I like to consider myself pretty proficient at researching topics online...a Queen of Google if you will. Ok maybe that's an exaggeration, but I've always had confidence in my abilities to find something I'm looking for within a few minutes and a few Google inquiries. I've never thought I'd need someone else to do it for me. HelpMe2Teach.com is a website, though, that does just that--essentially your own personal Googler.HelpMe2Teach provides its subscribers with a Table of Contents listing of available subjects (you can also do your own site search by topic) that have been researched. As of this writing, there are 33 different main subject listings, each with a variety of sublistings. For example Social Studies, Science, and Holidays had well over 20 and 30 subcategories each. Clicking on a category will direct you to a list of appropriate websites which are individually coded to indicate the site's most appropriate audience(s):
- P- Primary (preK-grade 2)
- E- Elementary (grades 2-5)
- S- Secondary (grades 6-12)
- T- Teacher
HelpMe2Teach.com is updated daily and provides a quarterly email newsletter with a paid subscription. Subscription choices are as follows:
- 3-day trial: $4.95
- 1-month: $9.95
- 3-month: $15.95
- 1-year: $29.95
The annual membership also includes free research by the staff of HelpMe2Teach.
My final verdict: At first I was not enthusiastic about this website...Pay for someone to Google things for me? Why? But after having used HelpMe2Teach for the last 2 months, I've had a change of heart. Right now I have only a Kindergartener that I formally homeschool, but as time goes by I see that I have less and less time to practice reigning as Google Queen. When I turn on my computer to research something, time is precious and finding a good resource sooner is better! I like that the websites have already been researched, filtered for content, categorized, and coded. It definitely saves me having to weed through endless Google results. Did I always find everything I needed? Honestly, no, the site did not have what I wanted every time. A bummer yes, BUT remember with an annual subscription HelpMe2Teach will research a topic for me...for FREE! I need only to email them and ask. This site would be beneficial to the homeschooling family looking for free or low cost online resources and schooling aids. It's a definite asset to those homeschoolers who wish to bypass the fruitless hours of websurfing looking for just the right sites. It would also be good for the student just learning how to do online research as there is less chance of inappropriate content at these pre-researched sites rather than those that result from general online searches. I think if your family budget will allow for it, HelpMe2Teach can be a worthwhile resource: Site updated daily, quarterly newsletter, safer and relevant websites, links coded by grade/audience, and free research with annual membership. To sweeten the deal, if you purchase a one year subscription between now and December 31, 2008 for $29.95, you will get an additional year for free using code: TOS.
1 comment:
how neat. I too am a google queen but i know several people who would love this.
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