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About the service:  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew  I received a free membership to ABC Teach.  ABC Teach is basically a website that provides printable worksheets to teachers.  There are actually two "tiers" to the website.  The first tier is free to anyone and there are over 5000 worksheets available to print out in just about every subject you can think of.  The second tier is the membership.  If 5000 worksheets isn't enough for you, how about over 35,000?  Now that's a lot of worksheets!  LOL

With ABC Teach you can find a worksheet for just about anything.  Whether you're looking for math worksheets, holiday related worksheets, "going green" worksheets, or whatever, they probably have it.  Maybe you love cats, so much so that you raise them and even host a cat website. Just for fun, I searched cats, and came up with a ton of hits.  Twenty-eight to be exact, and that's just the free ones.  If you are a member, there are 115 more!

Most of the worksheets on ABC Teach are for the younger set, but there are worksheets for middle schoolers too.  More worksheets are added every week.  Are you the independant type who would much rather make your own?  No problemo!  Just use the handy worksheet generator to make your own word searches, crossword puzzles, handwriting pages, and more. 

What are the pros of this product?  Well, if you and your kids love worksheets, it's the place to go!  There really are a ton of worksheets available.  Hmmm...  Now that has me thinking, if you printed out all 35,000 would it really weigh a ton?  Depends on the paper you use, I guess! 

What's not to like? Well, of course there is the cost.  If you are frugal, it might not be worth paying the annual fee.  However, there is plenty available for free, so print away! 

Also, I did find the website a little overwhelming.  There is just so much.  You know me, though, (if you are a regular reader, and I hope you are,) I am mystified by anything with too many bells and whistles.  I prefer Aldi to Walmart and broadcast TV to cable.  I like buffets though, hmmm...

One more thing.  This is not, from what I can tell, a Christian website.  It's a sight for all teachers, so it is geared more for public school teachers.  Not necessarily a negative thing, but you will find that most of the worksheets are from a secular perspective.  Just call it a heads up. 

The Crazy Mom take:  I am going to start out by being quite frank.  I don't do a whole lot of worksheets in my school.  I have never really had the need for them.  By the time we do our chores, we pretty much only have time for the basics.  With co-op this year, and all of our other extras like the library and sewing class, we have even less time than ever for anything other than our basic math and grammer.  Add to that our TOS review products and we are beyond busy here.

What does all that mean?  Well, as I have said in other reviews, I was not in the market for this type of service.  To do the review, I mostly just clicked around the site and checked it out.  I did have one occasion where I wanted a particular type of worksheet for a book report my son was doing for co-op.  I didn't find exactly what I wanted, but I did find something close that served the purpose.  The reality, though, is that I could have created my own worksheet on my word processor in less time than it took me to find the one on ABC Teach.  Not being someone who uses worksheets, I don't think I'd buy a membership.  I doubt I will even use any of the free worksheets.

So, do I go so far as to NOT recommend it?  No, because if you use a lot of worksheets you will probably LOVE this site!  The fact is, as a child I loved worksheets.  I just don't have enough hours in the day to use them enough in my own school to justify the cost.  Truth is, I tend to get worksheets from other places like the library that have been sitting around my house for years untouched. 

Sometimes it's difficult to review a product when I am not in the market for it, or it doesn't fit my teaching style.  I really have to just stand back and look at it from a fresh perspective.  When I was 7 months pregnant Sane Man brought home a Corvette from work.  A cool car, indeed, but I totally hated it.  I could barely lift my round self out of that thing.  Sane Man, being over six feet tall, hurt himself twice getting in and out of it.  We have eight children.  I would not buy a Corvette, but that does not mean that there aren't a whole slew of folks who have or would love to have one.  If I reviewed a Corvette, I could not say that I loved it, but I also couldn't say YOU shouldn't buy one. 

So, take ABC Teach for a test drive and make up your own mind.  The 5000 free worksheets should give you a pretty good idea of what it's all about, and you can make your decision from there. Don't forget to take your cat!

 

What's the bottom line? $40 per year/$70 for two years/See the website for group rates.

I am going to give ABC Teach 3 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://abcteach.com/

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/718688/

*The Smiley System: 

I can't really recommend this service.

 I doubt this service would be helpful to many people.

 This is a good service, 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 or service 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