State of the Union~Homeschooling Virtual Academy Week 2

So this is our second week, day two.  Wow! We have really worked so hard and long! I had no idea how tough and what actual skills would be required to be successful, but after the first week, I definitely have a better idea!  I am truly amazed at the strengths my children are exhibiting! While I have felt quite a bit of distress last week, the strengths are definitely outweighing the weaknesses~Praise God!

Things I love about online virtual academy schooling:
1. Beautiful materials have been sent to us. I have been shocked at the brand new exhaustive supplies sent to each child.  We were sent brand new hardback books as well as a huge science kit~one for biology and one for physical science. It is amazing all the materials sent as well as a desk top calendar per child along with monitor, keyboard and headset for the coursework.

2.  Teacher involvement.  I would NEVER have guessed how much this is good! These teachers seem very engaged and want my children to succeed.  Oh, they aren't giving them grades, but they are willing to be called upon and help when we need it.  I've tested this out already! There's a definite learning curve coming in at the beginning of Semester 2 so it's been added to the difficulty of a change.  . . CHANGE is rough to begin with, but the attentiveness and positive attitude and help is amazing!

3.  The course work is good. It's pretty interactive~not exactly multimedia but it has buttons and drop downs, some multimedia (of what I've seen so far) and is colorful. There are textbooks to go along with the course work online.  I definitely am liking this.

4.  Class Connects are the white board class meetings with teachers where the students and teachers interact and teaching occurs. The teacher has a microphone and sometimes a camera, but mostly auditory so that the students can hear her/him and this has been really a neat feature.  Each of my kids has their own desktop area with computer monitor and so they are quite able to focus on what is going on.  The students are often allowed chat sessions with the restriction of it being within the rules of good taste so that relationships can be formed before and after "class."  It's loads of fun, and I've joined them often so that I am fully aware of what is happening with my children's educations.

5.  NO MORE GUILT~I have worried, oh Lord has I fretted for a few years now about how was I~little alone, and struggling I GET THIS JOB done of educating them to the level THEY WANTED (college prep) and prepare them for life. You have to know, dear Reader-Friend, that my influence as a parent is not diminished in utilizing this resource, but I feel it's enhanced. I am actively and still very much engaged. THIS IS the best of all the worlds...and they are still getting their Christian education as well~I'm praying with them each morning and making moral and Biblical/historical references when appropriate and useful.  I've NOT abandoned them, as I had feared I might if I did such a thing as hand some of the control over to THE SCHOOL...no indeedy~I've actually gained some allies and helpers along the way! Praise God!

Soooo.......WHAT do my kids say?

GT1  "I like it!  I like the fact that it's a little bit of a challenge.  I like the teachers and the learning environment too."
BT1  "I like it!  You have a schedule you have to follow and it can be flexible. I like not having unexpected things come up. I can make plans to get my work done!"

Here's the pics~

We learned about the Cold War and this was one of the supplements I found...I am still teaching~ha!

The Berlin Wall History

Soo this dude thinks kids don't need college? Maybe the don't really NEED high school...I'm just sayn...LOL.