Spelling Program Review

Last week, I was contacted by creators of SpellQuizzer to review their product.

As I mentioned in a previous review, I have thus far been using a spelling program in the bundled online ClickNKids phonics/spelling curriculum with great success. It is a full spelling curriculum, but for early readers only. While my first grader is progressing well with the program, it is a program that definitely has a limited lifespan. It is marketed as a K-3 program, but I anticipate we will be done with it before the end of this year.

So, this being the case, I was glad to accept an invitation to review a spelling program.

I will say right out that SpellQuizzer is not a spelling curriculum, but rather a spelling utility. It is a very versatile and powerful tool for just about anyone with a school-aged child, whether the child is being educated at home or in a traditional classroom setting. It is not, however, plug-and-play. The program only includes a few sample lists, and is tool that requires input from a teacher, parent, or student, either in the form of custom lists or by downloading additional lists from SpellQuizzer. While it is fairly simple to use, it is not as immediately intuitive as some "kid" programs, and younger children may require adult support in setting up a spelling list. Older students can enter their own spelling words and even record audio in order to simulate their own spelling test at home.

The program's user interface is very spartan. There are no childish bells or whistles, making it suitable for use all the way through high school, though certainly spelling lists can be customized with amusing audio to entertain younger users. Upon loading it up, options are presented to create a list, edit a list, take a quiz, or to import/export lists, which I presume is especially useful for classroom use. The program includes suitable help documentation and an automatic spellchecker that includes both US and UK English.

Spelling lists can be created using any words you wish, and audio recitation of the word, including use in a sentence, is definitely recommended for optimum results. I was delighted to discover that the program allows for repeated instances of the same word, with different recorded sentences, which allows for diverse quizzing on homophones. There are options for spelling words to be quizzed in succession or in random order, or you can manually change the order of words in a spelling list if you choose.

On the technical side, while the user interface is nothing special, SpellQuizzer appears to be cleanly programmed. I did not encounter any bugs or crashes, and the program is not an inexplicable resource hog, which is something I've encountered with many other educational programs.

I can honestly recommend SpellQuizzer. For $29.95 it is a great, evergreen tool to have on hand for both classroom students and homeschoolers. Additionally, it would make a fantastic tool for many elementary teachers and English teachers.

Stay tuned, as we hope to host a SpellQuizzer giveaway in the near future!

The Age Dynamic

The first time I took my daughter to the homeschool P.E. class at the local YMCA, I was alarmed to discover that the activities were separated into just two age groups; one for ages 5-11 and another for those ages 12-18.

When I eyed the pre-adolescent boys approaching from the parking lot, I have to admit I had second thoughts. "My 7-year-old daughter playing dodgeball with 11-year-old boys?" I thought. "Are you KIDDING me?" I was a new homeschooling parent and this was my first experience with any kind of group activity.

I do think my cause for concern had some validity. In American society at large, where most children are grouped by exact ages for schoolwork, recess, and extracurricular activities, many children never learn how to appropriately and comfortably interact with children of different ages. I know many parents who are uncomfortable with the idea of their young child merely sitting for ten minutes on the same bus with fifth graders. This concern is not entirely without reason, as many young children in this setting are intimidated by children even a year or two older, and many older children remain unfamiliar with how to treat younger children. I myself have a memory of playing at recess as a kindergartner and hearing the sing-song voices of first graders mocking "Lit-tle ba-bay kin-der-gartners! Lit-tle ba-by kin-der-gartners" as they clutched on to the chain-link fence that segregated the kindergarten playground.

So when the group of homeschooled children, including some giant ten and eleven-year-old boys, gathered around their teacher at the YMCA, I was a bit unsettled. My nerves became really frazzled as I heard the teacher announce that the children were going to play something called "scatterball". I'm still not clear on the rules, but it sounded like a hybrid between dodgeball and unmitigated chaos. I watched with reservation as my tiny first grader trotted after them, looking a little insecure herself. Jeff, the instructor, seemed like a very responsible young man, so I swallowed my reservations, sent up a brief prayer, and drove off to pick up my four-year-old and her friend from their preschool program.

Fifteen minutes later, with two preschoolers in two, I pulled my Sienna into the parking lot adjacent to the field where the group of kids were playing scatterball. I cringed as a giant, prepubescent hooligan hurled a red rubber ball full force at another, sending him out of the game.

Then, at the next opportunity, the same monster turned around with ball in hand to confront my daughter. I held my breath. The fifth-grade boy - perhaps not a monster after all - lobbed the ball towards my daughter with first-grade force. She tried her best to dodge out of the way. She failed, but the ball bounced harmlessly off her leg. This boy had treated her fairly, with the judgement of an adult playing a game with young children. He knew not only to lob the ball more gently at her, but also to include her in the game. "Of course," I said to myself. "He is homeschooled. He knows how to interact with children of all ages. He does not spend all his waking hours exclusively with 11-year-olds."

This concept is not entirely new to me. My daughter spent a year enrolled in a Montessori preschool, and Marie Montessori's philosophy included stressing the importance of a multi-age experience for children in the course of their education. While there will be those that are skeptical of the viability of a multi-age classroom, to me there is no doubt that there is great social value in giving children the opportunity to interact with a diverse age group.

In Defense of Screen Time

There is an increased emphasis on the reduction of "screen time", that is, time spent by children in front of "screens" whether it be television, console gaming, or computer use. I have always had a bit of a problem with these campaigns in that parents who make the mistake of substituting technology for creativity and relationships are not the same people who are going to read parenting articles about the perils of screen time. Certainly I agree that a heavy diet Spongebob Squarepants or Hannah Montana is not the best investment of a child's growing mind, but I fear more worthy productions are unfairly cast into the same category of technology that is judged as vile and blamed for the epidemic of ADHD.

At the same time, those who do take these recommendations seriously I think sometimes take them too seriously. I have heard well-educated and well-meaning parents proclaim that they would never subject their child to film or software presentation of educational materials when books are an option. Books are revered, as if books are not also a kind of information technology.

Particularly in regards to homeschooling, it in my humble estimation a mistake not to take advantage of the variety of technology now available to the educator. While I do believe books and printed materials are essential tools to the homeschooling parent, these materials do not engage as wide a variety of learning styles as computer and video productions that integrate audio, visual, and musical elements into learning.

Ideally these subjects might be best experienced in vivid reality. To quote philosopher and education reformer John Dewey, "Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is, not a preparation for life; education is life itself." Dewey's philosophy grew out of the early 20th century as the public school as we know it today really took root in American society. While the public school served to provide an education to the masses, it divorced the child from the education provided by the rich personal experience of touching, feeling, and doing. When a real experience is not possible, modern technology can enhance what can be gleaned from books. While it may be most educational to travel the Mississippi River itself, a video where the student can see and hear the subject offers something that a map and a book cannot.

Homeschooling has increased in popularity in recent years I believe in part to the existence of the internet. Parents now have access to information, videos, programs, and curricula that exceed that of the public school teacher whose hands are often tied by federal, state, and district regulations. Between downloadable content, interactive online lessons, videos and educational web sites and articles for educators, the parent no longer needs to rely on the education system to access all he or she needs to provide their child with a quality education. Many online or video programs, such as Teaching Textbooks and ClicknKids, offer instructors more skilled and articulate than either the parent OR the public school teacher. Utilizing these resources, many parents find their kids more self-motivated and independent.

This is not to say that the internet is a replacement for the public school system, but that in the 21st century, the resourceful, intelligent, dedicated parent has much greater capacity to take responsibility for educating their own child, and information technology and audio-visual media are both key tools to enable this unprecedented level of freedom in education.

Finding Local Activities

I'm often asked by other homeschooling parents how I learn about all the various homeschooling activities in which we are involved. Many of these parents have been at this longer than I have, so I must know something others don't, which mostly involves liberal use of the internet and telephone. While many of these programs are unique to Huntsville, Alabama, I suspect similar programming exists in towns throughout the country, so I'll share what I know:

- YMCA: Our local YMCA runs a physical education program for homeschooled students that includes team sports, games, and the Presidential Physical Fitness program. The program runs twice a week from 12-1 at the very economical cost of $25 a month. I'm sure many other YMCA centers have similar programs or would be willing to start them.

- Science: Homeschool Science is scheduled once per month at our local children's science museum. These programs run one hour for elementary age and two hours for middle school age with hands-on experiments and projects. Another program, which I don't participate in, is a life science program run at the Botanical Garden. Our science museum here in Huntsville is not the most elaborate out there, so similar opportunities may be present at a science center, botanical garden, or arboretum near you.

- Social Studies: Monthly 1-2 hour social science activities take place at various historical and children's museums in town. Some fabulous experiences that we have signed up for have included such activities as re-enacting an underground railroad experience, food preservation of the past, textile making, and others. Many museums and historical have programs in place for scouts of school field trips, and if they are aware of a level of interest in the homeschooling community, will gladly run such programs on slower days, which makes for a great intimate experience for smaller groups of homeschoolers.

- Visual and Performing Arts: Local arts centers, museums, dance studios, theater companies, and music schools that offer afternoon and evening lessons and classes are often slower during the morning and early afternoon hours. Homeschool classes are offered during these hours in order to profit from those time slots, and if there is sufficient interest, these classes can be a fantastic opportunity for your homeschooled student to benefit from fine and performing art exploration in a small class size.

- Travel: Keep an eye open for fantastic off-season educational travel opportunities geared towards families who homeschool. Walt Disney World features "Home School Days" in January and October, with discounted rates and educational programming. Homeschool cruises are advertised, and many homeschool groups organize great educational trips and programs at bargain prices.

- Homeschool Groups: Perhaps the single most component in finding information about these activities is to connect with other homeschooling families. If your state requires affiliation with a cover school or district homeschool program, this may be self-evident. Internet groups are also a great way to connect with local homeschoolers, such as Meetup.com or Yahoo Groups. Many of these groups are organized by philosophy as well such as by religious ideology or teaching style. Members can inform each other of local offerings or work together to organize group field trips and educational activities.

Phonics Program Review

If you visit the ClickNKids web site, it looks campy. The cartoon characters Click N. Kid and Cosmo Cat dance hyper-actively across the screen in a new 3-D advertising video encouraging parents to sign up for their service.

I originally signed up for ClickNKids as a temporary measure. I began homeschooling my first grader sooner than I had anticipated, and lacking any formal phonics program, this one seemed adequate, accessible, and affordable after a trial run on one of their free lessons.

I have since relied on ClickNKids as the sole curriculum for spelling and phonics for my first grader, and have begun using it with my preschooler as well, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. One caveat is that the program is strictly fundamentals for new and early readers; this is not an appropriate program for children who already possess proficient or advanced reading skills. This program is also best suited for a child who is willing to work independently.

The instructor in this program is clear and patient, with an encouraging tone and very tonally distinct in the pronunciation of various phonetic sounds, sound combinations, words, and sentences. In the phonics program, children will get experience in phonics, sight words, oral fluency, spelling, and dictation. Certain language concepts are also discussed, such as prefixes, suffixes, and homonyms.

The earliest lessons are appropriately short (5-10 minutes) for the preschooler or kindergartner with a shorter attention span. These have been tested and met with the approval of my very stubborn 4-year-old. The youngest students will probably require some parental follow-up, until the child develops enough confidence and proficiency to fully engage with the program. Slowly the lessons work up in duration, and the most advanced lessons, which have been tested quite thoroughly by my 7-year-old, extend up to 30-45 minutes and include all aspects of reading. Parts of the lesson are timed, others are self-paced, and a lesson report at the end allows the parent to review the lesson with the student if desired.

The spelling program is significantly more challenging than the phonics program, and should probably not be used until a child has basic reading proficiency. Spelling words and exams are included, and the spelling program likely has more longevity than the phonics program.

The most excellent feature of this program, I believe, is the ability for children to learn independently age such a young age.

The program is designed for use for grades K-3, though the typical homeschooler will probably complete the program by the end of first or second grade.

The Pattern and Structure of Early Math

This week, after several weeks of studying geometry, clock-reading, and measurement, our excellent math curriculum shifted back to a review of addition and subtraction in order to prepare my 7-year-old for the math topics to come; two-digit addition and subtraction.

During these review exercises, I found I was not at all satisfied with my daughter's level of proficiency with the basic addition and subtraction math facts; she was still using her fingers. This finger-counting is a product, I believe, of her experience in the public school system.

Our local school is lauded for it's high API (Academic Performance Index), yet in our state (Alabama), benchmark testing for kindergarten and first grade is restricted to reading proficiency. The unintended consequence of this emphasis on reading is that math is neglected in some cases. Teachers at these youngest grades will be held accountable for poor reading performance, but not poor math performance. My daughter was routinely handed one-digit addition worksheets, with random problems. From what I can glean, this involved minimal, if any, formal instruction, and after several months, subtraction never even made it on the menu. So meanwhile, with our excellent place value units since homeschooling, my daughter can add 6+40 without a moment's hesitation. But 6+2? Finger time.

Finger-counting isn't all bad; counting objects is the foundation of addition. But at this point in the game, a child should be able to add 2+4 without that crutch. Similarly there are criticisms of much of an emphasis on memorization. How can you be assured of comprehension if the child is just parroting back the "right answer"?

To answer this question I hit the almighty YouTube where Maria Miller, author of my math curriculum of choice, "Math Mammoth", very directly explains a happy medium. Memorization born of structure and pattern that children can visually observe in "fact families". Consider all the possibilities for a sum of 6:

Brilliant! So why was my daughter being thrown random addition worksheets for three months, using an expensive curriculum? Why isn't this method used in our public schools? Why isn't this math curriculum, sold for a whopping $30 for a year, something a public school can consider in an age of tight education budgets?

Miller explains to me that the requirements vary so much from state to state, and even district to district, that it is impossible for a small-time educator such as she to accommodate the various demands. Only big brand curriculum, like Saxon Math, can morph at will to mesh in with the bizarre and ever-changing requisites of government-run education. This flexibility comes with a major price tag.

Meanwhile, she says, many teachers are purchasing her curriculum for classroom use in any case, deviating from the norm in the interest of giving children a quality education in mathematics.

I remember my mother, a teacher of twenty years, telling me the state of California had a "phonics/whole language pendulum". Occasionally the pendulum would find a sweet spot in the middle, but sooner or later, the pendulum would inevitably swing too far one way or the other, to the point of banning the use of phonics or whole language instruction in the classroom. In either case, teachers of merit would have to smuggle materials utilizing the unfavored method like academic contraband.

How ridiculous.

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