Homeschool World Forum

famlyferst · User Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 9 Location: Conroe, TX

This is our first year of homeschooling and we are using the SOS 7th grade curriculum. My question is, is this enough? Should I be adding to the curriculum? My son is getting through with all of the work within a few hours, at the most. I do have him read outside of the curriculum, but I am starting to wonder if this is "enough".

For those of you that use the complete SOS curriculum is this all you do or do you supplement?

Jenlynn4673 · User Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 16

That is a great question. I am using SOS starting this fall for 3rd grade. I am very interested in hearing the answers here.
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Jen
Mom to 2 boys
7 and 8
Officially Homeschooling Jan 2007!

elliemaejune · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:18 am Post subject: It should be "enough"....

There are campus schools, after all, which use AO, and they consider it to be "enough."

If your ds is able to zoom through it, then good for him Smile

hatcher1999 · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:07 pm Post subject: SOS?

What is SOS? If you do not mind me asking.

Ron Armendariz · User Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 5 Location: California

Is it enough compared to what? I use the same curriculum and then some. If he is breezing through the material maybe he needs a level higher, or perhaps you could invest more time on the subjects that interest him most. It does not hurt to challenge him to achieve higher standards, if it is too much he will let you know. What ever you do use the time wisely, it is only beneficial to him in the long run. Very Happy

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart lean not to your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.
Proverbs 3:5-6

elliemaejune · Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 4:29 pm Post subject: Re: SOS?

hatcher1999 · Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject:

Thank you!

Lynn30120 · User Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Georgia, USA

I began researching curriculum this past fall after deciding to homeschool my daughter beginning in her 6th grade year (Fall 2007). From what I have found is many parents love SOS but the program has some bugs and will score tests/exams incorrectly. The parent has to then go in and manually correct any mistakes the program makes. While I've heard that the program is wonderful and the kids like it, I imagine having to analyze each incorrect answer can be a bit frustrating and time consuming.

I'm still on my quest to find what is going to work with my daughter. She is an excellent reader/speller but struggles with math concepts, problem solving and reasoning skills. I've been told by more than a few that in middle school, Saxon Math is wonderful for those that are not so inclined. I'm still looking out for Language Arts/Social Studies/Science/Bible for her. Any suggestions?

ccmmum · User Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 20

We use a mixture of Alpha Omega Lifepacs and SOS this year. All I really add in is some reading. If he is finishing up in a few hours, that sounds about right to me. My girls can do their work in 3 hours if they settle down and work. (We are also doing 7th grade)

famlyferst · User Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 9 Location: Conroe, TX

I am so glad to hear that we seem to be on the right track. I will try not to worry as much! I am just so worried about him eventually being prepared for college. We do supplement with additional reading, but right now it is non-fiction. Books like Jim George's A Young Man After God's Own Heart.

I love SOS, so I am glad to hear that it is "enough". He is really a self-learner, but I do plan to add some "projects" to peak his interest. For instance, we are going to San Antonio to see the Alamo on Spring Break, so he is working on a paper about the Alamo, then a model of it. He is really looking forward to building the model. Plastic men and all. Very Happy

Thanks for all of the replies. I really appreciate it. This newbie mom just had to hear from a few that it is "okay"...lol

famlyferst · User Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 9 Location: Conroe, TX

As far as the bugs in SOS, I'm not sure what you mean. But, I do not necessarily go by "grades". What I do, is at night, once he is in bed, I go through his work and any grade that is below 85, I "reassign" the problem(s). I more concerned about him learning the answer than what the grade is. If I feel like he didn't read the question or just "picked something" I will reassign the problem as well. I can usually tell. For instance, if it is a question requiring a paragraph for an answer and he only puts a short sentence, I reassign it.

He has learned quickly to take his time and do it right the first time. Because he knows I will reassign it Very Happy

The software is VERY user friendly. When I say reassign, it is just a click. It take me five minutes to go through all of his assignments and reassign whatever I need to. The software grades it. I just go into the assignments that are lower than 85.

phil-pod · User Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 27 Location: Tennessee

This is my first year being homeschooled and I am using the Alpha Omega LifePac Books. My mom is looking for something for me to do on the computer next year. She askedme if I would be intrested in the SOS program. I am very intrested in it. Also, my mom doesnt know if it is fun or not. Should I use SOS for next year?
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~*Hannah*~

I love Gerard Way from MCR!!!

Rinata · User Joined: 21 Sep 2006 Posts: 8

My daughter used SOS for the 8th grade. At first she liked it and thought it was cool. After a while of sitting there day after day in front of the computer doing school, she started to get headaches and the work became boring. She disliked the lack of interaction with a real person and got tired of looking at a computer screen. We no longer use it.
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Birth daughter, C, 14yo, 9th grade.
Foster son, E, 2 months.

StellarStory · User Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 472

My daughter was very excited about using SOS for a subject. That excitement didn't last long. She found the program wasn't as flexible as she had expected and wanted it to be. I think she had great plans for using it to design her course of study the way she wanted it to be.

We stopped using it withing a couple of months. I may try it with my son when he gets to that grade.

I found it required a lot of work for just one subject. In fact, in that one subject it seemed to cover most areas of study. I found that annoying since I got it for only one subject.

Also the grading was pretty strict and required me to do a lot of monitoring that I didn't expect. If you didn't use the exact wording the program wanted it was wrong, period. My kids are pretty creative so that didn't work very well for us. It meant I had to look at everything very carefully. I found it to be rather frustrating.

It was also more religious than we were comfortable with.

Some people love it though. It seems to be great for many.

Stellar