K12 Users: Will you help? I have questions.....thanks

[MariannNOVA]

Feedback, help, please regarding K12:

 

Are their courses 'live on-line' courses (which my kids don't like) or is the material planned for you, and the kids do the work but not on line in a real time virtual classroom (am I making sense?).

 

If you've enrolled for courses and you can provide feedback, I'd be most appreciative - I am planning for my 6th grader and 4th graders - particularly looking for direction regarding History, Science, and Latin.

 

Thanks

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I think it depends if you are using it via a virtual public school, the private K12 academy, or via purchase of select courses.

 

Ds is enrolled a public cyber school which we like and has a lot of flexibility. He only has 2-3 mandatory online sessions a month and the op[tion to attend numerous online classes if he wishes. K12 Curriculum basically spells it all out for the parent online or in teacher's manuals. Most of the work is book work and paper and pencil:) The history and science material is read online like a text with some interactive stuff and have accompanying workbooks. For older students there are history textbooks though. I enjoy K12 and find it to be thorough, classical, and flexible.

 

I would ask detailed questions on all 3 options such as:

 

1. Number of mandatory classes, flexibility in scheduling them.

 

2. Optional available classes that are available in all subjects. For example, my school is experimenting with offering optional synchronous everyday classes for 3rd grade language arts next year. They also offer optional novel discussion and composition classes that are available throughout the year that meet aspects of the K12 lesson plans. I am trying the novel discussion class next week which last for 2 weeks on the novel My Side of the Mountain.

 

3. Mandatory state testing and face to face sessions including dates and locations and flexibility.

 

4. Test prep requirements for state testing.

 

5. Available teacher support, tutoring, office hours.

 

6. Required work submissions and dates for the whole academic year.

 

7. Grading rubrics, criteria.

 

8. Flexibility in completing lessons or order of lessons. For example, our school expects 10% completion of each course each month for a 10 month school year. I also can do a day of history if I like or do lessons on the weekend or at night as long as I mark attendance each official school day which takes 1 minute to do.

 

9. Any expectations or requirements such as health screenings, etc.

 

10. Expected supplies given.

 

11. Course acceleration allowed and under what criteria.

 

12. Length of school year and is the online school available prior to or after the official school year.

 

I imagine that all K12 schools are going to vary in their rules so be sure to get all your questions answered. If you chose the private route be sure to ask about acceleration in the same school year and if that incurs additional costs. I believe that Va will soon have a statewide K12 public cyber school:)

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

You probably have seen these, but just in case;)

http://www.k12.com/courses/k-8-courses/

 

 

http://www.k12.com/schools-programs/online-private-school/

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Oh, and for Latin I would look at Latin for Children, LCC, or LL IMHO. I use Powerspeak via K12 for German for Elementary students which we like, but it is immersion style. I think Latin is better taught as parts to whole with grammar and a book. The Powerspeak does not have a book in the elementary level and does not have a grammar component until middle school. I am not sure if it ever offers a book. It could be interesting for Latin, but having had 3 years of Latin in highschool, I found the grammar component most beneficial:)

[Flaura]

We do k12 as independents. We pick the classes we want and they send us the materials and access to the OLS (on line school). Most of the work is done offline for LA and Math. I understand that all the reading is done online for history and science but I am not 100% on this. You can ask for a demo account to see what the OLS looks like and through the demo account you can see what the content of the classes is like. With K12 independent you are the teacher and the students do not interact with any other students or teachers.

 

HTH

 

Let me know if you have more questions.

[TracyR]

I have used K12 for K,1st,4th and 6th. Through a cyberschool. Depending on how the cyberschool is ran some offer online classes and some do not. The only online classes my daughters have had are for state testing ( Scantron). But I do know some other states offer online classes for the subjects. It just varies by state.

 

For the younger levels most work is done offline. For K and 1st history and science are the only things that have to be done online. They do include workbooks for the assignments but the reading is online.

 

For 4th and 6th , Math and LA is done mostly offline. The older they get the more independent the work is. Some lessons require them sitting through a short lesson on the OLS or reading a lesson. It just depends. History,Science and Art are mostly done online. Lessons are not live. They can be done any time.

If your using it through a cyberschool you do have a time deadline. our cyber gives us until 10 am to log attendance. Some will give you until midnight. Just depends. If your using it independently, well then just take your time.

 

I wished I could of used K12 independently instead of with a cyberschool. Cyberschooling tends to kill the love of homeschooling for us.

[MariannNOVA]

We do k12 as independents. We pick the classes we want and they send us the materials and access to the OLS (on line school). Most of the work is done offline for LA and Math. I understand that all the reading is done online for history and science but I am not 100% on this. You can ask for a demo account to see what the OLS looks like and through the demo account you can see what the content of the classes is like. With K12 independent you are the teacher and the students do not interact with any other students or teachers.

 

HTH

 

Let me know if you have more questions.

 

Thank you to everyone who responded (Priscilla X 3!:D) -- Apologies for not being clear regarding k12 'public' school and simply selecting courses.

 

I am considering simply selecting courses, and I do do see on their website that there is an option (more $$ than the other two) where a teacher is available to answer questions (I imagine). Is this still an option that allows the student to work independently -- I am looking for what Laura describes above: select classes, purchase materials and access information on line as needed.

 

Thanks again.

Edited March 13, 2010 by MariannNOVA

[newbie]

k12 Independent is available, I think it is til ninth grade. There are no teachers for questions.

 

Unless you go Icademy, I think they start junior high. But that is really expensive and one teacher, not multiple, like their high school program.

 

In independent the kids work at their own pace. They do have teacher supplements which are well laid out, so there really is no need for teachers.

 

It is flexible, so you can set your own time frame w/it.

[MariannNOVA]

k12 Independent is available, I think it is til ninth grade. There are no teachers for questions.

 

Unless you go Icademy, I think they start junior high. But that is really expensive and one teacher, not multiple, like their high school program.

 

In independent the kids work at their own pace. They do have teacher supplements which are well laid out, so there really is no need for teachers.

 

It is flexible, so you can set your own time frame w/it.

 

thank you!

[Scarlett]

If you've enrolled for courses and you can provide feedback, I'd be most appreciative - I am planning for my 6th grader and 4th graders - particularly looking for direction regarding History, Science, and Latin.[/color][/size][/font]

 

Thanks

 

Ds10 is finishing up his 4th year with K12 (through a Virtual School but the courses are the same). His Latin is totally on line....and he loves it. Literature, Spelling, and Math are almost totally OFF line...with the exception of some math skills reviews being online. History Science and Art are a combination. There are books and teacher's guides but much of the actual lesson is on line.

 

I love K12 and I think it is a strong program.

[MariannNOVA]

Ds10 is finishing up his 4th year with K12 (through a Virtual School but the courses are the same). His Latin is totally on line....and he loves it. Literature, Spelling, and Math are almost totally OFF line...with the exception of some math skills reviews being online. History Science and Art are a combination. There are books and teacher's guides but much of the actual lesson is on line.

 

I love K12 and I think it is a strong program.

 

Hi, Scarlett -- Thanks for responding -- I have a couple of questions: is your ds' Latin scheduled for a certain time, or does he log in and do Latin according to a schedule that you and he have?

 

Thanks -- I also PM-d you

[Scarlett]

Hi, Scarlett -- Thanks for responding -- I have a couple of questions: is your ds' Latin scheduled for a certain time, or does he log in and do Latin according to a schedule that you and he have?

 

Thanks -- I also PM-d you

 

Latin is 'scheduled' for every day. But K12 is set up so that YOU can set the schedule up exactly how you want. You can schedule 2 latins 3 times a week, or whatever. And you can change the schedule at any time for any length of time.

[Scarlett]

Latin is 'scheduled' for every day. But K12 is set up so that YOU can set the schedule up exactly how you want. You can schedule 2 latins 3 times a week, or whatever. And you can change the schedule at any time for any length of time.

 

 

 

Edited to add---I really like their on line tracking system. You can click a button any time to see 'projected end dates'....Really cool program.

[MariannNOVA]

Latin is 'scheduled' for every day. But K12 is set up so that YOU can set the schedule up exactly how you want. You can schedule 2 latins 3 times a week, or whatever. And you can change the schedule at any time for any length of time.

 

Thanks -- this is good to know as I have to jockey Latin for all three kids --

[EKS]

When you buy a K12 course, it is sort of like buying a book. You use the material when and how you want to. There is no "live" element and no teacher (for K-8 independent users).

 

We have used history, science, and foreign courses from K12. I'd say that history and science are pretty strong, but the foreign language course we used was *not* good.

[kindermommy]

Don't mean to butt in, but have any of you used K12 for two kids very close in age/grade? My DC's will be 1st and 2nd next year so not sure if I should try to combine them in certain subjects like History or Science, so I only have to buy one course of those instead of two (also better for time management of course to combine where I can!)