HomeQuest Family Testimonials

Before my parents bought the Learning Lab for myself and my brother and sister, I used to read books but didn't really understand them. I started spending about one hour per day on the computer, reading the stories in the manual, and then doing the reading lessons on the computer. I really enjoy reading now and I have also learned to type a little, enough to do my book reports for school. I did one last week and got an A. It is the first time that this has happened to me and I feel great.

Jacob, age 11

From Paula Tovar, Fresno, Calif.. Home Educator for five children, ages 4 to 12 using the HomeQuest system for two months.

Jessica, age 4, learned to key her name into the computer within one month. She said she wanted to do it by herself like Isaac. I wrote the letters of her name on paper, and she matched it on the keyboard.

My son Michael, age 8, didn't like math, and was frustrated with it. Now, he can add and subtract more than he did before. I found that even if he memorizes a lesson, he gains confidence. By writing it, hearing it in the computer, and seeing it in the computer, it causes him to take control of the numbers. Now, he can work faster on the computer than book work, and he's learning math.

The Learning Lab saves me time too. By listening to the beeps, I can tell if He's getting it or not. I don't have to sit with him. If I hear the wrong beeps, I go to help. Every week I find new things I can do to make things easier for them and me. Having the whole K-12 curriculum is nice because I have five kids. The computerized Learning Lab is really good for them. They can't wait till they can use it and I've seen the growth in them.

From Michael Neer, Fresno, California

My son Mathew, age 5, is just starting to read. He learned the alphabet and numbers from Sesame Street, and now he's ready to use them, which is why I got the Home Learning Lab. At first, he liked it for the novelty of pushing the buttons, hearing the sounds, and playing a couple of games. Then I suggested he try some early math lessons dealing with shapes and visual memory. He like the challenge of remembering the objects or shapes and identifying or sorting them using the mouse. He also liked the lesson learning his left and right hand. Now he asks for the lessons disk as opposed to the Games disk.

Recently, we tried doing the letters of the alphabet in the early reading lessons. I would help him with the sound of the letter, then he would work through the examples on his own. What he really liked was the "hidden letter maze" at the end of each lesson. The screen is filled with various objects, for example some beginning with the letter B. If he clicked on all the B objects, they would light up and make the shape of a big letter B. He liked this so much, he kept asking to try more letters.

I really like the Lab because he can learn at his own pace--and, I have all the lessons there for him when he's ready.. It's a great resource.

From Dr. Margaret E. Mathews, M.D.

I am a single parent of three girls ages 3, 5 and 8. The availability of the HomeQuest Home Learning Lab allowed me to make the decision to homeschool my children. I work three ten hour days as a physician in a walk-in clinic. With the computer program as its core, I was able to arrange to have my child care center supervise my oldest daughters homeschool educational program the days that I work. There she uses the Home Learning Lab and completes the daily assignments I designate. My days "off" I go over her learning lab scores, correct written assignments and offer direct tutoring. This new endeavor gives me a sense of independence I never thought possible: freedom from the school system and its schedule; detailed knowledge of what my daughter is learning, how she is learning, where her difficulties lie; more control over adverse societal influences on my family; and release from the fear of "grade inflation".

From Chris Stamper, age 13, Owenton, KY

I like the Home Learning Lab and it has helped me in many ways. Three things that I like about the Home Learning Lab are the things that the people in the lessons (the cartoons) are doing, their jobs, how it is so organized, and the quizzes at the end of the higher-education lessons. Three things that the Home Learning Lab has helped me with are my typing, quotes that people have said and my math. The lab has helped me with my math because I have learned the pattern to Pascal's Triangle and how the magic numbers work. My knowledge of how algebra works and how to solve other math problems has also increased. I also like how the program is organized because it makes it real easy for people to use, and for some people it helps them to be organized themselves. I also like the quizzes because I can make sure I have learned something in the lesson.

From Ann Coles, Fort Knox, KY

We bought our learning lab in January 1994 to help with homeschooling our two daughters, Katy (age 8) and Chrissy (age 4). My preschooler has enjoyed it immensely. We used the kindergarten basic math concepts section for our at-home learning the first year.

The concepts are presented in such a fun way. Chrissy loves to go back and do the lessons over and over again. This is one of the features I like best--the non-consumable nature of the curriculum as opposed to workbooks. Even before a child can hold a pencil, they can point to letters, numbers, shapes and colors using the mouse with instant gratification for right answers.

Our older daughter was delighted to find that the subjects used to explain concepts were at her age and interest level. Lessons using horses and dogs are among her favorites. Also learning typing by helping Kiki, the world traveling teen, go from adventure to adventure has sparked an interest in what would otherwise seem like manual labor to an eight year old.

In searching for school curriculum choices, my husband and I were drawn by the creative, interactive approach to the subject areas, while maintaining a strong academic emphasis with non-denominational and multicultural settings. We always speak highly of your products to others who are interested in reintroducing their children to real learning experiences.

From Diane Hoover, Clive, Iowa

I started doing research back in October 1994 on Homeschooling learning everything I could possibly get my hands on to read and study. I looked at every curriculum I could possibly find. I spent hundreds of hours doing research. I always seemed to come to a dead end as far as any type of a core curriculum until I ran into HomeQuest

HomeQuest is something that does not try to backtrack my children or slow them down--to tell them how fast or slow they need to work. They can go at their own speed, they can advance as quickly as they want or I can move them backward if they are having problems on a given level.

My son was considered ADD and is now no longer on medication to control his hyperactivity. The computer is working with him on a one-to-one. He loves the immediate feedback (the positive). I hear him getting upset if he gets negative feedback which was never an issue before. He didn't care (about education) before he had the HomeQuest curriculum. He didn't care whether his answers were correct or not. The tracking system has been wonderful; he knows it exists, so therefore he goes ahead and finishes his work. I have even caught him up at night doing his assignments on the computer after bedtime such as working on a Monday assignment on Friday night just because he wants to do it. This is a child who a few months ago, you couldn't get him to do his school work.

Also one of the reasons I got involved with HomeQuest as a consultant is that the product is so good and it has given me so much more freedom in my time. Finally I have been able to keep my house clean, to cook meals for my husband and my children and to have lots of time to do fun things with my kids. They are usually finished with their studies in a couple of hours each day. Now we can go and have fun on field trips, go to the zoo, build a kaleidoscope, do whatever we I choose to do. I just would like to make it easier for all the other mothers. It is a huge responsibility to teach our children at home or even to find the extra time to tutor them or even to pay to have them tutored.

Life can be fun and exciting and you can have more free time to enjoy it if you have the HomeQuest curriculum. I'd like to thank Howard Ruff for having the foresight to make such a product available to my family.

Dallas, Texas: Two separate children, each with Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD), were unable to sit still in a classroom or focus their attention on any educational materials for more than ten minutes at a time. Each of these children worked steadily and happily on the learning lab for over 90 minutes and the sessions ended only when their parents pulled them away from the computer.

Los Angeles, CA: Delinquent students (4th and 5th grade) in one of LA County's court schools enter the educational program from one to three years behind in their studies. They use a Learning Lab 50 minutes per day (five days per week)-- and make up three months for every month on the system.

Provo, UT: Our eighth grade son, previously a C- student, recently used the Home Learning Lab to prepare a school report. He received an A+ on his report--the first time ever.

Orange County, CA: Our thirteen-year old daughter is a gifted student and does very well in her studies. Unfortunately, she has been sick and missed quite a bit of school this past month. As a result she had fallen behind in her algebra classs and was frumping around about never being able to catch up again. The next day our Learning Lab arrived, and after spending 90 minutes on the algebra lessons, she was caught up and happy again.

For more information and/or demonstration please fill out this form:

• E-mail Chester Hope - Independent Consultant
• Phone (707) 558-9213 office

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