After giving the GVA (Georgia Virtual Academy) a chance for a few months, I am afraid that the public Virtual Schools are just that. A public education. They definitely teach to the test, even virtually, and my daughter was asking why God wasn't in any of the stories. What was I thinking? The one thing I did get out of putting my youngest in GVA, was the importance of tracking what we are up to. I am now using the homeschool tracker to keep tabs on lessons, field trips, reading and the like. I find the software very Charlotte Mason friendly. Also during my time of insanity (GVAing) I noticed that all I saw of my oldest during school time was her back. She was working independently and we were no longer doing anything as a family. C-Sunshine kept up with her normal curriculum which I can describe as classical - Charlotte Mason-ny. I think all of us really missed being and learning together as it should be.
In getting back to REAL learning, we have returned to The Story of the World and using Apologia Zoology 1 by Jeannie Fulbright. The girls had a blast making their Zoology notebooks together and reading stories together. We have returned to read-alouds that go along with our studies. Whatever I was thinking that GVA would do for me, it didn't. Or maybe it did. I think that I now see that after six year of homeschooling, I am confident that the materials that I choose and my lesson planning is far superior to anything that the public school system could do for us. And that taking God out of the school day is noticed by even a six year old. Having God mentioned in her daily lessons is important to her as well. So, if you ever thought of taking a break and doing a virtual public school - don't. Pray about it. I am sure that He will turn your focus elsewhere.
Blessings to you all.
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