POLL regarding Cathy Duffy

[PaigeP]

This poll is for those of us who have utilized reviews of Cathy Duffy of cathyduffyreviews.com and/or her book. Also, this poll is for those of us who have USED a curriculum and have also read Cathy Duffy's review of that same curriculum.

Edited April 9, 2012 by PaigeP

[Karen in CO]

I've found that for me, I can't rely on most people's recomendations about curriculum. Most people's kids aren't my kids. I have also found that if I really want to use a curriculum, I'll read the review as supporting my plan, and if I don't like a curriculum, I'll read it as supporting that idea too. If I am honestly evaluating something with an open mind (doesn't happen often :lol:), I can often read reviews and gain useful information. But her reviews don't really override ideas I already have about something.

 

I do better looking at samples and talking to people that I know.

[SuperDad]

I've found that for me, I can't rely on most people's recomendations about curriculum. Most people's kids aren't my kids. I have also found that if I really want to use a curriculum, I'll read the review as supporting my plan, and if I don't like a curriculum, I'll read it as supporting that idea too. If I am honestly evaluating something with an open mind (doesn't happen often :lol:), I can often read reviews and gain useful information. But her reviews don't really override ideas I already have about something.

 

I do better looking at samples and talking to people that I know.

Same here. My kids are just too far off "average" or "normal", I guess.

 

 

The thing with Cathy Duffy reviews (which is similar to Rainbow Resource reviews) is that it's all positive. It picks out whatever is positive about the product.

 

I find it most helpful when someone tells me what they don't like about something.

 

So most of the time I just have to try stuff out for myself.

 

I feel the same. Also, Cathy Duffy reviews are mostly just preliminary thoughts offered after a quick look-over of whatever product she is reviewing. So they are valuable reviews, but I still want to talk to someone who's actually used the product.

[houseofkids&pets]

I agree with the above comments. It seems like her reviews are typically positive, but I really want to hear the pros and cons. I end up having to purchase items and give them a try. If things don't work out, I sell it or give it away.

[jessicamcc]

I agree with the above comments. It seems like her reviews are typically positive, but I really want to hear the pros and cons. I end up having to purchase items and give them a try. If things don't work out, I sell it or give it away.

 

I,too, want pros and CONS. I like her reviews; they just need a more realistic twist on them for everyday use.

[Mynyel]

I said other.

 

I didn't really care for her reviews. It has been awhile but the reviews just didn't' tell me what I wanted to know about the product I was looking at.

 

She also didn't have reviews for each curricula I was looking at either. :)

[KristenR]

I used to read reviews like Cathy Duffy but found them too stiff. I much prefer reading homeschooling blogs where parents show the curriculum in use and talk about the pros and cons in their household. It seems more real to me and the information is usually more detailed about the things I would want to know.

[Penelope]

Somewhat useful early on in homeschooling as a quick overview of what a program is. I think that is her target, though. Newish homeschoolers.

 

Like reviews at TOS, they are generally positive and not usually helpful in deciding whether a program is what I am looking for and what it is like in actual use.

 

Plus, she likes a whole lot of things that I don't think are very good. :tongue_smilie:

[Ellie]

Also, Cathy Duffy reviews are mostly just preliminary thoughts offered after a quick look-over of whatever product she is reviewing.

ITA wanting to know what actual users think, but Cathy doesn't do quick look-overs. She really does read through the whole thing.

 

Some of her comments make me scratch my head, but if nothing else, people at least know that those products exist, and can check them out in more detail if they sound interesting, KWIM?

[SilverMoon]

I generally only head over there when I just can't dig up solid reviews or explanations for a particular curricula. She does a fairly good job at explaining the flavor of the curricula and how it's set up. That said, i wasn't sure how to vote. Her descriptions are as thorough as someone who hasn't actually used the curricula can get.

 

She seems to like everything, and like RR, only posts positive comments. If she'd have it set up like RR where actual users can add their own reviews it could be more effective.

[A.Balaban]

I said neutral. I read her reviews, and then go to look at the curriculum, and then go to look at *other* reviews, and blogs, to find positives and negatives. She writes a glowing recommendation of Happy Phonics in her book, and I was completely turned off by the look and feel of that program. There are other examples, but that one drove me crazy.

 

I do like how her reviews are typically more indepth and cover more of the program that a typical 4-5 line review.

[edeemarie]

I would say she is pretty reliable. When I look at her reviews I am looking at the things like whether it is teacher intensive and what learning styles it works well for. It's nice to just get a quick synopsis of what the curriculum is all about too.

[Ecclecticmum]

I purchased her book, and accessed her website. It was helpful to me at the beginning, to find "rabbit trails" to wander down, But her and I are so much different in terms of teaching & writing styles, that for me, in the end, her reviews were not that helpful. I found I most came to rely on the "facts" of the review, more than the review itself (92 page worrkbook, 5 part series, 1st book biology etc)

 

I have put down neutral as I think the ups & downs sort of even themselves out. I look at both Cathy Duffy Reviews & Homeschool Reviews dot com now, not for the reviews, but to remind me of any curriculums I have forgotten to have a look at.

 

Really for reviews, I haven't found better places than the forums, and blogs. With both forums & blogs you get to know the family that little bit more, so can understand why a certain curriculum may have not worked for the, but may still work for you.

[ALB]

I actually feel like the reviews are somewhat detailed for what they are. I feel like I get a pretty accurate view of the product from her descriptions, although I don't always agree with her teaching philosophy.

[Mommyfaithe]

I've found that for me, I can't rely on most people's recomendations about curriculum. Most people's kids aren't my kids. I have also found that if I really want to use a curriculum, I'll read the review as supporting my plan, and if I don't like a curriculum, I'll read it as supporting that idea too. If I am honestly evaluating something with an open mind (doesn't happen often :lol:), I can often read reviews and gain useful information. But her reviews don't really override ideas I already have about something.

 

I do better looking at samples and talking to people that I know.

 

:D:iagree:

[Kathryn]

I generally only head over there when I just can't dig up solid reviews or explanations for a particular curricula. She does a fairly good job at explaining the flavor of the curricula and how it's set up. That said, i wasn't sure how to vote. Her descriptions are as thorough as someone who hasn't actually used the curricula can get.

 

She seems to like everything, and like RR, only posts positive comments. If she'd have it set up like RR where actual users can add their own reviews it could be more effective.

 

ITA with this. I read them when I'm looking for quick information on a product, not so much for opinions though. I think her site would be tremendously more valuable if she opened it up for user comments on each product.

[asmall]

I voted for other because I find that most of the reviews are all about the good in a program. I feel like everything I read has been reviewed while wearing rose colored glasses.

AL

[Mom22ns]

I think many of your responses are similar and I'm not sure I'm adding anything new.

 

Cathy Duffy looks for who a program might fit, and tells how it would be good for that learner. I glean a lot from that saying, that sounds great for my child or that is not at all the type of learner I have. She is descriptive of the programs, but calls them all good. I look at her descriptions and find them a good overview. I don't think, just because she gave it a good review, it will be perfect for us.

[Punks in Ontario]

I'm with alot of others here. I just find her reviews a positive summary that does little to tell me what the material is really like. I want pros, cons, and an idea of how hard it is to implement, not a sunny paragraph on what it looks like.

[Princess Peach]

I voted neutral. I do look at her reviews and others and I like to come here and see what people say, but at the end of the day, sometimes I just won't know if it'll work until I use it. And my kids are all so different from one another, that what works for one may bomb with another, so it's not a one size fits all thing.

[missmoe]

I find them overly positive--almost like an advertisement. I like to see positives and negatives. Sometimes the negatives for others are actually positives for me.

 

I sometimes review things for a homeschool catalog. The same thing is given to a group of us. I am almost always the only one that mentions anything negative in my reviews. So perhaps, positive reviews are what people want to see.

[Ellie]

I generally only head over there when I just can't dig up solid reviews or explanations for a particular curricula. She does a fairly good job at explaining the flavor of the curricula and how it's set up. That said, i wasn't sure how to vote. Her descriptions are as thorough as someone who hasn't actually used the curricula can get.

 

She seems to like everything, and like RR, only posts positive comments. If she'd have it set up like RR where actual users can add their own reviews it could be more effective.

She seems to like everything because she only reviews the things she likes; she prefers not to make negative comments about products. :-)

[famof5redheads]

Somewhat useful early on in homeschooling as a quick overview of what a program is. I think that is her target, though. Newish homeschoolers.

 

Like reviews at TOS, they are generally positive and not usually helpful in deciding whether a program is what I am looking for and what it is like in actual use.

 

Plus, she likes a whole lot of things that I don't think are very good. :tongue_smilie:

 

Agree. She's a good start for familiarizing yourself with a lot of different things early on, and I include her review when I'm looking into something I'm unfamiliar with. But like others have said there is nothing like actually getting your hands on a copy of the products yourself. Of course, the more years under your belt the better you are at evaluating how it will work (or not) for you and your kids.

[kolamum]

I haven't been led astray yet, but then she led me to my first curriculum which we used for many years. Now when i'm debating something I peek over there, but I always do my own research too. :D