We started Connect The Thoughts several years ago when they offered the Spelling Course as the free Monday give-away. I was immediately impressed with the brilliance of the author, Steven Horwich, as he recommended exactly what we were already doing. When we needed some Creative Writing assistance it was easy to turn to Connect The Thoughts for aid.

My daughter, then 9, flat out refused to attempt any of the multiple creative writing aids we had purchased. All of the courses varied in price, cuteness, length, reviews, and recommendations. The only thing they had in common was my daughter's resistance to anything they offered. The Connect The Thoughts Creative Writing turned her around and did so quickly. She went from not wanting to put anything on paper to asking me how to write on the computer so she could save the book she planned to author. She became proud of her writing. During her first Connect The Thoughts year our daughter entered and placed Third in the Georgia Public TV’s Reading Rainbow contest. She hasn’t stopped writing, yet.

After reading the How to Do Connect The Thoughts Courses Course , my daughter decided she wanted to try a few of their offerings. We started with Manners, Science and History. She became excited about learning in a way that we had not seen before. Giving her control over how fast and how in-depth she studied changed everything for her. She started notebooks for her courses and would study a subject for hours spending time at our local library and at the home computer. She would have discussions with her friends about the things she was studying and seek their opinions. She would chat, daily, with her father and I about things she had learned.

We are a Connect The Thoughts family, now. We use Saxon for Math and Grammar and Connect The Thoughts for everything else. I converted my loyalties after hearing my daughter quote Connect The Thoughts during a play date. We had just finished the Information, Right or Wrong course. The course is one of the best and I believe it should be required for all students. It is a course that teaches students to think. I don’t know of any other course like it. The course suggests to the students that they get the proof of information given to them. My daughter was discussing something with a playmate and when they could not agree on the facts of the matter she asked, "Where is your proof?" I was so proud of her. She has since become comfortable enough to ask the same question of her father and me. I am still proud of her. The question tasks me on occasion because I am forced to think, rather than mime my answers.

The Upper School courses are as well done as the Lower School courses. Steven Horwich is more than fair in his pricing of the various courses. The courses include free web sites for required movies, suggested books that can be found in most libraries, experiments the students can do (almost on their own) and hints and instructions for the parents/teachers. My daughter has friends who are public schooled and home schooled. All her friends have made positive comments on her course notebooks. One of her public schooled friend asks every visit to see what is new in the science notebook. She says my daughter "gets to learn so much more" than she ever learns.

Our family will be staying with Connect The Thoughts through Upper School. I am sure our daughter will take the lessons, so beautifully presented, with her on her life’s course. "Where is the Proof?" is part of our daughter now and we know it will serve her well. Some people never learn to ask that question. Because of Steven Horwich our daughter learned to ask the question before she had a real need to ask it. Her father and I will be thanking Steven in our prayers for the rest of our lives.