22 June 2022

A news broadcast from Math-U-See - USA. (and then from Oikos)

From Math-U-See USA

We work very hard to limit the impact on customers and have taken measures over the past year to keep costs low and avoid having to pass on an increase to our customers. Our last price increase was back in January 2019. But over the past few months, it has become clear that we need to increase our prices.

From Oikos.

The increase on all Math-U-See books has already been effected in the USA (from 14 June). We would like to give the South Africans a bit of warning regarding this increase and therefore you can expect all Math-U-See products to have an increase of 10% from the 14 July 2022 on the Oikos website. We echo the words of Math-U-See USA regarding taking measures over the past years to keep costs down, however, it has now become unavoidable, sadly, prices must increase.

Update

Out of Stock and Audiobooks.

Our import for Oikos stock items, which was placed on the 23rd of January, went missing. It was found late March. Now we wait for it to arrive here in South Africa.

What does this mean to you?

Well, behind the scenes we are making audio books (where we can….depending on permissions etc) so that these will be available for your children to listen to and then do the lessons pertaining to that novel. Parents have expressed some concerns regarding the books going out of stock on the Oikos site and then only the audiobook being available, with the question being, ‘how does that support the reading process?’ Well the novels are readily available as ebooks so a parent can get the digital version and a child can follow along while listening to the audiobook. In fact, those in the audiobook world consider the experience that a person gets by listening to a novel as being very impactful and supportive of the learning process. For the following reasons.

1. It gives wings to imagination.

2. It helps a struggling reader to be able to enjoy the story while possibly following along with the digital book (or just listening to the story) which then removes the struggle and replaces that with the opportunity to listen, imagine and enjoy, rather than have an experience of difficulty which could bear the fruit of having a dislike of literature.

3. Due to point 2 it is considered that listening to audiobooks is a very positive learning experience as it removes certain eliminates such as… drifting focus, eye strain, fatigue, negative experience to literature as mentioned in point number 2.

Personal testimony.

As we have had learning difficulties in our family we have been utilising the aid of audiobooks for many years, all the way back to the days of ‘Tape Aids for the Blind’ and what we discovered through this is the blessing of the whole family enjoying the book together while listening, therefore even those that did not struggle with any form of learning difficulties equally benefited from the experience of the story itself which then resulted in a love of literature.

On the topic of Tape Aids for the Blind, we feel very blessed and privileged to be able to produce these audiobooks for those that have vision difficulties.

So we are convicted and motivated to continue producing audiobooks in spite of whether Oikos has stock of these titles or not.

AUDIOBOOKS now available to add to your Oikos basket on the Oikos online store.

Between now and then (whenever ’then’ may be!) we are making all the audio books on the Oikos site available for purchase right here. Meaning you do not have to go elsewhere to proceed with the purchase to attain the audiobook of your choosing.

We have been trying to get this in place for a few years now, and even though we have continued producing the books we have not been able to offer them to you directly on the Oikos website - until now. You may have seen the audiobooks on the Oikos online store but if you wanted one you would have been re-directed to purchase it elsewhere, eg: google play.

It is going to take some time for us to have all the audiobooks we have produced available directly on the Oikos online store but we are going to be working on it every day from now until they are all there for you. 

What is even more exciting is that as we make these audiobooks available I’m going to give away 10 free per title. This is the best part because it means that you could have the opportunity to listen to one (or more) of the audiobooks without having to consider the cost.  I am excited about this because i know that these books contain such valuable content (that is why we have produced them) and now you can listen to them while driving or washing dishes…..etc.   

I will put the giveaway codes notice here, and on the Oikos Facebook page as they become available.

Lastly, to spot which of the audio books are available directly through Oikos, the blue button which says ‘add to basket’, are the ones which can be purchased and paid for on checkout on the Oikos online store. The blue buttons which say ‘purchase’ are those that can be purchased via another platform that sell audiobooks. 

Currently this audiobook is available for you to obtain for free. 

The Kings Daughter and other Stories for girls.

https://awesound.com/a/the-kings-daughter-and-other-short-stories?code=ABgiftTKD 

All you need to do is click on this link then fill in your name and email and you will be able to start listening. Happy listening. I hope you are blessed.

Yes, you can now obtain ‘Lifetime Access’ by streaming the instruction videos and online South African version Instruction Manual & lesson solutions. As well as the USA – Skip Count Songs MP3s and Songbook PDFs, and other online resources from any browser. You’ll also have access to the Math-U-See Digital Manipulatives.

Access begins at time of online purchase or redemption of access code.

How do you access these online video lessons ?

After you purchase your digital pack (DP) you will receive an email with your access code. Please allow a minimum of 48hrs for activation.

Note: Digital Packs do not include Student Workbook or Tests.

Important Special IP Note

Dear Parent, We are so pleased to be able to offer you this digital product for your convenience and support. You most likely are aware that due to this being a digital product it therefore requires your email address and access code. We would like to stress the importance of you not sharing your access for this product. We bring this to your attention for your own security, your long term records of your usage of this digital product as well as respect of the intellectual property (IP) of the creators, authors, developers and distributors. Thank you for your understanding and regard of this, it is much appreciated.

A story you should read regarding this.

A few months ago we heard the news that we would not be able to import the Math-U-See manipulative blocks. This of course was a great concern, so we prayed. We prayed most specifically for the Math-U-See team in USA because they were dealing with a supply shortage which had multiple ripple effects on them and the people. So we prayed.

When our (Oikos) stock of manipulative sets starting running low we started praying for you, the parents whom we serve and supply these resources too. A few months later i wrote a letter to share the sadness of us no longer being able to supply the blocks. The day i was going to send that letter i received word from Math-U-See USA that they could send us some (50 to be exact) block sets. These block sets are referred to as IBK’s. (Integer Block Kit). We were delighted that we would be able to keep supplying you but we did continue to pray as we wondered what would happen when the 50 IBK’s, which we were now able to get from USA, were sold.

This part of the story is where it hits the parents……sadly. Although we have managed to get more IBK’s in stock the cost to do so has resulted in a price increase of 25% !!!

We are saddened by this reality but we had to make a decision…25% increase or no IBK’s. We were so very glad that Math-U-See USA were able to supply us with the 50 IBK’s so we accepted the increase and began the import process. Now however we are faced with the decision once again as we are able to receive another 50 sets but once again the price increase will be 25%.

So this letter is to inform you that we have decided to proceed with getting more blocks so that we can continue to supply you with this valuable resource but we will need to increase the price of the blocks, so as to be able to import these blocks. We have managed to adjust the increase to be 21% instead of the 25% that we have incurred. (Truth be known, the increase to Oikos was significantly more but we were so heart sore to add even the 21% to the blocks. We now trust and hope that we can sustain these increases)

Signing off with a bitter sweet feeling in my heart. Happy that we can keep supplying you and sad about the increase.

Due to some delays currently,  you will only receive your tracking number once your order has left Oikos base.

We are experiencing a backlog at this time so you will therefore be waiting a little longer than usual to receive your order.

We would like to thank you for your order and your support of Oikos.

We would like you to know that we are working around the clock to keep stock on the shelves so we can pack your order and get it to you asap, but in spite of this, we have many factors which are influencing our efficiency in this regard, hence the delays. So, we ask for your patience and understanding and hope that while you wait you will find support and help in what we have put in place for you.

We are not sure if you are aware, or not, but we have a number of support structures in place for families who are choosing to teach their children at home. Since Oikos was established, in 1989, the primary objective is to help families who are keeping their children at home to raise and educate them. So the support that has been put in place since then continues to be strengthened with the changing of time and needs. It is this that we hope you will be blessed by and that you will find help and support through these means while you wait for your order to arrive.

Oikos YouTube channel- Videos are uploaded here routinely and there are a number of courses which you may find worth watching while you wait for your order and hopefully you will find videos/courses here for you to revisit when the time is right for you.

We also hope you will find the Oikos Facebook page helpful in keeping you updated.

You may also find the Oikos Podcasts helpful.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further assistance.

Once again, thank you for your patience and understanding

blessings

The Oikos team.

Question: Regarding LLTAL Gold, World Literature. How important is it to have the specified publisher version of the additional novels

Answer: You do not have to use the specified versions of the literature for the World Literature course. The lessons are not tied to any specific version. There are many translations of The Odyssey, some harder to read than others. We suggest that you review a few to find what works best for your student. We do recommend No Fear Shakespeare because of the modern translation, but it is not necessary for completing the lessons.

What is the difference between KONOS HOW Vol 1. and KONOS HOW Vol.2?

• Year Planning
• Goal Setting
• Portfolio Development
• Order of study
• History
• Art
• English Studies
• Bible Studies

What KONOS HOW Vol. I Covers:

• History
• Art
• English Studies
• Bible Studies
• Latin

We understand that the new payment system is different to the old, but we assure you that it is just as reliable, as well as being even more secure than before.

The changes implemented on our site are to do with EFT payments, as (in the past) they have been a huge security problem, as well as adding a time-delay to order processing.  Because of this, we implemented the SiD Instant EFT Payment method.

If you are unsure about the security measures in place, could we ask you to follow this link, as it will explain it more efficiently than we could via email.

However, we have also added a way for you to pay via your debit card.  As long as the card is either MasterCard or VISA, you can pay using the PayGate "Pay via card" section.

This video shares a personal testimony which we hope will encourage and help you.

Please watch this video which is a personal testimony of living with illness.

Please watch this video which shares about the value of family board game time.

If you still have questions feel free to contact us at [email protected]

Please watch this video for the answer. If you still have questions feel free to contact us at [email protected]

Please watch this video for the answer. If you still have questions feel free to contact us at [email protected]

While we offer educational resources for all ages, we are not a formal institution and don’t require formal registration. This is due to the vision, philosophy and objectives of the ministry.

We only require for you to register an online account (which you will be prompted to do automatically as you checkout on the Oikos online store). Registering online enables you to shop without having to enter your details every time you wish to checkout, as well as keeping a record of your previous orders.

Please watch this video for the answer. If you still have questions feel free to contact us at [email protected]

Click here for the playlist of video testimonies of other grandparents.

I, Sonja Wood, asked my mother, Yvonne McCurrach, to write her testimony of being a grandmother of home educated (Homeschooled) grandchildren. She wrote this letter to parents choosing to teach their children at home and advising them to include the grandparents as much as possible.

Letters from Granny Oikos

As promised I will outline our experiences as the grandparents of home educated (Homeschooled) children.
We have seven grandchildren ranging in age between 12 and 27 years old, four boys and three girls.  Missy and Jamie are the only two who are home educated (Homeschooled).

I would suggest that as parents who are choosing to educate your children at home, it is a good idea to have a visit with grans and grandpas, without your children, to explain your reasons, motivation and heart to them.  It is a good idea to also visit at a later stage with the children who can also tell gran and grandpa how they would like them to feel about them being home educated (Homeschooled). We were very fortunate that Greg and Sonja included us from the very start of their home education (Homeschooling) journey.

We have enjoyed being in a position where we have been ‘Hands on’ grandparents to all our precious grandchildren and so it has been a tremendous blessing to us that we have participated in Missy and Jamie’s home education (Homeschooling) from the very beginning.  We can see how much our support and participation has meant to our family and of course the rewards are numerous.

As for feeling deprived of the opportunity to brag about our grandchildren who have made it into the 1st rugby team, been chosen as an exchange student to go to U.S.A for 6 months, to win art exhibitions, be made head prefect etc. etc. not a chance.  All the above are very commendable but my personal feeling is the memories we cherish are more precious by far.  What can replace teaching my grandchildren to swim (in the dam at Mbona!!) having wonderful craft mornings together,  going for walks to find frogs,  baking gingerbread men, dressing up,  reading Bible stories, telling them stories about their Mom when she was a little girl (they love those), going on camping trips that involved writing a diary and working out how many kilometres from Mbona to Pilansburg Game Reserve. I could go on and on as many other grans could do but turning all the above into learning experiences is what has made us realise how much we can contribute to our grandchildren’s education and have lots of fun in the process. We have been richly blessed.  In addition to all the above, Sonja and the children have an annual ‘Grandparent’s Day’  when us four grandparents are treated to a lovely lunch (done by Missy and Jamie) and a sharing of the years work.  We take gifts to the children and congratulate them on their achievements.  By the way many public schooled children don’t ever win a prize because there’s not much room at the top but every year our two get commended for their efforts and have many ‘Achievement Awards’ to their credit.

I am very aware that not all grandparents are in a position to do all the above things but the fact is that even from a wheelchair grandparents can support, enjoy, love and participate in the choice that their children have made.  The alternative —  ‘Disapproval’    is soul destroying to oneself, destructive to the family and produces nothing but sadness and negative results and so my prayer is that all parents who choose the ‘Home Education (Homeschool) Route’ will seek God’s help in bringing grandparents on board with them to enrich the lives of these precious children who have been entrusted to our care, and to acknowledge the wisdom and guidance that grandparents can pass onto the children.

God bless and love from Yvonne.

P.S.  I must share with you that since coming to live at Mbona (where Greg and Sonja’s home is) it has become Jamie’s job to take granny swimming in the dam —- I sit on the back of his surfboard and we both paddle out to the centre of the dam,  slide off the board,  have a lovely swim and then I hang onto the back of the board (because I can’t haul myself back onto it) and Jamie paddles us back to the bank.   Isn’t that precious?

For Grandparents of Home Educated (Homeschooled) Grandchildren

We are the very blessed grandparents of two precious home educated (Homeschooled) grandchildren. Melissa and James are now aged 19 and 14 and so we have enjoyed being on the sidelines to see them blossoming into outstanding young adults.   Our daughter Sonja and her husband Greg drew us into the lifestyle from day one and have encouraged us to participate whenever and wherever we can enjoy sharing this amazing journey that we have all gone on.  We have been careful not to intrude and so have been led by these dedicated parents to help when our input would be of value.

Maybe we have been denied the ‘Bragging and Boasting’ that most of us enjoy in telling our friends about the ‘Trophies’ awarded to our grandchildren at school and let me emphasise that I am in no way diminishing these achievements (we have 5 other precious grandchildren of whom we are very proud)  However there is little to equal the precious times we have spent doing crafts, digging in the garden (looking for worms)  looking at stars through the telescope, sewing, knitting, planting seeds, reading together, painting pictures, learning to swim and camping   —-  where every project becomes educational in such a fun way. Believe me we have learnt so many new things ourselves that it has advanced our own education at a very late time in life!!  As they say ,   “You are never too old to learn!’  I add that even from a wheelchair or a rocking chair, be it academic, sport or creative arts you are never too old to have fun and make special memories
so………..
Go for it grannies, and grandpas – have lots of fun, be hugely blessed and very proud of your children who have made this amazing commitment to be the kind of parents who are dedicating themselves to the most noble of all callings – to present to the world young people who are in every way special and ready themselves to give to society something with which they have been blessed.

May God bless you with many more years to Support, Observe,  Participate and Enjoy the fruits of your precious family.

Yvonne McCurrach

For Further Encouragement

Please get yourself this little treasure of a booklet called Letters by Granny Oikos. Please visit the store to see this book.