I was planning on Lightning Literature until I looked at K12 English

[swimnactmom]

K12 English appears to be a challenging program. I was able to look at the weekly planning schedule for LL7 online. It looks like LL7 compares to K12's 6th grade. Also, K12's course outline looks quite substantial.

Since we use Wordly Wise, WriteShop, Analytical Grammar, and Spelling Workout, I'm not sure how much of the writing/grammar/vocabulary components we would use. K12 even incorporates Vocabulary from Classical Roots into their curriculum.

Has anyone here considered these 2 programs? What would be the advantages or disadvantages of choosing one over the other? Does K12 look better than it really is? Advice?

[Peela]

I have only seen the history part of K12, but I found it to be a tremendous amount of work, and a large part of that, busy work. It certainly would have sucked the joy out of history for my two. However we use their text (History odyssey)and find that excellent.

Although I like the look of K12, I just have the feeling it's too much. Of course, it's also not tweakable- you can't pick and choose what to do for your own child. I am sure its a high standard, and it would be one of my choices if I had the money AND I needed to work and leave the kids to their schoolwork, but I am glad I am not in that position.

LL is a literature program- one aspect of an English arts program (also one which has never been in TWTM, to my knowledge, as that is more about socratic questioning). I am not sure that it would be comparable to any whole LA program.

[swimnactmom]

You can't pick and choose in K12? So if I wanted to skip an activity or a whole section of something, I can't do it? That does not sound good.

 

I was originally looking at K12 history and science, which is how I stumbled upon the english program. I planned on skipping some of the very early history and maybe a chapter or two of the science. Also, I know, for the english, I wouldn't use the grammar portions and may omit some of the writing assignments.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I will look into this. I don't really need a whole LA program anyway because I'm so happy with my other resources. I really do need just a literature program, although I wouldn't mind some writing tied directly into it. Lightning Literature may end up being a good choice after all. Thanks!

[Samiam]

As a indepedent user of K12, you certainly can pick and choose what you use/do in the program. You can skip chapters, sections, whole portions. We used K12 for 4th grade, and for LA, we did the grammar, spelling and Vocab (each a completely independent program, with their own books) and skipped the Literature (although we read the books, both the readers that come with the program as well as picked from the list of novels they gave us, just didn't do the "study" portion of the Lit program), as well as skipped all writing portions.

 

But you can't BUY them all seperately, so it should would cost alot of you only wanted a Lit program.

[Night Elf]

Like other programs, K12 was written to be a schoolish program. You choose what parts you like and let go of the rest. I've seen the same thing with Rod & Staff English and Math, and Saxon Math. That doesn't mean the programs aren't good, just that they need to be tweaked to suit the child's needs.

 

We are currently using K12 LA 6th grade and 7th grade. I think it's a great program. There are pieces we skip or skim through. My DH and I choose which assignments are beneficial to our children.

 

I love all the components of the program. But if you're only interested in the Literature part, it would probably be too much to spend for just the one part. The majority of the literature program is online so without the online access, you wouldn't really have the meat of the program. I just mention that in case you're thinking about buying the pieces for the literature program without registering for the online part.

[Love2Smile]

Can you post the link where you purchase K-12?

[Ida]

It's a very good match for my older son. We also have 4th grade LA, but not such a good match for my second son. Also, the middle school format is fairly different. We do k12 independently, so we can pick and chose and we don't have to keep up with their schedule.

 

The Literature comes as part of the whole English package which includes Vocabulary, GUM (grammar, usage, and mechanics), composition and lit. We do everything except the occassional diagramming exercise orally for GUM. Vocab he can do very independently. I've actually liked the composition more than I thought I would, and I'm very impressed with the lit.

 

The lit sometimes starts with a pre-reading activity or discussion question, then the read the selection. There's a "check your reading" quiz online, then an online lesson about some aspect of literature such as symbolism, character, genre, etc. Then there are usually some short answer questions designed to be written out. At the end of each unit is an assessment, which usually consists of a short essay. They are very good about telling the student exactly what information to put in each paragraph. The program includes a wide range of material: short stories, poetry, non-fiction, full length novels, drama (including Shakespeare), etc. It is an extremely thorough and rigorous program.

 

I am very glad we are doing it independently though. To keep up with their schedule, they expect you to spend a full hour on literature every single day. Quite honestly it often takes more than an hour for my son to complete a lesson, especially when I make him do all the writing as writing does not come easily to him. This is in addition to other English work. We are way behind in lit because we don't do it every day and often take breaks between units. We will not finish the lit in a year, even with going through the summer. Another disadvantage is that I find myself less likely to focus on literature that ties into what we are doing in history because our literature is already so intensive.

 

Overall, k12 English is a good program. I really see what they are doing in the way they design the lessons and how the program will build on itself over the course of the middle school years and leave them very prepared for high school work.

[swimnactmom]

http://www.k12.com/

 

(I hope this link thing works. I have technology issues.)

[LadyAberlin]

IS K12 all online or can you just get a teacher's manual that organizes all the materials?

[Samiam]

It depends on the subject and grade level.

 

We have done History for 1st-4th grade. This is all 80% done on-line, with some off-line activities and extra reading thrown in. It would be impossible to do without the online portion.

 

We used everything, all subjects for 4th grade. You need the online portion for Science. We did not need the online portion for GUM (which is Language Arts, including Vocab, Spelling, Comp, Lit, Grammar), nor did we need the online portion for Math. There may have been "extras" that we missed by not having the online services for these subjects, but definately nothing that was detrimental to using the material. I had bought all of the material used (but not actually used), so it was mine to keep. If you bought the material from K12 directly, and then canceled the online portion, not sure but I "think" you have to send it back.

 

Other grade levels will vary. I know for 5th and 6th grade history, US History, they use Joy Hakim's books, so not sure how much of the online you would actually need.

[Night Elf]

Personal experience: K12 History 4th through 6th, LA 4th through 7th, Science 5th through 8th, and Math 4th through 6th.

 

I couldn't imagine doing literature or history without the online portion. There is more information than just in the student guide.

 

The history program has online flashcards, time lines, extra bits of information and pages of the curriculum that are not in the student or teacher guides. Most of the assessments are online as well.

 

The literature program also includes information such as Before Reading and Check Your Reading that are not in the student or teacher guide. There are interactive features that share more information than in the guides as well.

 

It is possible to do the GUM and Vocab without the online portion, but we've found the online portion of composition to be invaluable.

 

Science is mostly online.

 

If you are a consumer direct customer, meaning you pay for the program as a homeschooler and are not affiliated with any state charter school, the materials are yours to keep regardless of online cancellation. I have saved materials from one child to the next so I don't have to buy duplicate materials.

[EKS]

You absolutely *can* pick and choose with K12 if you are an independent user. In fact, even K12 says that they provide more than enough just so you can pick what is best for your child. And this is exactly what we are doing! This year we are only doing the literature and composition parts of the English course and since we started in January, I am even selecting the most relevant parts within those. I also do all of the daily short answer stuff for literature with my son orally. He only writing he does for literature are the essays for the unit assessments.