More on Math-U-See Digital Pack and other things.
Exciting digital developments
Hi, thank you for joining me. I have a few things to share with you today but the bulk of todays newsletter is going to be about the Math-U-See Digital Pack.
For those of you who have bought the digital pack in the past you may have had some struggles with access since the end of July. And now here we are in the middle of August. First of all I must tell you that this struggle was never meant to transpire, naturally…. Math-U-See, and Oikos never anticipated such a massive problem arising, in fact quite the opposite was what was suppose to happen as in Math-U-See was, and is, always finding ways to make things better and the difficulties parents have been having with access to their Digital Packs came about due to Math-U-See moving to a better system for the families. This move was going to happen in the back ground and be a smooth switch however that did not go exactly according to the best tried and tested plans! As many parents have come to know, due to the access struggles they have had. However, the good news of today is that it is all sorted. Math-U-See certainly needed our prayer support through these first few weeks of August as they we spinning their wheels in ways beyond our realization. Shame, they have had quite a time and even though we all know this should not happen they too have been acutely aware of that hence them jumping through all the hoops to have it sorted asap but the asap could just not happen fast enough for them and the rest of us. I want to thank the parents for their understanding and patients through this trial. I have been wanting to fix it quicker for everyone but my hands were chopped off and all I could do was to keep letting Math-U-See know that the struggles continued on this side of the world, while also assuring them of our continued prayer support.
I must add that this ordeal, although it clashed with our timing of moving the Oikos store to Bobshop, did highlight the fact that as much as we would like to keep things as they are because we become accustomed to them as such, we realised that while change can feel uncomfortable at the time we know when it has to be and this has been the case this month of August. These changes have had to be, for Math-U-See and their digital pack server changes and us moving to Bobshop. I cast my mind back to the changes that have taken place in Oikos over the years and each time they have been shocking, to say the least, but each time they have been necessary even though at the time it often seems inconceivable.
I will give you one such example of this. On the 30 November 2019 I was very clearly convicted that I must cancel the moms retreats, which were booked, for 2020. It was one of those, inconceivable, yet it was necessary for reasons which, at the time, were incomprehensible. Taking the steps required to cancel was not easy but compelling and conviction to follow His lead helped to put into practice what must be done. So we did. Well, I need not have to tell anyone what followed in 2020….a year which will be forever imprinted in people’s minds as an unexpected shock. However, good has come from that, also, we cannot yet fully comprehend. I remember my mother saying these words during the pandemic. “I think God needed to re-set the world.”
To go back to Math-U-See and the digital pack. The reality is that DVD’s are being phased out, as anyone who has bought a laptop recently will know, there is no disc playing slot! So one of my plans to help parents while Math-U-See was working hard behind the scenes to fix the access problem to the digital pack, was to send out DVD’s. While we still have them ! But when I offered this to parents they told me how the digital pack had been working so well for them since they purchased it and how much better it is and how pleased they are for it because they no longer have any means of playing the DVD’s anyway so it would be wasteful to send them one. So then my next plan was to help them with giving ideas and suggestions of doing some revision and applied maths, or even, just taking a maths break ! This was not acceptable to some parents because they had employed a maths tutor to come give lessons and so it was being very problematic not being able to access the digital pack. Once again, this got me thinking about how the maths tutor would need to ‘think outside the box’ as it were, to keep being able to do what they do without things being as they were accustomed to them being. So on that, I then began to hear of stories of maths tutors who were adapting and being very creative while waiting for the digital pack access.
So, as I mentioned, this newsletter was going to be a lot on the topic of Math-U-See however I do have a few other things to share but before I leave the Math-U-See topic. I must say that the problems seem to have been fully resolved but if you are still having a struggle due to something jammed or whatever please, please do not struggle on and on with the difficulty. Send me an email, sonja@oikosfamily.co.za and I will forward that to Math-U-See and they then help us. Of course they are 8 hours behind us South Africans so it will not be an instant resolve but it will be better than you going around in circles for days with difficulty.
Remember, we are here to help so don’t hesitate to either phone or send an email if the phone connections are not working.
And now onto some other matters.
I sincerely hope you are finding the Bobshop site easy to manage. We have added ‘previously sold on Oikos store’ to every description so that now if you put in the search field in Bobshop the word Oikos, you should see all the books that were on the Oikos store website however they are not categorized as they were before so for that you will need to be specific, as I mentioned in previous newsletters. Put in the Bobshop search field a specific title, for example, MATHUSEE Geometry. One dad called in to say he could not find the geometry student book he needed for his son because he saw so many other books relating to Geometry but not the MATHUSEE one. When I suggested he include the word MATHUSEE he then saw the MATHUSEE Geometry. So that it why it is important to be specific.
Another thing we have discovered on this changeover is that due to it being a bit complicated to have the Oikos eBooks available for purchase on Bobshop we have come up with another way which we are thrilled about. I am going to be giving the eBooks to families via the Patreon model. I’m excited about this as it means I can keep uploading them there, on the Patreon page, and offer them each week to OIKOS Patrons (Patreon is not a free subscription like this newsletter, it’s much the same cost of us having a ‘cup of tea visit’ once a month !) anyway, the idea is to have the eBooks there for people to access without having to purchase them separately. This is a new development since this change to Bobshop has transpired….so I’m hoping more good will happen due to these necessary changes. Having done the maths I know that it will be a big cost saving to families being able to have access to these eBooks this way while also having the extra support via the Patreon model.
I do believe all these changes are ultimately for the good, I know I keep saying that but it is because I really believe it. Another flash back with regard to change is when we were given explicit instructions to close the pillar programme, which at the time was a huge support to so many, again it was incomprehensible. The reasons for that would only reveal themselves years later yet when we looked back over the years we could see clearly why the timing had to be when it was.
I do hope that this encourages you to follow your convictions, even if you have huge opposition from all sides, if you get confirmation through Gods Word and through Him showing you in no uncertain terms that it must be done…..and you obey…..you will be blessed because even through the valley, if you need to go through the valley while following your conviction, we find treasures and gems there, in the valley, that we otherwise would have missed.
So it is my prayer that you find treasures if you are experiencing a valley time. Take time to look for the treasures while you there, in the valley, don’t miss them!
To go back to the eBooks matter. I was first sad to think we could not easily have them on Bobshop and then Patreon announced developments afoot for more content to be available on the platform so I looked into it and then my sadness was replaced with joy to have found an even better way! I found that while I was in the valley.
I have more to share but as usual when I get this far in, in a newsletter I think I should stop and share the more in the next newsletter.
So, thank you for subscribing to this newsletter, if you decide to subscribe to Oikos Patreon I hope you will find it of value to you, and you find some treasures!
Keep smiling and remember Joy=Strength
eBooks for you on the Oikos Patreon platform. I will be uploading one a week for you to have for your digital library
And, here is a 2 minute tip for you which used to help me to keep peace in the home while building honour and respect of God.