Son scored into the 3rd book so now he is doing his spelling online while she is still working through the first book with me. She will switch to online when she finishes the current book.
They take private music lessons through a local classical music school. Sweet Son is still studying piano with the teacher he has been with for a couple of years. He decided he doesn't want to do a performance test and that is fine. He is enjoying playing and learning. Sweet Daughter is in a group voice class and is doing well. She really enjoys the group class and having more people to interact with.
The kids are continuing with homeschool band, only now they are in the concert band instead of the beginner band. They are still the youngest, but have friends and enjoy it immensely.
Sports vary by kid and by season. Sweet Son strongly prefers solo sports such as swimming. Sweet Daughter strongly prefers team sports with a great deal of competition. With both kids doing different sports it feels like I'm constantly running around trying to get everyone where they need to be.
Moving Beyond the Page - Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Rosetta Stone - Polish
Life of Fred - Math
Khan Academy - Math
Typing Instructor for Kids
- TypingThe Complete Elementary Music Rudiments, 2nd Edition
- Music TheorySequential Spelling - Spelling
Private Music Lessons
Homeschool Band
Sports
Moving Beyond the Page we have been using for years and we used the 8-11 curriculum for 2nd grade. We did every lesson in every unit. The kids asked to take it slowly so we only worked from it 3 times a week. It lasted more than a calendar year, but they have grown up and learned so much.
With family in Poland, it is important the kids learn Polish so they continue to work through that. This year in addition to understanding, speaking, and reading it, they added learning to write in Polish.
Life of Fred is a series of math books. The kids were working their way through the rest of the elementary series and started the intermediate series. Since they are so far ahead of where they should be we only did 1 lesson per week out of these.
Khan Academy is a free online math site. The kids were required to spend 40 minutes per week (not all at once) working on math here. By the end of the year both have finished all of 2nd and most of 3rd grade as well as many skills from higher grades.
For typing we increased their goal speed to 20wpm. Our idea is once they can type 50wpm they can be done with typing forever. We are hoping they increase at a rate of 10wpm per year so they would be done with typing around 5th grade.
For music theory we are using the book that prepares them for the Royal Conservatory Music Theory tests. We have also added a private theory lesson for Sweet Son as he surpassed my theory knowledge and I couldn't help him answer questions any more.
We only work on spelling twice per week using Sequential Spelling. When we were just over half way through the first book they both took the new online placement test. Sweet Daughter scored half way through the first book - perfect! Sweet Son scored into the 3rd book so now he is doing his spelling online while she is still working through the first book with me. She will switch to online when she finishes the current book.
They take private music lessons through a local classical music school. Sweet Son is still studying piano with the teacher he has been with for a couple of years. He decided he doesn't want to do a performance test and that is fine. He is enjoying playing and learning. Sweet Daughter is in a group voice class and is doing well. She really enjoys the group class and having more people to interact with.
The kids are continuing with homeschool band, only now they are in the concert band instead of the beginner band. They are still the youngest, but have friends and enjoy it immensely.
Sports vary by kid and by season. Sweet Son strongly prefers solo sports such as swimming. Sweet Daughter strongly prefers team sports with a great deal of competition. With both kids doing different sports it feels like I'm constantly running around trying to get everyone where they need to be.
Friday, August 11, 2017
Free $10 for Curriculum!
Yes, I'm posting about Educents again, but this time they are willing to give you $10 to spend! If you aren't a member yet all you have to do is join and get the $10. If you are already a member, you can refer a friend and get $10 so there is something here for everyone.
They say that giving is better than receiving, but who says you can't do both? Educents just launched a new program that will help you AND your friends save money on innovative products that keep kids excited about learning.
If you're not already familiar with Educents - here's the scoop. Educents is the best place to discover new ways to make learning fun. Find innovative products and ideas created by a community of experts in education.
If you're already an Educents member, you can earn $10 for every friend who signs up and makes a purchase of $25 or more. Simply go to your account page and find your unique referral URL, scroll down to "Earn Edubucks by referring your friends" and copy the link.
They say that giving is better than receiving, but who says you can't do both? Educents just launched a new program that will help you AND your friends save money on innovative products that keep kids excited about learning.
If you're not already familiar with Educents - here's the scoop. Educents is the best place to discover new ways to make learning fun. Find innovative products and ideas created by a community of experts in education.
Innovative items that make learning fun:
- The Magic School Bus Science Club - A 12-month science journey delivered to your front doorstep.
- Life of Fred - These books weave math (and other lessons) into a funny story about Fred, the 5-year-old math prodigy.
- Times Tales - Proven to teach children their times tales in an hour.
- Magformers - Develop motor skills, geometric thinking, and problem-solving with the click of these magnetic tiles.
- NEW! Front Row Online Math Program - A standard-aligned technology for K-8 classrooms.
Give $10, Get $10
If you're new to Educents, help me earn credit! I have a couple items on my wishlist I'd love to test out and share with you. Use my referral link to sign up. You will receive an email for $10 off your first order of $25 or more (adding some of the items above will fit the bill).If you're already an Educents member, you can earn $10 for every friend who signs up and makes a purchase of $25 or more. Simply go to your account page and find your unique referral URL, scroll down to "Earn Edubucks by referring your friends" and copy the link.
Invite your friends, your parents, and all the rock-star educators in your life! This deal will help everyone save a pretty penny on top products like the insanely popular Life of Fred or Times Tales.A referral is sending someone you care about to someone you trust.
Friday, August 4, 2017
Educational Resources
Educents is the trusted resource for every child's education. If your child is interested in Minecraft, butterflies, space, architecture, traveling.. you name it.. the hundreds of Sellers on Educents probably offer a way to turn your child's interests into a fun lesson. Keep scrolling to check out what's new, what's popular, and shop Educents deals by grade. Don't miss Educents' new freebie at the bottom of this post!
Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows I love Educents. I can get discounted curriculum, toys, and random other things that inspire my kids. They have everything from text books (We love Life of Fred) to instruments (we have too many instruments to count) to art supplies and toys. I have yet to let my kids know there is more to Minecraft than just playing it but this might just be the year we do a unit on it as well!
What's new?
3D Animation Course - Kids will learn key 3D character animation concepts in this year-long online course as they create animated movies using their favorite Minecraft characters. Kids will learn all the necessary skills to create fun animated shorts, laying the foundation for a future career in animation, or simply giving kids a productive outlet for their love of Minecraft! Recommended for ages 8 to 14.
Beginning Architecture Course - Frank Lloyd Wright never had it this good! This three-part series of Beginning Architecture e-courses is the perfect gift for young Lego® and Minecraft® enthusiasts. 17 Activities for Number Recognition and Counting - This bundle includes a variety of games, worksheets, and activities for practicing number recognition and counting. Math Galaxy Fraction Riddles eBook Bundle - This bundle contains 6 pdf eBooks with printable worksheets in a riddle format like Wheel-of-Fortune, where answers to fraction problems give clues to riddles plus 2 pdf eBooks on length, area, volume, capacity, weight, and angles.
Weather & Water Cycle Thematic Unit Bundle - Get 40% off two complementary thematic units for the weather and the water cycle! These engaging units integrate science, language arts, writing, math, social studies, art and drama.
What's popular?
Tegu Blocks - Tegu blocks are finely crafted magnetic wooden blocks that are just the right size for on-the-go fun.
Times Tales Multiplication DVDs - A creative, innovative mnemonic-based program that makes it fun and easy to memorize the upper multiplication facts. WILD Math Uno Card Games - Who doesn’t like to play games? Students will love to play these WILD games and you will love that they are reinforcing key skills while doing so! They are great for math centers, fast finishers, or even days you have a substitute! Life of Fred Elementary Math Books - Life of Fred is a series of math books that break of the old pattern of drill and kill. Instead of nothing but dry exposition and endless drill exercises, they contain fun stories about Fred Gauss, a child prodigy math genius. During his hilarious adventures, he encounters situations that call for solving math problems. Children actually want to read these books.
Ultimate K-12 Homeschool Package - “I've tried a LOT of homeschool curriculum products over the years, and quite frankly this is the best value available in a secular curriculum package and it's easy on the parent. I'm homeschooling two kids and it's very easy to have them read the lesson and complete the assignments independently, then later the teacher's guides make it easy on me to review their work and correct it. The content is interesting and relates to the real world in a way that makes sense to the kids, especially the math problems. You also can't beat the price. I'm shocked that this curriculum isn't better known. You will pay a lot more for comparable products that won't have the quality this one has, and I've done the research and spent the money to be able to say that with authority.” -Judith A.
Grades Pre-K to 2nd
The Ultimate Kinder Bundle - Eight kindergarten digital textbooks for one low price! You get both the student and teacher's editions for 4 different subjects: Language Arts, Math, Social Studies and Science. Wooden Standing Art Easel - The Melissa & Doug children's easel makes any room into an art studio!
Picture Writing Prompts (Spring Bundle) - These picture writing prompts will get your little writers spending more time writing and less time saying "I don't know what to write about!" K-8 Literature Package - This set covers all of your literature needs! Tegu Blocks - Tegu blocks are finely crafted magnetic wooden blocks that are just the right size for on-the-go fun. Math Wall Decals - Play with math on the walls! These fun and colorful decals help teach difficult concepts in a new way!
WILD Reading & Phonics Card Games - Who doesn't like to play games? Students will love to play these WILD games and you will love that they are reinforcing key skills while doing so! Online Language Program - Use this incredible opportunity to include foreign language into your next year curriculum! Choose from Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Russian or ESL English Videos, songs, and games help learners become bilingual FAST! Beginning Basketball eBook - Introduce your child to the great game of basketball with this ebook. This book will introduce the fundamental skills needed to play basketball. You will also learn the basic rules and strategies of the game. Magformers Set - The coolest manipulative we've seen in years!
Character Education for K-12 Learners - Character education takes commitment to teach it consistently. This curriculum will appeal to teachers and parents who feel strongly about making that type of difference in the lives of their students and children. 17 Activities for Number Recognition and Counting - This bundle includes a variety of games, worksheets, and activities for practicing number recognition and counting.
Grades 3rd to 5th
The Ultimate Middle School Digital Resource - The Ultimate Middle School Package provides you with 24 comprehensive Sixth through Eighth Grade Digital Textbooks in the areas of Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies! Includes both the Student and Teacher's Edition! Beginning Architecture Course - Frank Lloyd Wright never had it this good! This three-part series of Beginning Architecture e-courses is the perfect gift for young Lego® and Minecraft® enthusiasts.
Times Tales Multiplication DVDs - A creative, innovative mnemonic-based program that makes it fun and easy to memorize the upper multiplication facts. Science Themed Wall Play Sets - These durable fabric PEEL, PLAY & LEARN sets can work for younger children and older children alike. Whether you are homeschooling multiple aged children or looking for something to challenge kids in the classroom, our interactive wall play sets will fit in perfectly. Guitar Beginning Pack for Kids - The eMedia My Guitar Beginner Pack is a great guitar package designed to get children started learning the basics of music in a fun way. PrepToon Math Videos & Worksheets - This set of videos will help students learn operations in base ten. Animations help you show the math concepts visually and engage your students in learning from minute one. Fraction Math Animations - These videos and worksheets will help you show the math concepts visually and engage your students in learning from minute one.
Beginning Basketball eBook - Introduce your child to the great game of basketball with this ebook. This book will introduce the fundamental skills needed to play basketball. You will also learn the basic rules and strategies of the game. Classical Composter & Instruments Lapbook - Study the great classical composers and instruments using this hands-on tool. This Lapbook contains no music theory. Create booklets to place inside the Lapbook folders, and improve retention of the information. Math Galaxy Fraction Riddles eBook Bundle - This bundle contains 6 pdf eBooks with printable worksheets in a riddle format like Wheel-of-Fortune, where answers to fraction problems give clues to riddles plus 2 pdf eBooks on length, area, volume, capacity, weight, and angles.
Grades 6th to 8th
Zone Cleaning for Kids - Any parents who want to get (and keep) their children more involved in household chores - here’s the answer!
3D Animation Course - Kids will learn key 3D character animation concepts in this year-long online course as they create animated movies using their favorite Minecraft characters. Kids will learn all the necessary skills to create fun animated shorts, laying the foundation for a future career in animation, or simply giving kids a productive outlet for their love of Minecraft! Recommended for ages 8 to 14. Learn to Code with Minecraft - Learn to modify the Minecraft game with this year-long online course that teaches kids programming with Java™. Code their own Minecraft mod from start to finish and watch as the end result becomes a unique, shareable Minecraft mod that they built from scratch. Recommended for ages 8 to 14. Beginning Basketball eBook - Introduce your child to the great game of basketball with this ebook. This book will introduce the fundamental skills needed to play basketball. You will also learn the basic rules and strategies of the game. Understanding Health Challenges Lapbooks - Get 75% OFF of these FUN, Hands-on lapbooks! This package includes FOUR lapbooks designed to teach children about some common health challenges that they may have or may encounter with siblings or peers.
New Freebie
Toca Life Town App - You rule this Town, a play world where anything and everyone is welcome! With different locations and many classic Toca Boca characters, the everyday adventures in Town are infinite.
Friday, October 28, 2016
$10 credit at Educents!
They say that giving is better than receiving, but who says you can't do both? Educents just launched a new program that will help you AND your friends save money on innovative products that keep kids excited about learning.
If you're not already familiar with Educents - here's the scoop. Educents is the best place to discover new ways to make learning fun. Find innovative products and ideas created by a community of experts in education.
If you're already an Educents member, you can earn $10 for every friend who signs up and makes a purchase of $25 or more. Simply go to your account page and find your unique referral URL, scroll down to "Earn Edubucks by referring your friends" and copy the link.
If you're not already familiar with Educents - here's the scoop. Educents is the best place to discover new ways to make learning fun. Find innovative products and ideas created by a community of experts in education.
Innovative items that make learning fun:
- The Magic School Bus Science Club - A 12-month science journey delivered to your front doorstep.
- Life of Fred - These books weave math (and other lessons) into a funny story about Fred, the 5-year-old math prodigy.
- Times Tales - Proven to teach children their times tales in an hour.
- Magformers - Develop motor skills, geometric thinking, and problem-solving with the click of these magnetic tiles.
- NEW! Front Row Online Math Program - A standard-aligned technology for K-8 classrooms.
Give $10, Get $10
If you're new to Educents, help me earn credit! I have a couple items on my wishlist I'd love to test out and share with you. Use my referral link to sign up. You will receive an email for $10 off your first order of $25 or more (adding some of the items above will fit the bill).
If you're already an Educents member, you can earn $10 for every friend who signs up and makes a purchase of $25 or more. Simply go to your account page and find your unique referral URL, scroll down to "Earn Edubucks by referring your friends" and copy the link.
Invite your friends, your parents, and all the rock-star educators in your life! This deal will help everyone save a pretty penny on top products like the insanely popular Life of Fred or Times Tales.A referral is sending someone you care about to someone you trust.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Homeschool Resources
I am still homeschooling both kids. We reevaluate every year and they have decided to continue what we are doing. Our core curriculum is Moving Beyond the Page. It covers Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. We use two different things for Math - Khan Academy (free!) and Life of Fred. We also use Rosetta Stone for Polish, Typing Instructor for typing, and music and sports are outside of the home. All of this adds up quickly in the budget so here are some other resources that are all under $20!
Here's a list of the best affordable homeschool resources - all available for $20 or less on Educents. Helpful Resources Homeschool Planner - This planner includes dated journal pages, practical forms, motivational quotes, and teaching aides to make your homeschool planning effortless and enjoyable. Do-a-Dot Mega Bundle - 17 different activities that cover fine motor skills, numbers, letters, sight words, word families, shapes, colors, patterns, and early addition. All of these items are designed for us with do-a-dot markers, but they also come with a variety of suggestions for alternative uses. Photography Lessons for Kids - Add some fun to your homeschool! Whether your kids have a point and shoot or a DSLR camera, the fundamental rules of photography can still be taught. Math Resources Tegu Geometric Blocks - Here's a hands-on way to learn geometric shapes. These blocks come in many shapes and colors.
Times Tales DVD - Kids can learn their times tables in a snap! Most homeschoolers say this DVD only takes about an hour to teach kids the upper times tables. There's also a downloadable version available. Life of Fred Math Stories - After reading the Fred books, kids will never say "math is boring" ever again. These fictional stories weave in math concepts with real world examples. Start with the Apples book for early math, and follow Fred all the way to calculus lessons! Tegu Geometric Blocks - Here's a hands-on way to learn geometric shapes. These blocks come in many shapes and colors. Science Activities Slimy Squishy Polymer Bucket - Learn, create, and play with your student. These polymers can help teach measurements, chemical reactions, and following directions.
One Minute Science Mysteries - Each story, just one minute long, challenges students' knowledge in earth, space, life, physical, chemical, and general science. Language Arts Games & Lessons uKloo Early Riddle Edition Treasure Hunt Game -Disguised as a treasure hunt, this literacy game gets kids physically active as they strengthen reading comprehension skills while solving clues to find a surprise.
Let's Get Reading Bundle - Play detective with this printable packet investigating CVC words, phonics, word families and more! Kids can even print & wear spy gear! Cursive Writing Worksheets - Make handwriting practice more fun with these superhero-themed printable worksheets.
Here's a list of the best affordable homeschool resources - all available for $20 or less on Educents. Helpful Resources Homeschool Planner - This planner includes dated journal pages, practical forms, motivational quotes, and teaching aides to make your homeschool planning effortless and enjoyable. Do-a-Dot Mega Bundle - 17 different activities that cover fine motor skills, numbers, letters, sight words, word families, shapes, colors, patterns, and early addition. All of these items are designed for us with do-a-dot markers, but they also come with a variety of suggestions for alternative uses. Photography Lessons for Kids - Add some fun to your homeschool! Whether your kids have a point and shoot or a DSLR camera, the fundamental rules of photography can still be taught. Math Resources Tegu Geometric Blocks - Here's a hands-on way to learn geometric shapes. These blocks come in many shapes and colors.
Times Tales DVD - Kids can learn their times tables in a snap! Most homeschoolers say this DVD only takes about an hour to teach kids the upper times tables. There's also a downloadable version available. Life of Fred Math Stories - After reading the Fred books, kids will never say "math is boring" ever again. These fictional stories weave in math concepts with real world examples. Start with the Apples book for early math, and follow Fred all the way to calculus lessons! Tegu Geometric Blocks - Here's a hands-on way to learn geometric shapes. These blocks come in many shapes and colors. Science Activities Slimy Squishy Polymer Bucket - Learn, create, and play with your student. These polymers can help teach measurements, chemical reactions, and following directions.
One Minute Science Mysteries - Each story, just one minute long, challenges students' knowledge in earth, space, life, physical, chemical, and general science. Language Arts Games & Lessons uKloo Early Riddle Edition Treasure Hunt Game -Disguised as a treasure hunt, this literacy game gets kids physically active as they strengthen reading comprehension skills while solving clues to find a surprise.
Let's Get Reading Bundle - Play detective with this printable packet investigating CVC words, phonics, word families and more! Kids can even print & wear spy gear! Cursive Writing Worksheets - Make handwriting practice more fun with these superhero-themed printable worksheets.
Friday, October 7, 2016
Birthday Present Ideas
If you're a parent or relative to young children, then you've got birthdays to attend. For me, it's almost every weekend these days! Finding the appropriate gift can be time-consuming, and a bit stressful- whether it's coming directly from you or from your child to their pal. Never fear! I found a gift guide so you can focus on enjoying time with loved ones (and getting on with your day!) rather than hemming and hawing at all of the options. And while Summer birthdays have been top of my mind, the gift guide is appropriate for any time of year so you can bookmark this page as your gift that keeps on giving.
The gifts are organized by age group from toddler to teen, and all of them are under $40. Happy gifting!
Tegu Blocks combine fun colors, geometric shapes, and a magnetic snap to create a playtime experience that's fitting for the living room or the classroom. Parents (and littles!) love this toy because its production has positive environmental and social impact.
Make a Match Game
This game helps children grow memory skills with adorable dinosaur chips! The beautiful design is a treat for parents and kids alike. Perfect for picnics, play dates, and rainy games, this game is small enough to carry in your pocket and hip enough for the coolest of pre-k birthday parties.
Get kids on their feet and brimming with ideas! This high-quality wooden game is a perfect gift for outgoing children and to create an atmosphere of fun and creativity.
Pirate Adventure Board Game
This board game is cleverly disguised. Kids will be having so much fun that they won't even know that they were learning math from an award-winning program.
Squishy Science Experiment
The Slimy Squishy Polymer Bucket is the perfect gift for budding scientists who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty in the name of...scientific learning! But they'll too be busy having fun to realize they're learning the basics of chemistry.
Garden Flowers Coloring Book
One great idea for a gift is coloring books. These garden flower coloring books are perfect for child and parent, and can make a great group activity.
Food Fighter is a board game that has two children face off in a kitchen-themed battle. Children will have fun while developing higher-order thinking skills, mathematics, literacy, and executive functioning skills.
Dream Catcher Kit
Building dreamcatchers is a classic crafting activity - this colorful kit has everything kids need to make something unique and beautiful!
Just Add Milk Experiments
I love these experiments - little parental oversight is required, and they're so easy to do right at home! Girls and boys, readers and scientists, alike will love this colorful kit. Not to mention parents!
Whether or not they love this pun as much as some of us, this game gets kids flexing vocabulary muscles while having fun with a little challenge and competition. Players build pairs of connecting words in matching patterns, like Scrabble 2.0. Best of all it's portable - a perfect gift and activity to bring along on sleepovers or for parties. For a little more "pearity," pair with two more pears!
Rainforest Biome
Budding scientists and tweens who like hands-on fun will love this all-in-one Rainforest Biome - they get to start a whole ecosystem right at home! The biome includes cacao beans (a favorite), clay, an apple snail shell, and more to create a full-on biofeedback loop. Super cool!
Math & Science Mystery Books
Who doesn't love to solve a mystery?! The One Minute Mystery series takes a simple concept and turns it into an awesome book. Kids will read mysteries, then use their powers of deduction and knowledge of math and science to find the solution. Each is as satisfying as the next!
For giftees ages 3 to 5
Geometric Building Set
Tegu Blocks combine fun colors, geometric shapes, and a magnetic snap to create a playtime experience that's fitting for the living room or the classroom. Parents (and littles!) love this toy because its production has positive environmental and social impact.
Make a Match Game
This game helps children grow memory skills with adorable dinosaur chips! The beautiful design is a treat for parents and kids alike. Perfect for picnics, play dates, and rainy games, this game is small enough to carry in your pocket and hip enough for the coolest of pre-k birthday parties.
For giftees ages 6 to 8
Animal Charades Game
Get kids on their feet and brimming with ideas! This high-quality wooden game is a perfect gift for outgoing children and to create an atmosphere of fun and creativity.
Pirate Adventure Board Game
This board game is cleverly disguised. Kids will be having so much fun that they won't even know that they were learning math from an award-winning program.
Squishy Science Experiment
The Slimy Squishy Polymer Bucket is the perfect gift for budding scientists who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty in the name of...scientific learning! But they'll too be busy having fun to realize they're learning the basics of chemistry.
Garden Flowers Coloring Book
One great idea for a gift is coloring books. These garden flower coloring books are perfect for child and parent, and can make a great group activity.
For giftees 9 to 10
Food Fighter 2-Player Game
Food Fighter is a board game that has two children face off in a kitchen-themed battle. Children will have fun while developing higher-order thinking skills, mathematics, literacy, and executive functioning skills.
Dream Catcher Kit
Building dreamcatchers is a classic crafting activity - this colorful kit has everything kids need to make something unique and beautiful!
Just Add Milk Experiments
I love these experiments - little parental oversight is required, and they're so easy to do right at home! Girls and boys, readers and scientists, alike will love this colorful kit. Not to mention parents!
Gifts for Ages 11 to 13
Pairs in Pears
Whether or not they love this pun as much as some of us, this game gets kids flexing vocabulary muscles while having fun with a little challenge and competition. Players build pairs of connecting words in matching patterns, like Scrabble 2.0. Best of all it's portable - a perfect gift and activity to bring along on sleepovers or for parties. For a little more "pearity," pair with two more pears!
Rainforest Biome
Budding scientists and tweens who like hands-on fun will love this all-in-one Rainforest Biome - they get to start a whole ecosystem right at home! The biome includes cacao beans (a favorite), clay, an apple snail shell, and more to create a full-on biofeedback loop. Super cool!
Math & Science Mystery Books
Who doesn't love to solve a mystery?! The One Minute Mystery series takes a simple concept and turns it into an awesome book. Kids will read mysteries, then use their powers of deduction and knowledge of math and science to find the solution. Each is as satisfying as the next!
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