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A year ago, I filled out an application to join the Homeschool Review Crew after seeing a post from SchoolhouseTeachers.com. I wrote a course for SchoolhouseTeachers.com and figured why not see if I would be accepted to the Crew.
Reflection
Now – a year later, I can reflect upon all the things I have learned. And I have learned so many different things! From homeschooling to blogging to parenting – the Crew has helped me grow as a wife, a mom, a blogger, a homeschooler, and a teacher. I have made new friends and for that I am very grateful, as well.
My blog has become more regular – and not just because members of the Crew need to have at least one non-review blog post a week. I have found a renewed love of writing about history (hence my focus on the Blogging through the Alphabet with history-themed posts). And I get to create materials for families and teachers to use again (one of my favorite parts of being a teacher was writing and designing curriculum). I have also been able to grow A Mom's Quest to Teach on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
A Few Favorite Products
Our children have enjoyed using so many of the products that we had the privilege of reviewing this past year. There are still days when our daughter will talk about her 'bear program' aka MESSYLEARNING FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND KINDERGARTNERS from Panda Parents and our five-year-old son is still using Home School Navigator, Reading Kingdom, and Picta Dicta on a regular basis as part of our homeschooling. As a family we still enjoy Drive Thru History Adventures, while the Audio Dramas from Heirloom Audio Productions have become a welcome addition to our audio library.
Home School in the Woods - Hands-on History Lap-Paks (Knights)
As a family who enjoys role-playing games like classic Dungeons and Dragons, our younger son has really had a great time learning about real knights. I love that we can reference this while playing games or watching movies so he can learn more about the history behind one of his favorite hobbies.
In addition to the Hands-on History Lap-Paks (Knights), we also received several A La Carte Projects that enabled us to play games together as a family. This is one of the best parts of homeschooling – having more time to learn together as a family!
Carole P. Roman Books
As a history major and teacher, I just love these books from Carole P. Roman. And after I wondered if there were any books with a female character as the main character in my review, Ms. Roman was nice enough to send me a few books where girls told the story. This was totally unexpected and greatly appreciated. I will not hesitate to recommend her books to anyone interested in learning more about history or geography!
More Than Just Reviews
Through my time with the Crew, our family has done more than just review the products merely to review them. We have used them to help us grow and learn as a homeschooling family. Through some of the different projects our teen and I have grown closer (even when I beat him playing the The War to End All Wars File Folder Game). And our two younger children have enjoyed starting their homeschooling journey with a love of learning. Learning really has been fun in our house.
If you are interested in learning more about joining the Homeschool Review Crew, please see the information here!
I've certainly enjoyed being on the crew and through it I have found your blog. I have enjoyed reading your post. As a fellow history major I have really liked your Blogging Through The Alphabet and you have inspired me to look into this as well. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It has been great to meet so many new people and read their points of view of everything from homeschooling to books to finding new recipes!
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