I am a homeschooling mom that always took pride in steering away from rigid curriculum. In fact, I found myself scowling at Alpha Omega’s LifePacs because they were workbook-based and seemed like the lazy way out of educating at home. Well, I’m now eating crow and feel that LifePacs can be a fabulous resource for some homeschoolers.
LifePacs, like all other curriculum, can be molded to fit your approach to teaching. If you prefer to teach lessons yourself, the teacher guides will give you a head’s up on upcoming topics and lessons. You can prepare and teach the material, then use the LifePac as follow-up, review, or simply for assessing (testing) your child.
If your life is such that your children need to do a great deal of independent work, LifePacs are ideal. While math requires more parental interaction, much of the material can be self-taught. There are periodic “teacher checks” which will send your child to an older student or adult to check and see if they understand the material. Each individual book is referred to as a “worktext” because there is a great deal of teaching done among every page.
However, what I have grown to love the most about Alpha Omega’s LifePacs is that they can truly be utilized as self-paced learning. I am not a fan of assigning a certain number of pages each day. Some aspects of a subject are more difficult or involved, and should take more time. With LifePacs, you can simply spend approximately the same amount of time each day on a subject. On “easier” days, many pages may be completed. On more difficult days or when an out-of-the-worktext project is evolving, your child may not budge an inch in that particular LifePac.
LifePacs are portable. If you find yourself waiting in the doctor’s office or stuck in traffic, your kids can be learning and working with a LifePac and a pencil! You will also find that this curriculum can bring a child a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Even if you alter the amount of work required in one of the worktexts, it is fulfilling to see a unit completed.
LifePacs are written and based on the principle of mastery learning. A child does not move on to the next section until they have comprehended the current material. Because of my approach to teaching, I find it as a great challenge when my child needs more time to grasp a new idea. We find fun and creative ways to help him learn and retain the lesson. Then, once we are both satisfied that he understands, it is time to move on to something new!
If you are required by your state to keep records, you will find that LifePacs save a lot of time. There are built-in tools within the worktexts, such as diagnostic tests, self-tests and teacher checkpoints. You will find that there have been some negative reviews of LifePac math past the sixth grade. If you were to find yourself unhappy with one particular subject, you can easily purchase individual subjects and supplement in other areas. Some families choose to purchase only electives from this Alpha Omega program.
While LifePacs may not be the ideal for every single child who is educated at home, they may very well be a wonderful resource for some who would otherwise never consider this type of curriculum. It is Christian-based and does include Biblical references throughout every subject. However, if your main concern is avoiding a rigid approach, you may be surprised at the flexibility you can build through LifePacs. There are plenty of interactive activities throughout the year that will have your child doing hands-on projects and awakening their creativity. Your child will not be constantly tied to a worktext and you certainly will never feel tied to your home.
