Guest Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Who is still using Veritas Press Self Paced History? How is it going? My children just finished OT/AE, and we are planning to move on to NT/GR. I briefly considered switching to something else so I could be involved more, but I think we will probably continue with the self paced lessons. I am really excited to hear that they will be coming out with Omnibus self paced history courses in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloha2U Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 We're doing VP's NTGR Self-Paced this year, and my little man is thoroughly enjoying it. (I'm usually in the background, soaking it all in, while he's going through each lesson.) We're also doing their Bible study, and it seems to me like the best of both worlds. Have you considered doing their Bible study alongside their History? Perhaps it would provide you with the involvement you desire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerico Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 we're not to that age yet, but planning on it. I just wanted to say that I'm glad to hear that it's something they can do on their own as I'm already trying to figure out how I can manage more than 1 kid in school plus housework. We plan on doing the bible as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBanjoClown Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 DS8 is using OTAE right now. We signed him up for the two week trial and he literally cried when the trial ended, so both sets of grandparents pitched in and we got him the course as a birthday present. He loves it, and right now he has an A in the class (about 60 lessons in). He has trouble with the worksheets sometimes, but he always does a great job on the tests. *We are also doing SOTW1. The VP course is supplementary to that, and my ds5 listens in and watches the lessons with ds8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 We are finishing up OTAE and will move to NTGR next. I usually man the keyboard when we watch the lessons though. None of my kiddos have the patience for the review quizzes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jumperdono Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 we're not to that age yet, but planning on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my2boysteacher Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 My boys use and love it! Younger DS asked me to put the timeline song on his iPod. We all walk around the house singing it! :tongue_smilie: They are 10 and 12, and can do it independently, but I really like to watch it too (as does my 4 year old). Their retention has been very good, and it is easy to assign extra reading to go along with the topic of the week. I wish we had discovered it sooner. Definitely a winner here. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 So, those of you currently using the self-paced history, do you also use the recommended book list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in WI Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 :bigear: I'm considering using the 1815 to Present with a 3rd and 6th grader next year. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloha2U Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 So, those of you currently using the self-paced history, do you also use the recommended book list? Yes, and I'm pre-reading - which I highly recommend - the literature selections prior to my little man reading them. He would read every lit. assignment scheduled for both Level 1 and Level 2 if I let him - ability and comprehension not being the issue here but, rather, mature content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 The book lists are really great! I would not skip those. My children usually wear headphones when doing the lessons because my 3 and 1.5 year old are so loud, and distracting. My dd(9) sometimes has a hard time with some of the activities/games, but my ds never has had any problems. I like the idea of doing SOTW, and the Self Paced Courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 We have almost completed MARR and are moving into Explorers to 1815. It is PERFECT for us. Next year, I'll have two kiddos in two different levels (OTAE and 1815 to present). Omnibus will probably be ready for my dd, but even if it were ready now for oldest DS we wouldn't do it. It's not a good fit for him. He's enjoying the K12 Human Odyssey course, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 We are using NTGR and my kids are loving it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 We did self-paced NTGR, MARR, both american years, and part of OTAE. It gets better with each level, so you should definitely keep going! We've done the print version as well, and we definitely prefer online. :D If you have energy, you can do read alouds with them for the history topics and pull together hands-on. It's not like doing the online self-paced precludes your participation. It just eliminates your need to do the grunt work and gives them a backdrop. In fact I think you *should* do those things. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMary2 Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 We do. I love it. We will use it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in KS Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 We do! We've used every level but marr and love it. We use the lit assignment if our library has the book! Otherwise I pick something topic appropriate. Yes, and I'm pre-reading - which I highly recommend - the literature selections prior to my little man reading them. He would read every lit. assignment scheduled for both Level 1 and Level 2 if I let him - ability and comprehension not being the issue here but, rather, mature content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Love it here. Doing Modern w/ older dd this yr, will have younger ds do it next yr for 5th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 How does it work if you use it for the "wrong" grade? I will have a 6th grader and a 3rd grader next year. They are on the same history cycle right now (Early Modern). I would like to use Modern for both next year. I know Modern is scheduled for 6th so dd would be fine. Does the program adjust for a younger kid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 We are on our second cycle and we love it. I recommend the cards (it's easier for the kids to study for reviews) and the reading supplement has been great. We may do another - hopefully they'll have omnibus done soon!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 I know this is an old thread....I am so sorry if this messes anyone up! But I really really wanted to hear from some who had been using VP self paced. I notice several of you are no longer using it . . . anyone care to share why? I am considering either using OTAE for my rising 2nd and 4th graders or 1815 to Modern with my 4th grader and OTAE with my 2nd grader. I would love to know why some of you left VP Self Paced and from those of you it is still working for. :) Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildwood Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I'm not one of the original posters in the thread, but we are just finishing up OTAE with my 4th grader and my Ist grader tag-along. My 4th grader will begin NTGR some time this year as we have already ordered the course. I also plan to get OTAE for my soon-to-be 2nd grader so she can have the course as her own this time around. My 4th grader really likes the VP online course and is genuinely looking forward to starting NTGR. My rising 2nd grader is very happy that she gets her own VP course with OTAE. Both girls have really enjoyed the content and have learned a lot. It's nice to actually have something in our homeschool that feels like the money spent was well worth it, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solascriptura Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 I know this is an old thread....I am so sorry if this messes anyone up! But I really really wanted to hear from some who had been using VP self paced. I notice several of you are no longer using it . . . anyone care to share why? I am considering either using OTAE for my rising 2nd and 4th graders or 1815 to Modern with my 4th grader and OTAE with my 2nd grader. I would love to know why some of you left VP Self Paced and from those of you it is still working for. :) Thank you! We are on our second year of using the self paced courses. It offers much more than I could do with SOTW for my history loving kids. It was so interactive and reinforced the material so I feel like a lot of the material was retained. It also gives me a little break to clean up the morning rush, but I can also listen in so I know what they are learning too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom10 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 We are about 3/4 done with our first year, and my 4th and 6th graders are both doing 1815-present. We are coming from a Sonlight background and I have been very impressed with the retention vs. that program. I will definitely be using it again next year with my younger daughter. Not sure what to do with my 6th grader- I don't think she will be ready for self paced Omnibus and she really loves this program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 My kids like the fist self-paced (Ancients) course but they really didn't like the second (New Test.) one nearly as much. In the first course, the two actors play a husband and wife. In the second one they are brother and sister. The relationship is marked by antagonistic banter and my kids found it annoying. I frequently heard, "Why do they act like brats? It's really annoying." The material covered was fine but the interaction between the actors left them cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeepa Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 My DD10 will finish the last course next year in 6th grade. She's enjoyed each course and her retention of the material is strong. We've been very happy with the program. I was worried that she might "out grow" the format but she hasn't. She still finds it very engaging. The plan right now is for her to begin Omnibus 1 in 7th grade and I think she'll be ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmtzc2009 Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 My kids like the fist self-paced (Ancients) course but they really didn't like the second (New Test.) one nearly as much. In the first course, the two actors play a husband and wife. In the second one they are brother and sister. The relationship is marked by antagonistic banter and my kids found it annoying. I frequently heard, "Why do they act like brats? It's really annoying." The material covered was fine but the interaction between the actors left them cold. I'm glad I saw your comment. I was really hoping to love their self paced history. Upon watching the sample lesson I was turned off by the way the brother and sister interacted with each other and decided it just wouldn't be a good fit for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 My younger dc have done two years of the VP self-paced classes. I'm not crazy about the eye rolls and sarcasm of the NT, Greece & Rome, but it's not enough for me to boycott the class altogether. And we don't do many of the Disney channel/kid movies b/c of that sort of behavior. I appreciate that the content is rich, that Biblical history is tied into secular history, that many scenes are shot on location and that it can be done fairly independently. FYI: There is a special through April 15 and you can sign up for a SP class for $99. That's half-price and the best you'll see all year, even with a group or sibling discount. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy123 Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I know this is an old thread....I am so sorry if this messes anyone up! But I really really wanted to hear from some who had been using VP self paced. I notice several of you are no longer using it . . . anyone care to share why? I am considering either using OTAE for my rising 2nd and 4th graders or 1815 to Modern with my 4th grader and OTAE with my 2nd grader. I would love to know why some of you left VP Self Paced and from those of you it is still working for. :) Thank you! The independent nature of the program really works for us. My son is very motivated to do the lessons. He's only done the first one, OTAE, but he really liked it and learned more than I could have taught him. We'll continue on with the NTGR. We just ordered it on the half price special. Here's a link to the sale if anyone needs it: http://curebit.com/x/ELMV1n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyc78 Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 What are the odds that we could do two in a year's time span? The price is great and my son will knock out 2-3 lessons in one sitting… I was considering purchasing both Explorers-1815 and 1815-Present to completely cover US History (plus some) over the next year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeskyReds Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 What are the odds that we could do two in a year's time span? The price is great and my son will knock out 2-3 lessons in one sitting… I was considering purchasing both Explorers-1815 and 1815-Present to completely cover US History (plus some) over the next year? We have used the self-paced history the last 3 years and have been pleased with them. We started with MARR, then Exp-1815, and this year 1815-Modern. It has worked well for all my kids in various grade levels - this year I had a 3rd, 5th, and 7th grader all doing Modern. Has been fine for all of them, even considering it was my 3rd graders first time with her own course. The subject matter has been fine for her as well - I was a little concerned it might be too much. (SWB notes that the 4th volune of SOTW is more intense than the earlier volumes - and this child DD8 has been fine with all of it.) Next year my DD13 will do Omni I beginning with Ancients. Omni moves a little faster, and I was hoping to keep the youngers a little closer to the same time span, so we start OTAE in June when done with the current, and then I have schemed to ahve them done around March 2015 and starting on NTGR directly after, and probably finishing it around Christmas 2015. For us it takes a solid 8 months to get through and that's pushing it, even with some days doing 2-3 lessons and other days, when things are too busy or we have play dress rehearsals or piano recitals, no lessons get done. In our experience, the lessons get longer and take more time as the course goes on and there is more and more to review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyc78 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 @peskyreds would you consider the subject material of either of those (Ex-1815 or 1815-Mod) too much for a sensitive almost 8 yr old? I have worried about how much detail or disturbing images would be included about wars, slavery, the holocaust, etc. VP customer service assured me it was appropriate for all elementary age students... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy123 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 What are the odds that we could do two in a year's time span? The price is great and my son will knock out 2-3 lessons in one sitting… I was considering purchasing both Explorers-1815 and 1815-Present to completely cover US History (plus some) over the next year? I'm thinking of doing the same thing. My son finished the first one in 5 months, and that included some breaks for holidays. He also does multiple lessons on some days and tries to sneak some in on the weekends if I'll let him. :) I wonder if the content becomes more demanding as he moves to the next course. Can anyone speak to that... whether or not each course is harder than the one before it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeskyReds Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 @peskyreds would you consider the subject material of either of those (Ex-1815 or 1815-Mod) too much for a sensitive almost 8 yr old? I have worried about how much detail or disturbing images would be included about wars, slavery, the holocaust, etc. VP customer service assured me it was appropriate for all elementary age students... I just spoke with my kids about this, and none of them remarked that thus far there was anything overly disturbing to them....I mean, I have kept an eye on it along the way, and we talk through some issues as we are going, obviously, but even my more sensitive DD8 hasn't felt threatened or intimidated in any way with the material we've seen yet. One thing I would say helps with this is that most of the information, other than that presented by the actors, is a fixed image, not so much live action movie, IYKWIM. The images have been tastefully done and have made an impression, but not been "scary" or too graphic, that I ahve seen or that has been reported to me, and we've just been through the Civil War. We are only up to Teddy Roosevelt in the 1900s, this year yet, haven't hit WWI, WWII or the holocaust yet, but I feel like I trust the material and the way VP has presented everything we've seen so far, so will be trusting this upcoming material as well, although I will be a little more involved in watching and discussing than when we are going over cowboys. :) So, yes I have seen it thus far to be appropriate to all elementary age levels, in our experience, although bear in mind I don't start the kids on them until around 2nd-3rd grade. Perhaps someone else can vouch for the 2oth century section! HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teeniebeenie6 Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 My kids like the fist self-paced (Ancients) course but they really didn't like the second (New Test.) one nearly as much. In the first course, the two actors play a husband and wife. In the second one they are brother and sister. The relationship is marked by antagonistic banter and my kids found it annoying. I frequently heard, "Why do they act like brats? It's really annoying." The material covered was fine but the interaction between the actors left them cold. Thank you so much for mentioning your thoughts on the New Testament one. I watched part of one of the samples and was appalled at the way the actors acted as brother in sister. Not something I want my kids imitating! I am interested in the Middle Ages one though. Has anyone used it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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