Dec. 22, 2008 - Puppetools Review
I had the chance to review a website based product called Puppetools the creator and inventor of this site is Jeffrey Peyton. He created this site so that schools and home schoolers could integrate play into their teaching. The main product being a hinge that you then build your puppet around focusing on an area in whatever you are teaching.
While the idea is definitely worthy and the method behind play learning is great. I believe it is something that most homeschoolers do anyway. That being said the website was confusing and it was hard to tell what exactly was being marketed. I know it would have to be something about puppets but it takes a lot of time clicking and moving around to find exactly what you are supposed to be doing. My oldest child wasn't too thrilled either. She thought some of the puppets were odd looking and the videos not interesting. The main thing seemed to be the marketing of using play in learning and how to make the puppet. There is also a forum that can be used with other educators to share information and ideas for making and using puppets.
.There are videos that you can watch that talk about using puppets and how to do so by age range. Which would come in handy for the homeschool family in how to integrate the use of puppets with multiple ages to teach. There are several pages of reports written by others on play in education or by Peyton himself. It seemed that most of this information was easy to find and located in one place on the site. It would be great if Peyton could make his paper available in a hard copy format for those who don't like or don't have the time to sit at the computer and read.
The price for Puppetools is $99.00 per year for up to 30 users. To me this seems a bit high as I know I wouldn't have that many people willing to go in on it with me and I wouldn't be going there several times over a 12 month period. The benefits of buying a $99.00 dollar membership are the following:
* 1 year to train and master Puppetools - the "Language of Play"
* Access Puppetools' online Educator Work Area
* Access Puppetools' exclusive practitioner video library
* Access extensive research on play and education
* Access hundreds of puppet images, concepts, and patterns
* Access readings from the 200 page Puppetools Manual
* Access our global community forums - learn with teachers around the world
* Put Puppetools to work in just days--for many it's just overnight
* Learn fast, flexible puppet design and construction--in just minutes
* Discover how a single paper hinge creates a limitless resource
* Engage playful, energized conversation for lessons and activities /all grades
* Use puppet know-how and techniques without acting, scripts, or theater
* Effectively harness Play and spark motivation, participation, and receptivity
* Discover the deep impact of play on students and teachers
There is also a trial membership that for $20.00 you get full access to all resources for a full 60 day period. This is on an indvidual basis only. This seems to be the best bet for a homeschool family that would want to take a look around, try out puppets in their home school and learn how to do the fold as well as reading papers on play integrated learning.
