Personal Finance Program REVIEW

 Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Finances, they affect all of us.  In my adult life, I have learned that the earlier you can get a grasp on your finances and how things work, the better off you will be.  I was so happy to have a chance to review the Personal Finance Illustrated® Homeschool Edition from PEM LIFE.  My high schooler is a junior this year and I felt it was time for him to take a plunge into this.  It is an online program so you will need internet access.  The course was originally designed to qualify for 3 credit hours at the collegiate level but it is easily adaptable to the high school level.  It is written for a semester course and I received free access to this program for 6 months.

Course Menu

My initial response to this program was a little overwhelming.  When I first logged on I felt that the opening dashboard was quite confusing. I wasn't quite sure where to go.  After I fiddled around a little I was able to get into the course and view some videos.  I was still unsure after that how to proceed.  There are "next" buttons when you view screens and videos, but that is not necessarily the "next" thing you need to do. Once I clicked on the course the menu became a little clearer. I set up a 3-ring binder for him to put the printed copy of the text and all his assignments into.

Resource Library

You move around using the menu on the left and proceed through the course.  You can have your student do this independently or you can view the instructor videos available to help guide and direct your student. I have been letting my son work on his own because I have been overwhelmed with other work but it became apparent that I needed to step in and help guide him a little.  The game changer: the instructor section and videos.  Oh my goodness!  We were really missing out by not taking advantage of this part of the course.  The Instructor Guides for each unit gives you, the teacher, prep helps, class timeline, and most importantly student assignments!  The student assignments consist of fill in the blank worksheets for them to fill out as they complete their reading assignments and watch the videos.  They completely help your student prepare for the quizzes and writing assignments.

Sample Instructor Notes

Sample Student Handout

The ancillary lessons from the teacher section are key and help you to work through some of the available resources in the resource library.  I can't imagine trying to work through this without the Instructor Guide.  Your student is taken through the process of how and why to create a resume in the very first unit using the ancillary lesson from the Instructor Guide section.

Sample Ancillary lesson

The general flow of the program is:

• Read the assigned text
• Fill out the worksheet
• Watch any videos
• Fill out the worksheet
• Work on any ancillary assignments, videos, worksheets, etc.
• Prepare and take quizzes as assigned
• Participate in forum discussions (discussion board)
• Complete any writing assignments including the Reflection Posts

As you can see there are several opportunities for writing.  The system grades the quizzes in real-time and provides you with a grade.  There are rubrics provided for the written assignments.  You also submit these in the program but since my son has not completed any yet I am unsure of the outcome.

The takeaway on this program is, Wow!  There is so much here to glean from.  The resources in the Interactive Resource Library are great (they are interactive online!!).  We are doing daily lessons now and working our way through the program.  There are writing assignments and discussion boards that he has not yet participated in but hope to soon.  It looks like more people are entering the discussion boards so hopefully, that will continue.  I think the content provided is phenomenal and the wisdom learned is indispensable.  The icing on the top when in the final Unit 18 the topic covered is The Danger of Riches.  It is taught from a biblical standpoint and this is key for me.  It hit a home run in my book.

Sample Interactive Library

Table of Contents

I give the Personal Finance Illustrated® Homeschool Edition two thumbs up!!  You might need to take the time to get familiar with navigating the program but it is so worth it!  You can connect with PEM LIFE on FACEBOOK and YOUTUBE.

Please take the time to check out the reviews from my fellow Crew members by clicking on the graphic link below, thanks!!

Simply Coding REVIEW

 Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I can only say WOW!  I keep wanting my son to like coding for a good skill set for his future.  He LOVES video games and it just seems like a good fit.  When given the chance once again to receive a coding program I jumped on it.  I received a free Coding for Kids Annual Membership from Simply Coding and I am simply amazed.  I did not realize just how much we were going to receive with this membership. There is so much to cover and tell you about I hope I can do it some justice.  There are options for single or family use if you choose to purchase a membership.  It is designed for use by 11-18 year olds but based on what I see a mature 8 year old could easily begin and there is plenty to keep an adult occupied and learning!!

Coding lessons with future lessons grayed out

This is an online program that requires internet access and a decent laptop or computer to work on.  You will also be required to download additional programs (for free and paid) in order to complete certain modules.  Within the coding section, there does not appear to be any paid programs necessary.  We were able to use the text editor and download images for free from a suggested website.

There are a LOT of lessons within the tabs to choose from!

Did I say there was a LOT you get with this homeschool coding program? There are 4 sections (tabs) to choose from.  Each tab has a large assortment of programs to learn.  Some lessons are not available until you complete prerequisites first.  Most lessons have a syllabus to help summarize what you will learn and help keep you on track.  You also have the option to upload files for grading if you choose to use it for school credit.  You can see from the graphics above what is covered within the different sections (tabs).

Sample of part of the syllabus on websites

My son is really into fabricating homemade knives.  He's actually quite good at it. It seemed to make the best sense to start with building a website.  It is a work in progress and it has been a great learning experience.  I'm looking forward to the completed project, or at least what would be considered completed.  I understand that you will often update your website, but I can't wait for the finished product once this module is completed.  Progress has been slow, but it's getting done!

Lesson 1 code

Lesson 1 visual result (pretty cool!)

The lessons are simple and straight forward.  They are broken down into simple, bite-sized, pieces.  I REALLY like that there is a video component that basically walks you through the lesson step by step (generally about 3 minutes or so long).  This is such a tremendous help for my son. There are also HINTS within each lesson that actually shows you the code if you don't understand or can't figure it out.  There are quizzes throughout to help keep your student on task and measure their retention. They are simple 5 question quizzes that are automatically graded as you complete them.

Lesson samples showing lesson text and also video component

There is a Parent Dashboard where you can manage your personal information, subscription, passwords, and see your student's progress.  Another really nice feature is the Live Teacher Sessions.  We have not participated in any of the live sessions, but they are archived and available for viewing at any time.  They are wonderful!!  They show you how to code additional projects and even give you the code to copy for your own.  You can then use the code to play the game or edit it to customize it to your own liking.  If you need help or have questions there is an active online help chat available.  There is even a link to a Game Design Challenge that your student can enter if they meet the qualifications!!

Parent Dashboard

The following are samples from the website project.  There is much to do, but progress is being made and a lot is being learned.  It is so exciting to see the progress and the "aha" moments.

The coding and the resulting website

Next up will be learning how to code trivia questions

This has been a great learning experience and I am so glad we decided to try it.  I highly recommend this homeschool coding program to anyone interested in coding or just wanting to be a little more tech-savvy.  I think even my son was a little surprised at the ease of use and the wide variety of programs to choose from.  We give the Coding for Kids Annual Membership two thumbs up.  You can connect with Simply Coding on FACEBOOK and YOUTUBE.  Be sure to see what my fellow Crew Members think by clicking on the graphic link below.

SchoolhouseTeachers REVIEW

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
Please note: affiliate links also included in this post

Another curriculum review year has begun and what better way to start but an updated review of SchoolhouseTeachers.com.  You are going to definitely want to check out the Ultimate PreK-12 Annual Membership.  It is an online homeschool program that includes classes, electives, homeschool parent support, homeschool planners, and access to World Book and RightNow Media.  It is an all-in-one full curriculum and the best part is that there is just one fee for your ENTIRE family and you have access to ALL grades!

Sample subjects

Certificates of completion available for different subjects and courses

I have been a member of SchoolhouseTeachers for many, many years now and boy have they come a LONG way.  I just love how they are continually improving and updating what they offer and you always have access to all the new updates while your membership is active.  You have the option for full-year, semester, and unit study courses.  There are no textbooks to buy, everything you need is available for printing or viewing in the chosen course.  The available lesson plans help to keep you on track and schedule your course appropriately.

Lesson Plan

Elementary Art Lessons

Elementary Art Sample Lesson page downloaded

Custom Schedule Builder

Once you log into your SchoolhouseTeachers Ultimate Membership account you quickly realize the vast amount of resources available to you.  The menus are user-friendly and video tutorials are available for many aspects of the site.  If for some reason you were to still find yourself lost or have questions you can easily email, chat with, or call customer support.  They are wonderful and very responsive to your needs.

Curriculum is coded to let you know what formats are covered

You can customize your courses for each child and browse by subject or grade level for options.  If you don't know where to start you can check out the scope and sequence link to see what your child needs to learn in any given year.  I love that there are direct links to the courses and resources from the scope and sequence lists.

Scope and Sequences

Need help with planning and/or grading?  No problem, you have access to printable planners and the Applecore recordkeeping program.  You have access to the Gold Applecore level that also includes the ability to produce transcripts with an Ultimate PreK-12 Annual Membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com.  There is a vast amount of additional resources available that include:

• Members Forum
• Focused Learning Center
• High School Help
• Special Needs
• Literacy Center
• Holiday and Seasonal Content
• Physical Education
• Just for Parents
• Parent eBook Library
• Schoolhouse Expos
• Monthly Menu
• Trade Magazine
• Certificate Library
• Help Charts

Planning Tools

Focused Learning Center for extra help in subject areas

Literacy Center

It's easy to feel overwhelmed with the number of resources that are available to you but remember to keep it simple.  Use the video tutorials and focus on simply finding the courses for the grade levels you need.  All the other extra fun stuff can come later as you get familiar with the site and what it has to offer.  Especially in the area of the World Book and RightNow Media resources.  World Book is like a vast online encyclopedia with video and game resources.  RightNow Media is an excellent video resource for bible studies, apologetics, even kids' videos.

A few samples of tutorial videos

RightNow Media

World Book categories

Sample World Book section

World Book tutorial

I have both my 1st-grade daughter and 10th-grade son using the resources available and I just love how we can customize our lesson plans to fit our needs.  Sometimes we have used a subject for just supplementation and other times we have used it as our sole curriculum.  I especially love and appreciate the bible study and apologetic resources available.  When planning for this year I simply went to search for courses by grade level and picked out what we needed in each subject we needed.  I did refer back to the scope and sequence resource so I would not miss something we needed.  Especially for my high schooler.

Curriculum sample

One final thing I wanted to mention and just love is that you can easily create "collections" and then "bookmark" your chosen subjects into a collection.  I create a collection for each child that then has all of their subjects bookmarked to it so they (or I) can get to their classes quickly and easily.

Bookmarks

There is so much more that could be covered but this is a pretty good synopsis of what you can expect.  I highly recommend the Ultimate PreK-12 Annual Membership for your family.  Yes, this is a review, but I was also a member LONG before I did reviews.  You can give it a test run for only $5 for your first month but they are running a sale through the end of January that you DO NOT want to miss.  Prices will be increasing on February 1, 2020.  The current sale price will be your locked-in annual membership fee for as long as you keep your membership.  You can't beat that!  I am an affiliate member and have included my affiliate links in this post.

You can connect with SchoolhouseTeachers.com on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and PINTEREST.  Please also be sure to check out the other reviews from my fellow Crew members to get more information about the membership, just click on the graphic link below.  You can also read my SchoolhouseTeachers reviews from 2017 and 2018.