Your Opionion Welcome Concerning Online Options

[Josie]

If you wanted a course of study that would fall in the middle as far as rigor, which online option(s) would you consider and why?

 

Please consider especially the following options:

Potter's School

Veritas Press

Torrey Academy(Biola)

Memoria Plress Online Academy

Scholar's Online

PA Homeschoolers

 

I do want a solid program, but I also want a situation where passions can be explored. I do not want formal school and study to last more than eight hours a day for five days a week. I want free time so other interests can be discoverd and explored.

 

Right now I am very intrigued with Torrey Academy, but I worry that it will be all consuming. If a child worked diligently how long would Torrey classes take a day?

[Kristin in Hawaii]

Hello,

 

I haven't used the others listed though I certainly spend much time "thinking about it" ;)

 

My son (14 yrs) is working through his second year with Mr. Powell and History at Our House. This includes a phone in class 4 days per week plus we added in a fifth day (the honors option). There are not many writing assignments but much discussion and my son has retained so much more than ever before -- and he can use the information to relate the past to the present. Secular but includes religious information as it is so important to understanding history (and the present!). Objectivist -- but no pushing of Ayn Rand's material. A great fit for our house -- YMMV.

 

We are also signing up for the Lukeion Project fall Latin courses.

 

Best wishes!

 

Kristin in Hawaii

[newbie]

I put VPSA, b/c that is all I know.

[Gwen in VA]

I think the time required varies considerably even within the schools listed, depending on the student, the teacher, and the class.

 

We have taken many classes through SO and PAH, and the time required per class has varied widely.

[Sylvia in CA]

We have used Torrey Academy for 5 years now. Plan to continue using. Rigorous, challenging to the students. My kids love it and I have heard many other kids love it.

It's not all consuming because they count only for history/English/Theology/Philosophy. Student has time to do other core classes and activities. My kids have so enjoyed it that they get consumed by choice. This has been one of their passions. They have loved it so much that oldest dd went on to Torrey Honors and my Senior plans to do the same.

 

Sylvia

[Kareni]

We were very pleased with the class my daughter took through PA Homeschoolers (AP Statistics taught by Blue Hen from the board here). I can't speak to any of the other choices.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Gratia271]

I have been quite satisfied with the rigor, class management, and personality dynamic at Lukeion. They achieve a balance there that I have not experienced with other online options.

[Rebecca VA]

What kinds of classes are you looking for? History, language, literature, science...? There's a "tone" to each school that is important to match to the student's personality. A good way to investigate is to take a sample class from the different schools you're considering.

 

We have been using Lukeion for online Latin and ancient-world history for several years. My daughter is extremely happy with it. The instructor is a high-energy person who gets the students excited and involved. I just mailed out the enrollment check for her to take Latin 3 with Lukeion. We have even been on three of their annual sightseeing trips to the ancient world.

 

However, I struck out trying to use another school for history and literature this past fall. It was rigorous, but the instructors were extremely boring, according to my daughter. Not only that, but the sound was muddy. She could only bear a few weeks of the courses, and we had to pull her out. So "rigor" didn't get us anywhere.