| Homeschool Enrichment Magazine-March/April Issue 2005 When you add Times Tales to your homeschooling schedule, math time becomes story time, and that translates into fun! While teaching her own children, author Jennie vonEggers noticed that the higher multiplication facts seemed to be more difficult to process and remember. To overcome this problem, Jennie waxed creative and turned the upper times tables into memorable mini-stories. These ultra-brief anecdotes work with accompanying visuals to trigger the child’s memory when a set of facts is presented. Both auditory and visual, the use of a reinforcement game also makes this resource appealing to kinesthetic learners. My fourth grader (not known for enthusiasm in school) punctuated our Times Tales sessions with statements like, “This is fun!� and enjoys using the mini-stories to nudge his memory when certain multiplication facts slip his mind........ Click Here to continue reading review go to "Product Reviews" HomeschoolMath.net Times Tales is book about learning the hardest multiplication facts: the ones with 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s in them. It is a mnemonic aid or device, helping the child to remember the facts via simple stories. Have you ever heard of the method of memorizing a list by "placing" or associating each item on a list with a house on some street you know well? Then as you walk thorugh the street in your mind, you remember the list as well. Times Tales is kind of based on the same principle. The ten stories are easy to remember, and through the stories the child will remember the facts.... CLICK HERE to continue reading review |
| Cathy Duffy says, "If you have children who struggle learning their times tables, you might find this program a godsend."... Read full review HERE |
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| Honeypot Hollow Times Tales. This is not quite a traditional math curriculum, but it's too good not to include somewhere! My middle child, Ben, has struggled with memorizing times tables for years. I have tried some traditional drill programs, but none were painless enough for us to stick with them. Flash cards, timed drills, computer games all felt like torture--and ineffective torture at that--to Ben (and his mother). Out of desperation--and enticed by the reasonable price--I ordered Times Tales. I was skeptical at best. The result was that Ben--and his younger brother--both learned their upper times tables (upper sixes through nines) in two days with no pain, hardly any effort, and no tears. Carolina Homeschooler The publishers of Times Tales promise that their product will teach your children the "upper times tables in less than an hour." "Upper" refers to the 6 through 9 times tables. I received a copy of the Times Tales product to review and tested it on two of my children. Both are boys, one is 8 and the other is 11. My 11-year- old knew many of his multiplication facts already, and my 8-year-old knew the lower multiplication facts (1 through 5 or so) before trying this program. We haven't tried any memorization techniques before reviewing this program. My children just learn their math facts by working through problems, remembering through repetition, plus some number strategies (like the "9" trick, and the "doubling" trick). We tested Times Tales at night when my boys were tired and almost ready for bed. Why? Because it was the only free time we had that day and I wanted to write this review the next day. Besides, if it works with tired boys, imagine how it would work with wide-awake, refreshed kids. I spent less than an hour going through the multiplication part of the program with both boys that night, and, in spite of their fatigue, the product worked. I used the flash cards (comes with the product) to test my 8-year-old son's recall the next morning and he got almost all of them correct. When he stumbled, he just had to think about the "story" a minute longer and then was able to get it right. This program works because it uses pictorial stories to function as a mnemonic device. It's like using the "Every Good Boy Does Fine" sentence to remember scales in band class, or using the "My Dear Aunt Sally" trick to determine which operation to do first in multi-operation math problems. It's important to point out that this product doesn't teach multiplication concepts, it just helps children memorize the 6 through 9 multiplication facts. It's great for younger children who need to memorize facts in order to work through more complex problems at a faster pace and with less frustration. It does add a layer to the process, however. When presented with a problem, they first have to think of the story, and then they can remember the answer. Even with the extra layer, though, they can still tell you the answer quickly. After a while, children will probably start remembering the answers without having to recall the stories first. To help that process along, I would recommend that parents emphasize conceptual understanding as their children get older. I would also recommend teaching them other math strategies besides memorization (the 9 "trick", doubling, etc) so that their children will have both conceptual skills and strategies at their disposal. Although my 11-year-old already knew most of his multiplication facts, he viewed the Times Tales stories as yet another trick to add to his arsenal. The version of Times Tales that I received also had a division portion. I haven't tested that yet, but it seems to complement the multiplication and would be very easy for children to learn once they learn the multiplication stories. I'll post my experiences with that part of the program next week. The bottom line is, based on my experience, this product delivers on its promise of learning the "upper times tables in under an hour." Learning the concepts behind multiplication and learning other strategies is important, but Times Tales will immediately reduce frustration for kids who struggle slowly through more complex math problems because they haven't learned their math facts. Homeschool Christian Times Tales, is a program designed to help young students learn their multiplication facts. Particularly, it is designed to help in the memorization of multiplication for the numbers 6 through 9. The authors found that kids tend to grasp their multiplication facts for numbers 1 through 5 without too much difficulty, but, for some reason, become bogged down in the process for the numbers greater than 6. The authors have developed a system that successfully overcomes this problem in a simple yet effective method. In this method, these faceless numbers of multiplication suddenly take on personalities and become characters that come alive in situations that illustrate the process of multiplication. The authors found that it is much easier to memorize characters involved in stories than the results from the multiplication of numbers. In the first step of the method, the numbers 6 through 9 are assigned names and become specific objects or characters. The student works to become familiar with these four characters that are strongly reminiscent of the numbers that they symbolize. In the next step of the method, a short story or situation is told involving each paired combination of these characters. There are 10 possible situations or stories for the 10 unique multiplication problems for 6 through 9. The authors provide step-by-step instructions for the parent or instructor and the student is given a flip chart in wordless cartoon form that illustrates the characters in the various situations. The program also provides flashcards and practice problems and tests that eventually lead the student away from the stories to the actual multiplication problems. The point is that the memorization of multiplication facts becomes easier because it becomes more enjoyable. Division is also included in Times Tales Deluxe. Recommendation: Times Tales is a very affordable program and highly effective that overcomes the hurdles often encountered in teaching multiplication and division to youngsters. I highly recommend this program, as it worked was very successful with my kids. One of our sons has a vision tracking problem, and even though we were not very consistent with this program, his recall of the math facts learned was excellent. He enjoyed learning the facts with Times Tales, as opposed to hating the grunt work of every other program we attempted. The speed with with our son learned was far superior than experienced with any other math facts program (and we tried them quite a few, including kinesthetic and audio methods). You can't go wrong! Eclectic Homeschool Online As soon as I saw a product with a money-back guarantee, I had to give it a try. I was amazed. Times Tales started in the brain - or maybe it was in the heart - of homeschooling mom Jennie von Eggers, who noticed her own two sons needing help with specific multiplication facts. Over and over, she noted that the same 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s were harder to mentally process. Jennie turned the problems into simple stories, told to trigger the memories of her sons, and it worked. In no time, they could recall the facts. With that success, Jennie teamed up with two other moms to help moms, dads, and math teachers around the world. Only a year old, the system has many success stories, including stories from parents of children with learning difficulties. The Times Tales stories are simple, as are the drawings, so your child's mind won't be clogged up with too much information. Times Tales appeals to different types of learners since it gives the information to children in just the right way. The stories are fun, paint a mental picture, and are easy for your visual child to remember. Hearing and re-telling the stories stimulates your auditory learner. The reinforcement game gives your kinesthetic student the hands- on element he needs. Step-by-step instructions lead you through pre-test, lessons, flash cards, and post test, and you can teach these higher level multiplication facts in less than an hour. Remember, it's guaranteed to work, too. The packet includes the story flip chart, Trigger Memory cards, regular flash cards, mix & match game, instructions, memory story guide, two practice tests and two written test challenges. I couldn't stand it; I had to try it out. Dear-daughter Rebekah is a 6th grader who places Math somewhere near the bottom of her "favorite subjects" list. More eager to read adult Christian historical fiction, or learn about history and biology, Rebekah has struggled periodically with her ability to remember facts like 8x8 and 7x6. She was the Cariker household guinea pig. Despite my strep throat, we tackled the packet with her standing in the doorway of my bedroom, clear of germs. In 43 minutes, we went through the entire packet - and she made 100 on the test. Days and weeks later - and at this writing - she still remembers the simple stories and the facts they pressed into her memory. As far as I'm concerned, the product works, living up to its claims. Deborah Deggs Cariker Homeschool Free-Stuff Newsletter This is one of the coolest products I've ever seen. It's made by moms too, and we use it ourselves! It's a series of cute stories that teach your child the most difficult Times Tables using cute visual mnemonic stories. Your child doesn't have to memorize anything, just read the stories to them! In ABOUT AN HOUR your child will know the multiplication and division tables without having to memorize with hours of boring flash cards! Homeschool Reviews (Just type in "Times Tales") Review: Times Tales Trigger Memory system is an EXCELLENT program for memorizing the upper times tables. It says you child will have them memorized in an hour. My son had them memorized in 40 minutes. It's very easy and simple to use! No prep work and not time consuming. It has simple and clear directions to the parents and is very appealing to the kids. It's also a Non-consumable program so it would be great to use with siblings. Plus he loved doing it and thought it was fun! Plus the price can't be beat! $15 for multiplication and division! I was skeptical when I bought this since there aren't many reviews out there on it, but it REALLY does work, so I wanted to add my review so others will give it a try! We had been working with flashcards previous to getting this program and he knew all his lower case ones but just couldn't get the upper ones to "stick". Now he knows them all. We just went over the flashcards this morning and he still remembered them all. I'm definatly going to hold onto this for my 3.5 yr old to use in a few years. Review submitted: 01:55:44 06/10/04 Review: Times Tales is a very quick method when teaching the times tables. It is a mnemonic memorization program which basically turns the math facts into quirky stories which in turn helps the child to remember the math fact. One drawback is, it only address the upper times tables, (upper 6,7,8, &9)which most kids get stuck on... and not the lower ones. The program says that it teaches it in 1 hour. My kids learned it in 40 minutes spread over 2 days. Kept thinking the kids would forget the stories/math facts but here it is a few months later and they still know them. The price is around $12 plus shipping..It is worth it if your kids are struggling learning these math facts. Review submitted: 10:04:46 02/21/04 The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Is your child struggling with memorizing the upper multiplication facts? Dena Wood of Trigger Memory Systems has the solution with Times Tales. A charming story with simple illustrations engages your child’s visual, auditory and kinesthetic senses to cement these tougher facts in your child’s brain. First, Mom reads a brief instruction manual. Then a "story" is told to the child that incorporates the troublesome facts. There is a flip chart, discussion guide, flash cards and cards to a game included in the package. Let’s give a word picture of how this works. An eight looks like a snowman, right? Well Mr. & Mrs. Swowman need to keep eating snow cones all day to keep from melting. They must eat six snow cones, four times a day. Eight times eight (or snowman times snowman) is 64. Your child has the visual, the story and the math fact, 8 x 8 = 64, memorized effortlessly. The program does not deal with the lower facts because most children have no difficulty with these. Using this system for 15 to 20 minutes a day will help your child memorize the pesky 6s, 7s, 8s and 9s. --Product Review by: Christine Field, Senior Correspondent, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Paula's Archives Learn the upper times tables in an hour with Times Tales for $12.95. Tracey in CA says, "I highly recommend Times Tales for 1st thru 3rd. Older children would see it as babyish. This is a great program that teaches an abstract concept in a concrete way. There is a story, characters & picture for each upper multiplication and division fact. Great product for any style learner!" Author's Note: We think Times Tales can be easily adapted to any age learner simply by adjusting the way you work through the Memory Story Guide. See EHO review above that enjoyed great success with her sixth grader. |