A few weeks ago, we were asked to review a company called Time4writing. I have to confess that when we started the Time4Writing class, it was in the middle of the summer and Cole politely reminded me that it was summer and that he didn’t want to participate in the class. I told him to give a try and let’s see what happens. He grudging said OK.
What is Time 4 Writing? It is an online writing class for grades 2-12 that will help your child learn the skills needed to write better and gain the confidence in themselves.
How do they do this online? Via multi-media lessons, writing assignments, and quizzes. When you are finished, the teacher grades the assignment and gives you feedback.
They have Elementary, Middle, and High School classes for students. Cole is in 3rd grade so we had these choices.
- Grammar
- Sentences
- Paragraphs
- Essays
Since Cole knew basic grammar, we decided to go with the Sensational Sentences Course. He can form sentences, but they aren’t very elaborate. In fact he doesn’t like to write at all. So we stuck with something that would improve his sentence structure.
~I will note here that if you set up an internet connection for them and put parental restrictions on it, it will not work with Time 4 Writing. Just saying.
In our first two lessons we learned the sentence types and how to distinguish the four types of sentences. We listened to an audio explaining the all the differences while we followed along.
The next few lessons covered nouns, verb agreement, punctuation, homophones, and homonyms. By the last lesson we should be able to create and proofread sentences. At the time this review is posted, we have only finished through week six and will finish in a week or so.
After each lesson and quiz we received a grade. Each grade is cumulative and by the end of the 8 weeks we should earn a certificate of completion.
There was one little problem that we had with this type of lesson. Cole isn’t very proficient with typing on the computer, he’s only 8, playing games is more his thing. He knows his way around a keyboard, but his frustration just increased. Partly because it was summertime and he was working on school work! I mean really mom! The other part was his hunt and peck typing. So I offered to type while he dictated to me. If I hadn’t done that, I think we would still be on lesson one.
Also while there was a teacher on the other end, we only interacted with her when there was an assignment that needed to be graded. She then offered encouragement or constructive criticism. Cole only needed constructive criticism a couple of times, and was always happy to see his grades. To those students that needed more guidance I’m sure that the teacher would be there for them. Simply send her a message and correspond through the website.
Each course is $99 and 8 weeks long, requiring 2 hours per week to complete. While it is a great idea to get children on the computer and writing, I feel that this type of lesson would be better suited for someone who is older and more comfortable with typing. For instance, that High school student that needs to improve his writing skills for college. Or maybe even the Middle school student who needs additional help with grammar.
I also feel that with a $99 price tag per course, that it would deter some homeschoolers because it’s a bit pricey for only 8 weeks. They could get an entire curriculum for that price. I think it will depend on the homeschooler and their learning style.
To learn more about the different lessons for your student go to their website at Time4Writing.com.
I am a member of TOS Homeschool Crew and receive free products and services in an exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, and experiences on the products and services that I receive.
