Online class poll: What online classes do your students take, when did they begin

[imeverywoman]

taking them, and if you had it to do over, would you do it the same?

 

Just curious. :)

[Jackie in AR]

My boys began taking Latin online last year (8th grade), and are continuing it this year. I've been very happy with their instruction, and would do it all over again.

 

They also took a writing class online last year, and we opted not to continue that.

 

My 7th grade dd has yet to take an online class, but she will. I'm not sure if she'll begin next year or the year after.

[Robin in DFW]

My dd16 has taken/takes Spanish 1 & 2, World History & US History, Chemistry & Environmental Science, English 2...she will take more in the future. She really benefits from submitting assignments to someone other than mom!

 

We tried doing all these courses at home, but I wasn't successful in organizing them and keeping her challenged.

 

We do math, grammar, vocabulary, writing, literature, music, SAT prep...at home. This split has worked well.

 

hth,

Robin

[imeverywoman]

Robin, if I may ask, where did your student take the Spanish classes?

[Phyllis in Canada]

Ds1 took "Moral of the Story" and "Meaning of the Myth" from RCA in grades 6 & 7. They were excellent classes, though not graded, and ds2 will be doing the same thing.

 

Ds1 then went on to take "World Lit" and "Natural Science 1" from Scholars Online in grade 8. He did fine, but I should have waited another year for the science class, or found another place to do it. It was too intense for him. Ds2, on the other hand, being a math-science guy, should do better, though I'm also considering RCA's science.

 

We took a break from online classes in grade 9, but he was ready to start up again this year. He's got a pretty full load, but enjoys it, taking "English Lit" from Scholars Online, "French 2" and "Philosophy 1" from RCA, and "Old Testament Survey" from Potter's School. He's finding philosophy difficult, but I think he'll still continue with it next year. He doesn't like the Bible class (not very interesting and lots of work), and I wish I hadn't made him take it. English and French are great.

 

It's hard experimenting on the first kid. I thought it would make it easier to choose for the second, but not really since he's completely different! I've been very happy with RCA and Scholars Online and intend to stick with them as much as possible, just varying the classes for what is most needed for each child and/or what I don't feel like teaching that year.

[Jill- OK]

It's been different than I thought it would be, and I can't say that I'm crazy about the format, but yes, I'd make the choice to have them take it online, again.

 

My reasoning had to do with wanting a more challenging Spanish experience, as well as a grade from someone other than Mom for the ol' transcript. :001_smile:

 

Next year, they'll probably be able to take it at the local community college, and I'll likely go that route, instead.

[mrscopterdoc]

DD took Physical Science last year and this year Biology, both online with Potter's School.

 

She has liked both classes and the *only* issue I have is the cost. :( Everything online is SO expensive.

[Robin in DFW]

Dd takes courses through Keystone. They can get pricey, but we have been able to pay off her courses over many months making it more manageable.

 

The Spanish courses are very good. She uses headphones with a microphone to submit speaking assignments and has had to write reports in Spanish as well as research reports on Spanish-speaking countries along with learning grammar, vocabulary, etc.

 

It has covered the same topics my older dd20 has been covering in her university course. The assignements have been similar to a ps friend's International Baccaulaureate Spanish course for 4th year Spanish...I figure by the time she takes Spanish 2 and 3, she should have a decent grasp of the language!

 

I think a year long Spanish course online is $399. She gets instant feedback, auto grading, etc. She has really liked it.

 

She tried an online English course with them, but there was too much switching back and forth to different windows during a lesson and she felt it was not a very organized or efficient way to handle literature and composition. She wanted to try this particular course because she has used their textbook course for English 2 and wanted a "real" books literature course this year. We ended up using Learning Language Arts Through Literature American Gold to coincide with her Keystone US History course.

 

Spanish is the only thing she takes "online". The history and science courses are textbook based...she prefers textbooks to virtual learning for everything else.

 

hth,

Robin

[Laura Corin]

Calvin is taking an online high school classical civilisation class. He began it at age twelve and will finish it this summer. I think it's worked fairly well, although the tutor could be quicker at getting assignments back.

 

Laura

[newbie]

One dd does Veritas Press Scholars all online.

 

The other has done K12 International academy.

 

Yes, I would do it again, b/c I dont have the tools they have been offered. Other than price they both are great.

[Catherine]

Spanish was through Spanish Luna-an online service that matches native speakers (in their native lands!) with students. It has been good, and very reasonable. He had the same tutor for 1 1\2 years. Algebra was through JHU CTY and I would not recommend it, based on our experience (though their summer camps are five stars)-the tutor was totally useless. CW was excellent, though it was not the curriculum for us, and he dropped it after several weeks. German is through OSU and so far is very good, very reasonable too. No work for me! Calculus is through PA homeschoolers and has been excellent, I highly recommend it.

[Blue Hen]

taking them, and if you had it to do over, would you do it the same?

 

Just curious. :)

 

My oldest took his first online class in 10th grade, AP Biology with PA HS'ers. Loved it, loved it! He's now a senior and has gone through 7 classes with them. I would do this again, for him. Actually I wish I had known that he could take AP classes in 9th grade. I would have started him then---he was ready in 9th.

 

My younger son took his first online class in 7th grade with Home2Teach. We tried two classes, he really got into being in the online class, doing his assignments. I won't sign him up with Home2Teach again and won't recommend it. He isn't doing any online classes but I'm still searching for his next one.

[CherylG]

Our 15 yo has been with tutor, Matt Turnbull, at Alexandria Tutorials. He is so positive and my non-writer, son just took the SAT for fun as a sophomore and did really well. He took the beginning writing class last year and actually asked to take the advanced writing this year. :)

DS has to take chess lessons online as we live too far away from his teacher.

 

He also takes Greek 1 with Anne Van Fossen and our 7th grade DD takes Latin 1 through:

Classical Learning Resource Center Homeschool

Anne is also her instructor.

 

It has been such a great experience for both of them.

Edited January 8, 2010 by CherylG
I'm sick and my spelling and grammar are down the tubes

[FloridaLisa]

Ds1:

 

Bravewriter: In 8th grade, Ds started with a Bravewriter Short Story class taught by Jon Bogart. We loved the class, though it had little structure, no real assignments or grades. It was a new service Bravewriter was offering along with the monthly narrations.

 

Florida Virtual School:

*Started Latin I in 8th and Latin II in 9th (two thumbs up for the Latin classes and teachers)

*World History honors in 9th (very unimpressive and won't do it again with my others)

*AP Biology in 10th (HARD class, great teacher, very good exam prep)

*AP Macroeconomics in 11th (hated the class but he was burnt out on online classes and is not a business guy)

*Physics, honors in 11th (loved the material; wished he had a live teacher and class)

 

PA Homeschoolers:

*AP Human Geography in 10th (two huge thumbs up! Loved the teacher, the material and great exam prep)

*SAT Writing Prep course in 11th (well-organized; good value; well taught and good feedback)

 

Dd1 and Ds2 are also taking Latin through Florida Virtual School (up through Latin III, honors). Again, two thumbs up.

 

HTH,

Lisa

[Kareni]

My now college freshman took her first online class as a senior -- AP Statistics with PA Homeschoolers. The class was well run, and I recommend it.

 

She took a number of community college classes in 11th and 12th grade but none were online. She also took several AP classes at an out of the home resource center for homeschoolers. Had money been no object, I could imagine having had her take online AP courses starting in 9th grade.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Sharon in MD]

The only online courses we did were in computer programming through CTY.

 

Our son took two courses in programming through them...and I think they were pretty strong courses. Probably worth 1/2 to 1 full credit each realistically.

 

He enjoyed the challenge and they provided a couple of pretty strong references for him in the college apps/scholarship race.

[Peela]

Dd15 has done 2 writing courses with home2teach.com

She found the standard very high and didnt want to do any more :) until now she has decided they really did help her get her writing quality very high, and since she now wants to do into Journalism, she asked to do more, even though it is summer holidays here- so she knows its good for her :) I am glad I waited till she wanted to do it herself though...making her do them would have been too hard.

We have also used Cambridge Latin's correspondence course and that was good but not enough support for my dd....I needed to be more involved and was hoping that I could hand over Latin to the course...didnt work so well.

[mcconnellboys]

My older son took college classes through Indiana University when he was a high school freshman. They were very good and the professors were terrific. I was very pleased with it.

 

The same year, he took some high school level classes through the University of Kentucky and they were pretty abysmally bad. One was okay and the teacher was nice, but for the most part, they were just boring and dumb.

 

So, I think it's good to ask about particular programs when you find them and try to get a consensus on each particular class/instructor before taking classes.

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

The only online courses we did were in computer programming through CTY.

 

 

I don't know what CTY stands for. Could you give me a link, please?

[mathmom]

My son is very interested in online programming classes. We would also like to know what CTY stands for.

[Handmaiden]

CTY = Center for Talented Youth, through John Hopkins.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Ds16 started online classes in 8th grade.

 

Biology from Illinois Virtual High School (which is now the Illinois Virtual School.) The class was OK, but not great.

Spanish from Illinois Virtual High School. The class was ridiculously easy. My son got an A and learned next to nothing.

In 9th grade, he took ...

Latin Wheelock's 1 from Regina Coeli Online Academy. EXCELLENT class. Well organized. Engaging teacher.

Honors Chemistry from Northwestern's Center for Talent Development Gifted Learning Links. Terrible class. We paid a small fortune for this class and all we got was a syllabus and a grader. So my son was forced to teach himself chemistry from a college textbook. Huge waste of money.

 

This year, he is taking ...

Latin Wheelock's II from Regina Coeli. Again, excellent class.

AP Physics B from Scholars Online. The class is ok. Better organized and more instruction than the Chemistry class last year, but the all-text format of class, plus the length is kind of boring.

 

Ds13 is in 8th grade and is taking Henle Latin 1 from Regina Coeli and it is going very well.

[Sharon in MD]

http://cty.jhu.edu/index.html

 

We found it to be a good program for us. We never had the resources financially to attend their camps, but he did take a couple distance ed classes and we attended a couple of their family programs.

[Jackie in NE]

Dd started with Omnibus I in 7th grade. She is now in 9th grade and is taking Omnibus III Primary and Secondary, Latin II, and Comp. We tried Latin I with Regina Coeli, and really didn't like it.

 

Next year dd will take Omnibus IV, Logic, Rhetoric, and Greek with Veritas. She would love to also take Latin Readings, but she won't have time. :sad:

 

2nd dd will probably start Omnibus as a 9th grader, as she just doesn't care for the reading. She will probably be ready for Latin in 7th grade, though.

 

The cost for all of this is hard to swallow. I don't know how I'll manage 1 in college, and 3 in online courses.....:001_huh: But I am convinced that the online courses are worth it. I just cannot compete with the wonderful teachers out there.

[ValRN]

DS 15 takes:

 

Algebra I @ izateecher.com - Most definitely WILL do it again (Alg, II and Geometry)

 

World Geography - TPS - format fine....too much work for him - would do it again for a dc who could handle the work load

 

Logic and Grammar & Composition - Oxford Tutorial Services - not sure yet if I'd do it again

 

This is our first year doing classes online. They are quite expensive. We are planning to take biology online next year with Home Science Academy...I sure hope it's worth the money. :blink:

[Rhea]

Last year my freshman took H.S. Latin 1 with The Potter's School and my 7th grader took J.H. Latin 1 with them also. Yes, I'd do it again. They are both continuing on with Latin and Potter's this coming year.

[Michelle in AL]

Dd started in 9 th grade with online classes. She loves them, and they are her favorite part of hs'ing.

 

She's taken AP Biology with Scholars Online in 9th grade.

9th-Computer Assisted Design and Drafting Mechanical with Potters-loved it so much she took part 2.

 

10th-Computer Assisted Design and Drafting Architecture with Potters-Loved it.

Precalculus with Veritas Press-enjoyed it and learned a lot.

Spanish 1 with Veritas Press-Excellent, enthusiastic, native teacher.

 

Upcoming 11th grade:

Aviation Science with Potters

AP Stats with Blue Hen at PA Homeschoolers

American History with Univ of Alabama

Spanish 2 with Veritas Press

[distancia]

Ds1:

 

Florida Virtual School: ....PA Homeschoolers:

 

HTH,

Lisa

 

Lisa, it appears you are in Florida, as am I--how did you get to use PA homeschoolers? Also, did you find FL or PA better?

 

OP: My D has taken 4 classes with FL Virtual (free), Drivers Ed, Computers, 3rd year Spanish, and Algebra 2. She dropped out of the latter 2....at the time, Span 3 was in Beta mode and it was very disorganized and being refined; and Algebra 2 was not near as good as the online PLATO Learning course she had the option of taking through the local high school. She switched to PLATO and she will start up once again in the fall, this time through homeschool co-op $299 for a full year of unlimited h/s classes!

 

She has also taken online courses through 2 different community colleges, one in FL (free the first time, $390 the second class) and one in NM ($125 per class). She finds the NM school much harder and the work load a true college load.

 

Would we do it again? Yes, but we have made it as portable as possible. We bought D a netbook so she can take it wherever she goes...the library, the lanaii out by the pool, Starbucks, so she isn't tied to one chair in front of one screen monitor all day.

 

That said, she still prefers a book and a binder with looseleaf paper. And she definitely prefers computer program automated instruction (like Kinetic or Plato) over a real teacher, the real life persons are very unclear at times in their directions.

Edited July 11, 2010 by distancia