Woke History

[rebcoola]

Anyone use the woke school online self paced course and have reviews?

[SilverMoon]

I haven't, though they have a fairly active Facebook group. 🙂 I've heard good things about the online classes and they'd be on my shortlist if my teen wasn't anti- online classes. 😄

(I did use their updated Oh Freedom curriculum for US history with my 5th grader this past year and thoroughly enjoyed it.)

 

[Ting Tang]

2 hours ago, SilverMoon said:

I haven't, though they have a fairly active Facebook group. 🙂 I've heard good things about the online classes and they'd be on my shortlist if my teen wasn't anti- online classes. 😄

(I did use their updated Oh Freedom curriculum for US history with my 5th grader this past year and thoroughly enjoyed it.)

 

On this note...  I was sent a sample I believe of their elementary course.  But I still cannot quite figure it out or recall. Is this a Charlotte Mason Living Books/Literature type of curriculum with a "spine" book (Zinn)?  Or are other books optional?  I know these curriculums get criticized by some, but I really think it is important to look at history told from the perspective of others. Pandia Express looks interesting to me, too. We are going light on the history and science this year to focus on core classes and building good habits, but at some point, I want to use a really good curriculum.

[SilverMoon]

29 minutes ago, Ting Tang said:

On this note...  I was sent a sample I believe of their elementary course.  But I still cannot quite figure it out or recall. Is this a Charlotte Mason Living Books/Literature type of curriculum with a "spine" book (Zinn)?  Or are other books optional?  I know these curriculums get criticized by some, but I really think it is important to look at history told from the perspective of others. Pandia Express looks interesting to me, too. We are going light on the history and science this year to focus on core classes and building good habits, but at some point, I want to use a really good curriculum.

He had a nonfiction spine and a correlated literature book scheduled daily. Once in awhile he had three books in one day, but that's because I had him read both the easier reader and older kids reader (they were just that good 🙂). There were also discussion questions, links to websites, a curated YouTube playlist, documentary and movie recommendations, and such. These extras are listed under the schedule, more choose what's best for you, buffet style. The optional journal provided some written output. The whole course is scheduled four days a week for 40 weeks, and every 6th week or so is an unscheduled week for "catching up," sometimes with its own list of suggested movies and books. We did history five days a week instead and finished it in a typical school year. Oh Freedom was his history, literature, and a little extra writing practice. 

Edited June 14, 2022 by SilverMoon

[Ting Tang]

14 hours ago, SilverMoon said:

He had a nonfiction spine and a correlated literature book scheduled daily. Once in awhile he had three books in one day, but that's because I had him read both the easier reader and older kids reader (they were just that good 🙂). There were also discussion questions, links to websites, a curated YouTube playlist, documentary and movie recommendations, and such. These extras are listed under the schedule, more choose what's best for you, buffet style. The optional journal provided some written output. The whole course is scheduled four days a week for 40 weeks, and every 6th week or so is an unscheduled week for "catching up," sometimes with its own list of suggested movies and books. We did history five days a week instead and finished it in a typical school year. Oh Freedom was his history, literature, and a little extra writing practice. 

Okedoke, thank you so much!  I do like that they have that extra time built into the schedule, but I did not realize it was based on a 40-week schedule.  I'm starting to feel like I cannot "do it all" with four kids, which is why I wanted to work on core subjects (mostly) this year and figure ourselves out.  This is year 3 of homeschooling, but the first year with all 4.  

[EKS]

I just looked at a few of the videos.  I was impressed with the content and her delivery.  

The fact that it has the word "woke" in the name would give me pause.  This is a pretty loaded term that describes a particular ideology.  I couldn't find it anywhere on the website what the overarching philosophy of the program was, but I would want to know that before investing any money.

ETA:  I finally found this on the website, which has some interviews with the author.  It looks like there may be a Christian element to it as well, though she says it's secular.  I've learned from repeated bad experiences that when Christians say their programs are secular, there is always something that isn't.

Edited June 15, 2022 by EKS