We use K12 and enjoy it. They provide everything, there is some interference, you have a teacher that helps you place your child in the right grade and they want so much completed a week or so many days a week done, though you can choose what to do on a daily.
I was lucky and my teacher last year was awesome and let me work at my own pace. I change some of what they teach in thier curriculum because it wasnt hard enough in science and history for my kindergartener but that is an area most public charter homeschools will not change.
You can also buy the curriculum with out the teacher and do a private school all your own but it was to much for me.
We are using k12 cyber-school. We love it, but it's not for everyone. We've found flexibility, a great curriculum with lots of extra stuff for kiddos that want enrichment. There's a "teacher" online that you either have classes with (we never really attended the classes much) or you email and tell them what you are doing. You can go at your own pace, for the most part. We were never "behind" so I don't know what they would do with that situation. I really liked it and have signed up a second child and moved from using only a few classes that we purchased this past year to the full curriculum this coming year.
It was really easy for him to cheat. He would take a test, do a retake but then write down all the correct answers as he graded it and retake it to pass. He faked his way through. I kept telling his Mom and she didn't care. I told her I would grade his work, since I was being paid..and she told me "he needs to be responsible for his education"..aka..she just wanted him to pass and move on.
We're moving away from K12. The earliest grade that we've experienced was 5th, so I can't speak to earlier grades, but I found K12 to be test-heavy. Do an assignment, take a test. Do another assignment, take a test. All day every day. It goes on and on and on... Instead of just testing at the end of a chapter, students take a test at the end of almost every assignment then they take a unit (chapter) exam at the end. You can move at your own pace (sort of), but tests are a major part of the routine. Scantron exams (standardized tests) are scheduled 2-3 times per year as well. I completely understand the reason for testing, but with K12, there's just so much...in my state - not sure it's the same nationwide.
I'm going the traditional route this year and will see if that helps with information retention and leads to lower stress. I imagine that we'll be able to focus more on the material and less on taking tests.
ETA: We used a K12 public school.
In Kindergarten it isnt so bad, first grade math had a lot of tests. But I think they just want to ensure the kids know thier stuff. I hope there are not more test later. I am very involved with my dd6's education. I dont let her take the tests all by herself. If she doesnt get a good grade we review and take it later. K12 is what you make it. We do change some things because the kids knew most of the things for history and the science was to easy and didnt have really good science experiments.
Quoting WantedNameTaken:
We're moving away from K12. The earliest grade that we've experienced was 5th, so I can't speak to earlier grades, but I found K12 to be test-heavy. Do an assignment, take a test. Do another assignment, take a test. All day every day. It goes on and on and on... Instead of just testing at the end of a chapter, students take a test at the end of almost every assignment then they take a unit (chapter) exam at the end. You can move at your own pace (sort of), but tests are a major part of the routine. Scantron exams (standardized tests) are scheduled 2-3 times per year as well. I completely understand the reason for testing, but with K12, there's just so much...in my state - not sure it's the same nationwide.
I'm going the traditional route this year and will see if that helps with information retention and leads to lower stress. I imagine that we'll be able to focus more on the material and less on taking tests.
ETA: We used a K12 public school.
Quoting blessedvillage:
Thank you all, I was just curious thats alll. I plan to unscool, because I know it will work best for us as a family. However, I did feel if the state of Va. holds up our Religious Exemption, then I may use one then until they went away lol, but other than that no.
We have a religious exemption in VA also. From what I understand, if you were to actually enroll into k12, then you are enrolling into the public school system which would negate your exemption permanently. (I could be wrong.) I do know that you can buy K12 separately and not use their teachers, just the curriculum. You have to be very careful. I also know tht if you enroll into K12, HSLDA will drop your coverage because you are then a public school student. Now I don't know if VA treats other programs the same way.
We have used Aleks (math) online and are now trying Thinkwell this year. I tend to piecemeal their curriculum vs using a whole program. But there are so many good programs. My sis' uses Monarch from Alpha and Omega. She likes a lot of it. I used their typing, Language arts, and French programs last year with Switched on Schoolhouse. I think the language arts program is ok, I've used it for 2 years now. We are currently looking for a new program though. The elementary French was inadequate. The typing was fine.
I find that as my older boys are entering middle/high school that online or computer programs are becoming more enticing.
Heart of Dakota?
- blessedvillage
on Jul. 20, 2012 at 11:24 AM