Would I go insane with 3 kids doing Calvert?

[umsami]

Was at cub scouts talking about plans for next year, and I mentioned that we were going to homeschool next year. I've been kind of leaning towards Oak Meadow, with a separate math program, and some supplementation. My son's friend's Mom said that they had used Calvert through our virtual school and l-o-v-e-d it. I remember looking at Calvert years ago when DS1 was about to enter kindy...and I just thought it looked..well...boring. I do like Calvert Script though (their form of handwriting which combines basically printed capital letters with cursive lower case letters.)

 

Where we lived before, the local virtual school basically replaced most of the Calvert stuff with crappy Scott Foresman type textbooks. (Apologies if you love them.) It really was public school at home. BUT...where we live now actually uses the entire Calvert program including Calvert Script in first grade (for DD) and the "Math in Focus" Singapore math program from Saxon. (I have math envy over that...but it's just way too expensive to consider for me.) I also like a "Child's History of the World" which DS1 would use in 4th.

 

The thing is...I will be homeschooling three kids along with trying to distract a very curious 3 year old. :) Can a highly scripted program like Calvert work for us? How on earth would I schedule three kids? (Seemed more possible with OM since it's so gentle and since I planned to combine DS1 and DS2 as much as possible.)

 

I like the fact that it's still pretty much off-line. They have online supplements, but it's not a 100% online curriculum which would require us to buy more computers.

 

I love the fact that it's free....especially as money could be tight next year. (Although i think I can cobble together the OM and math for under $1000...using a bunch of what we already have.)

 

I love the fact that this local school district actually does a lot of activities, field trips for the kids.

 

I hate hate hate the fact that the kids have to take the FCAT (Florida standardized test...starts in 3rd grade)... although I could choose not to teach to the test and just see how it goes.

 

WWYD? (Granted I think I could drop out and do "regular" homeschooling if it proved to be evil...but I would lose out on buying some OM stuff during the happy 20% off sale going on right now.)

[Ellie]

It wouldn't only be the scripted Calvert stuff; it would be having to comply with the virtual school's requirements, which may add to your workload.

 

I'm betting you can find local homeschool groups that do field trips and whatnot.

 

You'd certainly have more freedom to do what your children need if you were homeschooling instead of doing the public-school-at-home thing.

[Butter]

I've done it with 3. Did it this year with 3 in Calvert and one more (high schooler). It's not been an issue at all. We finish school before noon every day. Kindergarten only takes a little while and even my second grader finished school in a couple hours. My 5th grader could do a fair bit on his own, so while he was working with his textbook or competing a writing assignment, I'd work with the younger boys.

[Pawz4me]

We've used Calvert for all our homeschooling years. So for four years I was homeschooling two using the Calvert traditional academic program. We didn't do it through a school system or use ATS. I found it very, very easy. Sure it's scripted, but if you do it on your own there's nobody standing over you with a whip telling you have have to read every single word verbatim or do every assignment. I found it very flexible. But note that we like the "school at home" approach. We love good textbooks. My boys have always enjoyed checking things off. If anything I think Calvert's early grades are very light and gentle. There were many, many days I kind of worried that school was way too easy for them, and over way too quickly each day. To some extent that even carried over into middle school. When oldest DS returned to public school for high school, those worries were very quickly put to rest.

[ByGrace3]

I know some locals who use it through our counties virtual school and really like it. There would be several hang ups for me. I would find it challenging if not impossible to teach content subjects separately. Also, just a note in case you didn't know Florida does have that strange rule if you do standardized testing and your child does not do well, they have the "right" to force your child into public school. (However, I am not sure how this works if you are in a virtual school).

 

Around our area we have a ton of homeschool groups that have lots of activities and field trips.

 

Also, sounds like that cursive is similar to New American cursive which isn't very expensive...

 

Many people like the structure and support of virtual schools, and it is a great fit for some, but there are also many rules and limits it brings to your learning, and eliminates any freedom of child directed learning or "rabbit trails."

[Butter]

Virtual schools *are* public school. They are not technically homeschooling so rules about making a homeschooled child go to public school do not apply.

[Hunter]

Joyce Swann used Calvert with 8(?) kids. No Regrets is the book written by her oldest daughter.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

You won't go insane. Do what works for you and your family.

[Shahrazad]

I can't speak to combining but I was homeschooled in Florida and attended a private religious school there for a couple years that used Calvert for lower grades and FLVS for higher grades and I didn't care for either program personally. I think the FCAT is fairly straight-forward though and you might not have to do too much 'teaching to the test' unless your children have trouble with standardized test taking. I've always found I could score in the highest percentile without any additional legwork (just based on residual knowledge).

[TraceyS/FL]

I have no intentions of "teaching to the test" for DD for 3rd next year. I have her tentatively enrolled in my counties K12 virtual academy (I had no idea we had one!) for next year, awaiting to see what her Dad says about it. In fact, one of the reasons I want to do it to give her a decently strong academic year to make up for this crappy 2nd grade experience - and it will be all FCAT if she does 3rd there. She can go show up and take it when it is time.... she's been there for 2 and half years, they all know and love her. Her current texts are all fill in the bubble work, so she should be able to handle that (and maybe it will be all online next year anyway).

 

I'm not excited about sticking to the public school schedule, but it is my best chance for getting her home for the year.

 

It can't hurt to try it, then if you hate it file the NOI. BUT, i hear you on missing the sale too!

 

I wish i had more advice - I'm actually excited about the K12 materials from what I have read (except for the math), and hopefully you can get it all sorted out!

[Ellie]

Virtual schools *are* public school. They are not technically homeschooling so rules about making a homeschooled child go to public school do not apply.

 

:iagree: