K-12 Curriculum - Wasn't for Us

by Crystal
(Pennsylvania)

Product: K-12 Curriculum

Subject: Math, English, Science, History, Art, Music, Gym and strategies for success.

Levels Used: K, 6 and 7 grades

Dates Used: 2007-2009

Likes: The classics, tries to apply to all learning style preferences

Dislikes: learning should be fun and interesting, too advanced, all 3 of my kids hated it

My daughter went to public school from pre-k to the beginning of 6th grade. She was struggling academically and socially in public school. I left the public school 3 months into 6th grade and went to K12 (through a charter school).

They never told me (prior to making this switch) that she would have to start at the very beginning of the curriculum and make up those 3 months worth of work (and wouldn't count her 3 months of school work at public school). This put my daughter 3 months behind in their school and they encouraged her to test through her work to catch her (skipping doing any work). However, this was different material then what she was learning in school that year so we declined "skipping" ahead.

I also did not know that K-12 curriculum was advanced and about a grade level ahead of most public schools. My daughter already struggled in public school and this probably was not the wisest curriculum to switch her to. My daughter ended up struggling with the advanced level of work. It was also a lot of heavy work with massive assignments, worksheets, projects and such.

She felt bogged down with it all. She really wanted to learn, to advance forward and such. However, she was also bored with K12. By the end of the year, it had been a lot of agony. I was pulling teeth to get her to do the work and she ended up having her skip over stuff just so that she would not flunk that year because she hadn't completed everything by the due date.

This was a huge mistake because the following year was part B of that material and she didn't know the material from the previous year, to be able to successfully finish the 7th grade level of work. I was again pulling teeth, yet even worse then before. She could not do the math at all and despite pleas for help, I got none. By February I pulled her out of charter school and stopped using K12.

I did like her Science through them. I wish it would have had books and more projects though. My daughter found their Science completely boring. I liked their English, I loved all the classics, the vocab, spelling an grammar work. It was a lot of English work. My daughter needed it. However, because of it's dullness to her, she ended up with little value from it.

History was alright. Math was terrible. However, I think maybe this relates more to the charter school and less to do with K12. My daughter needed help and none was available. We ended using "Key To" and "Math Mammoth" to help catch her up. My daughter really liked their art (I liked how it was related to her History lessons) and she liked their music lessons.

My 2 kindergarten aged children were starting school this past school year and I started them with K12. Kindergarten is usually half a day long. However, it took us all day to complete it. I worried what 1st grade would be like since kindergarten was so time consuming. My two younger children had been so excited for school, they are very bright and love to learn. However, they HATED k12. I can't say that I blame them.

Their most hated subject was Art. I remember one of the first lessons was to look at a picture of a statue and one of a painting of king Henry as a baby and I was to explain how one is a 3 dimensional art piece and one was 2 dimensional. Now how do I explain that if they are both just pictures? I had to get a picture off my wall and a toy to explain this. Then explain this in regards to the pictures in the book. It was confusing and my kids were bored.

Another lesson was to describe how the painting showed textures in it (like velvet and such). Who teaches this stuff in kindergarten, for art class? It was so ridiculous. Even the reading lessons, they had colored tiles to learn letter sounds and the rubbing your stomach for a letter sound or the hand to the throat to see if the letter sound is made with your throat or your tongue. Learning to read is hard enough and they made the lessons harder and added unnecessary stuff to the lessons. The reading lessons took so long (about an hour, if not longer some days) for us to complete and it was pure torture for my kids.

I had to add to History. It was definitely lacking. Science was alright. Math was too long. There were tons of activities, you had stuff to do on the computer, there worksheets to print out and you had a workbook to do... all for one days lesson. English was beautiful. I loved it. They had classics and cute activities. Easily done without K12 though. Anyways, it just didn't work out. There was no way I could stick with K12. I quit 3 months into it.

K-12 curriculum sucked out all the fun and interest of learning. All it left behind was long, hard, boring, dull work. I can't imagine any child wanting to sit home doing this all day long.

I now homeschool all 3 of my children on my own. I use many resources now and also create my own. Learning has become fun and interesting again. Which it should be. The kids should be engaged and feel like they are exploring the world. This will help them retain the information as well.

"When teaching, don't just fill a bucket, light a fire."