Aubrey Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Sil wants to know. I don't know anything about SOS...I guess K12 might be similar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Calvert has online classes for 6th and up, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 Calvert has online classes for 6th and up, I think. Do you know about anything that starts w/ K? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 SoS is just workbooks on the computer with a couple games thrown in (the games are simple things like "spell ______" or it gives the definition of a word and you find the word they are defining out of 3 choices). Just a consideration. SOS is considered VERY easy going on the religious stuff. People with very different beliefs find using it just fine. It doesn't have as much that is controversial to anyone but maybe an atheist. K12 has aspects that are similar. For example, the middle school science has where you read on the computer then answer questions. The essay questions are on paper, but most of the questions are on the computer. But a lot of K12 is using texts, doing projects, etc. This, to me, is a good thing. Very few people can use SOS for all subjects. And JMO, but probably no one SHOULD. Other good things about k12---lesson plan set by computer, progress is mostly covered by computer (mom checks off many things, but computer keeps the rest for ya). It's a full curriculum. But k12 is expensive unless you do it with a virtual academy and then you have the issues of jumping through their hoops. We found that pretty easy but not everyone does. And though it was okay, we still only stayed with them for a limited time (15mo minus summer). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 SoS is just workbooks on the computer with a couple games thrown in (the games are simple things like "spell ______" or it gives the definition of a word and you find the word they are defining out of 3 choices). Just a consideration. SOS is considered VERY easy going on the religious stuff. People with very different beliefs find using it just fine. It doesn't have as much that is controversial to anyone but maybe an atheist. K12 has aspects that are similar. For example, the middle school science has where you read on the computer then answer questions. The essay questions are on paper, but most of the questions are on the computer. But a lot of K12 is using texts, doing projects, etc. This, to me, is a good thing. Very few people can use SOS for all subjects. And JMO, but probably no one SHOULD. Other good things about k12---lesson plan set by computer, progress is mostly covered by computer (mom checks off many things, but computer keeps the rest for ya). It's a full curriculum. But k12 is expensive unless you do it with a virtual academy and then you have the issues of jumping through their hoops. We found that pretty easy but not everyone does. And though it was okay, we still only stayed with them for a limited time (15mo minus summer). This is very helpful info. What would you rec to someone who's planning to hs sometime in the next few yrs & prefers computer-based learning? The mother is a web designer, so she's very comfortable w/ & enthusiastic about that approach, but she's very uncomfortable w/ most religious overtones, even if they're slight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 k12 is the best out there, Aubrey, when you're talking about elementary. But it isn't solely computerized. I mean, there are things like Time4Learning but they aren't nearly the quality of k12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 This is very helpful info. What would you rec to someone who's planning to hs sometime in the next few yrs & prefers computer-based learning? The mother is a web designer, so she's very comfortable w/ & enthusiastic about that approach, but she's very uncomfortable w/ most religious overtones, even if they're slight. If I was going to do a boxed curriculum, I would do K12. From what I've seen (I have a couple of friends who use it), it's solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Do you know about anything that starts w/ K? No, sorry. I don't think most people computer based education appropriate for early elementary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shalom22 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 If I remember correctly, the K through second grade are workbook and not on the computer. You don't get the computer lessons until the third grade. On the religious aspect, we used 4th and 6th grade LA and there were several lessons and a couple of units that I skipped because they were entirely based on New Testament Scpripture. They were towards the end of the year. I didn't mind on occasional reference to these scriptures but didn't care for it when the entire writing lesson was based on them. We were planning on doing something different this year so skipping the lessons was not a big deal, I knew we would cover that particular lesson this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 (edited) .. but she's very uncomfortable w/ most religious overtones, even if they're slight. Then SoS is out. The Math and LA do mention religion, even if slightly. The History/Geography and Science are way religious. Besides, SoS software begins at the 3rd grade level. We use K12 and I don't think it's anything like SoS which we tried several years ago. What specifically is she looking for in a curriculum? One that is completely computer based? Can be done independently? Games based? Not that I agree with all of these but I have seen homeschoolers look for curriculum based on these concepts. Edited August 5, 2009 by Night Elf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 Then SoS is out. The Math and LA do mention religion, even if slightly. The History/Geography and Science are way religious. We use K12 and I don't think it's anything like SoS which we tried several years ago. What specifically is she looking for in a curriculum? One that is completely computer based? Can be done independently? Games based? Not that I agree with all of these but I have seen homeschoolers look for curriculum based on these concepts. I'm not sure. She's decided she wants to hs, but she doesn't have kids yet. She saw SOS & thinks it looks really cool & would like to begin the process of generally looking for something *like* that, w/out the religious stuff. She's got a lot of time to think about it, so I thought I'd get some ideas from you guys for her to kind of start looking through. I assume that since she has such an affinity for computers, that's part of the draw of SOS; plus, she could more easily continue working & hs at some point, since she can do most of her work from home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tami Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 How about Time4Learning.com? I actually think T4L is superior to SOS. We have used T4L and enjoyed it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 She's decided she wants to hs, but she doesn't have kids yet. :confused: She's looking at curriculum and she doesn't even have children yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 :confused: She's looking at curriculum and she doesn't even have children yet? You didn't do that? :lol: I found WTM w/in 1 week of a positive pg test! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 You didn't do that? :lol: I found WTM w/in 1 week of a positive pg test! No, when I was pregnant I was only focusing on the cool things like being pregnant, holding a delicious newborn baby, breastfeeding, first crawling, walking, talking, toddling. It just seems like putting the horse before the cart, but hey, whatever makes you happy. Has she read the WTM book yet? Maybe that will steer her towards a classical education. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 No, when I was pregnant I was only focusing on the cool things like being pregnant, holding a delicious newborn baby, breastfeeding, first crawling, walking, talking, toddling. It just seems like putting the horse before the cart, but hey, whatever makes you happy. Has she read the WTM book yet? Maybe that will steer her towards a classical education. :) My mom hs'd me for about a yr in '84 or so & the local sch board scared her out of it. I'd been dreaming of hs'ing mine ever since, even thinking about writing curric. It *is* putting the cart before the horse, but I'm the last one who'd ever criticize it--I think for some people, it's just part of the hopes & dreams that are wrapped up in a new package. Of course once he arrived, I wasn't cramming Latin down his throat. (Well...I was actually taking Latin, & sometimes it soothed him to listen to what I was reading, but, that's another story, lol.) Anyway, I didn't want to suggest WTM...partly because it *is* early on for her & partly because...she didn't ask what *I* do, & I don't want to come across as someone who's going to be constantly second-guessing or correcting or suggesting or whatever. There's plenty of time for that, if that's her direction, but honestly? Her hs is going to have a very different flavor from mine. I want to make sure she knows that's cool w/ me. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Odysseyware is the same as Switched on Schoolhouse but without the religious content. It was developed for the public independent study market. http://www.odysseyware.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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