Non-Paid Review: Time4learning Online Program

I have looked into Time4learning several times, but thought my kindergarten/first grader would get bored being online so much as he is very active. But lately he kept asking to get back on ABCmouse and since he has been doing more first grade work I was thinking Time4learning may be a good match for him. I got an email that gave us a two-week trial so I signed him up for the trial.

The first two days he was so excited, but it was a struggle to get him to sit and do it again. I think the program is great for most students. My student is just more mobile and needs to move around and not sit at the laptop and work. He would get frustrated at the amount instructions given because he has a high level of comprehension. I sent Time4learning a email asking if there was someway to fast-forward through the directions, but they replied back that there wasn't. Also sometimes, according to time4learning, we would lose a connection to the Internet for a moment perhaps and the lesson that he just worked on and completed, but it wouldn't give him a check mark that he completed it because of some connection issue, which I am not all together certain of and think may be more of a glitch. He hated the quizzes, but I think there is an option to remove these from the program, as well as the worksheets that he didn't like either. What he absolutely loved was the videos and games and how interactive the material was with him. They were designed much like games.

My little superhero doing some hands-on play learning with this box and another child. Yes, that is a school uniform. Just kidding. But honestly some days it is. :-D

That was my child's review of the program after two weeks and now I will write mine. Time4learning made my job as a homeschooling mom so much easier. I could leave him to work on the program nearly independently except for some of the reading. I actually got a lot done during the times he was on Time4learning. The price is very affordable and the quality of curriculum I thought was very good. My child was learning. I LOVED that it would record in the parental portal how well he done on each activity. The aspects I didn't like were the playground. They were all very educational games, yet the child was limited on how much time and when they could play in them and no progress reports were generated on these aspects of the program. I also didn't find the customizing features very user-friendly. I never did figure out if I was doing that right or not. Again I found the actual material to be great and educational.

In conclusion we decided that  right now this program was not right for my son particular learning style, but I could see using this in the future if he developed more discipline and enjoyed sitting still for longer periods of time. I absolutely love all the freedom it would provide me. I would definitely recommend this program to others who have  different learning styles. So at last this program at this time didn't suit us and my child's needs, but if you are looking for something fresh to try or uncertain give it a try and see how it does for your student(s). They may just love it!

Also want to extend a thank you to Time4learning for providing a great program and extending a 2-week trial to us. Thank you very much!

Unschooling, Really School?

On top of a mountain

We didn’t plan on breaking out the Kindergarten so soon by our little is just a sponge like most and just couldn’t wait to get started. I figured we would take it nice and slow and drag Kindergarten out over two school years, but he just gobbled every book and every assignment up like the natural little learner that he is. It was a lot of work, but it passed by so fast because we made it all fun and play and enjoyable.

 

My hope is that he will always enjoy learning has he does right now. I realize to maintain this love for learning it will require some purposeful parenting on our part. I absolutely love that we starting this homeschooling method from the beginning because our little definition of school has been redefined from my own definition.

 



Lego

School for him is every aspect of life. Because he has friends public schooling he will often ask “is this school?”  I do my best to answer him “Yes, but all things are school. We are always learning and growing.”    We celebrated his “kindergarten” year of completion with some of our homeschool friends.  We had a lot of fun and was amazed at how well the event was put together by our homeschool friends.  Although the youths were recognized for their years accomplishments it was done in such a way that it wasn’t forgotten to be fun and enjoyable for all ages.  So I was so happy we were able to be a part of it. I thought it was a great way to wrap up a period of learning although we homeschool year-round it was wonderful to be a part of like-minded people, both in faith, parenting and homeschooling.

Graduation with his witness homeschool group

We went through some amazing curriculum and I love how we didn't "plan" every aspect of everyday out. It amazed me how one simple question each day led to so much learning "What would you like to do today?" I am by no means an expert on all things schooling, but as a child that has was in the public school system and in homeschool myself and now pursuing homeschool for my own family I see what kind of opportunities can open for us if we don't try so hard to do "school" at home. I can see where a teacher would need to select a topic for a class of thirty plus kids, because if you asked 30 plus kids what they wanted to do you would probably get 30 plus different answers and nothing would get accomplished. But, when you are at home with 1 to 6, give or take a few, this question posed to your learners makes a lot more sense doesn't it?   

 

Learning about days of old

  

   History: Cars, Planes, motorcycles

Art/Nature Study













When I stopped saying "today we are going to do this..." and started asking "What would you like to do today?" I noticed a huge shift in his both our attitudes and happiness levels. There was no longer a struggle to do this or that. The interest level in whatever we do is beyond anything I ever imagined and the learning is happening! We both are having so much fun "outside of the box". I love listening to him tell his friends all the things he has been learning and you can tell that he loves learning.

Determined, R/C