What computer based curriculums do you love or hate and Why??

Has anyone used a computer based curriculum? I am considering doing this for next year. My kids are doing everything in work books this year. But, they are doing a disc for typing and they simply love it. The love being walked through by the computer verses me. They both have ADD and it holds their attention longer than I can. I wish I knew that for this year.

My questions is what ones do you love and what ones do you hate?? And why??

I want to be sure to make a educated decision.

Thank you

 

Adore, adore, adore Teaching Textbooks. It takes all the math fight out of my kids and they love it!

 

Everything Krista said and more about Teaching Textbooks. We love it!

 

We LOVE LOVE LOVE Teaching Textbooks math!!!

I'm also a fan of Bookadventure.org for book tests.

Meavis Beacon Typing we use and like

Instant Immersion American Sign Language Deluxe we like and learned a lot from

We also like the programs from The Critical Thinking Company that are available on disk.. Reading, Math and Science Detective. I really want to get Editor in Chief in their computer program but haven't yet.

Also for science and social studies, we like things on TV.. Bill Nye and Mr. Wizard are both available on DVD now, Netflix has tons of educational things.

Hope that helps some.

 

We like Time4Learning. It's great for my ADD 10y son, he's a very visual learner. I do have to suppliment and some things we just skip. It's a mastery program so there's not much review. I've used grade 4 and 5 and he can pretty much do it independantly.

 

Too young for your kids-but for reference for others who might read this thread...

We love clicknkids.com for phonics and spelling for my 6 year old. My 3 year old is a fan of readingeggs.com for phonics.

I would very much like to buy ixl.com for math when we can afford it-you can do a few problems for free each day, very awesome site.

I know what you mean though, my 6 year old LOVES using the TV and computer for learning vs me or a textbook or workbook. He's always telling my mom and dad "we didn't have school today" on days we don't go in the classroom to do worksheets or textbooks LOL He doesn't see the online curriculum as school LOL

 

As others have already said, "Love, love, LOVE Teaching Textbooks!" We're doing SOS this year for science (Faythe) and French (Rachael). With Rachael it's working good, but not with Faythe. It isn't flexible enough, or it's too complicated for me to figure out how to make it do what I want.

 

We are using Time4Learning also,which works very well for 5 & 6 year olds.Because they are visual leraners,the cartoonish lessons are very interesting for them.Plus the price is fantastic if you ask me.My 2 oldest,7 & 8,do pretty good with it,too.But I want to try Switched on Schoolhouse with them next year. It looks to be more suited to their needs.

 

Is time4learning just math? I could use something for grammar. I STINK at teaching grammar.

 

Cherry, so did I! And then I found Rod and Staff!!! It's VERY good, and you really don't have to know much. "Easy Grammar" is also just what it says...easy. My kids really have a great handle on grammar now!

 

Jackie

Is rod and staff textbook based or computer?

I just went to time4learning and I was checking it out. The sample had me cracking up with the smiley faces. I thought for my kids grade level it was easy. How do you go about getting a catalog or information about it. When I went to sign up it said something like $20 a month. Is that for the curriculium? Or am I missing something?

 

Ok teaching text books is the one just for math. Math is very easy for my kids. Its the english and reading that is a issue. I can give them the saxon books and they are fine for math. I don't even need to help them out. But, the other subjects not so much. We are definately math and science people. Bet you couldn't tell from the way I write

 

Rod and Staff is textbook; so is Easy Grammar.

 

Just started using Starfall for phonics so I have no opinion of that yet.

We are fans of SOS Language Arts and science (for the most part). I really haven't had too much trouble with answers not being accepted (common complaint). If it gets 'technical' about how an answer is punched in or worded, I just go in and manually
give credit. After a while you know what they're getting at and capitalize what needs to be capitalize (I tell the kids 'Don't be lazy!") or imput it in the 'technical' correct order.

 

I love Teaching Textbooks up to 9th grade. Don't care for it after that.

The only other one we have used is SOS. There are things about it that I like such as it is easy for me to use and it is flexible. But both of my oldest don't like it at all except for 12th grade Bible. But I know that it works for a lot of people, but not us.

Not much help, sorry.

 

So do you use SOS for the higher math then? I've only used SOS this year for French and Science, and while the French is working, the science is not. I've found it VERY user-unfriendly and difficult to work with (if you need to make changes).

 

We use SOS for L Arts and Spanish (3rd grade), and just started Time4Learning, which we're really only using for math right now, but will prob do some science and SS since it's included.
I'm not sure that I'm really happy with Time4Learning, as it seems that only the math has an auditory component to it, and it is difficult to figure out if he's really learning. Of course it may just be that I haven't gotten it all figured out yet! LOL

 

Last yr. ds used TT for Geog. and didn't like it at all. This yr. he is using SOS for Alg. II and likes it much better and is learning a lot more. He still likes ABeka DVDs the most. This is the only 3 he has used. I thought SOS was user-friendly. Let me know PM if I can help you with something, I will try. Have you called SOS and asked for help? They were never friendly, but would help me out.

 

My 15 yr old uses SOS for all her subjects except math, which she uses Teaching Textbooks. Last year SOS for Algebra just didnt do it for her. She had a math tutor through our Co-op and still could not pick up on the Algebra. I found the TT and math has not been an issue since.

She struggles with the SOS Language Arts this year. If it is not exactly what they want it marks it wrong. I have to go in and change the grade on many of the problems. It is a hassle, but overall I find SOS very user friendly.

My younger daughter uses ClickNkids, the rest of her work is out booklets. I have no complaints what so ever about this program. When she hits 3rd grade level I will start her on SOS too, with the exception of the math. We will be using the TT for her too once she is ready for it.

 

This is one of the things that my ds and I don't like about SOS.