Oak Meadow for high school?

[Emma]

Anyone use O.M. for high school either the printed text or online, one class or many. Please tell me your experiences. Thanks!

[AngieW in Texas]

I started using a lot of OM this year for my 9th grader. We are using the printed texts without teacher service.

 

I like the history program. My dd actually enjoys reading the text. The questions go deeper than just regurgitation. There is a list of projects for each chapter that she is supposed to choose from. There is enough variety in the project suggestions that my dd can always find at least one she's interested in doing. The pacing is just about perfect. There are no tests, just questions and a project for each chapter. There is also a midterm project. I haven't looked at the end yet, so I'm not sure if there's another one at the end or not.

 

Instead of doing Environmental Science for 9th grade like they have scheduled, I opted to do their 10th grade Biology instead. I think it would have been better to start with Environmental. I don't like the pacing they set up for Biology. They cover every chapter of the book, so that means that some weeks schedule 2 chapters. My dd cannot manage more than one chapter each week, so this course is going to run into the summer. I have the teacher edition of the text in addition to the OM teacher manual. The teacher edition shows 7 different plans for getting through the book, not one of them covers every chapter in the book. We are going to go ahead and do the whole book. We just can't manage it in 36 weeks.

 

My dd likes the Health text. She doesn't particularly like that it has a test every week instead of daily work. This program schedules 2 chapters for one week occasionally, but that's not a problem with the health text. The syllabus schedules the entire book to be finished in one semester and then is more of a fitness and nutrition program for the second semester. I think the 2nd half looks pretty neat and I'm sure my dd will enjoy it.

 

That's all that we've used so far. I plan to have my oldest do OM Government next year for 12th grade, but have the rest of her coursework be at the cc. My middle dd will continue using mostly OM next year. I will probably be switching my youngest to OM next year as well. We won't use OM Math because we're happy with what we have. I also will probably continue with PH Science Explorer for my youngest because I already own all of it.

[Guest Pintopia]

Hi Emma,

 

We have always been very happy with OM materials. We used full programs in Middle School and for High School we have so far used their English 9, 10th Biology, Photography Elective & Writing Short Fiction Elective. We plan to use their Gov’t, Chem & Physics along with some of their Arts & Technology Electives over the next 2 years. We too use the printed curriculum without enrollment or teacher support and have always been very happy.

 

Hope that helps,

Christine

[gingersmom]

I am using Oak Meadow 7th grade history right now and plan on using bits/pieces of their program for high school.

 

I found the teachers manual to be a complete waste of money. And my only other complaint is I wish there were tests (or a test packet you could purchase separately).

[Emma]

Angie, thanks for such a detailed description of OM. I see where you also use SL. That's what we've used for the past 2 yrs. How does OM compare? I just can't imagine giving up all the great literature.

 

Pintopia,

That sounds great! My dd is a avid photographer. What can you tell me about that class and the fiction class? How was 9th grade English?

 

Gingersmom,

 

Thanks for responding. It's good to know people have used OM and been pleased with it. That's bad about the tests though. What courses are you considering for high school?

[AngieW in Texas]

I have always had to do adapting with SL since we're not a religious family. Adapting OM is a lot easier. I just have to add in some great books. I don't think OM English has enough reading, so I'll add in more, but that won't be a big deal to do. I like the history and health the way they are. Holt Biology has been okay - I really don't like the subject though. I won't use Saxon Physics so I won't use their physics. I haven't decided on chemistry. I may use Conceptual Chemistry with the Teaching Company high school chemistry course. OM is still using a 1995 textbook for chemistry and I don't want to use a text that old.

[Emma]

Thanks Angie. It's good to know someone here using OM. I like the look of their courses, but leaving SL... now that's hard. I LOVE SL. However, not so much for dd. We'll see. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

[MicheleinMN]

We've used OM for American Govt. - definitely a textbook program, but got the job done.

 

I just purchased the 9th grade literature syllabus to see if it will work for my ds next year. I think it will, but I will be adding 4 or 5 more books to the reading list. (There's no way he's only going to read 4 books for literature next year.)

 

Sorry I don't have more information.

[Guest Pintopia]

"Pintopia, That sounds great! My dd is a avid photographer. What can you tell me about that class and the fiction class? How was 9th grade English?"

 

Emma,

 

I'm sorry for taking so long to reply, you know how crazy the Holiday season can be!

 

Anyway -

 

Photography & Writing Short Fiction. Fun. Some modification is required for homeschool when it comes to turning in work and evaluation but overall my son gives this review "Perfectly nice 1 semester electives, light but solid content provides nice reprieve from the rigor of my standard classical studies"

 

English 9: It was a nice & helped him transition into a whole new level of work and expectations for High School. For us it was light and he finished it in about 8 weeks (as opposed to their 36) but the content was solid and really gave him what he needed at the time. I did not give him a separate credit for it, just included it as part of his overall English 9 credit.

 

Hope that helps some!

Christine