See The Light Art Class-Review

I recently had the opportunity to review a fantastic art curriculum called See The Light. They offer three DVD programs called "Art Class", "Art Projects", and "Bible Stories". I chose to review "Art Class".

I received the first DVD in the "Art Class" series valued at $14.99.

(You can purchase the entire 9 DVD series for $99.)

Art Class is a 9 DVD/36 lesson series geared for ages 6 + that includes:

Step by Step Tutoring

Integrated Art History & Biblical Truth

Progressive Skill Building

No Workbooks Ever – Only Basic Supplies

Three bonus lessons 

This series qualifies for the Fine Arts school requirement.

(This is what the first DVD Lessons 1-4 cover for instruction.)

Lesson 1: TOOLS OF THE TRADE - Learn the basics of what makes a drawing. Master artist Pat Knepley demonstrates what you need to have on hand in your drawing “toolkit” to always be ready to draw. Supplies needed: #2 Pencil, White Eraser or Gray Kneaded Eraser, 1 Sheet of White Paper - 8 1/2 by 11.

Lesson 2: IT ALL STARTS WITH A LINE - The most fundamental element of all drawing is the line - but not all lines are alike! Learn about different line qualities and the most essential skill of drawing - contour drawing. Supplies needed: #2 Pencil, White Eraser or Gray Kneaded Eraser, 1 Sheet of White Paper - 8 1/2 by 11, 2 Apples.

Lesson 3: CONTOURS & COMPOSITION - Train your eyes and hands to be synchronized! You'll learn some tips to place items in a drawing - or "composition" - to get the best results! Supplies needed: #2 Pencil, White Eraser or Gray Kneaded Eraser, 3 Sheets of White Paper - 8 1/2 by 11, Black Fine Marker or Pen, Black or Dark Gray Charcoal Pencil, 2 Apples or any two pieces of Fruit.

Lesson4: DRAW WHAT YOU SEE - You'll take a common everyday item - a shoe - as your subject for a completed contour drawing. This is a true test of whether you draw what you SEE or what you KNOW! Supplies needed: #2 Pencil, White Eraser or Gray Kneaded Eraser, 1 Sheet of White Paper - 8 1/2 by 11 or a little larger if you have it, Black Sharpie Marker, A Shoe.

Bonus Lesson: CHALK-IT-EASY CHALK ART LESSON with See The Light chalk artist Gloria Kohlmann

I had heard of "See the Light" art curriculum but I didn't know they offered an actual art class that my children could use that would fulfill their fine arts requirement all with Bible-based lessons taught within the art curriculum! Check out this video to see "What is Art Class?"

Here is some information about the other two programs offered by See the Light.

Art Projects is a 9 DVD/36 lesson series geared for ages 10 +. Each of the 9 projects focuses on the work of a famous artist and contains:

Step by Step Tutoring

Integrated Biblical Truth

Art History

Art Elements

Art Principles

Bible Stories with Related Art Lessons is a 5 DVD series that includes a Bible story artistically and dramatically presented for the entire family. There are 3 step by step art lessons on each DVD that are related to the Bible story presented. Children of all ages love the “POP” of the black light included in each lesson. Bonus features are included on each DVD such as the Plan of Salvation, a commentary by the chalk artist, etc.

About the Creator:

Pat Holt has a passion for children and a heart for missions. She has worked with children since she volunteered for church ministry at age 14 before earning degrees in education and instructional technology.  Since then, she’s taught in public schools and founded a Christian school while authoring many books including the bestselling When You Feel Like Screaming – Help For Frustrated Mothers and the award winningDon’t Give in, Give Choices, as well as being a guest on a multitude of radio and TV programs. She was awarded the Gold Medallion in Christian Education by the Evangelical Publishers Association. Pat and her husband, Dave, live in California.

You can "like" See The Light on their Facebook Page or follow them on Twitter.

My Thoughts:

I thought this was a fantastic DVD art class program. Pat Knepley's love for art and teaching art really shows. Also her love for God and His Word is woven throughout the lessons and I found this a wonderful way to add inspiration to my children's daily lessons. The kids seemed to enjoy the DVD lessons too. I even had fun drawing along with my kids and learning the lessons with them. I'm looking forward to ordering the rest of the DVD's so we can finish out the year with a full art curriculum!

I received a free copy of this DVD to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

"Don't Forget To Pack the Kids"- by Jill Richardson REVIEW

I grew up in a small town in Maine. It wasn't until I got married and moved to California that I ever really encountered people who didn't look like me on a daily basis. I went to work in a child care facility on a military base in Southern California. I took care of children 12-18 months five days a week. I once got to care for a little African- American baby named Corey. He had no teeth even at 15 months but he could "eat" a peanut butter sandwich with his gums! He was the sweetest little kid and I remember him snuggling up to me one day and I looked down at his wonderful brown skin. Such a stark contrast to my own milky white skin. A seed was planted in my heart that day to care for a child other than one who looked like me. For a child with dark skin to call me, "Mom".

Since then, my heart has longed to go on a missions trip and possibly adopt a child from a foreign country one day. I have not had the privilege to do either of these-yet, although my heart still longs to. So I was thrilled when I saw I had the chance to review Jill Richardson's book, Don't Forget to Pack the Kids. Maybe taking my family on a missions trip isn't such a far off idea.
What if there were more "why not" answers to my "why should we" questions?

Watch this video and see how the author's children and family were able to serve God on a short-term missions trip!




Here is some more information about the book.

"Short-term missions have traditionally been the province of singles, youth groups, and married-with-no-kids.

Five years ago, few would have picked up a book about taking the family on a short-term mission. Now, more and more of us 30 and 40-somethings with kids are asking―

Why can’t we do something meaningful for others with our kids? 
Why do we have to wait until they’re teens and then and pack them off on a youth group trip?
Why can’t we let them experience using their gifts in ministry now? 
And why can’t we discover those gifts alongside one another in an experience they’ll never forget?  Well, you can. With some planning specifically geared toward making a family mission trip successful, you can. And you should.

Don’t Forget to Pack the Kids interweaves personal experience stories with extensive how-to information.



Statistics tell us over three-fourths of our kids will leave the church when they leave home. Why? Part of the reason is their feeling that church is irrelevant to their lives and they can get entertainment and fulfillment elsewhere. If we taught our kids early that the church is relevant because they are the church, and it is fulfilling because they fill it with their gifts and ministry, we could reverse those statistics.

Serving together can be a huge part of that."

My Thoughts:

I loved this book. The author takes the reader on a fabulous journey of all the ins and outs of how and why you can and SHOULD take your family on a short-term  missions trip. I found this book to not only be inspiring but very practical. From fundraising ideas in chapter 6 to dealing with all the realities of missions trips I thought this book was a wonderful read and very inspiring to step out of my comfort zone and actually do this one day! The author reminds us through her own personal stories woven into her tips such as things like you can't think of this mission trip as a "vacation" as she describes having to "sleep" on a train with her family. This book has so many tips like making sure your health records are up to date to being certain you "pack Jesus" and spend a huge amount of time in prayer and planning and learning about the country you will eventually visit. If you have ever considered a short-term missions trip but thought you should wait to go once the kids were older, you might want to read this book and reconsider what God might have you do while your children are still young and what God  might teach your children out of their effort to serve and love people around the world!

Author BIO:
Jill has a BA in English and Education and an MDiv in theology. She is ordained in the Free Methodist Church and has served as a worship, preaching, and discipleship pastor. She is also a professional speaker available for speaking engagements. Jill is represented by Diana Flegel at Hartline Literary Agency.

With three daughters, three cats, and (thankfully!) only one husband, she keeps busy otherwise with community theater, gardening, reading, scrapbooking, and bugging her last child to do 4H projects. Jill loves oceans, cats, chocolate, teenagers, her family, the Cubs, and God, not necessarily in that order.

Follow Jill on her Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or on Youtube.

Amazon Link

ISBN-10: 0615581188 | ISBN- 13: 978-0615581187 | List Price: $8.00 Softcover, $3.99 Kindle |Format: Softcover and Kindle | Page Count: 134


I received a free copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

What is "Common Core" and Why You Should Care

There are some really bizarre ideas circulating around the internet lately. Watch the following video and you will see what I mean.




"these are our children...so part of it is we have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents or kids belong to their families and recognize that kids belong to whole communities."


In case you missed it, did she REALLY just say that MY kids that I grew inside MY body, breastfed for years and home educated don't really belong to me, but to the state? I think NOT! My children are MY BLESSINGS from God and REWARD from my Heavenly Father. They absolutely do not belong to the community or state!

Psalm 127:3

"Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him."

Now I'm sure there are plenty of parents out there that would gladly hand their offspring over to the state and wash their hands of their responsibilities for that child, but most sane people would think MSNBC's anchor Melissa Harris-Perry's statement is foolish. Really? My kids don't belong to ME?

“It’s almost a parody of reality,” Glenn Beck said of the clip.  “It is so far beyond what we have ever thought as a nation, it’s remarkable…” 

Beck goes on to say that "while the notion has been reserved largely for theoretical papers thus far, Beck claimed it is growing legs in America’s academic curriculum and connected it to the concerns recently raised about two programs called Common Core and CSCOPE:

“It’s already being implemented with Common Core.  It’s already been implemented here in Texas with CSCOPE.  You don’t have a right to see as a parent what your children are learning.  You go to a Texas school and say, “Let me see the curriculum.”  You can’t.  “Let me see that test that you are teaching through CSCOPE.”  You can’t. You’re a parent.  You don’t have a right to know." You can read the rest of the article and watch the video HERE.

the-whole-story-on-common-core- Here is a link to get the whole story of the common core.

At first glance the Common Core curriculum initiative sounds great. If you look at their website you will find wonderful things like, "The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy." You can read more at their website here.

"Robust and relevant"? Really?

Maine adopted Common Core standards back in April 4, 2011 and began fully implementing its standards in this school year of 2012-2013. The Maine website gives information on Common Core and what it plans to implement here. "Educational standards identify the skills and knowledge that students should have when they graduate from high school, and benchmark the development of those knowledge- and skill-sets either grade-by-grade, or over the course of a grade span." 

A ONE-SIZE FITS ALL EDUCATION!

It's all about preparing kids for the workforce, NOT about meeting the needs and learning styles of our kids.

Stopcommoncore.com put it this way:

"Simply put, the Common Core is designed to replace local and parental control over education with centralized, top-down control. The purpose is to train students for jobs, not educate them to be full, thoughtful citizens in our democratic republic. If we do not take action now to prevent this destructive experiment on our children, it will be too late."

When you check out stopcommoncore.com they have a myth vs fact page. It is really eye opening.

Like for instance Common Core was never a state-led initiative, but by private interests in Washington, D.C. without any representation of the states. There are many other myths placed beside the FACTS there. 

We would all do well to be educated in what Common Core really is and how to STOP it from being fully implemented. If you think homeschoolers are immune to this, be warned. Top homeschool curriculum companies such as Saxon have already adopted Common Core and are revamping their entire curriculum to accomodate it. The final phase then ends in testing kids who have been taught Common Core standards. If my homeschooled kids are not taught Common core standards then they won't do well on SAT's.

You can also order a video on Stopping the Common Core for a $10 donation over at Concerned Women for America.

If you would like to help, please sign this petition to STOP COMMON CORE IN MAINE

And one last word from your child's teacher...even some teachers know their jobs are being threatened by new changes in curriculum and data processing. I didn't even touch on that (data mining), you can learn more about that here.

http://spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com/ has been working very hard to stop Common Core in her home state. Her site is well worth checking out. She has done a TON of research and people are listening! She recently gave her testimony before the Michigan Education Committee. SpunkyHomeschool Does not Align To Obamacore Go SpunkyHomeschool!!!!

There are many more websites out there to research this for yourself. These are just a few I have compiled that have stood out to me this week.

Please be informed of what is taking place without parental consent in your children's schools and PRAY! Our children belong to us, not to the government

My T.R.I.P. Update-Final Post!

We are coming in for a landing!!!

We have come to the end of our reading and writing journey with the Targeted Reading Improvement Program, also known as, T.R.I.P. To read more about why we started this program and  follow our progress through it you can follow the links below.

Why we started this T.R.I.P.!

First Update

Update number two

Update number three

A little information about the T.R.I.P. program...

From a trusted homeschool curriculum reviewer, Cathy Duffy,

"TRIP grew out of years of clinical work with students with reading problems. The same techniques used in one-on-one clinical lessons can now be done at home with parental guidance at far less cost with this interactive video program. The program is very nicely done with bright, colorful graphics and a clean, easy to use layout..." 

www.cathyduffyreviews.com

TRIP was created by Walter C. Waid and Jordan H. Price, teachers with a combined total of 40 years experience working with special needs, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexic, and special ed students. They received their degrees and teaching credentials from California State University Long Beach and Fullerton California, respectively. 

SPECIAL FEATURES 

TRIP Contains 20 lessons. Each lesson consists of 3 parts. Plus A How to To Instructional Video With Step-By-Step Teaching Instructions.

Below is a sample video of what you will see when you purchase the DVD.

The program is divided up into three parts.

Part 1: WORD LISTS

These contain 160 basic sight and phonetic words for instant recognition. Spelling practice is incorporated as well. You, the parent, administer this program with your child, just as though you were a private tutor. You make a check beside each word as your child reads the words correctly. My son breezed through the 160 words with little difficulty. My daughter is just learning to read so she had quite a bit of trouble reading the words. We will definitely revisit this program with her in another year or two.

Here are three of my kids. My 10 year-old is working through the flashing words at a fast pace. My 5 year-old is waiting patiently for her turn while my 3 year-old looks on.

Part 2: FLASHING PRACTICE. 

This consists of flashing a series of symbols, letters, numbers and words on the screen. Students have a choice of three speeds and write down what they see. This is designed to improve visual imagery for better spelling and reading accuracy. My kids loved this part of the program. My son enjoyed controlling the laptop flashing by pressing the flash button after each shape/line or word or number revealed. We started at the beginner level for my daughter but my son really had a blast working at the faster pace to challenge himself to write the symbols he saw before they disappeared!

Here is my son checking over his word list after completing the flashing words.

Part 3: STORY CARD. 

10 sight words are reinforced with each story card which is read aloud. Students practice writing down the words while following directions and answering simple comprehension questions. For this section of the program I had my son read the story out loud. In doing this, I was able to catch any words he was mispronouncing or transposing. I found he has a  tendency to place words not written there into the context as he tries to read through a sentence. For instance the sentence might say, "There were tears in her eyes." He would actually say, "There are tears in her eyes."

Overall, for the price of the DVD at only $19.99, I think this program is well worth it. The T.R.I.P. website explains that "private reading centers and tutors charge anywhere from $65.00 a lesson and up. Many tutoring centers will not even take special needs readers."  I'm so glad we were able to try this program out. If your child is a slow reader, a struggling reader, has ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, or other reading problems, this would be a great tool for parents to use to help their child become better readers. I think this program can really help a child break bad habits in reading and spelling and even writing as they work through the written flash words, and read through the spelling lists. At the end of 20 lessons, your child will be confident they can read through 160 words and you, the parent, will have an idea of where your child's strengths and weaknesses are in both reading and writing. You will be able to be more confident moving forward whether you homeschool or your child goes to public/private school knowing you have helped your child improve their reading skills!

Follow T.R.I.P. on Facebook.

Follow T.R.I.P. on Twitter.

I received a free copy of this DVD to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

Our T.R.I.P. Update #3!

"While many of us take reading for granted as something one just learns in school and does, being literate is a basic building block that affects every facet of life. Not only does reading do the obvious and open one up to a universe of knowledge, but imagine: if one isn’t able to read well enough to understand a pharmacist’s medicine label, dire consequences could come about. And how about the necessity of reading important signs and labels in a workplace situation? Toxic chemicals could easily be mishandled and/or machinery could injure someone unable to understand its operation requirements."

-Excerpt from "8 Rules of Success" Recognizing The Importance Of Reading On The Path To Success

Reading is so important so I was excited to be a part of this program to help my kids who were struggling to read and also catch any reading/writing errors they may be making as well.

Why we started this T.R.I.P.!

On our way-an earlier update of the program!

We have been on vacation so we have not been doing any school work for over a week. My kids had been progressing quite nicely through this program so I'm excited to get them started up so we can finish it! Check back for my last and final review soon!

Click here to get your own copy today! www.buytripnow.com






I received a free copy of this DVD to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

On A Quest For Christ Review

 

"Understanding your personal journey opens a door to new spiritual growth. "On a Quest for Christ," a 30-day devotional, will help you trace your steps from the first whispers of faith to resting in God's arms. Gentle questions guide the telling of your story while prayers and comforting scripture enrich your reflections. The "Christ Quest Time Map" helps you see the path ahead as you look back on your journey. Experience healing and hope as you deepen your spiritual self-awareness and find Christ at critical points in your life.

Lisa Are Wulf is a fresh voice with a pure and transparent heart. "On a Quest for Christ" invites you into her own journey with personal vignettes to guide you in tracing your spiritual path. Let her lead you to places along the way where Christ was at work in your life. As she says, "Your spiritual story is significant. Who you are makes a difference. The impact of your life is incalculable."

About the author:

As a ministry leader and Fuller Seminary graduate, Lisa Aré Wulf has a gift for creative communication that touches hearts and transforms lives.

A mid-life convert to Christ, Lisa's articles have appeared in dozens of Christian publications. She has spoken to women's groups and churches across the country.

Before entering the ministry, Lisa served eight years on the Colorado Springs City Council. She is also a retired CPA, a former radio talk show host, an accounting professor, and was a violinist.

She and her husband, Calvin, have four children and are happy empty-nesters. They currently reside in Colorado.

My thoughts:

I really liked the set up of this book. It opens with, "Whether you know it or not, you're on a quest....What is a quest? It is simply a journey toward a worthy goal, the seeking of a noble end." The author explains that there's a catch though when you're on a quest for God, there are bound to be obstacles and challenges. The author seeks to help the reader to trace his footsteps and map out their quest for Christ. Through 30 chapters that can each be read easily in 30 days such as "Birthing", "Belonging", "Striving", "Turning", to "Healing", "Losing", "Serving", "Moving Forward", and many other great titles, the author draws the reader in to explore our past, mistakes, triumphs, and really listen to times of spiritual self-awareness and reflect and document our thoughts right in the book. At the end of every chapter is space to log our own story, reflect, and a special prayer to help us give the issue over to God. The author closes the book by quoting Augustine of Hippo,

"God, you have made us for yourself,

and our hearts are restless,

till they find their rest in you."

She encourages us to fulfill our journey to press on even after the book has been finished to complete our journey until we meet Jesus face to face! Maybe we've made some wrong turns, but we can always turn back to Christ. I like how she sums up chapter 30, "It's never too late to discover God's purpose for our lives and to walk the path he has laid out for each of us." This was a great book to walk through. I recommend it to anyone wanting help in tracing their own steps of their spiritual journey. I think it would be a wonderful way to share with our children how we have walked out our faith and help our children as they begin their very own journey with Jesus!

You can purchase your own copy at Amazon. 

I received a free copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

Still Flying! T.R.I.P. Update!

We are on vacation this week but I wanted to update you with where we are at with this Targeted Reading Improvement program!

For a more detailed description of this program click  here. 

To read more about why I decided to try this program you can click here.

We have been working on this program and my kids are getting the hang of the exercises. They look forward to the flashing reading/writing sequences and are having fun listening to the closing stories and finding the right vocabulary words to fill in the blanks. I'm catching small letter formation errors with my son as well as reading comprehension errors. I really love how this program is laid out and simple to use. My son knows how to start each session on his own. I love watching my son help his sister as she works alongside him. He pushes the flash button only after he knows she is ready to move on too! He said the flashing reading/writing part would be his most favorite part of the lessons!

I look forward to giving you another update when we complete the program! So please check back!

I received a free copy of this DVD to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.