Browngirl Speaks

My husband and I are always talking about movies, books and music. Well, who isn’t these days? It seems everyone is into all three lately and I mean everyone thinks she/ he is the authority. Well, they’ve always been “my thing” since I made my little entrance into the world. I’ve asked the mr. a number of times what he’d take on that proverbial deserted island. But I threw in a twist. So now I’m going to throw it into the blogosphere: What’s your trifecta? What is your favorite movie, book and cd/album? You can only name one for each and please share a little about your choices. I’ll start…

Movie: Imitation of Life(1959)
I never tire of this movie. Can I watch it repeatedly? No. It’s so emotionally taxing but so much about relationships resonates with me in this movie. It’s melodramatic 50’s cinema at it’s finest. And please note it’s the ‘59 version that is my preference but I do own both versions.

CD/ Album: My Life - Mary J. Blige
This was the hardest choice to make of the three. I was torn between her and a Nina Simone album. But, alas, MJB gets the number one spot. Yeah this is when she was at the height of her deep funk, but the songs aren’t sad and loathsome. They’re passionate and healing. This one never gets old and is still in my CD rotation.

Book: Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
I actually borrowed this from Lisa when I was about 14. It rocked my little world. This began my deep rooted love for African American literature and, especially, the Harlem Renaissance.

So, I guess there’s a rather obvious theme for my trifecta– relationships. Now, I’m passing the torch to HomeGirl, JustLisa, TruEssence and C. Enjoy!

Time4Learning is a good online homeschool resource for those with auditory and visual learners.  My son, a Kindergartner, adores the computer and catches on very quickly to games and activities on it.  His comprehension skills in general leave much to be desired, so this was a welcomed addition to his curriculum.  The graphics and audio are fun and engaging.  This is very well paced and digestible for children and parents–they are nice enough to include a curriculum guide  and record keeping on the site.  I loved that access was given to the preceding and succeeding grade level in each subject.  For Kindergarten, this includes language arts and math only.  This program can be completed at the individual learner’s pace and is available 24-7.  I had two concerns with Time4Learning.  The first was a technical hiccup that occurred twice in one session.  Nothing’s perfect, so I can forgive this.  The second was approaches to comprehension of a lesson.  Each lesson on a skill begins with it being taught then follows with exercises to show the skill has been mastered.  A time or two, the comprehension exercises were not accurate in assessing that my son learned the skill.  Fortunately, these were skills he did, in fact, already know.  This is, however, a common and not necessarily a major issue that can be a factor in almost any educational program.  Do I consider these drawbacks?  Absolutely not.  This educational program is commendable for being technologically and educationally sound, as well as affordable.

If you’re looking for a curriculum suitable to any learning style that’s self paced and, most importantly, budget-friendly, then give Time4Learning a try.