Calvert VS Bridgeway

[Mae_Jakob_Ka]

Hi Everyone,

I am doing some research on homeschool curriculum for my son. He is 4 and a half now and has been going to a school in our area. He is doing great, thanks to early learning info and resources I have here in the Brillkids forum.

My family may move to Thailand for a short period of time. We are into that travelling and homeschooling at the moment so, I am hoping you guys would be able to help me choose a homeschool program for my kiddo.

I am thinking to choose either Calvert or Bridgeway.  Have any of you used their programs? How do you like it?

Thanks!!

[carpe vestri vita]

I know people that have used both. They are very expensive for what they are. The only time that it would be worth it to use one of those curricula is if you need the paper trail. Piecing together a curriculum by subject would be better tailored to a child, and significantly less expensive.

Some recommendations:

Phonics (p) and/or spelling (s) programs
- Phonics pathways (P)
- Ordinary parents guide to teaching reading (P)
- The writing road to reading (Ps)
- Spell to write and read (pS)
- All about spelling (S)

Grammar
- Rod and Staff English
- First Language Lessons for a Well Trained Mind
- KISS Grammar (http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/kiss/wb/PBooks/index.htm)
- Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts
- Shurley English

Math (Elementary levels)
- Singapore primary math
- Miquon lab
- Saxon
- Right Start
- Mathematics Enrichment Programme (http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/)
(Pre-algebra up)
- Art of Problem Solving
- Singapore Discovering Mathematics
- Saxon

Science
- Nebel's Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (and subsequent volumes)
- R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey
- NOEO Science

Resources with lists of books (covering literature and history and sometimes other subjects)
- Ambleside online
- Tanglewood curriculum
- Robinson curriculum
- Read Aloud America
- 1000 Good books list
- An Old Fashioned Education
- The Well Trained Mind
- lists used by curricula like Sonlight, My Father's World, Heart of Dakota, etc.

[Mandy]

Love the list! Thank you. Related to Calvert, has anyone heard of Laurel Springs? http://www.laurelsprings.com/grade-k-8/tuition/
 It seems to be similar but the website doesn't say much. Also, any experience with the Art of Problem Solving? http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Store/curriculum.php?

[carpe vestri vita]

Love the list! Thank you. Related to Calvert, has anyone heard of Laurel Springs? http://www.laurelsprings.com/grade-k-8/tuition/
 It seems to be similar but the website doesn't say much. Also, any experience with the Art of Problem Solving? http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Store/curriculum.php?

Art of Problem Solving is my number one choice for pre-algebra and up. It is designed for advanced/accelerated/gifted kids who like math. It is a super challenge, working all the thinking skills. And the support online is almost unparalleled. If Beast Academy (the AoPS elementary program) were being released faster we would be using it exclusively. As it stands currently it is only grade 3, and the end of grade 4 will not be available until 2015, and then the end of grade 5 in early 2017. My youngest, while officially only finishing grade 2 in 2017, will be well beyond that level by that time. Maybe we will have more kids that I could use it with


I have not heard of Laurel Springs. Browsing their site I didn't see anything that excited me to be honest. It's nice that they offer AP exams for high school students, but their list does not include some I expect my kids to take. It doesn't appear that it's one size fits all, which is also good, but that makes it very difficult to figure out what they actually do offer. Even reading the course catalogue left me in wonder about exactly what a child would be learning.

[Tamsyn]

Thank you for the list and AoPS link. 

[Mandy]

Thanks, that is exactly why I posted here about LS. I will have to give them a call. I have a 7 yr old doing algebra. Would you say then that AOPS is probably not worth our investment? Do they have something then for algebra? Also, I always try and shy away from electronics. Do they have hard copies?

[carpe vestri vita]

AoPS absolutely has hard copies. There is a text book and a solutions manual. I'm not a big fan of online stuff either. Having the texts mean you can go at whatever pace you need, the online course goes the speed it goes.

Start with their recommendations, and then take pre and post tests to adjust the fit to the correct level. A lot of kids who have already taken Algebra place into Introduction to Algebra because AoPS is that much more challenging than the usual programs.
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Store/curriculum.php?mode=recommendations

[Mae_Jakob_Ka]

carpe vestri vita - Thanks for the list!

I actually went to this site to read reviews about homeschooling program: http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/
Calvert has pretty good reviews.

[Mandy]

Wow, thanks for letting me know that. I am going to make him take it immediately. I know Calvert has great reviews. It looks so restrictive to me. I love to chop and change with my kid. Plus it is really FULL time. When you have these gifted kids, it is so easy to skip around and fulfill their curiosity. So it seems like a big commitment, that is why I was asking....

[Mandy]

I just went online but couldn't find a physical test. Is it the diagnostic test that you are talking about?

[carpe vestri vita]

Calvert is quite rigid and very institutional it its feel, much like having a one child classroom. Lots of people like that and seek it out. The record keeping is fantastic, which is great for people who need that. If that is the vibe you want for your homeschool, Calvert is one of the best. But most of us here now don't want or need those things.

This is the post-test for AoPS Algebra http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Store/products/intro-algebra/posttest.pdf (I think that yes, they are labelled diagnostic tests.)

[Rivka]

Hi Mae_Jakob_Ka,

We are looking into homeschool curriculums, and if we decide to homeschool full-time, we will go with Calvert. Calvert started out as a non-profit (although it may no longer be the case), has been around for a long time, and is completely secular (as opposed to Bridgeway, whose curriculum is not secular, but from the point of view of Christianity). Calvert has really good reviews in homeschool reviews, as you pointed out. I also like the fact that it is a structured curriculum (not everyone is into that, but I am, and you can always supplement with other material and courses), and that you are assigned a tutor, who grades exams etc, so it simplifies record keeping. It is also self-paced.

Rivka at acceleratededucation.blogspot.com or http://tinyurl.com/giftedboy

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