Review
from Practical Homeschooling Magazine
Copyright
Home Life, Inc. Used by
Permission.
Mary
Pride - Editor of Practical Homeschooling
Magazine
Web: www.mecssoftware.com/parents.htm. Downloadable demos on site.
Capture a Montessori teacher for your classroom!
Always patient and
Always present, this program is the most elegant and effective
educational computer program I have
ever used. Without
the typical
flashing lights and video
cartoon clips so typical of educational
software, the MECS Software
programs steadily build your child's
understanding and skills in a
number of subjects.
Created by Carol Parker, a Montessori teacher with over 30 years
of
experience, the principles of good instruction are incorporated
within each MECS program. This
means focused lessons with no
distractions and no reward
system to cheapen your child's learning.
The reward is the skill gained itself.
Throughout, you will hear
Carol's calm, encouraging
voice as she teaches your children.
Montessori education stresses the "big picture"
(framework) and
essential topics for each subject, while eliminating excessive
information. Details
are filled in through research. That's
why some
of the programs listed below include a research component.
Of course,
library
books and writing experiences will be part of the rest of
your child's homeschool experience.
Each lesson is presented in the Montessori
three-period format. First
period
presents the nomenclature for several items one at a time as
the child looks at the example on the screen.
For instance, Carol's
pleasant voice might say, "This is
Texas
." The child repeats,
"
Texas
,"
while
viewing a picture of the state of
Texas
. Then two or three more
states are introduced.
Second-period lessons cement this information by giving
multiple choices and
asking, "Point to
Texas
." In this example,
five states might be shown on the
screen, with a list of state names down the side that have to be
moved from the
side of the screen to under the picture.
The third period is where most
programs begin: quizzing children for information by asking,
"What is this?"
while showing a picture of a state. So,
Texas
might be flashed on the screen and
a label is then picked from a large group of names.
These programs invite
"over learning,"
repeating a concept until it is
second nature, a
needed component for long-term retention.
Each
program continues to work through one period until the child can
complete the lesson to perfection.
Students may work a program as
long as they like, and some programs include a certificate that
can
be printed at the completion of the program.
My son Timmy, at age 7,
worked through the
United States
map and regions. He found a
great
deal
of quiet satisfaction working through the three period lessons
to mastery, and enjoyed displaying his newfound knowledge to me.
&n