For the past several weeks my son (10) has participated in one of Bridgeway Academy’s online classes and has enjoyed it beyond my expectations! He was disappointed to find out that it is soon coming to and end and keeps asking me when the next class starts 🙂
Bridgeway Academy offers homeschool families different options to enrich their homeschool journey. We have been asked to review Magic Tree House Social Studies – The Middle Ages with Mrs. Kathi Thomas (Grades 1-5), one of their Learning Labs! The Learning Labs are weekly, virtual, co-op classes taught by certified teachers. This online class was 9 weeks long, 45 minutes to 1 hour each week, and available at the low cost of $145 for the session.
They not only give children the opportunity to learn about subjects their parents may not know much about, but also the chance to interact with other homeschool students around the world!
Below is a sample video of Bridgeway Academy’s Elementary Learning Labs:
Our Experience
My son enjoyed attending this virtual class every Monday at 1pm. He enjoyed the topic and the way he could interact with the other homeschool students. During class Mrs. Kathi gave the students the opportunity to ask questions or share comments. The students communicated with the use of their microphone and/or the chat box. This brought the experience to life for my son and brought a welcomed dynamic to his homeschool week!
Mrs. Kathi always assigned homework, which was usually only 45 minutes long. The homework usually involved reading material and many times writing. Because my son loves the topic so much, many times we researched the topic further during the week. We watched documentaries on YouTube with his brothers and learned much more about the Middle Ages.
As a final project the students were to build their own castle! Isaiah chose to use Minecraft to build his. HE LOVED IT! I have never seen him willingly dedicate so much time to a long-term project, without loosing interest! I LOVED seeing him enjoy the feeling of satisfaction once he was done!
I appreciated the way the class was run and the program was put together. Each class was recorded. This made it very convenient to refer to while doing homework during the week. It also makes it very convenient for a homeschool family. I love knowing that we don’t have to miss the class if something comes up, and can still listen to what was covered!
Mrs. Kathi did a great job running the class! The kids had lots to share and ask every week and she also had lots to cover. This was challenging because we only had 1 hour to do everything. I appreciate the way she balanced these, and made sure the children were engaged while still making sure we moved forward.
Things I Would Change
In the beginning of class we always did a microphone check for each child. Considering how short our class was and everything that had to be covered, I think this process took too much time from the class period. If a mic check must be done, I feel it would be best to make the class 10-15 minutes longer.
I think the age range of the class was a bit too wide. I wonder if discussion times would have been more engaging and challenging if the class was 4th-5th grade instead of 1-5 grade.
Final Thoughts
I would absolutely consider Bridgeway Academy in the future as a way to supplement our homeschool journey! My son enjoyed the experience, learned so much and wants more! What more can you ask!
We love co-op classes and have participated in some in the past. I love the option of having my older children participate in these right at home, without having to take all the little ones out too!
If you are interested in supplementing and enriching your homeschool journey see Bridgeway Academy’s list of upcoming Learning Labs! Registration deadline is December 30th and classes start January 6th!
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