Let’s continue with another review of a homeschool curriculum. K12 Online Curriculum is an all-in-one curriculum that is available for whoever would like to use it. I am pulling from conversations with friends who have used it, as well as other families I have met in educational settings. These are simply their thoughts and opinions. I delved into their promotional materials and have spoken with a consultant before when trying to work out if this was best for a family I was working with. As with all things, do your own research to find what works best for you.
ONLINE HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM
K12 Online is a free online public school. It has various variants for each State. But they are readily available and accessible. Choosing an online homeschool curriculum has the same factors as other book based curriculum. For many they will lean to a complete online homeschool curriculum, especially if it is a public school, as it is easier for the parents and the accountability is there.
No matter the exact K12 curriculum you wish to use or are using, there are pros and cons to consider.
PROS of K12 CURRICULUM:
- Complete curriculum
- Nationwide – varies state to state as to what is covered and maybe on its own platform
- Free online public school
- Convenient online access
- All learning materials provided
- Includes formal and informal assessments
- You don’t need to plan any lessons
- Your child can do their entire school career with K12
- Easy for parents to see student progress
CONS of K12 CURRICULUM:
- You need to have a computer that can run the program
- Too much individual learning and not enough teacher instruction
- Too much testing
- Not enough teacher help from K12 and parents were becoming the teacher (which is why quite a few switched back to traditional homeschool curriculum)
- Not the easiest curriculum for students with learning issues. IEPs not fully supported. Learning coaches can help but it seems counter productive.
- Large number of students per teacher, so response time can be long
- Inconsistency as to how much work is required each day. Some days can take too long (7-8+ hours)
- Not fully flexible as other curricula are. It is not easy to move ahead according to child’s ability and needs.
- Not enough flexibility with the learning styles.
As with all homeschool curriculum you need to weigh up what is best for your family. Honestly, only you can make the decision. But don’t forget – you can change your mind!
Check out K12 for yourself on their website.
Here are some other reviews I have done of different homeschool curricula:
Abeka
Torchlight
Add comment