America's Math Teacher is not Just Another Math Program! Mood:
happy Topic: Homeschool Product Review
Last year the TOS Homeschool Crew got to review a video math tutoring program that John Allen really liked. Unfortunately it wasn't exactly what he was studying at the time. When I found out that we were reviewing another video math program, I was excited, but a little leary that once again it would be something that wasn't part of this year's curriculum. How wrong I was!
America's Math Teacher is a new website just launched by Math Essentials and is much more than math tutoring. It is actually a complete program that can be used to compliment your existing curriculum or as a totally seperate math program. Right now they have four courses to choose from:
Course 1 - Basic Math Skills - is a course designed for 4th and 5th graders.
Course 2 - Advanced Math Skills - is designed for middle school students or older students who may be weak in some areas.
Course 3 - Pre-Algebra Concepts - is for a student who is about to begin their first Algebra class.
Course 4 - Algebra - covers what you would learn in any basic Algebra class.
All four courses are written according to the standards set forth by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
But wait! These courses are so much more than a video that explains how to work a problem. They are complete courses along with print outs that go along with each lesson and extras on the website to reinforce what you have learned. They even have tests that you can printout. Everything is also online, so no wondering where you put the math DVD, and everthing is broken down into lessons. Just print out your work, click on the lesson that you are working on, and away you go!
The teacher is Rick Fisher. Mr. Fisher is a math instructor in San Jose, California. Since 1971 he has devoted himself to teaching 5th and 6th graders. He devoloped this program for students to get ready for Algebra or for students who have had a difficult time with Algebra courses. His students often skip 7th grade math and enter an accelerated 8th grade Algebra class after going through his program. The courses are actually designed so that you could work through two or more of the courses in one year.
John Allen has actually advanced in just the month that we have been working with the America's Math Teacher Pre-Algebra course. Each video explains step by step how to do each type of math progrem and is very sequential. Each worksheet has a few review problems at the top and then about 10 new problems to work on after watching the short (less than a half an hour at the most) video. So, you can see where this could also be used along side an existing math program.
And, I'm not done yet! You can try all of this for free! Just click here or on any one of the hi-lighted links above to get to the America's Math Teacher website. If you wanted to skip the free trial and sign up for their online courses, their cost is $195 for a year's membership to their site. Still not convinced, you can find out what the other folks on the homeschool crew have to say about America's Math Teacher by clicking here. Happy Home Educating!
As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew I was given a free 60 day trial to the America's Math Teacher website in order to try out and review on my blog.
This is our Joshua - Please Watch this Short Clip on Asperger's Syndrome. Mood:
not sure Topic: Autism Awareness
A fellow blogging friend of mine posted this on Facebook. Sallie has an asperger's son as well. This video really touched me because it really shows how an asperger's child thinks and what goes on in the life of an aspy. Thanks for watching it and caring about these special young people.
The latest Tinkel Prayer Letter Mood:
a-ok Topic: Ministry
Most of you know that my wife, Sarah, and I are the directors of a ministry to the low income housing folks in the community that we live in. Sarah writes bi-monthly newsletters to inform our supporters and friends of what is going on with our ministry. We sent out the latest today and I wanted to share it with you all. Thanks for all of your prayers and support for our ministry. To read all of our past newsletters (at least the ones written since I began this bog), please click on the Tinkel Prayer Letter link in the left column.
“Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”
Psalm 34:11 (NIRV)
Blessing in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
I wanted to share with you the blessings of our summer here at Good News Mission. We had 3 weeks of day camp this summer averaging 30-35 children and adults. God has been so good and faithful!!! We had 3 children to accept Jesus as their Savior and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting us thru prayer, giving, donating, encouragement etc. Through your giving you have had a BIG part in these children making the most important decision of their lives, and therefore you will reap the blessings as well. It has been such a good summer mixed with challenges. It amazes me how Satan works so hard to disrupt or tear apart God’s work. Unfortunately this summer we had a parent that when confronted with something pertaining to her child, took it out on the Mission and those who volunteered/worked here this summer. God protected in such an amazing way and through it all our numbers increased, children got saved and people got off the fence and stood strong for what was right. God we give you glory and honor. It is amazing what God will do when you let go and allow Him to work and be in control. This summer we had fellow BCM missionary, Lois Lass, to come and help out with day camps. She is such a blessing to our family and to the Mission, and the kids loved her. She was in charge of verses memorization and keeping Tim in line (is that even possible!!!! LOL) Tim taught from BCM’s teaching material “God Provides for Us” which is the journey through Exodus. The children learned so much and Tim will be continuing the study in Bible Club this year. As I stated earlier attendance at the Mission has increased. We are averaging 20-30 children and adults. We have new families coming in and it is exciting to see these precious new faces. This past week I was honored in being in the delivery room of one of my ladies. Her husband stepped out for just a moment and missed the beautiful Elizabeth Joelee’s grand entrance into the world! She is so precious and weighing in at a whopping 3 lbs 13.8 oz. and 16 ½ inches long. My lady’s husband could not spend the night with her to help her out so I volunteered to stay and help. I got to know her heart in such a special way… the hardships, the joys, the challenges of her life. I got to be friend, mother, and spiritual adviser. I am so blessed in this ministry that God has given us and so thankful that He finds us worthy to be His instruments and a part of His plan for Good News Mission.
Our family has experienced some challenges this summer pertaining to schedules. We now have all three children in some type of therapy and are spending 3 days a week in Cookeville. John Allen has been going to physical therapy due to posture issues and low muscle tone. Joshua and Jacob are going for occupational (OT), physical therapy (PT) and speech therapy. On top of this we go in and attend CBS (Community Bible Study). All of us love going to CBS. Each child has their own classroom where they learn about God. John Allen, Joshua and I are studying Acts and are learning about the Holy Spirit and His role in our lives and in the church. John Allen has gotten involved in the youth group at our church. I volunteered to be the youth leaders side kick. What a difference in attitude in my oldest son! We have had some problems with our boys in their behaviors toward each other. John Allen has found something that is HIS own thing that involve his younger sibling s. This has made a huge difference in him and his behavior toward us and his brothers. He looks forward to going every Sunday night and his youth leader (the pastor’s wife) is so good with these teens. Our first night we had 12. The second week saw us at 20. God is moving and I am so glad to be where He is working. Our son Joshua we had to change his meds around due to him leveling out on the one he was on. We had to switch to a different category of drug and it was a very trying 3 weeks. We switched again and have our loving, sweet Joshua back. Jacob has had a couple of appointments with specialist at Vanderbilt. We have had some test done and are waiting for the results of them to decide as to what needs to be done next. We have seen the neurologist and after he looks at the results from some test that were done will decide if they will warrant us going back or not. We have seen the geneticist and they have decided to test Tim and I to see what needs to be done next concerning Jacob. Right now we are ok with all these doctors appointments. It seems to be nothing life threatening or that will require any extra stuff on top of what we are already doing with the different therapies. God is in control and is guiding our steps and we are ok.
We are doing Bible clubs at the Mission on Tuesday afternoons and as I stated earlier Tim is continuing the journey in Exodus. We pick up children and adults and we feed everyone a meal before Tim teaches. We continue to do our Sunday afternoon Bible studies at the Mission. Again a meal is provided and Tim along with a helper teaches the children as I teach the adults. We are praying about starting an adult Bible study toward the end of September. Please be in prayer for this. Our desire is for Tim and I both to facilitate this… our only concern is that there will be about 10 children. We are praying that we will be able to find 2 people to commit to come and either baby sit or do something special with them while the adults meet. Right now we are looking at 1 to 1 ½ hours at the most one time a week. Please be in prayer with us on this matter. The people are so hungry for God’s word and are excited for this new class to start.
We are so blessed!! God is doing great and mighty things in our lives and we give Him all the praise and glory that are His. We thank each of you for the part that you have in our ministry. You are such blessings to our family and to our different ministries. Our hearts are full of thankfulness in your sacrifices of love that allow us to minister. May God richly bless you all above and beyond what you expect.
Ministry Opportunity - Be A Miracle Mood:
not sure Topic: BCM International
Often I am made painfully aware from either the Holy Spirit or my own conscience that I seem to focus a lot on Compassion International and not on my own mission BCM International. It's not that I don't want to promote BCM. It's just that BCM is small compared to Compassion and Compassion seems to have an endless array of videos and other things that are available to post and BCM has a limited budget and, therefore, not as many things are available to put on a blog. I am trying to remember to post more about BCM. It is a mission that Sarah and I truly love - otherwise, we wouldn't still be BCM missionaries after 13 years (boy, it just seems like yesterday ~ but I digress). When I saw this letter from BCM's president, Marty Windle, I knew it was something that I had to mention. Please read it and prayerfully consider what part you can play to help these missionaries in India.
Be a Miracle!
Posted on: 25 Aug 2010 at 9:59 am
Dear praying friends:
We've asked for prayer often for BCM's India field. Not because nothing is happening on other BCM ministry fields. Not even because India is BCM's largest field with a full third of our missionaries along with 1000s of volunteers, 17,000 churches, 400,000 children hearing God's Word weekly. But you've walked with us through crisis and persecution, especially in Orissa, beginning with the 2007 Christmas Day attacks, then 2008's full-out massacre of Christians and razing of churches and homes. You prayed and gave generously to BCM refugee camps that gave sanctuary to Orissa pastors and families. You rejoiced with us when the camps closed, and these precious ministry families gathered up scanty belongings and headed back into Orissa to boldly preach God's Word again. You prayed and grieved with us when Pastor Tuna Digal, the first to return, lost his precious five-year-old daughter this last month to a snake bite as she slept.
Now BCM India has been faced with a new crisis. Due to a sharp downturn in ministry giving, this field is having to discontinue salaries for 106 BCM pastors, of which one-third are such Orissa pastors as Tuna Digal. These are not pastors who can simply pick up a part-time local job. They are missionary-pastors serving mostly in hostile and extremely impoverished areas. While Orissa has been much in the news, many of these pastors in other provinces also face constant persecution and danger.
What grieves us most is that the cost is so small. $65 a month covers an entire BCM India pastor family. Less than $7000 a month is the budget for all 106 pastors. A slow US economy is the official reasoning for a drastic drop in giving, not just to BCM, but all global ministries. Yet in and out of the church we see no lack of funds for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines, Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, 4th of July, and other holiday spending.
We believe better than this of the body of Christ and especially of you who are our ministry team. And so we want to offer this opportunity and challenge. Please be a miracle to a BCM India pastor! Consider as a family, Bible study group, SS class, or church, adopting a BCM India pastor. All we need is 106 pledges of $65 to guarantee these pastors' continued support. You can donate online for quick, secure giving. Please share this opportunity as well with family, friends, and churches.
Thursday's Child - On Monday! Mood:
a-ok Topic: Compassion International
It's coming! Yep, in two days a new Compassion International blog tour is coming. From Sept. 8-11, four bloggers along with their chaperone's, will be having the trip of their lives in Guatemala. Compassion has asked us to pray for these folks on this mission trip:
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS: 1. Safety: Severe flooding over the weekend and continued heavy rains have caused mudslides in Guatemala that have claimed the lives of at least 100 people and displaced an estimated 110,000. We are altering our travel plans slightly for our own safety. Please pray for the safety of Compassion's families and the whole of Guatemala.
2. Family: All our bloggers are leaving behind friends and family for the week. Please pray for the protection and comfort of these families while apart.
3. Writing: It is very difficult to have your heart broken and inspired so tremendously every day on these trips and then sit down at a computer each evening and put it all into words. Pray for God's guidance and courage.
4. Re-entry: Begin praying now for each blogger's re-entry into life back home. Coming home to the average American life after spending even a short time in the developing world is difficult for many. Pray that our bloggers return forever different and able to bring that difference into the same life they knew before.
I know that the last Compassion bloggers trip, the Kenya trip, really changed the way I viewed Compassion and the precious children that they work with. Unfortunately I will be a retreat this weekend where I will be without internet access so I won't be able to read their posts until I get back. Please support them for me by visiting their blogs and encouraging them with your comments. Trust me, it will change your life!