I love that there are new curricula being written for homeschoolers. Variety is key – because we have such a variety of children. This is an all-in-one online curriculum called “Rounded Schoolhouse”. I had not heard of this curriculum until recently and I was intrigued as it being a possible substitute for The Good and the Beautiful curriculum. I thought, “why not check it out and see what it is all about?” I will start by saying it is quite different to the Good and the Beautiful and stands out in a few ways, largely that it is an online curriculum.Â
None of my homeschooling friends had heard of Rounded Schoolhouse, but that didn’t stop me from looking into it. Because I saw that they had a free 7 day trial, I took some time to look at the lessons and see if it was something that I might use one day.
From the Rounded Schoolhouse website:
Access a full school year of video lessons created by real, qualified teachers in Math, English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Social/Emotional Learning.
Stuck on a lesson and having trouble? Get help right away via text chat from a real teacher during school hours.
Our smart learning platform guides students through online video lessons and provides access to printable worksheets for students to complete with pencil and paper.
BENEFITS OF ROUNDED SCHOOLHOUSE
- There is no lesson planning for you as the parent. For each subject it will tell you how many modules (lessons) to take in each subject so you can stay on track for the 180 days needed.Â
- It is video based and has printable worksheets to reinforce the learning
- There is real student-teacher interaction
- The teachers remain the same through the whole course
- Teachers designed the lessons
- Lessons are self-paced and have one concept at a time. The videos are short and hold attention, and with the printable worksheets or quiz it takes about 20 minutes for the lesson.
- Designed with neurodivergent children in mind
- The lesson videos are presented by real teachers who are not following a script
- There are Live Group Video Classes every week with classmates and teachers for extra learning, fun, and socialization
- Immediate help via text chat from a real teacher during school hours
- Auto-graded quizzes, assignments, and assessments
- Answer keys and rubrics are provided for creative independent work
- A full transcript/record of learning progress is available for your portfolio
One of the things I really love about this curriculum is that they have included social/emotional learning (SEL). This is unique to this curriculum and I applaud this. All children can benefit from SEL. From effective problem-solving to self-discipline, from impulse control to emotion management and more, SEL provides a foundation for positive, long-term effects on kids, adults, and communities.
Rounded Schoolhouse is a secular curriculum.
COST
K-2 is $19 per month for 10 months. This covers math and language arts as a bundle for one student.
Grades 3-8 is $24 a month for 10 months. This covers Math, English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Social-Emotional Learning as a bundle for one student.
There are also discounts available for multiple students and you can cancel or downgrade to a single subject any time.
They offer a 7 day free trial (which was how I was able to watch the videos and do some of the lessons)
MY THOUGHTS
So, would I use this curriculum? Yes, I think that it is something that I could use because it is flexible, doesn’t take planning on my side, and provides feedback as to how your child is doing. It has pencil and paper worksheets – you do need to have online access to do this curriculum and access to a printer. Rounded Schoolhouse is definitely not cost prohibitive and provides all the core subjects. For me, the biggest feature that sells this curriculum to me is the social-emotional learning component. It is a subject I would love to see more curriculum have. So, if you are looking for an all-in-one curriculum that is a balance between video and paper, this could be a great choice for you.
Other curricula reviews:
The Good and the Beautiful
Torchlight
Time4Learning
Moving Beyond the Page
and there are more!
I think this internet site holds some really excellent information for everyone :D. “Anybody who watches three games of football in a row should be declared brain dead.” by Erma Bombeck.