A Net in Time

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Homeschooling

Highschool Math with Teaching Textbooks

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

Teaching Textbooks graciously filled up my son’s math requirements for the year with Geometry and Algebra 2.   He has been steadily using this self-pace math curriculum for most of the school year.  🙂    He started the year using Geometry 3.0, and is about 3/4’s of the way through Algebra2 4.0.  I have found this a wonderful use of my son’s time to be doing highschool math with Teaching Textbooks. 

highschool math with teaching Textbooks

What I am Reviewing: Teaching Textbooks

Teaching Textbooks is a comprehensive online math program that was written specifically for homeschoolers.  This program offers courses from grade three up through highschool, finishing at Pre-Calculus.  You’ll discover that the courses have interactive lessons, step-by-step presentation of materials, solutions are given for assigned problems, immediate feedback and automated grading.  For those students who don’t want to use the animated lessons there is a course workbook.   There are incentives off with animated buddies and fun wallpapers. 

The products that we used are Geometry and Algebra 2.  Teaching Textbooks offers a free trial which is a complete version of their program up through Lesson 15. Isn’t that a generous trial period?  Both of these courses cost $67 for 12 months, and you are allowed to suspend your course if you need to.  I don’t know how long you can do that for, that would be a detail to discuss with the very helpful Teaching Textbook staff.   

How did this Online Math Curriculum Work?

The best way for me to show you the difference between 3.0 and 4.0 is thru comparison in images.  Teaching highschool math with Teaching Textbooks just got more engaging. 

The lesson area on the screen is larger in the 4.0 than in the 3.0 with larger font as well. 

You’ll find encouragement and colour with their incorrect answer feedback screen. 

The full-screen version of 4.0 fills more of the screen and has simpler navigational controls. 

One of the neat changes to the 4.0 was the addition on the interactive elements.  

I thought I had captured a “before” image of how they did the correct answers in the 3.0, but failed to do so.  Always the interaction was immediate.   The new correct answer screen is more colourful. 

One of the things I like is that the apps are readily available to use and only require the use of a password to access.  

How did we use Teaching Textbooks?

My son is a fairly independent lad so once he had the password and later on, the app installed, he simply used it.  It is a completely self-paced course and he chose to use the ebook rather than the spoken and interactive lessons.   He only used the online portion of the program to take the tests. 

The lad’s use of the ebook rather than the program.  There are several reasons why he preferred the ebook to the regular way of doing the lessons.  When it comes right down to it….. he found it faster to use the ebook.  My boy loves to do his work as efficiently as possible, anything he deems a waste of time gets his dander up.  🙂   

Ergo, being able to monitor his progress using the program simply didn’t work for me.  I would occasionally check in with him to see his progress and to talk over any concerns, but left him to it. 

Admittedly this picture is posed and I need to reassure my lad that nothing identifiable would be shown, but this is basically how he’d work.  He’d pull up his lesson, read it through, do the practice questions, and then go back to do the tests.  

I have to admit, it was a bit disconcerting at first to realize I couldn’t monitor his progress with the clicking of a button, but needed to physically check in on him.  That’s worth it’s weight in gold actually in my world!  When you have a very independent lad… it’s so good to have a reason to talk with each other.  This… I like!  🙂   I am so pleased that Teaching Textbooks offers the ebook option as it works splendidly for how my boy likes to work. 

Oh look! Marking results! 🙂

My son informed that he’s filled in some of his test scores so I can see how it all looks.  He’s doing well which I’m delighted to see.  BUT if you go to the gradebook you can see how they are doing which is lovely is it not?  

This is particularity that my lad has.  He does all his chapter work but doesn’t do the test immediately after.  My son’s goal is just to learn and in a lot of ways doesn’t want to be bothered by tests.  He’ll then review his knowledge and go back and do the tests (mostly because I expect him to).  He says he learns better doing it this way as well.  He does this with virtually everything course he has unless he has no choice. 

I really like the teaching highschool math with teaching textbooks is so easy.  They engage all types of learners. 

My Son’s Opinion

It was an okay program although I didn’t like the normal lessons. I liked that I had the option to use ebook instead of the normal lessons.  It did a pretty decent job of explaining things.  Most of the time I could use the program as it was designed, but sometimes I wanted to know a bit more, or needed extra confirmation that I understood it properly.  I would just go to youtube when I wanted that help.   

I didn’t like the normal lessons because I didn’t care for the narrators voice and I could read faster than he spoke. If I could have found a way to turn him off I would have.  Using the ebook as I could do the lessons faster and I liked that. One thing I would like to see is in app volume control.  I liked doing both geometry 3.0 and algebra 2 4.0.  There was less wasted space with the 4.0 than with the 3.0 which I much preferred, though I wonder why the lesson space couldn’t fill the whole screen rather than just a small portion.  By increasing the viewable lesson area the font size could increase and/or you could put more material on the page. 

My Closing Thoughts

I will initially hesitant about doing this review as my last foray with Teaching Textbooks (grade seven) was a total bust.  It was!  BUT this year, my son has not complained about doing his math.  He simply does it and is happy to do so.  He’s a boy who likes math and is picky in his course materials.  So it works for him!  WOOT WOOT.  I am so delighted I added this review to our curriculum choices this year. 

If you have a child who doesn’t like interactive math programs and likes mixing workbooks with online materials I would say that doing highschool math with Teaching Textbooks is an excellent alternative for you.  Give it shoot eh?  Try the trial period and so it going completely at their own pace works for your student.  You will find yourself pleasantly surprised. 

Social Media Links

You can find Teaching Textbooks on the following platforms.  

Hashtags: #hsreviews #TeachingTextbooks

SEO Keywords: Homeschool Math, Homeschool Math Curriculum

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Read the Reviews

Did you know that 31 members of the Homeschool Review Crew worked with Teaching Textbooks so we could explain how their math curriculum works?   If you’d like to know more than just my thoughts, click through the image below. 

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A Forest of Trees

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Thinking about this prompt… a forest of trees.  I find it spurring on some questions for me. Can you have a forest without trees?   How many trees make up a forest?   What exactly is a forest … is it just a bunch of trees?   And if it’s just a bunch of trees… what number do you need to make a forest?    Then I have to consider what I should write about.  Should I write about nature schooling?  Or even forest school?   Perhaps I should do links to various “learn a tree” unit studies?   Perhaps I should do a post teaching about Trees of Ontario?   I suppose in some ways the sky is the limit, isn’t it?   Makes me curious what others members of the crew will do.    In the end, I think I’ll just let the muse take me where it will.  

Amazon affiliate links used in this post, helps to support my blog, no extra cost to you. 

a forest of trees

Problems in definition of a forest

One of the problems folks have in conservatory work is that a forest is not a defined number of trees.  We know that it’s more than three, but how many more?  Is a forest JUST trees?   Not really, Instead, it’s a mixed biome with flowers, ferns, mushrooms, critters, bushes, shrubs and trees.  In fact, the smallest noted forest is the Kakamega forest is just under 90 square miles whereas the largest forest spans 2.2 million square miles as the Amazon Rainforest.    In Canada, the Boreal Forest Region covers 270 million hectares, and spans the length of our country.   This doesn’t really answer the question though, of when does a bush become a forest.  90 Square miles is quite the plot of land, so can a forest only reaching 70 square miles be considered a forest?  Even 20 square miles seems a forest made…. or even 10!  

Locally we have a dump and surrounding it a tract of forest…. which we call a swamp as well, and it doesn’t cover 10 square miles. But when you walk through it, its not small like a woodlot would be, it’s foresty for lack of a better word. 

Small groups of trees go by such names as wood, copse, grove, orchard, stand, bush, woods, thicket, woodland, brake, trees, growth, or cover.  Smaller woodlots can give us a glimpse into the large clime of a forest, giving a more manageable microcosm to explore. 

person walking between green forest trees
Photo by Luis del Río on Pexels.com

Can A Bush Help us See a Forest?

 As a child, I spent hours in our bush.  Listening to birds, finding flowers, observing the seasons through the trees, fishing in our pond, and watching the local wildlife.  A love of nature was thoroughly installed into my bones. 🙂 

But you know what happened the first time I walked in a true forest?   The wind whistling through all those TALL TALL trees…it spooked the very heart of me.   So totally unexpected.  Though I’d been through our bush on windy days and got a glimpse of wind through trees… the vastness of tall trees swaying and whistling in the wind was unexpected. So as much as a bush or woodlot can give a glimpse of a forest… it doesn’t give the whole picture. 

So as much as a woodlot, bush, or grove of trees can give you an idea of a forest, does it really give you a solid knowledge of the vastness and breadth of a forest?

When we go camping we like to go for hikes. This past year I mildly spooked my fellows as I got myself a bit turned around in a forest and it took some thinking (and I’m not good with knowing my east from my south) and a good couple of hours walking, to get myself home again. I just figured “I’m in big ole’ park, I know the lake is THERE so I should start seeing pointers for a walking trail somewhere”. And I did and all was good… but it wasn’t a walk in the park and kinda stupid on my part. Trees were literally everywhere. It would have been so easy to have gotten completely turned around and gotten myself into difficulty.

Parallels Drawn

Since I am raising a child who is asking questions about God when I’m prompted to look deeper into a detail, I need to consider it. I see parallels here between a bush and a forest, between child and teenager.  Between learning with a teen, and seeing God more clearly.  

We’re told in scriptures that we see now as in a glass dimly.   We can read about it in 1 Corinthians 13

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

red trees
Photo by Artem Saranin on Pexels.com

Bush or Forest?

You see…. I never knew what a forest truly was until I walked through one. I’d never really thought about how long you could walk through one without finding an end. Forests require trails through them so you can find your way out of them again!  Forests require you to have a plan and the smartness of telling people where you are at!

A bush or woodlot… it might take you a bit of time to make your way through it, but you can eventually find your way out (as long as you keep your head about you and have some woodcraft skills).  They generally aren’t big enough to cause serious alarm if you get misdirected a bit. 

To make our way through a forest you need to know excellent woodcraft and wildlife skills.  You need to know how to navigate the hidden and known pathways.  Being safe is harder in forest than in a woodlot.  Knowing how to get through a bush will HELP you in learning how to get through a forest.  It can.

Does Childhood Help Prepare for Teenage Years?

As I further consider the difference between a bush and a forest, and how one is kinda like a dim version of the other.  I kinda wonder if God allows us those childhood years to help us prepare for the teenage ones?   What do you think?

I think of the relationships we build through childhood and how it helps us to understand our youngsters.   This understanding helps navigate the teenage years better don’t you think? These teenage years force us to develop skills in clear communication, in life skill teaching, and in understanding matters of faith.   

Sometimes we need to remember we don’t have to have all the answers… AND our teens don’t have to have all the answers or all the questions yet.   SOMETIMES our job is merely to ask questions and give them room to think.  Or perhaps to spur on their thinking so they can ask questions not just of their parents, but of others that are placed in their lives. 

The teenage years are fraught with emotions and hormones, laughter and maturity, new skills and a thousand new questions.  It’s like a forest with tall trees and no easy way through them at times.  And just like in a forest you don’t know if you’ll meet a bear or a pack of wolves, in the teenage years, you don’t know what ideas will grab a young person’s mind (and possibly their heart).  Talk with teens, try to understand their hearts and minds.  Try to prepare them for hard questions and harder answers, but really, help them keep their hearts soft and flexible.  Give your teens the room they need to think, feel and become the person they’re supposed to be.   

question mark illustration
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I don’t have all the answers

But I am learning.  I’m learning to say “I don’t know, let’s figure that out together”.  I’m learning to simply ask questions and to leave them open. A parent doesn’t always have to know their teen’s response to a question.  Sometimes a question just needs to sit.   My longing is that we’ll learn to ask better questions of each other, and better questions of God himself.  To see his word as truly the answer to those big questions. 

Perhaps, as you navigate your teenagers and their questing hearts, you’ll discover some questions I haven’t thought to ask, and you’ll help me discover answers, and I can help you too?  What do you think?  

Can this forest of trees of our teenager’s lives… be a dim mirror that helps us to see the forest of God’s truths more clearly?  It’s teaching me a lot for sure!  I guess my question is… how do we help our teens?  How do we walk it in community with them giving them a safe place to ask questions?  To provide them with the knowledge it’s okay to not have all the answers as long as you keep looking for them?

april 2021

His Eye is On the Sparrow

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My brain feels full of thoughts tonight as I write this post.  Thoughts about the rough week I had recovering from a migraine.  I also think back on talks where I speak to my boys heart of how my mind thinks and the comfort that God provides.  I repeatedly need to tell my lad that he and I think differently and sometimes that makes communication hard.  He likes a lot of precision in language…but mostly on his terms!   To be a teen again eh?   Why do I talk about this?  Well…because God constantly has his eye on me.  Just as if I were a little sparrow God watches over me.    That care changes how I live my life.  I was trying to share that thought with my lad tonight.  I don’t think I did a very good job, but hopefully the thought sticks with him a bit….   With all that, let’s learn a bit more about “His Eye is on the Sparrow” … and I know he watches me…..

His eye is on the Sparrow

Lyrics to His Eye is On the Sparrow

  1. Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
    Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
    When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
    • Refrain:
      I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
      For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
  2. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
    And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
    Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
  3. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
    When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
    I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Author and History

Civilla D. Martin is the lyricist who wrote this song.  She had Charles H. Gabriel compose this happy tune.  Married twice, her first marriage was to Rev. John F. Geddes a Congregational minister  She later married Baptist pastor Walter Stillman Martin.  Together they one son, A.G. Martin. She authored many of the songs he used in this ministry only using the initials C.D. due to her husband’s composing and evangelistic work.  Her husband composed many of the tunes to the poems she wrote.  Together they were part of the restoration movement. A lot of her music was released in the early 1900’s and over the course of her life wrote several hundred hymns and other religious songs. 

His Eye is On the Sparrow was inspired by a conversation Ms. Martin had while talking with a bedridden believer in the city of Elmira, New York.   She happened to ask this saint if she did not at times get discouraged.  The response she received was that God cares about the sparrow so why should she get discouraged?  This spawned a poem that Civilla later wrote and is the lovely song we sing today. 

She also wrote Be Not Dismayed what ‘ere betide. 

Other Songs by Charles Gabriel

Thinking Deeper

Matthew 10:30-32

30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

Luke 12:4-7

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Consider your worth.

Are you more important to God than a sparrow?  Consider how closely God watches these busy little birds.  Constantly flitting about searching for food and nesting materials.  They are like the mice of the bird word it seems.   YET get this… God himself minds them full well.  He knows when a single one falls to the ground… and he forgets them not.   We are of SO MUCH MORE VALUE than they are.   Do you not think God will watch over you just as closely as he does these wee bitty birds?   

Of course, he will!  Take comfort in that eh?  

Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide

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Free Product Received from Raincoast Books. Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide. Affiliate links will be used in this review, with no cost to you, just aiding me in providing this blog for you. 

Do you or your children have a love for dinosaurs?   If so, you’ll want to take a good book at today’s review book.  Mango Publishing has brought us a wonderful field guide for dinosaurs in  Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide.  You’ll discover a well-designed hardcover book filled with facts about dinosaurs. 

 Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide

Dino Field Guide, the details

Raincoast Books, in conjunction with Mango Publishing, sent me a review copy of Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide.  230 pages of dinosaur information to delight students in grades 2-7.  I received a hardcover field guide that has been written by J.J. Johnson, Colleen Russo Johnson and Christin Simms.  This is the first Dino Dana series and covers more than 30 dinosaurs.   

The Facts

Readers are introduced to this field guide with a very personal tone as they  are introduced to the layout.  Each dinosaur is covered over three two-page-spread.  The first page is an artistic rendering of the dinosaur, followed by a page of facts, and then by an experiment. 

Dino Dana dino field guide

This second section explains what type of dinosaur it is and a variety of other facts.  These facts could include the reason it was named, size, location, type of food-eater, etc. 

Each experiment asks a question such as “who left the dino poop outside Grandma’s barn”, or “how does the Compsognathus run so fast?”, and “How do you stop a Gigantoraptor from stealing celery?”

The answers will delight, educate and entertain readers aged 8-12.   Along the way they’ll learn about dinosaurs using their tails to scare off predators, or how working together catches more prey. 

dino Dana dino field guide

Should You Get It?

J.J. Johnson, Colleen Russo Johnson and Christin Simms have done a good job with Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide. I loved the somewhat unconventional approach to the dino experiments.  They gave a good glimpse of some of the questions scientists must ask when they are considering the lives of animals that have gone on before. We can’t go back in time to ask the questions, so suppositions must be made. It’s good to learn how to test those out, I thought some were a bit unique.  

I think it’s well-worth looking into. A great step into looking at dinosaurs and realizing it’s not all set in stone.  There are too many things we don’t know, and then as we learn more, what we know changes. It’s great for young learners to realize this.   Along with the books below, this would be a great addition to your library, and a great addition to a study on dinosaurs. 

Other Dinosaur Books

I have reviewed a number of Dinosaur books over the years.  The link is my review.  Quick Link to amazon for your convenience. 

SchoolhouseTeachers.com has a number of dinosaur related courses.  This is one such course.

schoolhouseteachers dinosaurs

Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure

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Free Product Received from Raincoast Books in exchange for my fair and honest review.   The product I received is entitled Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure.  Affiliate Links will be used in this post which costs you nothing but helps to support my blog. 

When I read the title for this encouraging picture book I thought, I am sure I’ve reviewed another book with this name.  I did some searching and indeed I have! This other book is completely different and meant for an older age group.   This Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure is fun to read.  Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure takes three enterprising youngsters on a trip around the world, you have GOT to come along on their adventures.  

where the world ends

Published by Princeton Architectural Press, this 40 page hardcover picture book will delight children 4-8 year olds.  Brightly coloured illustrations by Maria Dek fill the pages, while allowing for plenty of white space.  Davide Cali writes a story of three youngsters who want to know the answer to a simple question “Do clouds end up where the world ends?”  In the quest for an answer, they let nothing stand in their way.

What You’ll Find in Where the World Ends

You won’t find characters that are fully developed, the story isn’t about that.  It’s about a determination by three, sometimes naughty, youngsters who want to know where the clouds go!  One of them wondered if they end up where the world ends so off they went searching. 

Some pages, naturally had more colour than others, but I found the illustrations fit the style of this book perfectly.  Children will be drawn in by them.  So many talking points.  Would you like to lay on the grass and look at the clouds?  What shapes do you think they saw?  What kind of things do you think these youngsters like to do?

Even when the characters are poorly behaved, it’s a great time to talk to with your children about determination, having respect, obedience, and choices that could be made.  

So many adventures with so much colour.  One thing I noted was as the youngsters travelled they could be seen being helpful.  Playing with a dog, mowing a lawn, feeding fish and more.  As determined as they were to get to their goal, they took the time they needed to be kind.  It would be fun to read the story and then go back and see how often they could be caught being kind. 

I found the font small.  Its okay for sitting to read with a single child, but if you have to hold the book farther away it wouldn’t work (at least with my old eyes!).   Occasionally illustrated font would appear, I wish the font had been between the size presented and the illustrated size.  Would make it nicer to read with a group of children and share the wonder of seeking out answers to questions. 

Should you Get it?

Honestly, Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure is not one that I would want to buy, but to borrow from a library?  Most certainly.  It’s worth taking the time to read through a variety books.  To talk through the good ideas… actively seeking answers to your questions… wonderful thing to promote.  It’s also good to note acts of kindness, and to talk about how we treat others even if we have our own agendas.   

The Joy in Listening to Books

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Have I ever told you how much I enjoy my Audible Membership?  There is so much joy in listening to books.  To have a good tale as I work in the garden, take pics of bunnies in my rabbitry, do dishes, wash the floor… you get the picture.   I’d much rather listen to a book most of the time than have the TV running in the background. 

So I thought I’d tell you a bit about some of the books I am reading and/or listening to lately.  Most of these are on audible.   You’ll find that a couple are physical books while another is on librovox! 

Affiliate links will be used in this post.  This doesn’t hurt your bottom line and helps me bring you more books! 

the joy in listening to books

I’m listening to Alcatraz by Max Brand on LibriVox.  When I was a teen and young adult I read most of Max Brand’s novels but I don’t recall ever reading Alcatraz.  It’s bringing back some happy memories for me and I hope to find more Max Brand books on LibriVox.

the joy in listening to books

Physical Books that I am engaged with are The Blacksmith’s Wife which I got from the library as part of my studying the Irish Potato Famine.   I’m not very far into it as I just got it on Friday and on Saturday I had to taxes.  Sunday was such a lovely day that I went for a walk instead of reading.  🙂 

I’ve also started dipping my toes into A Habit Called Faith by Jen Pollock Michel and When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin.    I’m enjoying A Habit called faith as it’s encouraging me to look deeper into Bible stories as a way of strengthening my faith. I’m Day three into a forty-day journey.  

When Twilight Breaks is a WW2-inspired story that is a love story mixed with the danger of the Nazi party in Germany.  I hope to glimpse more history than romance!  🙂 Time will tell eh? 

books

The joy in listening on Aubible

My current audible reads are all based in the fantasy world created by Robin Hobb concerning the Rainwilds.  I adore this series and listening to it again in order of the history.  It’s such a fascinating story of dragons, connections, strong women, strong men, lots of danger, and lots of resolution.  Some horrible things happen and some absolutely magnificent things happen too.   Sometimes the narrators give an odd pronunciation of a word which throws me off until I interpret what they are really saying.  

Why do I like listening… it’s a different experience than just reading.  I am a speed reader so sometimes when I read books I miss some of the details.  When I listen to a book… I don’t miss a thing (other than what I would normally forget).  It’s harder to “find the spot” in an audible listen as opposed to with a physical book when I want to double check a detail, but overall, what I forget usually isn’t shattering. 

Fool’s Errand is my current main listening read.  With Trinity by Leon Uris being my backup.  🙂   I call it my backup since I have one on my phone, the other on my tablet.  My phone is my backup since I dislike downloading much on it. And it’s there when I’m in the car and want a break from playing music.   My tablet is easier for me to be aware of when I’m cooking, cleaning, picture taking and the like so doesn’t get banged around. 

playing audible on the tablet

The joy in listening to just not books

I have to admit that I don’t only listen to books as I work.  I also listen to materials using The Great Courses and Curiosity Stream.  They aren’t quite books, but they are informative and very interesting.  On Great Courses Plus, I’ve learned about great voyages, am working through understanding Tai Chi, and have listened to military stories. On Curiosity Steam, I’ve learned more about birds and cats then maybe I’ve a right to know and currently am learning about the Nile.   There is so much to learn and hear…it’s a bit mind-boggling sometimes. 

My audible membership gives me one credit a month.  I’m careful with how I use it, only purchasing books that make me feel like I’m getting my money’s worth.  I usually build up a couple of months worth before I start spending them since I always like having something in the bank.  🙂 Though if I’m having tons of listening time and need more credits it’s easy enough to buy a group of credits inexpensively.    So give it a boo eh?  You might love it as much as I do. 

If you like the idea of audio books but don’t want it for yourself personally… did you know you can gift a membership to someone?  Rather cool eh?!  🙂 

What about you?   Do you take joy in listening to books?  Do they help you focus on the work you have to do?  Or at least help you occupy your time?   If you’d be so kind, let me know what you are listening to.. or just plain reading!  🙂 

 

High School Poetry Lessons

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As I pondered this week’s challenge from the Crew, poetry in the homeschool, I wondered how to find an English credit for a lad when I want to fill his world with the light and wonder I find in poetry.   But instead, I have a lad who battles long, poetry is just not his jam.  How then, do other parents provide their teens with high school poetry lessons? 

It’s also, according to audible… national poetry month!  What better month to talk about poetry in!?!?! 

The battle rages
Swift and hot
I will not it
Just not not not.

But the words my lad!
I pleaded long
Can’t you see it?
The story and the song?

I will not do it
Repeated again.
Determined Teen
No Shakespearean!

In today’s post let’s discover some options for teaching poetry with those teens who would really rather not.  🙂  With teens, finding a way to make it interesting, almost always helps.  A teacher’s enthusiasm can ignite fires in their pupils. 

High School Poetry Lessons

How to Teach Poetry to Highschool Students

Make poetry a part of life.  Add it into the events of the day, or the month, or your life.   You could have a daily poetry time, a circle time with the rest of the family, or just read poetry as it suits an occasion.   Be creative.  Choose good poetry if you can, but read silly poetry if you must.  Just show how versatile it can be.  Epic poetry, Sonnets, free verse, blank verse, rhyming, narrative, haiku, limericks and odes.  Vary the style, mood and tempo just fit it to the events of the day or your life. 

Add it to your studies. If you are studying WW2, read poetry that individuals created during the war, after the war, about the war.   Let the imaginary fill their minds and just leave it there.    World War 2 poetry books like Under the broken Sky, and It rained Warm Bread will capture the hearts and minds of your teens, bringing a poignancy of war they won’t get from non-fiction.   If you are studying geological forms, learning chemistry, or even studying calculus.  You’ll find a poem that suits almost any subject you can think of. 

Some instructors say you should always introduce poetry that is age-appropriate or perhaps a bit higher.  I can see the value in that, at the same time, reading poetry that is light and fun is sometimes just the ticket. Urge them higher, but don’t be afraid to introduce the unexpected should the occasion demand it. Mix it up, both topic, style and age appeal. 

Introduce a variety of poets.  Use the poets of different time periods when studying history, or use historical poems to talk through the seasons.  Don’t limit yourself to celebrated poets of the past or just modern day delights.  Good poems will speak to us regardless of when they were written. 

Poetry is one permissible way of saying one thing and meaning another

Use poetry of different lengths to teach drama and presentation skills as you prepare your high school poetry lessons. Help your students to hone the skills they need in presenting information without having to make a speech first. Poetry can teach cadence, tone, and style. 

The value of memorization.   I know, I know, not often something we have our highschool students engage in. But they have to memorize equations, scientific facts and the like, why shouldn’t they memorize some good poetry as well?  Being able to retain facts is a necessary part of working after all isn’t it? Forbes will tell you that memorizing facts helps you to think more critically. 

Just as you can use novels to teach some harder literary devices, you can also use poetry to do the same thing.   Concepts such as irony, paradox, different types of symbolism and more. After all, the great American poet Robert Frost said, “Poetry is one permissible way of saying one thing and meaning another.”, so why shouldn’t we use it to teach our students?   Pen and Pad has some suggestions. 

How about you eh?   What will you use to help your students learn poetry this year or even next?  Have you found some creative ways to add poetry to your high school years?  What sources will you be using for teaching your high school poetry lessons?