Homeschool Curriculum Blog Online Learning for PreK-8th

Algebra can be one of the most difficult subjects to comprehend - - especially for visual learners.  Most of the time it is taught both sequentially and two dimensionally, which can make it especially difficult for anyone with a visual or spatial learning style.

But for those who struggle with algebraic concepts, often all it takes to create success is to add an interactive element to the instruction.  This can be in the form of manipulatives, videos, or animations.  However, purchasing materials like these can quickly add up to a lot of money.  So what is the answer?

Time4Learning offers an online algebra course that is fully interactive, with all manipulatives, lessons, guided explorations, and tools are all included in the multimedia curriculum.  The following are just a few of the tools and features of  the Time4Learning interactive algebra course: 

• Real-time assessment, with pre and post testing
• Voiced screen reading capabilities
• Online math tools including an algebra balance, algebra tiles, equation writer, and graphing tool
• Printable worksheets for offline practice
• Animated and interactive lessons

If your child is struggling to learn algebra the traditional way, or you know that your son or daughter learns best via multimedia paths, then click here to find out more about Time4Learning’s online algebra course.  This course can be used as a standalone curriculum, or as a supplement to a traditional school course.  It can also be used as a summer brush-up or remediation program.  Sign up today!

Posted under Online Learning, algebra course, homeschool curriculum, learning disability, online math curriculum

When we as parents look back on our earliest classroom experiences with math, we often remember things like reciting the times tables together as a group, solving problems on the chalkboard, or gathering beans or other small items into groups of 5’s, 10’s or 100’s.  What is interesting is that even with all our current technologies, math instruction still has the same goals today: appealing to a variety of senses and learning styles. 

Online math curriculum and software programs basically use those same principles when teaching via

Time4Learning Math Curriculum

computer.  They often use sound to appeal to auditory learners, bright colors to interest visual learners, and virtual manipulatives for kinesthetic learners.

Today’s generation of students usually enjoy and even expect to get at least some of their education from the web.  Learning in a multimedia format means less rote memorization and more interaction with the subject at hand.  For students with learning disabilities or strong visual learning styles, this can be even more important. 

Time4Learning includes an online math curriculum aimed at the next generation of learners.  Time4Learning’s online system allows children, PreK to 8th Grade, to progress through the math curriculum with a self-paced, comprehensive, fun approach. By shifting from computer-based lessons to discussion, or from paper and pencil exercises to art projects, children stay engaged and benefit from different teaching methods. Variety keeps children motivated and attentive throughout the day.

Time4Learning provides online math curriculum with multimedia instruction, animated interactive lessons and printable worksheets for reinforcement.  It also has a low monthly price, does not require a contract, and provides a money-back guarantee so you can make sure that it works for your kids, risk free!

To find out more about using Time4Learning math for your homeschooled child or to supplement your child’s math classes in school, check out what this online math curriculum has to offer.  Or try out some of the demo lessons.  Learning math with a quality online curriculum can help build a strong math foundation in a fun-to-use format.

Posted under Homeschool, Online Learning, homeschool curriculum, online math curriculum

So I thought it might be a fun experiment to search throughout blogland and find blogs that were talking about Time4Learning homeschool curriculum.  What kind of experiences were folks having with T4L?  What is the current buzz?

And here are some fun excerpts:

Found at MomLaughs:

Megan and MacKenzie find the self-directed learning on Time4learning Homeschool Software easy to navigate around on.

Found at Melina Thinks:

We’ve logged our 24 hours of Language Arts modules at the Time4Learning site. For the past few months, I’ve been noticing slight increases in how many of the words in his math workbook directions he can read. These increases matched up with his hours logged at Time4Learning. He’s now able to read about 60% of the directions himself. He started Time4Learning not being able to read any of the directions in his math workbooks.

Found at Classless and Lovin’ It

I’m not a big fan of kids being on the computer very much. #1, I’d rather see them reading books and #2, I don’t like to share my computer. My children, however, looooooove to play on the computer. Their time is very limited and I’m picky about what they play. This is why I was hesitant when invited to review a website for kids. The kids, however, were thrilled…Time4Learning was Honor’s first computer experience at our house and she loved it. I was surprised how quickly she picked it up and amazed at how independently she was able to work.

Found at Chatter, Clatter, and Things that Matter

I’d like to discuss what my children like most about Time4Learning…the Playground! The Playground is an area where your student can kick back and play games after doing some of the more academic activities. Of course, this is the favorite part of the program for my kids!
As I mentioned earlier, we used Time4Learning for a few months last year. At that time, my youngest had not discovered the Playground. This time around, being older and wiser, he found that area shortly after the first log in.

Found at MartinZoo

After a bit of sketching, we headed over to his 5th grade Time4Learning math program. I must say, I really, really like this program. GB loves the cartoons and games that reinforce what he is working on. Today he was working on estimation in the billions. All of this was extremely easy for him.

It is so much fun to see what subscribers are saying about their experiences with Time4Learning.  I’ll definitely try to check back and do another post like this one in the near future!

Posted under Homeschool, Online Learning, homeschool curriculum

The wonderful thing about homeschooling is the flexibility of choice.  If your child does well with a hands-on math curriculum, a literature based history curriculum, and an online language arts curriculum, there is an option that will fit all those variables.  There are so many wonderful homeschool materials to choose from, that parents never have to be stuck with one catch-all curriculum if that curriculum doesn’t cover all the bases.

When parents begin researching language arts curricula, they are usually looking for a program that will not only teach their child the basics of phonics, reading, writing, and grammar, but that will also keep their child’s interest and get him or her excited about words.

Time4Learning offers a language arts curriculum that is uniquely able to fulfill both those criteria.  The scope and sequence of the T4L language arts curriculum meets or exceeds national standards and covers all of the following components:

In addition to having all of the needed educational content, though, the Time4Learning language arts curriculum is also really engaging and fun.  Children like using the computer to learn, and the interactive multimedia style of the lessons will keep them excited about what they are learning.

Time4Learning provides a provides an online learning program which includes a complete preschool-eighth grade language arts curriculum. To learn more about Time4Learning online language arts curriculum, take a look at our demo lessons. Visit our parents’ forum and chat with other parents using, or considering using this program.

Posted under Online Learning, homeschool curriculum, language arts

In my “journeys” across the web, I spend a lot of time on homeschooling forums.  And one of the questions that crops up over and over again is “Can I work and homeschool?”  The easy answer to that question is ‘yes.’  But individual circumstances are always so unique, that easy answers don’t always suffice. 

However, the fact is that many homeschooling parents, including myself, are finding creative ways to work and homeschool their children.  One option that has proven successful for some parents is working from home.  If your career offers the opportunity for you to do some or all of your work from your house, then by making some adjustments to your routine, you may find homeschooling to be a very workable possibility.

Aandwsmom (her forum name), is a work-at-home mom who believes that homeschooling is important enough to make some rather large adjustments and sacrifices in her family’s household and schedule. Here, in her words, she shares the particulars of how this plays out for them:

“I am a WAHM who does an In-Home Daycare. I have 3 children that I care for, all toddlers plus my own 2 boys. Taking on the Homeschool label has been a challenge, not because of my lack of ability but because our house is 796 square feet. It’s 2 bedroom, 1 bath and when you stick 1 adult(2 on Fridays when my husband is home), 2 large tween boys, 3 toddlers, 2 dogs and 2 cats it becomes a tight fit! We use every available space for different things and I am a super organizer. Homeschooling is done during the daycare naptime. The house is quiet and I have undivided attention to provide my boys with any help they need. With 1 homeschooler, we just sat at the couch and did it together. With 2  boys home now, we have invested in a storage unit for the daycare area that comes with a desk attachment that will seat both boys at their computers at the same time. It will also provide storage for the daycare toys and homeschool supplies.

…Homeschooling was a choice I wanted since my children were little. I grew up with a Public School teacher as a Mom and had wonderful school experiences but have watched the School systems slowly fail. Unfortunately, my husband was against it. So my children attended Public School. When my older son started having issues, we made the decision together to homeschool but my husband still had doubts. Not in my ability, but in the fact that was our son going to learn, retain and still emerge a normal child at the other end of this ride. Well, in the 3+ months since we started homeschooling, my husband has done a complete 360* turnaround. He loves homeschooling, thinks it is the best thing we have done for our children, and was the first to want to pull our 2nd son because of his school issues! We get to enjoy our children, teach them and watch them grow, and have family memories that will last forever!”

This working mom’s children use Time4Learning as their core curriculum.  Online homeschool curricula, such as T4L, have the advantage of allowing students to work somewhat independently.  They also require very little in the way of time-consuming lesson planning and record keeping.  With Time4Learning, the detail work is taken care of, so that work-at-home parents can focus on the important task of supporting their child’s learning. 

If you are thinking about working at home and homeschooling, be sure to stop by the Time4Learning Parents Forum and check out the WAHMs, WOHMs and other Working Parents thread for support and advice. 

And stay tuned for the next blog post where I will share even more about the ins and outs of working and homeschooling!

Posted under Homeschool, Online Learning, homeschool curriculum, working and homeschooling, working moms

The Time4Learning homeschool curriculum is a comprehensive program covering the core subjects of language arts, math, science, and social studies.  I thought it might be fun to look a little closer at two of the T4L subjects today, and get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what makes learning science and social studies with Time4Learning so much fun.

Social Studies

Students who are signed up with Time4Learning will enjoy studying history, geography, and civics in second through seventh grades.  Here are some of the subjects covered by grade level:

• Second Grade – Wants vs Needs, Location, National Symbols, Jobs and Careers
• Third Grade – Early Americans, US Geography, Economics, Citizenship, Timelines
• Fourth Grade – Ancient Civilization, US Revolution, World Geography, Civics, Economics, Current Events
• Fifth Grade – Ancient History, Early American History, US and World Geography, Political Science, Great Inventors
• Sixth Grade – Early Civilizations, 19th and 20th century US History, State History, Maps and Globes, US Politics
• Seventh Grade – US History from the Age of Exploration through current times

The social studies curriculum is broken down into learning units, or chapters, each with its own learning activities, quizzes, and tests.  As with all the other subjects in Time4Learning, the material is presented in an online, interactive format, and much of it is aligned to state and national standards.

Science

Time4Learning presents a logical and sequential approach to teaching science in  first through sixth grades.  Grade levels are very flexible, however, so that students in any grade, K-8 can easily access the science lessons.  Here are just some of the subjects covered by grade level:

• First Grade – Living and Nonliving Things, Earth Science, Scientific Contributions
• Second Grade – Patterns in Nature, Force and Motion, Earth and Space
• Third Grade – Scientific Investigation, Nature of Matter, Ecology, Light and Sound, Astronomy
• Fourth Grade – Scientific Investigation, Matter and Energy, Sound, the Solar System, Living Things
• Fifth Grade – Changes in Matter, Electricity, Light, Life Cycle and Reproduction
• Sixth Grade – Scientific Process, Properties of Matter, Plants, Energy, Force, and Motion

Just as with social studies, the Time4Learning science curriculum is broken down into learning units composed of activities, quizzes, and tests.  The online learning materials take advantage of today’s technology. It’s a convenient, interactive homeschool resource for studying elementary and middle school earth science, life science and physical science.

If you would like to see demos of the social studies or science lessons, or any of the other subjects in Time4Learning click here. Children like using the computer to learn. Time4Learning’s homeschool curricula engages and challenges your children, letting them work at their own pace.

Posted under Online Learning, homeschool curriculum, science, social studies

Gifted learners need individualized learning.  This is often challenging, or nearly impossible in a traditional classroom setting, so many parents of gifted children have chosen to homeschool.  Homeschooling allows parents to create a curriculum individually tailored to their child’s academic needs and interests.

Gifted learners can become easily bored if they are not stimulated academically.  So how does a parent make sure their gifted learners stay engaged ?

• Provide high quality reading material.  Check with your childrens’ librarian for lists of great literature for advanced readers.
• Let them follow their interests.  Be flexible enough with your child to let them learn longer, farther, and more intensely on subjects that capture their fancy.  Gifted learners need to go below the surface of most subjects to really stay interested.
• Allow them to work at their own pace.  Don’t feel bound by grade levels.  Gifted students may need to work one, two, or even three grade levels ahead of the norm in certain subjects in order to remain challenged.
• Integrate technology into their learning.  Computers spark  excitement in many gifted children because information is always available to them and can come in many forms - - in writing, pictures, or sounds.

The Time4Learning homeschool curriculum has many features which can benefit a gifted learner.  It is educationally challenging, allows students to work at varying grade levels for each subject, can be completed as quickly or slowly as a student desires, and works with almost any learning style. The program can also be used as a standalone curriculum, or as a supplement to other materials.

To find out more about how Time4Learning can benefit your gifted child, click here for more information.

Posted under Gifted Learners, Homeschool, Online Learning, homeschool curriculum

One of the most common questions I see on homeschool forums is this one:  “I would love to homeschool my son/daughter, but I have to work to help support the family.  Is is possible to work and homeschool?”

Years ago, the answer to that question would have probably been a resounding “NO.”  Homeschool curriculums used to be preparation intensive, teaching intensive, and follow-up intensive.  Parents often felt that they were spending as much time lesson planning and teaching as a classroom teacher with 30 students! 

Today, that doesn’t have to be the case at all.  Many homeschool programs are designed to be parent-friendly, and require very little preparation time or actual hands-on instruction.  In fact, some programs let you pick and choose just how much you want to be involved in the learning process.

When your children are in the early elementary years, active participation in their studies is most important.  Even if they are using a homeschool program that allows for a lot of independent work, it is important to be nearby while they are working, so that you are available for guidance or any questions they may have.  But an independent homeschool program also allows you options.  You might be able to have your child work on some subjects while a spouse or family member is present, giving you time to work. 

An online homeschool curriculum is an excellent option if you are working.  If you have your own business, and need to take your children with you to work, they could take care of their studies on a portable laptop.  Or if they will be spending part of their days with a babysitter, or family member while you work, their schoolwork is always as close as the nearest computer. 

Another option for working parents is finding another working/homeschooling family to coop with.  If you and they can coordinate your schedules, it might be that each of you could trade off time watching each others children while the other one gets some work done.  And I have read about homeschooling families who have turned their entire nights and days around so that they could make homeschooling and working fit for them.

The ability to make working and homeschooling balance out for you will totally depend on your commitment to making it work.  There are options, support, and programs that can make it very possible, but there will still have to be sacrifices and changes that might be difficult - - especially at first.  But if you are passionate about teaching your child at home, there is no obstacle too difficult to overcome.

Posted under Homeschool, Online Learning, homeschool curriculum, working moms

Homeschooling a child with special needs can sometimes feel like a crash course in special education.  Each of my boys has special needs.  My oldest son has Tourette Syndrome, and my youngest has OCD, Anxiety, and Dyslexia.  So from the first year of homeschooling, I did my research - - figuring out what methods, materials, and tools would help them (and me) the most.

After what seemed like months of study and investigation, I found out several things that all good programs for homeschooling special needs kids have in common. 

• Allows the child to work at his or her own pace. Some of our worst curriculum experiences involved programs that either expected too much too soon, or bored them with unnecessary drill and review.
• Allows for different skill levels on different subjects. Nearly every special needs child has unique strengths and weaknesses.  Standardized subject and grade levels simply do not apply.  A child who is excelling in math, may need remedial instruction in reading, or visa versa. 
• Presents materials in different modalities and by varying methods. Learners with special needs often need new information presented to them in more than one way and involving more than one of their senses.  The best special needs curriculums for these children will me multimodal and multisensory.
• Creates a supportive learning environment and sets each child up for success.  Nothing is more detrimental to the learning process than a feeling of failure.  But a curriculum that is well organized, goal oriented, and flexible can encourage a true love of learning in a child.
• Balances learning and fun.  The content of any homeschool curriculum for special needs kids should not only stimulate their brain, but get them excited about the learning process.  By including games, activities, and interactive elements, a homeschool program will successfully keep special learners engaged with their learning.

The Time4Learning homeschool curriculum successfully fulfills all of these requirements.  It provides a comprehensive curriculum that allows children to easily get comfortable with the system. The levels for language arts and math programs are independently set for each child. This helps children who perform or progress at vastly different levels in these major subjects. Children progress at their own rates using multisensory learning that helps each learning style. The computer is very engaging. Some children, when faced with text books or non-interactive environments, exhibit ADD/ADHD-like behavior, but, when faced with an interactive system, they are often successful in focusing and learning. The computer is impersonal so children on the Autism spectrum(specifically children with Aspergers Syndrome and high-functioning Autism) learn without the distraction of interpersonal relations.

If you have been searching for a homeschool curriculum that will work well with your special needs child, why not give Time4Learning a try?  To find out more about how T4L works for specific special needs, click on the applicable link on the special needs page. Or, to check out demos of some of the lessons, head over to the lesson demos page.  My son has used Time4Learning successfully for three years now - - I hope it will be helpful for your child too!

Posted under Online Learning, Special Needs Learning, homeschool curriculum, learning styles

The internet is full of websites aimed at the littlest learners. But many of them are either heavy on ads or low on quality content.  When parents hand over the reins of the computer to their preschooler, they want to know that he or she is going to be protected, entertained, and educated.

Not too many sites can claim to do all three things.  Time4Learning.com has a unique approach to online learning for preschoolers.  Their goal is to create a quality, ad-free learning environment that is fun and easy to use.  Preschoolers love that it is multimedia and interactive.  Parents love that it is the perfect blend of fun and learning.

Here’s all that you get with a subscription to Time4Learning Preschool:

• Thematic curriculum with monthly and seasonal activities
• Learning activities that build skills in shapes, colors, counting, weather, creative art, and much, much more
• Playable e-books to complement each theme of study
• Interactive art activities for each month and theme
• Specialized guides for parents with each unit that include extension ideas and away-from-the-computer projects
• Record-keeping system that lets parents track what activities their child has completed
• A fully stocked playground with incredible games from sites such as PBS Kids, Starfall, Earobics, Brainpop Jr, and Pauly’s Playhouse

If you would like to learn more about all that Time4Learning has to offer your preschooler, head over to the website and check out the demos, sign up for the newsletter, or explore more about the online preschool program.

Posted under Online Learning, preschool games, preschool online