Posted in Reviews

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About the product/service:  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free subscription to My Access! Home Edition from Vantage Learning.  This is a really neat program that is set up so you can give your child writing assignments they do right on the My Access website.  The child checks his or her assignments, writes an essay, and then submits it to be scored.  The program actually scores the essay instantly!  It's really cool! 

Another feature of the program is that your child is not on his or her own.  The program guides students through each step of the writing process from pre-writing to the finished product.  Along the way, help is given in the form of spelling and grammar help.  Not only that, as they continue to work, they earn points.  When they reach the goal you set for them, they are rewarded by whatever you deem an appropriate reward. 

One of the best features of the program is that while it's computer generated, it allows parents total control over what the child does.  Parents assign the essays from a list, or they can create their own topic.  E-mails are sent out so that parents can monitor their child's progress, though they can check on their child any time by accessing the master account.  It's like having a teacher's aide built right into your computer!

What are the pros of this product?  Children can work independently and the program helps them every step of the way so you can get your laundry done and dinner on the table!  The rewards are also great for kids who need some sort of motivation to do anything.  (Not that I have any of those!  LOL) 

I also like that the while the computer does pretty much all the correcting, the parents still are running the show.  The program also generates progress charts, so if you need something to "prove" that the child has been "doing school" for your records, you have it. 

What's not to like? Well, it's not cheap.  Cost is always one of the biggest factors for me when considering a purchase.  Also, because it's Internet based, your child will need to be able to access a computer frequently enough to make the subscription price worthwhile.  It's a great program, but if you can't get to it, it's of little value.  (The nice thing, though, is that it is not a download, so you can access it from any computer with Internet.)

Also, I have to admit that the program is not perfect when assessing the essays.  It would still be a good idea for you to sit down with the child and go over their work to make sure they are getting everything right.  If you've ever used the grammar check that comes with Windows, you know that sometimes it catches your mistakes, and sometimes it doesn't.  Sometimes it even falsely accuses you of making a mistake when you haven't!  Well!  LOL  The same thing goes here.  It's not perfect, nor would I expect it to be, but I would not want to give you the wrong impression of the program.  Yes, it's like an assistant teacher, but you are still the teacher.  :) 

The Crazy Mom take:  I found this program to be very cool.  I decided to let Princess use it as she likes to write, but she does not do a great job in the technical sense.  She tends to write run on sentences, and doesn't always follow the rules of grammar.  Our biggest issue here was finding computer time.  With two boys in college, one with a ton of work from co-op, Sane Man's class from church, my reviews, and on and on, the computers tend to be tied up.  Plus, our laptop was out of commission for a while.  It seemed like a nearly impossible task to etch out enough time for Princess to try this.  Still, we managed to squeeze in a bit of time.

I assigned several essays for Princess and she was happy to do them.  In fact, she did quite a few of them.  The first was quite long, and the others quite short.  She did score much higher on the longer one, so I suspect that length is one of the requirements for a high score.  I did notice, though, that her essays all contained a ton of errors.  Even though the longer essay was scored as Proficient, I would not have graded her that way.  Of course, at her age, I think they give a lot more grace for poor punctuation and spelling.

Princess did use the helps, but I think she could have used them more.  I had decided to be totally hands off so that I could get a good idea how independently she could work.  I soon realized that, even though it is set up for a child to work independently, I would probably sit down with her for several essays if I had it to do all over again.  I am the teacher after all!

I do have to say, though, that Princess really loved the program.  She really liked it that she got points and that's what motivated her to keep writing.  She enjoyed getting a grade, even when it wasn't good, so she just kept writing away.  In some ways, I guess, that wasn't a good thing as she was a bit too anxious to finish and turn it in.  She tended to want to start a new essay rather than revamp the old one.  I guess that's my issue to deal with and not the computers. :)

All in all, I think it is a neat program.  For kids who have lots of access to a computer and love to earn rewards, I think this is great.  I do think it best if Mom or Dad or maybe an older sibling sits down with your child until he or she is very comfortable with the program, but once they learn all the bells and whistles, I think it could be a great asset to your homeschool writing class!

Have a blessed day! 

What's the bottom line? $99.95 for up to 3 students for one year, or $129.95 for up to 6students for one year.

I am going to My Access! 3 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://www.vantagelearning.com/home/

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/721291/

*The Smiley System: 

I can't really recommend this product.

 I doubt this product would be helpful to many people.

 This is a good product, but isn't right for everyone.

 Most homeschool moms will find this useful.

 This is great, and I would recommend it to anyone!!!

Disclaimer!!!  I reviewed this product because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.  I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others.  Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way.  I am in no way obligated to give a positive review.  I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal!  What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive. 

As with all products, you must do the research before buying.  Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying.  I can't guarantee that a product will work for you.  You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s).  I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review.  I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else.  I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family.

Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath.  Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them!

Copyright 2009 Ramblings from the Crazy House