Update: Derek Owens responded to my feedback. He has promised to resolve the issue of delayed response timings. So if that’s resolved, then I do recommend it because that was the only problem. The content was clear and well taught by him, as are all his courses.

Yes I did very recently. And I’m hopeful that the delayed grading and response time will be improved as Derek Owens has always been a caring and thorough instructor, known to offer very high quality courses.

My daughter and nephew did Computer Science with him. I don’t recommend it. Derek Owens’s teaching videos are fine. However, someone else grades and does homework help and he has a VERY slow response time, which was very frustrating for them both. That said, Derek Owens’s math classes are amazing. All three of my kids loved his teaching. I just asked my youngest daughter if she’d prefer a live class next year for Algebra 2, and she adamantly refused to do anyone besides Derek Owens.

Thank you. This was really helpful!

Thank you! Did you a personal experience with BT? If so, did your child’s writing improve?

My 8th grader is finishing WTMA Expository 3. For ninth grade, she’ll either take Blue Tent’s Intro. Literature and Composition or take separately WTMA Writing Rhetoric 1 and Center for Lit for literature. I’ve had a positive experience with the latter two for my precious daughter but never tried BT’s English. The advantage seems to be that it combines both literature and writing in one class (which saves both time and money), but is the class content of the same content as WTMA Rhetoric and Center for Lit? Reviews for any of the above would be much appreciated, especially BT. Thanks!

Have you tried / liked this?

Thank you all!

My daughter is an 8th grader and is taking Expository 3 at WTMA. Her experience with Expository 2 was great because she received a lot of feedback. This is not the case with this year’s teacher and we have one day to drop the class. Blue Tent Intro to Lit and Composition is closed. Any other suggestions?

I just checked the website and I don’t see your name in the choices anymore. Does this mean your group is full?

Thank you so much for letting me know these details! Sounds like a great option and I’ll reach out if I have further questions.

Do I need the teacher’s book or can the workbook questions be corrected directly from the student text? Also, are the review books important? Thank you!

We’ve used LL 7 and 8. It’s a very average, open and go curriculum IMHO. There is a good introduction to literary devices , but it does not provide much in terms of literary analysis;The questions are straightforward, “what happened-type comprehension questions. My dd found some of the writing assignments fun but there was not much instruction. She does WWS series with WTMA for writing which is writing (and reading) heavy, so LL was more supplemental, to provide a basic guide when she reads these books.

I’m choosing between Blue Tent and PAH. I’ve read plenty of great reviews about the latter but I know that Carole Matheny will no longer be teaching the latter. If you’ve done Blue Tent, how was your experience? How many hours are expected weekly and how did your student do on the AP exam? And any other info you can offer would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Unfortunately, no responses. So I just signed up for Amy Samuelson based on suitable timings. It’s an expensive course and I’m a bit worried to have registered with no teacher reviews, but I’m hoping for the best. There are almost no seats left so if anyone is considering the course, especially as a continuation to Expository Writing 2, I’d encourage them To hurry.

Although AP English does not include a live class, it does have A LOT of interaction with both the teacher and students. And assignments have daily and weekly due dates and immediate feedback. Maya’s daily morning messages contain a lot of teaching content. So in a sense it feels to her very much like a live class, or at the very least, I personally don’t feel like the lack of a live class has decreased its benefit or engagement in any way. My daughter, who normally prefers live to asynchronous, loves Maya’s AP English class more than any other. However, it is VERY time consuming. My son (now studying software engineering at Penn State) had LOVED Moskakuk’s AP Chemistry class (also not live but equally beneficial IMHO). These two teachers have really inspired, motivated, and challenged (in a good way) my kids.

Her class is amazing. It’s my daughter’s favorite class EVER. And so it does fill up VERY quickly.

My 7th grade daughter is currently taking WTMA Expository Writing 2 with Jessica Otto and is really enjoying it and benefitting. She was disappointed to find out that Mrs. Otto will not be teaching Expository 3. Any experiences with Amy Samuelson or Terrence Krehbiel? Or if anyone prefers to PM me that's fine too. Thank you!

Anyone? Pleaser?😊

(I realized I had posted this in the wrong place). My dd did WWS 1 with me, but I’m considering WTMA for WWS 2 because I want to make sure we finish it in a year, and I want her to get more feedback. How’s the feedback? Is it all workshop style or is there sufficient teacher instruction? Any other info? Thanks in advance!

My dd did WWS 1 with me, but I’m considering WTMA for WWS 2 because I want to make sure we finish it in a year, and I want her to get more feedback. How’s the feedback? Is it all workshop style or is there sufficient teacher instruction? Any other info? Thanks in advance!

Ok, so on hindsight would you have preferred moving from MM7 to DO Algebra 1 instead of Foerster’s?

Did your son do well with DO Geometry? There are a lot of mixed reviews and my kids’ own experiences are quite mixed too.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. No, I’ve never tried Foerster’s but alive read some good reviews. My older kids have had different experiences with DO. My son did very well in DO Geometry to Precalculus and is now second year software engineering at Penn State. My daughter did well in DO Algebra 1 and really struggled with DO Geometry and needed live help so switched to MyHomeschoolMathClass for Algebra 2 and did very well. She’ll likely return to DO for Pre-Calculus though because it might not be offered live next year. However, my question for my youngest dd (who likes math and does well in it) is because I don’t know what the best transition is from MM7 and if there is any advantage to Foerster’s to DO (since MM recommends it). Also, I don’t know how to assess her readiness to transition from me as a teacher to asynchronous online classes as a younger Algebra student, if that makes sense.

My daughter is starting Algebra 1 in 7th, so my concern is that has not had any video or online instruction yet (though her older siblings have). Any experiences (good or bad) with the above after MM7? My three options are: I teach her Foerster’s Algebra 1, she does Foerster’s with Math without Borders videos, or Derek Owens? (Note: I did post this both in high school and middle school forums because the question applies to both groups). Thanks