A Beka or Calvert?

Question

I have been homeschooling my eight-year old son for three years using A Beka. We are using third grade right now and I'm trying to decide what to use for next year. A Beka is about the perfect academic level for him, but I would like to do something a little more interesting. I feel like A Beka is a bit repetitive. Anyone have any thoughts on both A Beka and Calvert? The advantages and drawbacks of both. If he would be doing fourth grade A Beka, would that compare academically to Calvert's fourth grade curriculum? Thanks for any advice!

Answer 1

We used Abeka for years, but switched to Calvert while our oldest was still home schooled, in the 5th grade. He is in all honors and Advanced Placement classes in high school. We were all very happy with the Calvert curriculum and use it with our 3 younger sons being home schooled.

I really prefer Calvert, I enjoy the way the curriculum outlines are done. I really like that everything comes in the box, nothing you need to add. Calvert's support was excellent. If your child exceeds the program they work with John Hopkins Gifted program.

There is a test you can give your son and send in to ensure you are starting him off on the right grade level.

Good luck, I'm sure you will be happy with the Calvert. I just became real disenchanted with Abeka when the history became so involved with religious evangelist historical figures. Our children enjoy the Calvert and found it challenging. The great thing was the lesson plans in the junior high years become more directed for the kids to follow. Which really helped him prepare to keeping himself on track a big plus for preparing him for high school and college.

Answer 2

Calvert Homeschool

Answer 3

I homeschool my two children, grades 3 and 1, using A Beka. We really enjoy the curriculum because it is solid and steady, and the material is sequential. We supplement when and where necessary with other activities to build upon the lessons and make it more fun.

I do not have any experience with Calvert, but if you decide to stick with A Beka perhaps you can supplement also?

Good luck!

Answer 4

I don't know anything about Calvert, but I will explain why A Beka feels repetative.

A Beka is created to teach new material in odd-numbered grades. They move very quickly and constantly teach new lessons. The next year, they slow it down and spend the time building on what was learned the year before. It is a reinforment year. So, since your son has been in A Beka for third grade, he will benefit from following through in the fourth grade to reinforce what he learned last year. It is a unique way of teaching material. I had never heard of a cirriculum that taught this way until my daughter used A Beka in private school.

After having such a fast-paced third grade, then it will be natural for you and your son to feel that fourth grade is dragging. After doing long division for a couple weeks in third grade and then having to spend a couple MONTHS on it in fourth, you may feel like you are not accomplishing anything. However, this is not true. They are taking the basics from last year and helping him to build and practice. Jumping into a different cirriculum at this point, may not offer him the chance to reinforce what he has learned. Normally, it would have been reinforced in the same grade, so stick with it for one more year.

However, after fourth grade, I would move on to another cirriculum. A Beka is awesome for the first few years of learning because they are much more advanced than the other systems, especially the public schools! But after fourth grade, they slack off a lot and your child may fall behind.

Kudos to you for home schooling! Your child is very lucky!

Answer 5

I was home schooled all though school and I think the best way is the way my mom did it. Each year she mixed and matched curriculum's, Saxon for math, Apologia for science, Rosseta Stone for language etc. From my experience with A Beka I think it is too cookie cutter.. Kids have more fun when they have some variety. It takes a fair amount of time but is well worth it. If you or anyone else out there for that matter have any questions on this subject you can e-mail me At [e-mail]. I would be happy to answer any questions that I can. -Ben

Answer 6

I used Abeka for 2 years but both me and my son got sick of it. We switched to Christian Light Education, which we have now used successfully for 3 years and plan to continue. It's still Christian Bible based, but much more user friendly with a wider variety of activities. You don't have to purchase the Bible subject and can skip the story verses and other Bible teaching in the lessons easily without getting in trouble. They are also cheaper than Abeka. Sonlight is good, non religious but expensive. It's all-inclusive and uses literature primarily instead of textbooks, which is why it costs more. However, I think this gives a better learning experience. There are a few religious biographies and have an optional Bible course. You can purchase individual subjects, items, or entire grade level packages. Calvert is more like public school curriculum, but still good and non religious. However, you must purchase the entire grade package.

Answer 7

We've been using Sonlight and are happy with it. We got a chance to check out A Beka, but like Sonlight alot better. It is very heavy on the reading, but there isn't anything repetitive about it. For math we chose Math U See... Hope this helps.