One of the things our family has walked through is immigration. Both Paul and I had immigrated once before we met. Since getting married we have immigrated once and migrated to another country after that. These have been huge transitions for our family and at times rather traumatic. I was reminded of this while watching Navigating the Rapids of Parenting. In the opening scene Carla says: "During transitions our children are changing and so are we, because they are moving through a phase that for them they are growing into new things that they don't know how to handle." This is exactly the heart of parenting. It's a road of transitions for you and for your child.
I first encountered Joey and Carla Link around twenty years ago in New Zealand while attending the local GEMS (Godly Encouragement for MotherS) group. I was really excited to be gifted Taming the Lecture Bug and Navigating the Rapids of Parenting from Parenting Made Practical.
To Encourage and equip parents to raise obedient, respectful and responsible children in today's world. - Parenting Made Practical
What we received
We were given the following
two video's from their Parent's Night Out serries.
Length of video 1:26:00 (2.21 Gig in mp4 format)
Divided into two sessions
Session One: Birth to Middle School - Phase One and Two
Session Two: Middle School to College (starts at 41:45) - Phase Three and Four
"During transitions our children are changing and so are we, because they are moving through a phase that for them they are growing into new things that they don't know how to handle." - Carla Link
The goal in this class is to equip parents to proactively go ahead of our children before they walk through the changes that happen rather than tailing behind them and therefore trying to figure out what's going on as our children are trying to figure out what's going on.
Phase 1 - Birth to 5 Years old This is the time that we have in teaching them what they can and can not do.
Phase 2 - 6 to Elementary Years. The training phase. Teach them how to grow in the fruits of the Spirit.
Phase 3 - Middle Years (up to 8th grade) (11 - 18). The Belief system years. These are the years that they begin to question you. They need their questions answered well. Helping our children to grow biblically and mature into adult hood. Fill in the why answers because Biblical Principles never change but what they look like changes as you age..
Phase 4 - High School to College Years (19- 22)- Coaching Phase. Guidance and Council. Evaluate your goals. Discipleship years.
Over All I thought ...
Joey and Carla use scripture as the plumb line for instruction to us as parents. They help you to understand the phases your children will walk through on their way to adulthood. You are empowered through scripture and insight to understand what is happening in your child's life as they walk through each of these phases and empowered to make informed decisions in your parenting. This is one video that is worth having on the shelf to listen to time and again as a refresher and an encouragement as a parent in the work we have in raising our children.
This year marks 25 years of parenting for Paul and I. One of the things I often joke about is that parenting is the only employment I've never managed to conquer. Every time I think I've got it figured out something changes and I'm back at the beginning. I first encountered Joey and Carla Link around twenty years ago in New Zealand while attending the local GEMS (Godly Encouragement for MotherS) group. One of the highlights was borrowing teaching tapes which Carla had recorded (Mom's Notes) and having something to listen to during the intervening days between one meet up and the next. So I was really excited to be gifted Taming the Lecture Bug and Navigating the Rapids of Parenting from Parenting Made Practical.
To Encourage and equip parents to raise obedient, respectful and responsible children in today's world. - Parenting Made Practical
What we received
We were given the following
two video's from their Parent's Night Out serries.
The title of this video jumped at me as I am sanguine by nature and hate confrontation so I end up nagging and lecturing my children. As Carla said "We lecture because we don't know what else to do."
It was so refreshing to be reminded that I am my child's parent and that by handing out grace all * of * the * time I was addressing symptoms rather that working on the heart of the issue at hand. Root issues are tied to character, and most of these issues are tied to lack of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
Joey and Carla take the time to explain how we can train our children to use their strengths for good and equip them with ways to overcome their weaknesses.
One of the foundational principles being to ask the right questions because asking questions helps our children to learn to think in the right way so that they will start going in the right direction.
My favourite reminder was "Parents are often focused on correcting their kid's behaviour when they need to be more concerned with the why their kids acted inappropriately rather than "what" they did."
Is there anything I would like to change: I really would appreciate having a pdf of the notes for the evening. Especially the questions. The questions are thought provoking and empowering for me the parent of a tween/teen.
Over All I thought ...
I appreciated the encouragement to "Keep asking questions that will help my child to think at a deeper level in order to help him deal with the issues that he does not want to deal with."
I appreciated the practical and empowering advice given in this video class. I liked that their was no condemnation and that Joey and Carla offered practical hands on ideas that I could use to create my own personalised parenting plan. The class was thought provoking and encouraging.
I would like to thank Parenting Made Practical for gifting me this video class.
Cursive is a dying art. One which in our home school all my students had to learn. There are many schools of thought on learning to write in cursive and upon researching the topic further I discovered that there are many benefits to learning to write cursive as well as regularly practising it via copy work (including reversing Alzheimer's Disease).
"For centuries, cursive handwriting has been an art. To a growing number of young people, it is a mystery." - Kate Zezima The Case for Cursive, New York Times.
CursiveLogic started because one student wanted to learn to write cursive in order to sign his name. (Watch on YouTube). Linda believes that teaching / learning to write cursive does not need to be a difficult process. Her special needs adult student learned to write the complete lower case alphabet in 45 minutes using the CursiveLogic method.
6 month access to the 48 Min CursiveLogic Online Seminar - Presented by Linda Shrewsbury. This video seminar is clear and concise and will equip you with practical insights in how to teach your students and equip them for success. Linda gives you many tips and tricks to maximise your success as a teacher while giving you the why behind her suggestions and the method used to teach CursiveLogic.
The Art of Cursive This book is aimed at older students wanting to learn cursive.
How we used it CursiveLogic
I started by listening to Linda's 48 min online seminar. This was a great help to me as I gained a better understanding of her method and some great ideas on presentation when teaching Nathaniel.
The two key features of CursiveLogic is that letters are grouped by shape and secondly connected by letter strings. The 26 letters in the lower case cursive alphabet are divided into one of four letter shape categories (strings). Each category is colour coded and each is taught in a single lesson. Letters are not taught in singular disconnected letters.
The first shape that the student learns is called orange oval. Six letters share the same shape.
The student practises the main shape of over, back trace before connecting them and forming the letters. For example over back trace "A", over back trace "C", over back trace "D", over back trace "G", over back trace "Q", and over back trace "O"...
Along with the hand movement the students have a little rhyme to help them remember how to form the letter in the string. For example in the orange string they say: "Over, back-trace (letter name)".
CursiveLogic uses colours to code each letter string. These are themed. (Visual)
Specific catch phrasing (verbal description of manual task) (Auditory)
Write the string (Kinesthetic)
Lower case lessons are printed on one side of the page. (Navy Blue Corner )
Once you have completed the lower case pages (2-56) flip the book to the mauve corner numbered pages for the upper case lessons.
Throughout the book are light blue sticky note containing important teaching points about the letter or letter string they student is working on.
The first lesson is the longest as there are a few things that need to be taught (such as page and pen positions as well). The last three strings are easier as the student is familiar with the process. Lessons average at around 15 min slots.
CursiveLogic works on reinforcing knowledge. Each time the student learns a new letter string these are combined with letters already learned to form new practise words. So through reinforcement and new keep learning moving forward. You can read more on how CursiveLogic works here.
We have not used cursive for the last year so I took Nathaniel back to the begining. I gave him a dark grey pencil so he could clearly see what he was writing. It has been so good to see him learn without effort.
The lessons are divided into four days. There are ten lessons all
together. Four to learn lower case and six to learn capital letters.
Capital lessons are shorter. Each day the student first practise the lower case A to Z. Learn the capital letter string and then progress over four days from proper names to writing short sentences.
Upon completing the lessons the work book contains 14 extra pages containing quotes by famous people such as: Winston Churchill, Mark Twain and Benjamin Franklin.
Should your student require more practise there is a dry erase page in the back of the book containing the letter strings with a practise area for each string.
The ART of Cursive
The ART of Cursive has been designed for the older student in mind. It combines two ideas into one. CursiveLogic and a relaxing adult colouring book in one.
The cursive lessons are divided into four brief lessons which are targeted at the adult learner. These lessons follow the same letter string lessons and method found in the student CursiveLogic book.
The lessons cover a double page spread. Upon completing the lessons there are beautiful pictures to colour in which reinforce the cursive you have already learned. The back of each picture contains a practise quote for you to write out in guide lines. Below this there are blank lines for you to copy the quote.
There are 27 beautifully illustrated images to colour. Each image follows a theme and contains a quote.
The book is beautifully bound for ease of removing the illustrations should you want to. This enables easier colouring in of the images. The pages are made of thicker paper to accommodate using markers and fountain pens.
For the Parent
Using the CursiveLogic method students can master cursive in ten weeks.
CursiveLogic has been set up in 10 lessons. Each lessons is designed to take one week with elementary age students. Depending on the student lessons can be taught over one day or over several days depending on the development of the student.
The book is bound along the top to help the book lay flat and for ease of writing no matter whether you are left or right handed the binding will not get in the way.
The paper in the book is a thicker paper making writing easier.
Recommended Age Range
Target age is 8 years old. This system works well with many ages including adults and students with special learning needs.
Connect with CursiveLogic Over All I thought ...
I am very impressed with the improvements made to the book since it's initial launch two years ago. Once Nathaniel has completed learning the capital letters I will be using the suggestions in reinforcing his learning with writing out copy work in cursive each week. I like the simplicity of the layout and the quality of the book.
CursiveLogic Quick-Start Pack is worth purchasing if you are teaching your students to write in cursive. Linda empowers you with her knowledge and insights in the seminar and the book is easy to use and work through with your students.
The Art of Cursive book is gorgeous and I look forward to working my way through the pages over the year ahead. If you have an upper high school student who likes to colour and needs to learn cursive this is the book for you.
I'm so excited to share our latset review product with you. We have been driving through history with Dave Stotts from Drive Thru History, who recently launched Drive Thru History® Adventures .
For the last 15 years, I’ve traveled the world to share the unvarnished truth of history, on location, in the context of adventure. I’ve started calling it “Adventure Learning” – history education that’s Christ-centered, fact-filled, and super fun. - Dave Stotts
Watch a YouTube clip where Dave instroduces Drive Thru History® Adventures.
How we used it
Once you log intoyour account you will find an easy to use and comprehensive website. Along the top navigation you will find links to:
Dashboard -
Latest Resources that have been uploaded
Dave's Adventures - Dave explains how to use the curriculum and the site as well as his weekly updates.
Side Roads - These are short detour history tidbit video's for example: The History of Cheese, King Herod's Building Projects, Roman Coins Related to the Gospels, Coins of Herod the Great, History of Groundhog Day, Parables in the Ancient World and the Gospels, The History of Saint Valentine's Day, to name a few.
Featured Videos- five video's currently loaded.
Facebook - news feed.
Curriculum - This page is divded into three areas
Bible History Course - The Gospels: The Extraordinary Life of Jesus of Nazareth. Dave takes a tour through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and travels to more than fifty ancient sites in Israel.
American History Course - Dave explores early American history and the events that shaped the founding of the United States of America.
Ancient History Course - This is the course we are currently using. Dave takes us on a journey to explore ancient history that shaped the ancient world and the impact those civilizations had on our Christian faith and how these two ideals melded together to give us the rise of Western Civilization.
Resources
Featured - A list of resources which have been written by different contributors. For example: A Clash of Kingdoms: Jesus Christ vs Herod Antipas, Herod Antipas at the time of Jesus, Dave's Adventures weekly Update, Evidence for the Mounth of Transfiguration, etc.
Expert Papers
Articles
Side Roads
Getting Started
Behind the Scenes
Worksheets
Answer Guides
Suggested Readings
Dig Deeper
Community - Here you will find Drive Thru History on Social Media
Facebook Page
Facebook Members Only Group
YouTube
Instagram
Account - Details of your account - name, payments, password and a spot to ask questions.
There are currently three diferent history streams. We chose to work our way through Ancient History Adventures. There are twelve episodes in this adventure
The Rise of Western Civilization - "I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of Marble." - Augustus
The Age of conflict - "Hope is the pillar that holds up the world. Hope is the dream of a waking man." - Pliny the Elder
A Time of Challenges - "Rome has grown since its humble beginnings that it is now overwhelmed by its own greatness - Titus Livius.
Roots of Democracy
Challenges of a New Religion
The Spread of Christianity
East Meets West
Ruins and Romans
The Advancement of Knowledge
Heart of Stone
Constantine and Constantinople
The Best of the Ancient World.
Within the tour we are covering Greece, Rome and Asia Minor. The process each week is simple. You start with watching the weeks video. These average at around 45 minutes each. We split the watching some weeks as the content was so full of history we needed some time to absorbe what we had learned.
Upon completing the video you then have the option of using the expanded curriculum options. These are readings from primary source documents by authors such as: Virgil, Homer, Plato, Cicero, Pliney the younger and the Bible. Each week the readings are supplied and you have the option of using the online reader, downloading it and printing it or reading in a pdf.
Dave's goal is to take us on a journey through locations from Ancient History in order to gain a new perspective on the Ancient Empires and their contextual role in the rise of Christianity and Western Civilization.
The Shepherd Faustulus bringing Romulus and Remus to his Wife
nicolas Mignard 1606-1668
Each and every post has beautiful photographs of historical artifacts of interest as well as a beautiful painting referencing the learning.
The side roads are interesting too. Little tidbits of history. For example in week 1we read a little bit about the Roman politician and general Mark Antony who served under the leadership of Julius Caesar.
For the Parent
The curriculum has been writen for ages 12 and up.
High School students have the opportunity to dig deeper via original source documents, expert papers and short articles which are provided.
Old students are provided with research essay questions via outside research.
Younger students (ages 5 to 11) are encouraged to watch the video's and narrate answers to the basic questions.
The curriculum covers history geography, classic art, archaeology and apologetics.
Drive Thru History has been optomised to be used accross multiple platforms (PC, Apple, Google Play, smart phone or tv)
Over All We thought ... Drive Thru History® Adventures is FABULOUS! Nathaniel begs me to log in and watch each day. We are both looking forward to working our way through all of Dave's video's, seeing history where it took place and enjoying Dave's humour.
One of my favourite things about being a memeber of the Homeschool Review Crew is receiving new to the market products. One of my all time favourite companies is Heirloom Audio Productions. As a family we have absolutely LOVED every single audio drama they have produced. Heirloom Productions specialise in producing quality audio productions bring history alive, their mission statement is
To engage our listener’s imagination by taking them back in time and immersing them in the story.
A downloadable copy of Wulf the Saxon. (127 MB MP3 version)
The music score is an original and written by Emmy Award Winning Composer John Campbell.
Listening time: 2 1/2 hours
Recommended ages: 6 to Adult. (IF listening with younger children please be aware that some scenes are intense listening!)
Featuring: Brian Blessed, Chris Larkin, Helen George, Jack Farthing, Sian Phillips and Patrick Godfrey.
The Story...
Wulf the Saxon was written by master story teller G.A. Henty and published in 1895. It is the story of the Norman Conquest.
Shipwrecked on the shores of Normandy in the year 1065, a desperate struggle for the throne of England begins.
Edward the Confessor is the King of England. Wulf is a young man and landholder (known as a Thane) who has the respect of everyone he serves through his devotion, courageous attitude and his reputation of honor. Wulf and his friend Harold (a devout Christian) are ship wrecked on the shores of Normandy along with Earl Harold whom they serve. Together they escape and report their capture to the local Baron and events are started which see their Lord released and tricked.
From here they are involved in the Battle with the Bretons and return to England. Upon King Edwards death they return to Normandy where the king survives an assassination attempt. Through many historic twists and turns, political manovoures they survive the Viking Invasion and immediately find themselves outside the battle of Hastings.
Join them as they boldly capture a castle in the Welsh wars and climax's in the Battle of Hastings. Join them as a nation is born. The story is based upon The Bayeux Tapestry. This tapestry will be displayed in the UK for the first time in 950 years.
This is a tale of courage and loyalty full of real life heroic deeds and inspirational characters from the medieval world.
How we used it
We have an account with Heirloom Audio'sLive the Adventure Club. This club has numerous benefits (Adventure Library, Kid Activities, Games, Educational Treasures, Resources and Articles) for it's members and is a great place to keep all your adventures in one plance.
We were gifted a copy of Wulf the Saxon. Within the library section we were able to choose to download the audio drama or listen to it online. After downloading it weextracted it from it's zip file (127 MB) and extracted.
We burned it to two CD's in the mp3 format to listen to in our old car stereo. We LOVE listening to audio drama's when we are traveling to our multiple weekly commitments OR on long holiday journey's. It's become a family tradtion to take along our Henty Adventures!
Other Available Audio Drama's
Captain Bayley's Heir
In the Reign of Terror
The Cat of Bubastes
Beric The Briton
The Dragon & The Raven
With Lee In Virginia
In Freedom's Cause
Under Drakes Flag
Connect with Heirloom Adventures
Over All I thought ...
We absolutley love every single one of our Extraordinary Adventures collection. The music and drama are a sheer delight to the listening ear. Wulf the Saxon inspires and encourages and we are looking forward to listening to it on our cross country adventures. This audio drama is well worth adding to your library, it is a treasure you and your children will enjoy many times over.
