~Sunny~ Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 (edited) I am looking for something online that is fun and my child will learn a lot. I would like to use it fully for her schooling so want a formal curriculum. She had begged for no dvd school as it is boring for her to sit while watching a teacher in a classroom. Something that is a curriculum and fun with extra games and such is what I am looking for. Help?? Edited to add. That It will be parent interacting. I wouldn't just leave her. She is in PS this year and loves it and I want something that she will enjoy just as much as she does PS Edited March 10, 2017 by ~Sunny~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 I think that most second graders would be bored with any one thing all day -- if she's bored with DVDs all day, she'll probably be bored with an online program all day as well. When one of my kids was in 1st grade, he used all K12 curriculum and while some of it was good, it was a lot of seatwork (and busy work) for an active kid. It also required a great deal of my attention so if you're hoping to find something that will allow your second grader to be relatively independent, I'm not sure you'll find it. We prefer to piecemeal things now to keep things different and more engaging. For example, we use an online Spanish program (Middlebury) and supplement math with Prodigy (an online math game.) We also use Mystery Science (online videos and experiments) but everything else is print-based. For our core subjects we use lots of living books and some workbooks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Okay, let me make the checklist: Fun Games Engaging No parent interaction Full curriculum Children really do wonderfully well with an engaged teacher interacting with them and a multi-sensory approach. I don't know of any online program that would sufficiently meet these needs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sunny~ Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 Okay, let me make the checklist: Fun Games Engaging No parent interaction Full curriculum Children really do wonderfully well with an engaged teacher interacting with them and a multi-sensory approach. I don't know of any online program that would sufficiently meet these needs. No lol. Parent engaging of course! I guess I worded that wrong! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiara.I Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Can I ask why you're looking for specifically online? For most children, less screen time is better. Since you're planning on being involved anyway, would a book-based curriculum be an option for some of the subjects? Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 No lol. Parent engaging of course! I guess I worded that wrong! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk From your edit I can see how online school would be appealing. There is a reason, though, that even online schools don't do full online lessons for young children. It just isn't an adequate way to fully meet all their needs. Either they meet with a teacher or have parents do some lessons scripted offline, and much of the work is still completed with paper and pencil. And many parents using those schools tend to give it up quickly because of the sheer monotony. What kind of a school year do you imagine for fall? What do you imagine a day would be like for the two of you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Unless what she loves about public school is that she stares at a computer for hours a day, you're not going to find something she loves just as much. If you can explain some of your reservations about pen and paper schooling, we may be able to work through them with you. As for computer based, there is: Time4learning Prodigy math Teaching textbooks Uh...Monarch? I think it's called. Maybe it's called switched on schoolhouse? I don't know about at 2nd grade...But there are online classes with a teacher too: Well trained mind academy Brave writer Memoria press Outschool ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Time4Learning 2nd grade English and math were things my DS enjoyed but we did them as a supplement to more interactive/pen and paper/hands on/etc. He hated the 3rd grade stuff but he did enjoy 2nd. As mentioned above there is also Outschool's offerings. Classes start all the time, some are short duration and some are longer, etc. Wide variation in quality and prices and scheduling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 I have to add my voice to the group, saying computer based learning for a second grader sounds... not ideal. If I were to choose just ONE thing to be screen based for that age, I'd choose Magic Schoolbus science videos and one of the many add-on kits and activity sets that you can find out there. I would NOT to computer based math except possibly a fact-practicing game in addition to the one-on-one book math. I would NOT choose any sort of online language arts. I can't even imagine what that would look like. I would do SOTW and AG for history. My 2nd grader happens to be able to do the DuoLingo app for German. I don't consider this a "typically age appropriate" thing for a 2nd grader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sunny~ Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 Unless what she loves about public school is that she stares at a computer for hours a day, you're not going to find something she loves just as much. If you can explain some of your reservations about pen and paper schooling, we may be able to work through them with you. As for computer based, there is: Time4learning Prodigy math Teaching textbooks Uh...Monarch? I think it's called. Maybe it's called switched on schoolhouse? I don't know about at 2nd grade...But there are online classes with a teacher too: Well trained mind academy Brave writer Memoria press Outschool ... I guess I don't mind some pen and paper. I was just thinking more online that would help grade and be more fun and engaging. I have 4 kids so I am just trying to get it all figured out what would be fun for her and easier on me. (But still some pen and paper is fine and I would be interacting if course too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 (edited) In second grade there really isn't much grading to be done because you're still doing things along with them and lessons are relatively short. Reading comprehension, for example. Sure, you could get an online program to test reading comprehension, but in 2nd grade, fostering a love of learning is going to look more like reading together and talking about what happened. So there's no grading, but you know where your kid is at. Math, for my guys, is mostly at-elbow at that age...to keep them on task and check work as they go. We do an online self-paced history course from Veritas Press starting in 2nd, but it's supplemental for "fun", not their main coursework. I think 4th or 5th is about just now where I'm getting comfortable to give my oldest an online class as part of real school (it happens to be Latin). 2nd seems very young for online learning. Edited March 11, 2017 by EmseB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Aside from aforementioned, there's Reading Eggspress and Mathseeds, and Khan Academy, but they're supplemental, imo. And for foreign language my kids use Rosetta Stone, but like Monica mentioned for Duolingo, RS may be on the tough side for the average 2nd grader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruthie in MS Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I agree with other posters that 2nd grade shouldn't be heavy online learning. This is an age that still needs lots of interaction. Reading aloud to her should be a focus in her education. Jim Trelease's The Read Aloud Handbook will offer lots of advice and research to encourage you. Every library should have a copy of this book. If anything, online learning should be supplemental and fun. Here are some of my suggestions: Starfall- phonics and math practice Time 4 Learning- covers all subjects, I think Sheppard Software- math and geography practice ABCya- lots of good games for concept practice and critical thinking Arcademics- math and language arts practice with games Spelling City- spelling and vocabulary practice with fun games. Can also take spelling tests here. The only pay sites are Starfall (some of their site is free), Time 4 Learning and Spelling City (a lot on this site is free too) and the rest are free sites. If I'm correct some of the online curriculum mentioned like Switched-on Schoolhouse, Monarch and Teaching Textbooks don't begin until 3rd grade. Like another poster said, you won't be grading, if at all, at this age. Research shows that lots of screen time for this age is not good for them developmentally. Typically 2nd graders are still yearning for mom's attention. They're only little once so enjoy this time with your dc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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