Started enrollment for k12 and would be thrilled if anyone could give me some advice...

[Scarlettmoon]

We decided to start our "home-schooling" adventure by enrolling in k12 for our two girls.  I was very interested in unschooling, but hubby was a bit nervous about the whole thing, and I was nervous about making sure we had our bases covered.  I'm thinking this could be a good way to get our feet wet, and then we'll go from here.  In the meantime, I could research more about home-schooling choices and if k12 wouldn't be a good fit, I'll move on to something else.  If it works well for our family we will stay with it.

I have been reading quite a few reviews, and many say the first few weeks are hard- getting used to how things work with k12 can be overwhelming??  Can any of you tell me about your experiences getting started with k12, and do you have any tips, advice, stories you can share with me that would have made your transition in to home-schooling easier?  TIA!  :)

I wanted to add, for those of you that don't know, that my daughters are 14 and 16.

[octobermom]

We are doing the K12  comming from a brick and motar Charter school to this. We are really likeing it. Some tips I got from others (did a TON of research) and her teacher that seem to be working very well.

1) teach the objectives... Each lesson is ussually divided up into like 8 diffrent parts. The overall objective some questions and answers more reading some test stuff some worksheets and activities assestments and optional stuff..  I know my DD best methods to learn (off line visuals, chance to do art and oral drills) so I gather just enough to teach the point well. We avoid hours of unecessary busy work doing this.

2) related to first show mastery and move on. If the assignment is indentify Nouns and Verbs in sentence.. And my DD can quickly and accuratly show me 5 times that shes can do it I don't make her do the other 25 sentences to prove it. While we do occasional drills and such we don't just fill the day with busy work

3) group subjects this helps a LOT We'll hit say 4 sections of grammer or finish a full unit in math at once it helps because the lessons are built upon each other and it flows better and actually takes less time than trying to go back and forth. My DD likes this cause shes can see progress more

4) remember all the other stuff that counts towards hours. Trips to a museum can be art or history, piano lessons music math facts on shopping- math, game of one on one with daddy PE ect and I notice if my DD notices hey I got 2 hours of "credit" for a day at the park and a trip to an art gallery she is motivated to earn more through her daily lessons.

5) not be soo exact with the online lesson hours... I use the schools default times. So for example a math lesson ussually says this lesson will take 1 hour we however go through it in 15 mintues... I put down an hour. It unecessary to create extra work cause you kid is fast. and yes I was told by her teacher to do this.

FWIW most days we start around 9am and we typically are completely done for the day in all her listed assignments (minus some independent reading) by lunch. We use Fridays and "Catch up days" meaning if there was something that didn't get covered in the week we do it but if not we just take Fridays off. Today my DD will need to do one History we left off yesterday but that is it.

Deanna

[octobermom]

I wanted to add, for those of you that don't know, that my daughters are 14 and 16.
 

I just saw this part. Obviously your kids will be more independent and they might have to put in more hours than mine do but I'd still say the above can apply. 

Deanna

[Scarlettmoon]

Thanks so much Octobermom for sharing your experience with me.  I'm very disappointed as today our PAL called, and it's too late for my 16 yr. old daughter to enroll for this semester, but they can still get my 14 yr. in.  :(  She's at work right now, and will be crushed when she gets home.  I will offer her the option to enroll part-time in the high-school here for the classes she likes and maybe do curriculum at home for the others.  Either way, I'll work it out for her.  :(