Juniper Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Just a bit curious. Doesn't matter if you are using it as a private individual or as a virtual academy. We started a couple weeks ago and so far I am a bit shocked at how much I like it. :001_smile: I was really braced to hate the accountability and not picking curriculum and materials, but I have found that most of it is rather intuitive and I like the curriculum choices for the most part. Plus, I am not the bad guy anymore. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Our second year using it through virtual academy. My boys are predominantly audio-visual learners though so that helps. We have plenty of time to after school and for our kids to pursue their interest :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 Yes, mine are very audio-visual as well. It does seem to make a difference. Mine are bit on the independent and challenging side as well, so this has really allowed them to have a good outside sense of accountability and responsibility to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 This is my 11th year using K12 in some capacity. Most of that has been as an independent user. My current 9th grader is enrolled in a virtual academy. Previously, she used some K12 courses independently. My oldest used K12 from 1st-8th as an independent user, then spent a year in a virtual academy for 9th grade before going back to homeschooling. My middle two used various K12 courses independently over the years. Last year, my youngest was in the virtual academy for K, but I don't care for the new color math, so that was a deal breaker for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 This is my 11th year using K12 in some capacity. Most of that has been as an independent user. My current 9th grader is enrolled in a virtual academy. Previously, she used some K12 courses independently. My oldest used K12 from 1st-8th as an independent user, then spent a year in a virtual academy for 9th grade before going back to homeschooling. My middle two used various K12 courses independently over the years. Last year, my youngest was in the virtual academy for K, but I don't care for the new color math, so that was a deal breaker for me. Can you elaborate a bit on this for me? My kids are mathy, so it has not been a huge problem, but I have found it a little disjointed. Actually, it is the 6th grade Geomtry/algebra that has been a bit rough, but it is more the order things are introduced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtoamiracle Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 We didk12 for kindy last year. My son did well with the math, the sequence seemed to be off tho. It was a little hard to keep his attention with doing computer first, then manipulatives, then worksheets. When we started first grade math at 2nd semester, I would cut out a lot of the computer work so he could do the worksheets. We were with a VA. This year all I'm doing with k12 is phonics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmariec23 Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 :bigear: I'm curious to hear how others feel about it as well. I've been considering making the switch with my 6th grader.... mostly for the accountability and so as not to be the bad guy anymore... I like the looks of it. I like the format for my audio visual learner. I like the accountability. I have talked to a couple of users who are fond of it as well. Just nervous to take the plunge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 We are in our first year with a virtual academy. We did kindergarten math independently last year. It was Sadlier Oxford math and much, much better than the math plus. So far I love a lot of it. The K12 curriculum is great. The umbrella school-not so great. I just pretend I am homeschooling and hope they don't send me a nasty letter. ;) We are doing Fundamentals of Geometry and Algebra as well and there is not enough explanation for anything. I have sent my dd to Khan's Academy to watch videos on topics. Mostly I have to teach it to her after she does the online part for K12. That blue book is useless as a Teacher's Guide. Also, you don't have to go in the order of the book. You can click on courses and go to whatever unit and lesson you want and do them in whatever order you think makes better sense. We also still have other maths that we will use instead of K12's computer learning and then have the children do the assessments. FWIW, I love the Pre-Algebra set up and learning. FGA just seems like this crash course they are rushing through to get to Pre-Algebra. We are ignoring the Math Plus and doing our own math and having the kids take the assessments. The only thing we have hated is the Math Plus. I love that it is scheduled for me. I love the color coded progress bars. It is a lot of what I already used-GUM Grammar, HWOT, Wordly Wise....I love the 6th grade history as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 We're only using K12 for history for my 7th grade boy this year. We have used K12 in the past as independents (full courseload) and through the VA. The math plus, and the ever increasing demands of the VA for more class-connects/test prep and study island broke that deal for us. I would consider using it again for K-2, but I'd have to be pretty desperate to use it for grades 3-8. If they open up the high school in the VA, I may consider that, but it depends upon what they will allow...if there is no flexibility (entering 9th graders must take X or Y), it will be a no-go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Can you elaborate a bit on this for me? My kids are mathy, so it has not been a huge problem, but I have found it a little disjointed. Actually, it is the 6th grade Geomtry/algebra that has been a bit rough, but it is more the order things are introduced. My kindergarten son used K12 Math Plus Blue last year. It's too heavily language based, doesn't formally introduce arithmetic symbols or number sentences, and uses phrasing like "combine" and "compare" rather than "add" and "subtract." The lessons on "counting on" were gone, and the whole program was very haphazard. I was particularly irritated by pages of overly wordy problems. "Alexander checks out five thin blue books from the library. Leo checks out 8 thick red books from the library." The previous K12 math had lessons on filtering unnecessary information from word problems, yet the new math is filled with word problems that have unnecessary information. I missed the old Sadlier-Oxford math. Unfortunately, I feel the new K12 elementary math caters to current educational trends at the expense of solid math instruction. We're a math and science oriented family, so I don't mess around with math, as much as I love the rest of the K12 curriculum. I really like K12's higher level math, and was disappointed to see the revamp of the elementary math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I missed the old Sadlier-Oxford math. Unfortunately, I feel the new K12 elementary math caters to current educational trends at the expense of solid math instruction. We are buying the Sadlier Oxford math from Sadlier Oxford's site. We just do the assessments on K12 and I mark all the lessons complete in the unit. We actually learn our math through Sadlier Oxford math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 My kindergarten son used K12 Math Plus Blue last year. It's too heavily language based, doesn't formally introduce arithmetic symbols or number sentences, and uses phrasing like "combine" and "compare" rather than "add" and "subtract." The lessons on "counting on" were gone, and the whole program was very haphazard. I was particularly irritated by pages of overly wordy problems. "Alexander checks out five thin blue books from the library. Leo checks out 8 thick red books from the library." The previous K12 math had lessons on filtering unnecessary information from word problems, yet the new math is filled with word problems that have unnecessary information. I missed the old Sadlier-Oxford math. Unfortunately, I feel the new K12 elementary math caters to current educational trends at the expense of solid math instruction. We're a math and science oriented family, so I don't mess around with math, as much as I love the rest of the K12 curriculum. I really like K12's higher level math, and was disappointed to see the revamp of the elementary math. Yes, I can see this. My kids have had 5+ years of a saxon (old school) rod and staff mix. IT has worked out well for us. Here kids cannot join the VA until 3rd grade, so my youngest will be thoroughly grounded before we give it a try. We shall see though. I will say the algebra concepts are challenging my 6th grader. We have worked with unknown variables, but this really dumped her into "order of operations" and "properties" very suddenly. She seems to be holding her own though. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtney.byrum Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 We're in our 3rd year with a virtual academy. We really like most things and are very happy with most of the curriculum. Maybe because we've only done Math + I haven't noticed what others have mentioned. I know there were lessons for word problems that taught how to tell needed vs. unneeded information. I do have mathy kids so it may also be that since they aren't struggling I don't see what is lacking. My 8 yr old has done 3rd, 4th, and 80% of 5th so far and my 7 year old has done K, 1st, 2nd, and is on 3rd now. She doesn't intuitively get it like he does but is still doing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Yes, I can see this. My kids have had 5+ years of a saxon (old school) rod and staff mix. IT has worked out well for us. Here kids cannot join the VA until 3rd grade, so my youngest will be thoroughly grounded before we give it a try. We shall see though. I will say the algebra concepts are challenging my 6th grader. We have worked with unknown variables, but this really dumped her into "order of operations" and "properties" very suddenly. She seems to be holding her own though. :) Just for reference, K12's Math Red (4th grade) is where order of operations and the properties are first introduced so by 6th in FGA they are zooming through them. I find Math Red comparable to the 6th grade math we did with homeschool. :confused: It is very advanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildiris Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 This is my second year with CAVA K12. I took my high school student out of K12 and put her into Laurel Springs Talented and Gifted Academy because K12 was too easy for her, but my 4th grader does well with K12. I do add to the K12 curriculum for my 4th grader. This student needs more drill and spiral review in math than what K12 Red Math offers. I also add Shurley English to grammar because at the end of last year very little of the grammar stuck. For my DD, she needs more direct writing instruction. Teaching writing was the one thing I excelled at with my other three children, so I loosely follow the writing instruction. We do the assignments, I just alter the approach. The strong points of K12 are the literature and history. Science is OK too. After 16 years of homeschooling through a charter school with little over site, the accountability keeps us moving forward when I would otherwise let things slide because life interrupted school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 (edited) Just for reference, K12's Math Red (4th grade) is where order of operations and the properties are first introduced so by 6th in FGA they are zooming through them. I find Math Red comparable to the 6th grade math we did with homeschool. :confused: It is very advanced. That is very interesting! Like I said, I am pleasantly surprised, but jumping in at the 5th and 6th grade level has been interesting. I just found I really needed a year off from the planning, checking, second guessing everything when we have a rough week. I probably should have followed SWB advice when we first started and gone with something boxed to see what works for us....and to boost my confidence as teacher/principal extraordinaire. ;) I can see where there are things I would do differently, and I am a bit nervous over the writing component. It is my weakest area and I want to make sure they are stronger writers than I am. Dd is breezing through the grammar exercises, but grammar was a major emphasis in 2-5th for her. All in all, I am pleasantly surprised. Before, I felt like I was trying to control opinionated cats. Now, I simply point the rambunctious critters to their lessons, teachers, to do list and sit beside as guide. They seem to turn to me a bit more for help and do not resent my correction as much, since it is not my standard, but the teachers. Edited October 1, 2012 by Juniper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I do have mathy kids so it may also be that since they aren't struggling I don't see what is lacking. As I said, we're a mathy family, which is why I'm probably overly sensitive to the long term implications of the instruction in K12's color math. Although my son wasn't struggling, I don't like the progression. Realistically, a few years of a poor elementary math program may not make or break things in the long run. But when I look at my oldest daughter, who's applying to engineering programs and successfully doing calculus, I wish K12 hadn't messed with what was working. Fortunately, I own copies of all the old K12 math books, because I used to work for K12 as a marketing consultant and had to tote them around to events. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durriyyah Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 We did 2 years with a virtual academy and I liked how challenging the curriculum was, but it felt like it just took too long, and the subjects were so disconnected from each other. I do think about signing DD1 up again when I have the baby, but I know she likes the freedom we have now. In our virtual school the online meetings with the teacher started getting in the way, and the curriculum took so long to complete, it was hard to break away for fun activities, or to supplement with going to a museum or something. Anyway, I still highly recommend it to people starting out with homeschooling, or busy schedules for mom/dad, or other various reasons, but it didn't work for us in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayblack4 Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 i used it the past 2 years and got out. My child is now way behind in his public school system. Does anyone have a math+ blue (kindergarten)lesson guide they are willing to sell? the school says you have to return them but i have not returned any of my first grade things and they have not contacted me and its been almost a year. im in desperate need of this book.my son needs a refresher course on kindergarten math and i cant fine this book anywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueTaelon Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 Were using K12 for Science, History and Literature for my 6th grader although we have to do a lot of supp'ing for my very visual learner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueTaelon Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 i used it the past 2 years and got out. My child is now way behind in his public school system. Does anyone have a math+ blue (kindergarten)lesson guide they are willing to sell? the school says you have to return them but i have not returned any of my first grade things and they have not contacted me and its been almost a year. im in desperate need of this book.my son needs a refresher course on kindergarten math and i cant fine this book anywhere They never contact you, I still have stuff from 1-4th grade and dd is in 6th now. It won't mess with future enrollments either if you don't return it. The only time it will cause a problem is if your re-enrolling for the same grade/course through a VA then they won't reship you the course. They will hound you though if you don't return a computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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