Having cold feet about decision for my dd this year...

[...................]

My dd needs a combination of stability and challenge.  This year I have her signed up for Calvary Online academy which uses APEX learning combined with weekly one on one teacher meetings for accountability and help, as well as some teachers may allow her to attend daily tutoring sessions with the group.  The school also provides Printable notes so that the student stays on track with taking extensive notes rather than rushing through the online material.

In addition she will be dual enrolling for English, and taking an in - person Biology lab to complete her lab requirements.  

I just feel worried about APEX learning.  My dd is very bright and thrives on interaction, competition and challenge.  She really liked comparing herself to other students and/or helping them whenever she could in her online classes. She also really likes deep discussions with teachers who have called her brilliant and "the best student and deepest thinker they had in 12 years".... as far as STUDENTS, In her in-person classes she was mostly annoyed with the other students and had negative experiences with being labeled teacher's pet.  She said our homeschool co-op was basically a "school for delinquents"  But in her online classes, she enjoyed the challenge and interaction and found that students seemed to be there to actually learn.  If they weren't, she would hardly know because all she can see is the kids who are commenting and participating ?

I wonder if I am doing her a disservice by using a rote basic curriculum for so many subjects, (APEX)...

I feel like I can't give up the A-G route, but on the other hand I've always done the best I could for my kids even if that was an alternate or scary path.  

She really seems to thrive with challenging course work, but not necessarily exams or AP, just a good challenge, deep discussion and high expectations. 

Edited to add...due to her horse commitment and her concurrent enrollment commitment, and us being on Pacific time, whatever we choose has to be asynchronous...so even if we chose to do something "better" it still couldn't be live....

Thoughts?

Edited August 24, 2018 by Calming Tea

[Innisfree]

No real help, but I feel your pain. I'm trying to figure out classes for dd which have sufficient challenge but not too much busy work. We have horse complications too, but for dd, live classes are essential. It's hard to find the right fit, isn't it?

[...................]

Yes and the horse commitment is huge, it's as much time as if she were in a varsity sport.  I would never have it any other way as her horse has been by her through thick and thin and they have a special bond!  And we are lucky to be with a trainer who loves kids and teens, and who is such a good role model, pleasant to be around, zero drama, and in every way someone I am thankful she has in her life.  

I guess we are going to stick with the Calvary Online/APEX learning and see how it goes for the year.  THe first two months will be an adjustment period and after she settles into a routine we will be able to tell how it's going.  Around December and January we will be busy with Christmas and a little mini vacation, and then around February I should be able to really make a decision for next year.

Right now, as it is with high school courses, you can't really change direction once everything starts up because then you really miss things and can get way behind. Classes are often full and there are no spots left anyway.

The ONE thing I wanted to ask about today is BYU....whether it's better than what we have chosen...have you looked at BYU?

[Innisfree]

I haven't, but maybe someone else has...?

I hope you can get some help!

[...................]

Yeah, so we viewed the APEX system and demos and it was awful. Blech.  This would be good for a few subjects that you just wanted to get out of the way, but for all day?  Four subjects?  No way.  In fact, for subjects that I want to get out of the way (of which we only actually have one), there are options that are more user friendly and less expensive, even with the a-g and accredited stamp of approval.

So we totally switched gears and she's going to do two WTM classes.  Keep the local Biology Lab, (man it's so great that WTM separates the lab and the class component!!), WTM Math, the local college for English concurrent enrollment, and then next semester history at the college. ?

She will have to fulfill most of the a-g requirements by using college courses.  But some of them will go unfulfilled and hopefully that's where the "holistic review" will kick in.