“My Personal Tutor” : A Software For Children

Choosing educational software for children is certainly not an easy task. Because so many options are available, it is easy to be overwhelmed by all the vividly colored packages, the intriguing characters, and fantastic claims of academic enhancements. How in the world does one actually choose? Fortunately, all is not lost. A software package is available, which truly encompasses those qualities, and does so without assaulting the purchaser†s pocketbook. My Personal Tutor by Microsoft, is a budget sensitive, educational enhancement package for children, with exciting graphics and an incredible academic framework. For this reason, a recent review of this program stated that â€Å"Microsoft has made a great contribution to children†s learning† (Dr. Toy). In fact, My Personal Tutor is the best choice of children†s educational software. The activities in My Personal Tutor facilitate learning in vital academic disciplines. Because of the technological advancement of our society, today†s students require more strength in critical thinking, reading, and math skills than ever before. This three CD set is dedicated to enhancing skills in those areas. For example, in Turru†s Sea Quest, the student further develops thinking skills in order to advance through the game format. By solving unfinished sentences, analyzing and completing number or shape patterns, challenging memory with matching, and matching analog compared to digital time, the child assists Captain Scratch in setting free the endangered sea creatures. In another CD, Sam†s Hide & Seek, the child strengthens reading skills in a virtual museum, with six separate rooms where the child plays interactive word games or reads stories in order to help Sam find his friends. However, the word games are not simple mindless entertainment. For instance, by solving incomplete sentences a story emerges. During this process, an amusing, vividly colored picture is painted depicting the story the child is creating. In another challenging exercise, the student reads stories and answers questions relating to the story content in order to gain points, thereby fostering comprehension. Finally, in a third CD, the child†s world becomes an incredible space station where the goal is to help a new friend, Spy, capture alien stowaways. In Spy†s Space Station, traditional math of the past is transformed into exciting activities, which virtually hold the child hostage with interest. To illustrate, in the Astro Disco, one of the six areas in the space station, the dancers are victims to zero gravity. The student†s job is to fit the helpless dancers with the proper number of gravity boots, so they may come down from the ceiling. Once the task is complete, the appreciative dancers take the floor, performing an exciting dance for their rescuer. In a different area, the student may choose to solve currency equations in order to purchase clothing for the undercover alien police. What†s more, in yet another area, the child recycles space junk by sorting according to greater than, equal to, or less than, in order to make tools needed for the station. Although the academic tutorials within this set are comprehensive and truly without compare, the overall success of this set lies in its ability to captivate and sustain the student†s attention. Through well-designed game objectives, My Personal Tutor generates long term interest. All the activities are designed as a means to an end, regardless of whether that end is setting free endangered sea creatures, finding hidden friends in a museum, or catching alien stowaways on a space station. The goals are met methodically, through a sense of teamwork with the lively characters in their respective worlds. The interactive characters are encouraging throughout the challenge, supporting the player, and encouraging him or her to continue. After the player has met a goal, an exciting celebration takes place. Even more, if the child has permission, he or she can print a colorful picture as a memento of the success. Irrespective of the shower of accolades by children, parents too have many reasons for excitement about this set. Parents can feel confident that the purchase of this set is a cost-effective enhancement to the child†s education, as well as an excellent source of reinforcement for vital social skills. The price of $14. 95, after the rebate, is trivial in comparison to all that is included in this set. In fact, with more than 1000 multimedia tutorials, over 70 learning objectives, adjustable levels of difficulty, and ongoing progress reports (Microsoft Kids), justifying a price of even five times that amount would be easy. However, educational enhancement is not the only quality this set encompasses. Many implicit lessons are delicately woven into the activities. Specifically, setting and methodically working toward a goal. In fact, every activity within this set is goal oriented. In addition, the ideal of working together is effectively designed within all the game formats. In other words, this set truly encompasses the full range of essential skills necessary for success in the first and second grade levels. Therefore, My Personal Tutor surpasses the parent†s expectations for an educational enhancement program. A common goal among parents is that their child be healthy, happy, and ultimately reach his or her maximum potential. It is believed that a sound education will help open doors in order for that dream to become a reality. To that end, parents often devote much time and effort to improving the quality of their child†s education. Therefore, it is understandable for a parent to have high expectations of an educational enhancement program purchased for their child. My Personal Tutor fulfills even the highest of such expectations. My Personal Tutor provides an incredibly comprehensive academic framework, consisting of strengthening exercises in critical thinking, reading, and math skills. These tutorials are skillfully designed in such a manner as to reframe the concept of such disciplines. Through the activities in this set, exercises in math, reading, and critical thinking are transformed from drudgery into a mission filled with fun and excitement, where the child works with others in order to meet a goal. What more could a parent ask for? For this reason, My Personal Tutor by Microsoft is the best choice of children†s educational enhancement software.