Strengths:
The Alpha Omega Lifepac program is really unusual in a lot of ways. It is a homeschool curriculum written for homeschoolers, that is also used in private schools. It is a mastery learning program, that also incorporates review. And it is a highly successful kindergarten to 12th grade college preparatory curricula in which students never graduate from the workbook format.
I like it because it is very simple and streamlined. The teacher’s guide is short, with the answer keys included. The workbooks are extremely straightforward for the student. And that’s all there is to the program, just the teacher book and workbooks. No extra worksheets or answer keys to juggle. No supplementary homework books. Just the 4th grade math student working through his lessons under the supervision of his teacher. The format encourages healthy independent learning.
And it is not just homeschoolers who appreciate these features. A number of small private schools have adopted Alpha Omega Lifepac curricula. Apparently school teachers are also liking the simple approach and lively lessons that encourage independent learning.
The Alpha Omega Lifepac curriculum is a mastery based program. Students will practice the concepts in each 4th grade math unit thoroughly, then move on to new ones with mastery assumed. There is little explicit review. However, that is looking from one unit to another. Within the unit, it seems there is some review as students spend that month practicing the concepts and committing them to long term memory.
Weaknesses:
Some 4th grade math students need a great deal of daily review if the concepts they learn are to stick with them for any length of time. The mastery style used in Alpha Omega Lifepac will be a definite drawback for these students. Some people prefer a more complicated program, perhaps a highly scripted approach that prescribes specific words and actions for the teacher from the first moment of the lesson to the last. The simplicity of Alpha Omega Lifepac 4th grade math will be a weakness for these folks.
A lot of people notice as well that Alpha Omega Lifepac is not nearly as rigorous as some homeschool programs out there. If as a teacher you believe in challenging students to the utmost, and always being at the upper edge of grade level learning, tending toward advanced placement, 4th grade Alpha Omega Lifepac is not for you. The books are just average in their level of challenge.
Recommendations:
Personally, I recommend Alpha Omega Lifepac if you are a homeschool teacher looking for a little more organization in a hectic schedule. I also recommend it for 4th grade math students who have a had time sitting still or just don’t like to do their schoolwork. There’s something about the workbook lessons that I think helps keep them on track.
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