As you can tell, I don't have it too organized yet beyond just separating her student textbooks and workbooks from the rest of it. However, I have had a chance to look through the materials a bit and begin to get familiar with the layout.
I like it. A lot.
When we enrolled with QDA, they suggested we use Calvert from the start with Lydia, Kim, and Jo. I chose their other options though, thinking a little more independence would be a good thing for all of us. That had Lydia and Kim doing their online curriculum, OdysseyWare, and Jo doing Little Lincoln. Lydia has pretty decent grades in OdysseyWare and isn't doing too bad with it, despite the fact that she isn't a fan. The other girls are a different story, however.
Kim is almost finished with the third grade curriculum, she just has a little language arts left to finish for the school year. She rushes through the work and doesn't like my reminders to read the material, and her grades reflect that. She is going to barely pass 3rd grade as a result. The format of the online classes annoy her, and she's too young to be annoyed by curriculum and forced to do it anyway. She needs something more interactive, and more interaction with me directly.
Jo just flat out wasn't ready for second grade curriculum, and I had a LOT of issues with her maturity matching up with her academic abilities. Add in a curriculum that wasn't dependable about sending materials in a timely manner and all the materials at a time, and you have a disaster just waiting to happen. Now that I know what I know about the shipping practices of Lincoln Interactive, they will never be used by my family. Each quarter, I had to request materials at least once after the initial shipment. Second quarter I had to request the teacher book and student workbooks, then once I got those I had to request a couple literature books and the cursive student book. Yes, that was three separate shipments for just a single quarter (nine weeks) of lessons. It took us close to 3 weeks to get all her materials, which didn't make things any easier with the maturity struggles we were already having.
So, both girls are switched and I'm still debating if I want to switch Lydia as well once she finishes her fifth grade curriculum.
Calvert sent everything for the year in one big box, and I didn't have to worry about it. I just grabbed a pen and marked items off the packing list for each of the three smaller boxes within the big box. It took me 10 minutes to unpack and check off everything I needed for the year with Jordan.
Within it, there is a lovely folder that says "READ ME FIRST" with information on where to start with it all. Step one was to unpack and check the packing lists as I go. In that folder was also a page with a list of basic school supplies I'll need for the school year, which will come in very handy when I go August 7th during "tax free day" to buy school supplies. It actually has a list for each individual grade on it, so I'm going to use one list to cover all the kids who will be doing Calvert this school year to make shopping that much easier for me.
The guides are very well laid out, which is important for a busy mom with a bunch of kids. I can see doing multiple levels on a daily basis going very well with how it is laid out. There is even a suggested daily schedule with times and everything in the front of the book, which I may or may not use. But having that visual really helped me to know how to expect the days to look since I do have several years of experience with doing this schooling at home thing.
The lessons to start are going to be pretty easy though, which will work to our benefit right now since Jordan's arm is still healing and hurting a lot. I feel really positive about this switch in curriculum, and am sure that just restarting second grade with her was the right choice.
I wish I had just gone with the Calvert option for the girls from the start. Live and learn, at least now we know a little more about what the kids need in a virtual academy program. Now we just have to get the school year finished up for Kim so we can order her new materials, and I have to decide what we're doing about Lydia since she's doing pretty well but passionately hating the online curriculum. I think that will be our next discussion with the school when she's closer to finished with the current grade.
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