{Crew Review} High School Prep Genius

I have one student on the verge of graduating ~ eek, less than a month away! ~, one student in the middle of high school and one about to enter high school. Boobear has definitely been my guinea pig throughout her home school career, but after this experience, I decided I wanted more help for Turtlegirl and I’d really like to do things “right” from the beginning with Tailorbear so I was thrilled to receive a copy of High School Prep Genius from College Prep Genius to review.

This softcover, 440 page guidebook helps parents and students navigate through high school and prepare for college and the future. With 18 chapters, High School Prep Genius provides practical help in these four areas:

• Part I: Introduction ~ More than just a “how to use this book,” the introduction also includes a helpful timeline for grades 9 through 12.
• Part II: Foundation for Personal Success ~ includes topics such as interests, beliefs and finances
• Part III: Foundation for Academic Success ~ topics include test prep, getting organized, and effective studying.
• Part IV: Foundation for Future Success ~ this section will help you with choosing a college and the college application process.

The book also contains 5 appendices:

• A: How to Build a Homeschool Transcript
• B: Talent Searches
• C: Great Books to Get You Started
• D: Reduce Test Anxiety Through Relaxation Techniques
• E: Admissions Terminology

The section, “Foundations for Personal Success,” includes the first five chapters but is my least favorite part. It’s not that it doesn’t contain some great info; it does. It’s just that it’s personal and though I agree with the authors, Jean Burk and Judah Burk, I can’t help feeling that this section is more of a parenting guidebook, rather than an high school prep section. It was nice, however, to have Turtlegirl affirm that Honeybear and I have been teaching her responsibility, helping her to own her own beliefs and giving her the opportunity to learn financial wisdom. Perhaps, because those topics have been, even if briefly, addressed in my home, that is why it is my least favorite section.  It certainly isn’t because I disagree!

I mentioned my least favorite section so it seems logical to mention my most favorite section. The problem is I can’t decide which is my most favorite section so I’ll highlight a few of my favorite chapters:

• The Introduction ~ in particular the timeline sections and the section giving some suggestions for a 4 year high school degree plan.
• Chapter 8: “Effective Studying” ~ this is just not something I’ve actually addressed with my children.  Not directly.  Not specifically.  Yes, I’ve done the “find someplace quiet.”  “No, you can’t watch tv and read your history book.” But this chapter outlines specific suggestions and gives a step by step guide for “Reading to
• Chapter 10: “Getting Organized” ~ this just sings to my “wanna be organized” heart.  More than just a “how to create a schedule” but also addresses prioritizing and procrastination. 

Why I recommend this book: 

First, I do not recommend waiting until your children are about to enter 9th grade.  I would consider purchasing this book when my children were starting school.  Yes, much of the practical aspects of the guide, such as transcripts and college applications, won’t apply to such young students, but the first section: Part 1: Foundation for Personal Success would be very helpful to parents. And Chapter 7: “Academic Development” explains well the importance of an education.  I know it was long before high school when I asked the “but why do I have to learn this stuff” type of questions. Chapter 7 would empower parents to help students understand the benefits of an education. For me, the heart message of “Academic Development” represents the key reason why my family chooses to home educate.

The purpose of education is to form the frameworks in your mind to help you understand the world in which you live. Education is a vehicle for viewing and understanding life. Education is also a means of learning and developing new skills. Thus, education in its most basic and practical sense gives you the tools needed to live everyday life better. (p. 178)

Second, I recommend this book because it allows parents to be actively involved in the education of their child whether the education be public, private or home instruction. The book is written to the student with sections, “Guide for Parents,” at the end of each chapter.  Each chapter also includes “Parent’s Homework.”

This book isn’t just a how to plan out which classes to take in high school or how many and what kind of credits you want for a college prep experience, but it is a tool for laying a foundation for the future. Learning and applying good study habits in high school will prepare a student for any high education experience and gives a solid start for taking responsibility as an independent adult. The discipline developed through routine effective studying becomes the self-disciplined responsible adults need for making wise choices.

 The Details:

• The Product:  High School Prep Genius
• The Vendor: College Prep Genius
• The Price: $29.95
• Age Recommendation:  Parents and students grades 7 through 12

I also found High School Prep Genius, though optimally used by students starting high school, beneficial even for my senior daughter. I sometimes worry that I have not prepared her enough for college and “real life.”  Though “too late” to be of real service for high school, she is working her way through the chapters such as Chapter Eight: “Effective Study Habits” and Chapter Nine: “Tests and Papers” because those tips and suggestions apply not just to high school courses but to any course.

Whether you choose private, public, or especially homeschool, this is one resource every parent of high school students should read.

Visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog to read what others have to say about High School Prep Genius from College Prep Genius.

All information is correct and accurate as of the date of this review.

You can read my other Schoolhouse Review Crew Reviews by clicking here.

I Have a Garden!

Well truth be told, my husband has a garden and our 14 year old daughter, Tailorbear is his assistant but though they have done the work, I get to ooh and aah over the growing little plants and later this summer, I get to cook with and eat those yummy “fruits.”

Note: Botany Lesson follows:  Other than carrots, everything else we are growing are biologically classified as fruits.  A fruit is a “womb” for the growing seeds for the next generation. (Yes, I learned that by teaching an elementary school level botany class to the girls several years ago.  They might actually have retained more than this old dog who still tries to learn new tricks!)

We’ve got 2 rows of green beans, 2 rows of peas, and one row of carrots.  My husband says that the carrots are coming in but I’m not so sure those just aren’t stray bits of grass.

The peas and beans are doing much better and are coming along quite nicely. I didn’t think I’d get so thrilled to see these plants poke through the dirt and begin to grow. We didn’t buy organic seeds this year but I’m pushing for organic seeds for next year.

And on Mother’s Day we picked up and Honeybear planted two tomato plants, two bell pepper plants, two zucchini plants, two crookneck squash plants and one lonely Japanese Cucumber plant.

Do you have a garden?  What are growing?

H is for Happy Mother’s Day!

Today in the United States we celebrate Mother’s Day.  I like Mother’s Day at my church. Teen girls help make corsages on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday morning they pin them on the moms as they come into church. 

I love two-tone roses.  I’m particularly fond of Fire and Ice roses but I’ll take any two-tone over a solid color.  The lovely teen pinning corsages this morning was my beautiful daughter. She knew exactly which rose corsage to pin on me!  (Thank you BooBear!)

My husband took me shopping to pick out plants for our tiny garden and while we were gone my girls made a lovely ham dinner.  We had special potatoes (think twice baked potato filling) inspired by some awesome potatoes that a friend made for our Agape Feast and ham.  BooBear was excited because she’d never done a ham before.  I am a very blessed mother.

I wish I could spend mother’s day with my momma but she and I live too far apart.  I did call her today though and it was so good to hear her voice.  I miss her.  My girls miss her. Even my husband misses her. <grin>

This morning we had a hierarchal liturgy.  It’s hierarchal because the Bishop is present.  At the end of the service he talked a bit about Mother’s Day.  He said that the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women would be a more Orthodox choice of a date because these women gave of themselves to nurture and care for Christ and were with him until the very end. They are the ones who went to tend to His body in the Tomb and found the Tomb empty! We sang many years to all the moms but also to grandmothers, Godmothers and all those who care and nurture for others.

With that in mind I wish all my readers: mothers, mothers-to-be, mothers-who- want-to be and those who nurture, care and mother others a very special Mother’s. Day!

Random 5 on Friday {May 10th Addition}

Yes, I know it’s Saturday.  I did it again.  Do good intentions count? I really intended for this to be published on Friday.  *sigh*

1. I was determined to post every day in May.  Hahahaha.  I think I just went three days without posting.  The first day, I simply forgot. I was still in recovery mode from Pascha.  The second day, I gave up.  The third day?  Well that was yesterday and was supposed to be this post. 

2. We’ve had incredibly wonderful weather (ok so it’s a bit on the hot side for Western WA as this time of year but I’m  trying to focus on the SUN part and not the hot part.)

3. Speaking of hot, I mean beautiful gorgeous, and sunny days.  Pascha (Eastern Orthodox Easter) was the most beautiful day.  We had lovely sunshine for our Egg and Treat Hunt and our Agape Feast Picnic.  Here Supergirl gets ready to collect her candy. The air is full of joy and shouts of “Christ is Risen” 

4. Our tiny little garden is coming along nicely! Well the beans and peas anyway.  The carrots not so much.  Tomorrow’s agenda includes going and getting some zucchini plants, tomato plants, bell pepper plants and perhaps some yellow squash and/or cucumber plants. We’ll be doing the peppers and tomatoes in containers and planting the zucchini, squash and cukes along side the carrots and behind the rows.

5. Today, Bright Saturday, is our Altar Feast, a special feast day for our parish. (Our parish is named after the Resurrection.  A Parish named after a saint, would have their feast day). It was a big day; for our parish had a visit from our Archbishop (The right reverend Benjamin, Archbishop of San Francisco and the West).  Traditionally the handmaidens of the church go out and meet the bishop and present him with flowers.  Today the only handmaidens present were my girls. Supergirl, who *has* met and talked with His Eminence before, turned very shy and would not look at him.

Waiting for the Bishop to arrive.	What do we do now?
The Bishop arrives!	Greeting the Bishop!

{Recipe} Pot of Pasta

I dusted off this old recipe ~ so old that my 3x5 index card is yellowed with age! and made this for our church potluck.  I made enough to take to church and another pan to leave at home for us for tonight.

Here’s the original recipe (which I got from my mother-in-law, I think!)ingredients in {} are my additions

• 16 oz. cooked shell macaroni {I prefer shells because they are pretty but elbows work}
• 12 oz. sour cream {Do NOT skimp on the sour cream!}
• 2 lb. hamburger {I used half hamburger, and 1/2 Italian sausage}
• 1 large onion {I used 1 med}chopped
• {1 med. green bell pepper, chopped}
• 32 oz. Spaghetti sauce {home made would be awesome! The recipe said Ragu but I used what was on sale.  Also I used more like 52ish oz.. two of the 24-26oz size cans. We like it “saucier” than the recipe says
• {1/2- 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese}
• 16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3-4 tsp. oregano
• {3-4 tsp. basil}
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Mix shells with sour cream and set aside
2. If Italian sausage is in link form, brown it and then chop it up.  If it is in bulk sausage form cook it with the hamburger.
3. Brown hamburger with onion and bell pepper.  Add cooked, chopped up/sliced sausage.
4. Mix meat mixture with spaghetti sauce and add seasonings.
5. Layer pasta, meat mixture and cheese.  I used a lasagna pan this time so I put the shells on the bottom, poured the sauce and meat over the shells and then topped with cheeses.  In the past, I’ve used a casserole dish and layered 1/2 of shells, 1/2 of sauce mix, 1/2 of cheese and then repeat layers.  Because it is thicker it would need to cook longer.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes until hot, bubbly and cheese is melted (single layer).  I cover with aluminum foil for the first half to three quarters of baking time so that the cheese does not get brown too quickly.  For the casserole dish bake for 45- 1 hour.
7. This can be made ahead.  Increase baking time if refrigerated.