Victus Study Skills System ~ REVIEW

I'm going to be honest, school was hard for me growing up.  I struggled with keeping up and learned very early on that in order for me to pass or do above just a passing grade I was going to need to study.  And for me that was flashcards, writing and rewriting notes and highlighting till my hands were permanently yellow.  I did this all on my own and never thought to teach my kids how to study and learn in a way that would be most effective for them.  I just taught them what I knew to do and luckily for them we kind of have the same strengths and weaknesses in the learning department.  But, Kaden has way different thinking, so I was excited to learn how to meet his needs.  Lucky for me I was able to use an amazing Study Skills program from Victus Study Skills System. 

We have been using their Level 2: Elementary (2/3-4/5), Level 3 (5/6-10/11), Level 4 (10/11-College) and the Student Planner.  The Victus Study Skills System is a series of 4 different workbooks available for different grade levels that offer a unique learning experience on strengthening your child's study skills.  Along with the Teacher supplements and guides you will be able to see the progress as your child works through the workbook chosen for him or her.

 
I decided to start and focus the most with Kaden, mainly because he's my wild card and I struggle the most with him.  He sees no value in studying and often uses his excellent memory to just store facts.  But, when he struggles with recalling something he gets annoyed.  With this program I am hoping to awaken good learning habits and independence for him.
First off I have to say that I truly love how all the books kind of run right alongside each other.  I had both kids and myself working together a few times and it was a great experience.  With Kaden I decided to use the elementary version, like each of the levels you start with Where am I now?, followed by Where do I want to be? and finally How do I get there?.  Kaden started with a study habits checklist and then went on to decipher his learning strengths.  Very simple, straightforward and he was able to complete it independently.  For him it was interesting to see how maybe doing a few things differently may allow him more successful results.  For instance he found out he is a Kinesthetic and visual learner.  I knew that, but for him to see that on paper caught his attention.  While he went through the tips section for building on his learning strengths he circled several of them to try out.  Some we have tried so far is doing math on the trampoline, taking breaks and studying upside-down.  Using a highlighter while reading and putting pictures to facts for better memorization.  And applying these things has truly been fun for him and it was on his terms which made him feel in control and independent.  As a child with special needs this means the world to him.  

Kaden was able to create a mission statement and we have decided the family needs one too, so we are working on that.  I will say the goal section was a little harder for him, he is a very literal thinker, so a goal is hard for him to see.  But this acronym pictured above was tremendously helpful.  He was able to roughly come up with some goals.  They were not typical goals,  but they were important for him.

The last section was all about time management, weekly and monthly, how to use a planner and manage his study time wisely.  Using a planner and staying organized were a little overwhelming for him, so we are still knee deep in it.  But, I want to take our time and truly allow him to feel good about these skills he is learning how to implement in his life.  Other things coming up he will learn about is how to be an active listener, how to take notes, ways to reduce test anxiety and prepare for any type of test.  And several other gems that I think will change his learning experience here at home.  

I'm truly thankful to have been able to go through this with him.  This is perfectly set up for kids with special needs.  Simple font, easy to follow directions, sensory friendly with neutral colors and not a ton of distracting pictures.  Kaden also said that the lessons are bite sized so you don't feel overwhelmed with the information.  Did Kaden learn anything?  Yes, I have seen an improvement in his confidence and attitude towards the process of education. 

Now I do have also the Level 3 (5/6-10/11) that I will be using with Kaden probably next year or two as a refresher to the one we are currently doing.  It has the same exact layout, just more in depth as it's intended for older kids.  This age range can handle bigger chunks of work and more thought on the subject of time management and organization.  I loved the suggestions and how it builds off of what is in the previous book.  Can't wait to do it with Kaden next year.

Mahala is finished with school and is thinking about college.  I thought taking this course would give her a little direction in whichever path she takes.  This workbook is even more simple then even Kaden's was, so it was nice because Mahala thought it was going to be a little babyish, but she was surprised after a few pages in.  It went along the same path.... Where am I now?, followed by Where do I want to be? and finally How do I get there?.  She said she was interested and happy to see a sample college syllabus.  And thought that the time management examples were helpful.  She was able to see that with her current schedule and work college maybe out of reach at the moment.

Her favorite section was learning tips and tricks to do before she starts to study, like having a designated space, prioritizing what needs to be done and to practice self care.  Learning what the best learning environment for her is gold hear.  I mean Mom can only tell her so many times, but to read it in black and white makes way more sense! :)  Right now she is still in the test taking strategies section and learning that she is more of a passive student unless it's on a subject she likes then she becomes a more active student.  Seeing the 168 hour worksheet brought me joy, because I truly want her to be able to manage her day, be independent and feel in control of her days.  

Did Mahala get some clarity and strengthen her study skills?  Absolutely, I was very pleased with how well she did and how enthusiastic she was about working through the workbook.  I think all college bound students should have a copy of this workbook.

The Teacher Edition is a fabulous tool to go along with every single workbook.  It goes over the philosophy of the program and guidance as you work through the program.  I appreciated the lesson overviews and the helpful "student view" pages so I knew exactly what they were seeing.

And lastly, the Student Planner.  The beginning gives you a brief intro to how to use it, a section about your values and how to define them.  You also go over goals, priorities and more.  In the back is a place to log grades and a place to jot out a life plan with examples.  The main focus of course is the weekly calendars.  I super love how simple it is, straightforward, clean and just perfect.  It's all I ever wanted in a planner.  Maybe I will take it for myself....shhhhh :)  

It features a huge spread with goals and objectives for each day.  A prioritized to do list and a who said that and odd but true little extra at the bottom.  Both the kids really liked those fun little facts.  

Overall this was a blast, we all enjoyed going through these workbooks and planner.  If you are a homeschooler or not these would be a huge benefit in your child's learning experience.  And I feel like it gives us homeschool teachers a look into the way they learn, and think and that's helpful as well.  Make sure you connect with Victus Study Skills System on social media and click bellow to read what other homeschool families had to say about the Victus Study Skills System.
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