Last year my sister and I started using the Shormann curriculum for math. This is a Christian curriculum designed for homeschoolers. Here I want to tell you about it and how it works.
What is Shormann Math?
Shormann offers two options for the curriculum: self-paced or a live class. The curriculum is based on Saxon Math but updated to prepare students for standardized tests, such as the PSAT, SAT, ACT, CLEP, and AP tests. Dr. Shormann offers six math classes: Prealgebra, Algebra I with integrated Geometry, Algebra II with integrated Geometry, Precalculus with Trigonometry, Calculus I, and Calculus II.
How does it work?
All the Shormann Math courses take place on the Dive Online Learning Management System. This ecampus has a recorded video lecture for each lesson, links to reading assignments, textbook pages, and Quizlet sets, and automatically graded homework and assessments. The live classes are set up similarly, but the student also attends class each week at a given time.
What does a self-paced week look like?
There are 3-5 lessons per week (most have four lessons) and a quiz. The start of each lesson consists of a reading assignment with new rules and/or definitions and a Quizlet review set. Then the student will watch a recorded video lecture for the lesson. After the lecture students do a practice set, which usually has twenty automatically graded questions. There are also pdf textbook pages for reference, but there is no physical book. At the end of each week, there is a quiz about the lessons for that week. There are also four quarterly exams that are designed to have a full week of work reviewing and are calculated into the total number of weeks. Each course is 30 weeks.
What does a live class week look like?
This week is pretty similar to a self-paced week. The students still watch the recorded lectures and take the practice sets. However, they must submit their lecture notes and work for the practice set for a grade. During the live class, Dr. Shormann answers any questions that students may have had during the week and reviews the material for the week. At the end of class, students will take the quiz for the week. Live classes offer additional accountability and time with Dr. Shormann.
What are the special features of Shormann Math?
First, the Algebra I and II courses have integrated Geometry. This means that in two years the student can earn three high school credits. Shormann also offers prep courses for the CLEP College Algebra and AP Calculus AB and BC courses included at the end of the Algebra II and Calculus courses. Dr. Shormann also integrates SAT prep questions throughout the courses.
I’ve just started my second year using the Shormann curriculum, and it has worked well for me. This summer I took the CLEP College Algebra course, which you can read about here. I felt very prepared for that exam, especially after taking the six-week prep course at the end of the school year. Shormann has been a great curriculum and my sister and I have enjoyed it so far.
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