LUV2EDU Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 (edited) Can anyone, who has used Alpha Omega's Math LifePacs, tell me what you liked and didin't like about their Math LifePacs? Also, if you have ever used Abeka's Math for 6 through 8th grade, can you tell me what the Pros and Cons are for their curriculum? Edited April 13, 2009 by LUV2EDU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Oh boy. Its been a while since I've used these programs. But here goes. The Alpha Omega I don't really recommend. It is a very slow program. Some would say "behind" other math curriculums. I guess it just depends on how you look at it. I used A/O many years ago when I started homeschooling. It looked great and looked like everything I wanted. But when it came right down to it my daughter HATED it. She just would run away. We did give it the good old college try but it just didn't work. If your wanting a spiral math program in a workbook Christian Light is the way to go. If your wanting a mastery math program in a workbook form , then ACE is the way to go. Abeka has an excellent math program. Is colorful and spiral. I believe that once many hit around 4th grade or so it begins to get tough for the kids. Abeka's math program is very excellerated. It moves quickly. It is good though. I am considering this for my oldest this coming school year. I haven't made a decision yet but its either this or sticking with CLE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUV2EDU Posted April 13, 2009 Author Share Posted April 13, 2009 Does anyone else have an opinion on Alpha Omega LifePacs and Abeka's math? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUV2EDU Posted April 13, 2009 Author Share Posted April 13, 2009 Anyone else?:lurk5::toetap05: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyWifeandMommy Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I used AO's math for first grade and currently for third grade. My daughter scored high in her math test (we test yearly) when she did first grade. I switched to Singapore (it was okay) but my DD enjoys lifepacs. Some days I enjoy it and others I don't. It's suppose to be self pace and the child can start doing it on her own. I don't care for the TM. I like to be told how to explain something and the 3rd TM doesn't do that. Some times the instructions are confusing for my daughter and I have to show her a different way to do the problem and explain why they did what they did. Sometimes I am like 'what? when did we learn that? Only to learn that we didn't learn that. She likes the workbooks and hubby says to continue with them because she likes them and is use to them. Besides I can teach w/o a TM. The TM is great for the answers I now go and look at each unit. Teach what I know she isn't going to know on her own and then let her cruise thru the books. She does seem to do better with a bunch of mini workbooks than the two big ones from Singapore. Plus with Singapore she wasn't learning the new way very well, kept doing it the way she learned the first time. Sorry if my answers are ever a bit scatteredat time. It never fails once I get online my helpers are right next to or have some crisis going on as soon as I 'ignore' them. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUV2EDU Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 TracyR and NavyWifeandMommy, thank you for responding. You two have been a big help.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtotkbb Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Having used both I would go with Abeka hands down if the choice were bet/ the two. We have found AO to be the bare average of programs. I really wanted to like the AO programs and have tried various levels over the years bec my kids prefer a mastery approach instead of spiral and I just liked the idea of the Lifepacs---but the programs are weak in my not so humble opinion. Abeka is accelerated, moves quickly and is too much for some kids --also has lots of review built in since it's spiral so sometimes it's necessary to delete problems. If you need a program that lays things out for you than Abeka is also a good choice as the TM tells you what to teach --I used them only for the answers but I know some mom's go by the book with teaching the math. A complaint with Abeka is that it doesn't teach the "why" behind the process but neither does AO. I did switch after we started the 6th grade math with Abeka - but dd was in 5th grade and was able to move to pre-alg without trouble. We switched bec she was becoming bored with Abeka but realistically looking back I probably could have just moved her ahead in their program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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