Need Veritas/Wilson Hill online teacher rec

[shanezomom]

Our co-op is changing next year and I need to make some choices before classes fill up. Any input for me?

 

Online Geometry class, narrowed down to:

     Wilson Hill, teacher Leslie Smith, Jurgensen Text

     Veritas, teacher Kaye Pepin or Susan Klein, Jacobs Text

 

Online Chemistry 

     Wilson Hill, teacher Adair Paul, Holt Text

     Veritas, teacher Travis Southern or Donna Amato, I think they are evaluating the text but I see they use Apologia for Bio

 

I'm toying with the idea of Wilson Hill Physics which they like to teach before Chem. I will ask ds for his preference.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2016 by shanezomom

[yvonne]

My boys took WHA's Geometry with Leslie Smith last year. We all thought the class went very well. In fact, my daughter is taking Algebra I with Mrs. Smith this year because geometry went so well. We would highly recommend both her Algebra I and her Geometry courses!

 

ETA: No experience with Chemistry, yet, but my boys did take WHA's Biology course with Mrs. Owens last year, and that, too, went very well. I had planned to sign my daughter up for the same course this year, but it now requires Chemistry as a prerequisite.  My boys are signed up for WHA Chemistry for this coming year. We choose WHA because we had a good experience with their Biology course last year and because I did not want to use the Apologia Chemistry text.

Edited March 31, 2016 by yvonne

[Homeschoolmom3]

Our co-op is changing next year and I need to make some choices before classes fill up. Any input for me?

 

 

Online Geometry class, narrowed down to:

     Wilson Hill, teacher Leslie Smith, Jurgensen Text

     Veritas, teacher Kaye Pepin or Susan Klein, Jacobs Text

 

I have heard Kaye Pepin is good, but my kids have never had her and we really liked the Jacobs text.

 

 

Online Chemistry 

     Wilson Hill, teacher Adair Paul, Holt Text

     Veritas, teacher Travis Southern or Donna Amato, I think they are evaluating the text but I see they use Apologia for Bio

 

I'm toying with the idea of Wilson Hill Physics which they like to teach before Chem. I will ask ds for his preference.

 

 

That is the only one I have heard of and know anything about.  Good luck in your search I know it can be difficult in placement!

[margoargo]

My son had Leslie Smith when she still worked at Veritas. She was great!  When my daughter was ready for Geometry, Leslie's class time at WHA didn't work into my daughter's schedule, so she took Kaye Pepin at Veritas. My daughter loved her, and she learned well. The Jacobs text is written more for a homeschooler and is probably easier, whereas the WHA text book is the type that more traditional schools use, and the student might be more dependent upon the teacher for understanding than with the Jacobs.

 

I would prefer the WHA for Chemistry, because I would prefer to use the Holt text book over the Apologia. Some students love Apologia and it works well for them, but others find it a bit wordy. 

[yvonne]

That's a good point about the difference in the texts. You might want to look at both the Jurgensen and the Jacobs texts, and/or have your student look at both. Both my boys (and I) definitely preferred the Jurgensen text over Jacobs.

 

And another data point.... While l found several private, college prep schools that used the Jurgensen text, I found none that used Jacobs. (I looked up schools listed in Barron's article "America's Best Prep Schools" and three of the "best" local private prep schools.)  I assume that's because, as a pp pointed out, Jacobs seems to be written more for home schoolers and Jurgensen is more of a traditional school text, not necessarily because one is better than the other.  We opted for Jurgensen because I was already familiar with it, I knew it was proof-heavy, and it seemed more straightforward/less wordy than Jacobs.

 

[Amy in KS]

My daughter is signed up for both of those Wilson Hill classes. FYI--the chemistry class will NOT be using Holt. It will be using the Novare chemistry textbook. I was told that after an open house and just reconfirmed that with the Chem teacher. They really need to update the course listing...

Edited April 4, 2016 by amy in ks

[Amy in KS]

Oops! Double post.

Edited April 4, 2016 by amy in ks

[yvonne]

. FYI--the chemistry class will NOT be using Holt. It will be using the Novare chemistry textbook. I was told that after an open hour and just reconfirmed that with the Chem teacher.

 

Do you know if both the regular and the PreAp/Honors Chem class will be using Novare?

[Amy in KS]

Yes, both.

[RootAnn]

They really need to update the course listing...

Amen, sister! This is true for other of their courses where they are changing the class, but haven't changed the description (Honors Composition, for example).

[Amy in KS]

Still, I've only heard fabulous things about the teachers. They've been fantastic about emailing back answering any questions, too. How are they changing Honors Comp? I was considering that one as well.

[Edia1012]

We have a daughter in Honor's Comp this year and one signed up next year. We have not heard about changes. I am curious as well. Starlet Baker is WONDERFUL, though!

[RootAnn]

I should clarify that they are changing the Name of Honors Comp to better reflect what they cover. When I posted, I confused that with the other writing class (the lit analysis one for 8th graders) where they are changing at least one of the books. Sorry! (I have kids signed up for both classes.)

[shanezomom]

Classes are filling up already, so if you're considering any of these, don't delay. One section of Geometry that we wanted was already waiting list only.