15 replies to this topic

[fliztea]

Ok, You just about needed a PhD to add to the old review section, so hopefully things are going to be a lot simpler this time! It would be very super wonderful if everyone could try and add at least one favourite homeschooling product to share with us all!!! My eye balls are just about ready to fall out with adding all the categories and really many hands make light work etc [insert remaining standard emotional blackmail here].

First thing, mosey on over to the new reviews section. Don't forget to come back and finish reading the instructions!
http://www.rockpoolh...ling-resources/

Find the section your product fits in.Let's say, bless your little cotton socks, that you are going to be the first person to add MUS.

• Click on the sub-category heading "Comprehensive Maths Programs"
• Click on the button on the right hand side that says "new image"
• This is where somewhere stored on your computer you need a photo representing MUS. You can take a photo of the cover with a digital camera (or phone) or you can take a screenshot off the product website. Try not to use Amazon's photos as they may get titchy about copy right. More hints below on managing photos an screenshots.
• Where it says "Image to Upload" click on "choose file" and select the photo you have chosen to use.
• In the Caption box write the Title of the product or resource eg. MUS
• In the description write a (as far as possible) factual description of the product. eg. MUS is an American Maths program catering for all levels from Kinder to Highschool. Each level includes a Teacher's manual, workbook and DVD. You also need a set of MUS blocks. In this description box you can paste quotes and weblinks just like a regular forum post. This is the place to put any purchasing links, Facebook pages etc.
• Ignore the copyright box
• All the remaining fields are optional and if you ignore them simply will not show up. So how much extra detail you add is up to you. You can add the product Author or Creator. Eg. The one and only Mr. Steve Demme. You can choose a target audience from the drop down box, in this case "multiple" because it goes right across the age ranges. You can also select the type of product in the last drop-down menu. I'd probably pick Textbook and Workbook package here as it most closely resembles the product but no one's going to pass out if you pick the wrong thing or don't choose anything at all.
• Click "submit image"

That's the hard stuff done!!!

The next part is adding the review. This is what you do after adding the product details, or if someone else has already done all that hard work and added it for you already. Let's say you luuurve Getty Dubay handwriting and want to review it (understandable really). You can see when you click on the sub-category "handwriting" under "Language Arts" you can see I've already added Getty Dubay,
http://www.rockpoolh.../8-handwriting/
To add your review, click on the photo of the Getty Dubay book.
http://www.rockpoolh...ic-handwriting/
You then have two things you can do. One is to add your star rating on the top right hand corner. This is like the feedback stars on eBay, you move your mouse across and click on the number of stars you want to give it. (Just underneath the RSS sandcastle)
The next thing you can do is to add your review. You do this just by adding a comment at the bottom. That's just like adding a reply on a forum post - easy peasy!

Hints on Photos

The photos are best about 400 px wide on the narrow / shorter side. Here's some ways of resizing and cropping photos on a PC

http://graphicssoft...._Tools_Tips.htm
http://windows.micro...e-Photo-Gallery
http://windows.micro...ure-using-Paint
http://www.ehow.com/...age-viewer.html
http://windows.micro.../Crop-a-picture
http://graphicssoft...._Tools_Tips.htm

On a Mac use Preview and then resize image under tools (you can select all first and then save all after).

And here's how to take a screen shot:
http://take-a-screenshot.org/

Also, if you reach your images upload limit on TRP, just PM me. We had to make up the settings for that so we've no idea how soon folks are going to bump their heads on the ceiling so to speak.

[fliztea]

Just realised that that wasn't really worded well as we all know in Homeschooling circles that it's the third product you try that works. Soooooo if you tried Getty Dubay and found that you have no idea what that crazy lunatic woman Fliztea was on about, it was the most dry, crusty and boring program that you've ever used then you can also add a review Same steps, just add your comment below mine saying something like "I tried this with my kids but found it very dry and repetitive. My kids ran screaming from the room every time we had to do handwriting. I would have preferred something that included dictation and narration exercises, and with full colour pictures" etc

The main thing is to try and stick to critiquing the product . If you have questions about a product, where to buy, how to use etc, please ask in the appropriate forum section instead.

[Louise]

LOL and thankyou for all the work you do for us Fliztea.

I am not even going to attempt uploading a photo on my connection though

[fliztea]

Fair enough Louise

I'll try and do the rest of the categories today and start on some photos. Once we have a few photos it should be really quick and easy to add comments.

[somethingbetter]

OK I'm not a great forum techno person but how do I find the review section without coming into this post and clicking on your link. When I went into resources it has a link for "old review section" but thats not it, is it?

[fliztea]

No, it should be the second link with the star "Homeschooling Resources". I'll just go check the permissions on it and make sure you can see it!

[somethingbetter]

Bonza, now that I know what I'm looking for I see it. Sorry some of us are a bit slower than other. Thanks Fliztea, keep up the great job.

[Louise]

Ok I can do it

but I don't have my PhD and possibly didn't put them into the correct category and I can't find an 'oops' emoticon

So if I can do it everyone can

[fliztea]

That's awesome! I'll try and add the rest of the categories later today. (I haven't forgotten Science, honest).

[somethingbetter]

I shall give it a go later on, first I need to get some photos.

[fliztea]

Louise, I love the photo you've added for MUS - that looks awesome (the other photos are good too).


Don't forget to add your star ratings here:

Attached Files

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[Louise]

OK, will do,

I am getting a message that I do not have permission to view this attachment.

and when I look at the page the photo is nice and big but I can't see the info panel on the right hand side, it is under the photo.

I was also wondering about a style category like classical/ natual learning etc

[homehandymum]

Quote

That's awesome! I'll try and add the rest of the categories later today. (I haven't forgotten Science, honest).

And one for planning and record keeping? I see one for student planners - is that the same thing?

[fliztea]

You can see all the categories in the old reviews section (and yes, there will be a Teacher's planner section). That's what I'm working my way through. Louise the problem with categories like Classical and Natural Learning is that often the products are actually part of another category and it get's confusing, eg Minimus Latin is a product used by people with a Classical method of Homeschooling but is essentially a Latin product. What we had in the old reviews was when people entered the reviews information, they could say what style of homeschooling they thought it suited. But I think that was part of the over-complicating factor. This time I've tried to keep it a lot simpler.

[homehandymum]

Great - thanks for all you do, Fliztea - I wasn't meaning to pressure you to hurry up or anything! I was just hoping I'd get to review my favourite planner and didn't want to put it in the wrong place.

Great job, btw, the new layout looks very easy to understand

[LindaK]

Just dropping by to say how fantastic the review section is!
It will be especially useful for new homeschoolers wanting a little to get an idea of some of the resource options out there.

I have a couple of things that I could review, so I will endeavour to take photos tomorrow and get the reviews up soon!

Thanks for the great work!