Anybody used Alpha Omega Horizons...Thoughts??

I was looking into using Alpha Omega Horizons Cirriculum and it looks pretty neat! Has anybody used it? And if so what did you think? Pros & Cons ????

 

Sorry, I haven't used it or seen it, but have looked into it. I like the way it looks, too Have you checked out the reviews on it at http://homeschoolreviews.com

 

My son has used the math for the last half of 1st grade, all of 2nd grade and will be using for 3rd grade. He LOVES it!! There is plenty of review in each lesson, plus more worksheets/ideas in the TM if you need them. It's a little advanced, so I would do a placement test for sure.
The pages are colorful, but not overly busy. The lessons build on themselves and like I said, there is plenty of review. Each lesson combines different concepts so they don't get bored doing 3 pages of just addition and that kind of thing.
We really love it and have been very happy with the work pace/load.
HTH!!

 

What is the difference between Horizons and Lifepacs?

 

My son used them and loves them. DS is advanced for his age and they seemed to be a good fit. Not too easy or hard. I will be using them again when we start back up.

 

We use Horizons for math and for the past two years we did their phonics program. Lifepacs are aimed to be used only by homeschoolers while Horizons is a program that is designed for a classroom but can easily be used for homeschoolers. I will say that the phonics program is advanced while the math is slightly advanced (depends on what program you compare it to). The math program really does a great job in reinforcing the material without overwhelming or boring kids...at least that is my experience.

 

Lifepac is a lot slower paced and I found it to be a little behind...no offense to anyone using it. Horizons math is advanced, almost by a whole grade level. After 3rd grade the TM does NOT do a good job of helping explain how to teach harder things, like long division. If you are not strong in math, it may get difficult to teach higher grades.

The plus side of it is your child will be advanced in math w/ Horizons! My friend's son was using the grade behind and always tested at his grade level in math.

 

H@H....I used Lifepacs for 3 years and found the same thing. While my kids still tested above grade level, it still was slower paced. The Math, even though it's slow paced, really does lay a firm foundation, so I did like that about it.

We're trying Horizon's K for my youngest this year...based on recommendations of ladies here. She'd be bored to tears with Lifepac K, but I think she's more of a true Math girl....she can do a lot already without being officially taught. She was SO EXCITED when her package came with curricula in it. She wants to start NOW....I keep putting her off....I want to wait a bit.

 

I disagree with this. A LOT of the Lifepac material is written to a "class" versus and individual person. When we used it, we had to skip things, or use family members to create the "class" equivalent. This was one of the reasons we abandoned it.

This is my first year with Horizons, so I can't speak to that.

 

Thanks so much gals! There is so much cirriculum out there and I just like to hear what everybody thinks before making a decision as i'm sure you all can relate to that. I have used Abeka & Bob Jones for phonics & language and wasn't too impressed. So, does anybody think that Horizons has good phonics program compared to Abeka or Bob Jones. I thought Bob Jones moved to fast and didn't touch on things enough.

 

I am using the Horizons Health. It is geared for a classroom with many students but I just tailor it to my student. So far so good. I looked at if for math but decided to go with another program. Good luck.

 

I have used Horizons math for grades K-3. I like it fine.

 

Horizon's math users here! We've used it since K and my girls are going into 3rd. We LOVE it!

For K I did buy their language arts and we didn't like them. Too much seat work - it expected them to be reading already - at least that is how I saw it. I had to set the books aside, teach more phonics and come back to it. We never did finish the last books because it was just too much for them. It expected 7 pages or more of working each day. That was just too much for K if ask me. I switched language arts to Abeka and that works out good for us. Everyone is different though.

I may still have some of the Horizons Language Arts books and can scan a few pages if you want to see them -- I'm trying to remember what I've sold already. Just let me know.

 

Horizon math I have experience in, it is quicker moving than LPs and more colorful straight to the point. My dc's worked better with Horizon because it appears to be less work, even though it is actually more. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

We used Life Paks for the first 8 years of homeschooling pretty much for all three kids, ds 12 has been the adventurous one who got to use something else. I have two graduated kids btw. We switched to SOS for science in Jr high and eventualy to all grades for 10th, or higher grades in many subjects.
Life Paks are great for the elementary grades but I think as you progress Math is an area they are not so great in. HOrizon goes up to 6th grade, so we change up afterthat. This year we did SOS 8 Math because we have it and 7th math SOS as well. I have teacher books for many of the grades btw that I would love to get rid of now that ds is going into MUS and other lessons.
I am using SOS or 8th grade Science with Life Paks both I think this year, We aswitched over to LP for summer school math too 8th grade math because we had the SOS math 8, and we lost/ missplaced the B disc so I gave him left over books from his siblings to work on.

We loved the ease of Life Paks organisation.
they knew how to calculate how many days per unit and how much they would have to spend on each one.. we set goals and if they finished early they had days off for free time in that subject.

 

Is LifePac a lot like ACE? Does anyone around here use ACE, just wondering?

 

YES mom24boys very much like ace only not as boring according to students at my church's school
they found ace tobe boring.

 

I was wondering too about ACE...i'm in a toss up between the ACE and Horizons

 

I would go with Horizons if its anything like the math it will be great!
they didnt come out with the phonics until I was beyond that with my kids

 

I got a good chance to look at the Phonics while at a convention. It does seem quite rigorous, but fun. (at least at the K level). I ALMOST bought it, and am still considering. My evaluator suggested NOT since my daughter is already reading. She thought spelling would be a better way of reinforcing Phonics, and letting her just read, read, read. I've been getting a lot of phonics reader type stuff from paperbackswap.com. I like Rocket Readers because she has a Learn to Read Bible from them, and likes that. Adapting a curricula using those.

I'm not sure the upper levels of Phonics.

I've heard Explode the Code (ETC) is good for phonics as well.

 

I was in a toss up with Horizons Phonics and McRuffy Phonics for a long time. I could not decided. I was using Horizons K math at that time and thought the Phonics would go great. Well not too long after that we dropped Horizons K because it became too much too fast and my son was starting to hate math. Well I was told that the Phonics program does the same thing. It starts off okay, then the next thing you know it is a way fast paced program. Now many love Horizons for this. I know I do love the program it is just not for us. Now I will add that we only did the first book of the K math and a few lesson in book 2 and my son knows most of the beginning stuff in the grade 1 math we are using now. Horizons is ahead and works.

Then someone mentioned McRuffy to me. So, I checked it out and bought it soon after. I love the program. It moves at the pace my son needs. I can speed up where needed and slow down. The TE is the best part of the program. Now if you just saw a workbook you would say "no way is this the right program." Once you add in the TE, games and such you understand why.