BJU Press Distance Online Learning Review

[@cryinginmycheesecake4423]

We started with BJU this year, but did the textbook curriculum. I wasn't keen on the online idea, but we did grab a Bible and Spanish for the video driven. My kids love it! We've been thinking about doing the videos for the last semester for the kids and your review just solidified it for us esp when you said, they go into the lessons deeper than I can. This is my issue-- deeper than I can at the moment. Thanks for this review!

[@sarab210]

Thank you so much for this video. It is really helpful. I've been trying to decide if I should use this for my son for high school. Now that I see how well organized it is and how easy it is to grade the work, I will go ahead and enroll him.

[@timvandermey4792]

We start history online with Veritas press @ 2 nd grade and on, and love it. Very confident in that choice for our family. Your video was good. I agree I like the one on one teaching more than a classroom setting. (Dislike eiw because of that) From your review I can tell bju is more work on my end then I am willing to do when I am paying for online... Bju is still a lot for the parent to manage (grade). Always look forward to hearing your opinion. Thanks.

[@erica_arndt]

Yes, I prefer to still manage it so I like that about it, but it depends on what you're looking for!

[@keligsp8962]

Tim Vander Mey check out Alpha Omega Publishing. They have lots of options.

[@MyAmericanKids]

Did you mention the price?

[@keligsp8962]

Tim Vander Mey headsprout, Reading eggs , Raz-kids are good too. Never did them but look up price www.veritaspress.com/

[@americanpatriot9854]

I agree with you, my son finds the classrooms (like in Abecka) very distracting. They don't always get the right answer either, so that can stick in his head. I just wonder why it seems like the classroom videos always seem like they are thirty years old lol. This will be my first year using the full BJU program online, we have tried just the books before in English and it was easy to do.

[@tamjw.2171]

Using Abeka right now and unsure if I want to use it again next year. Was wondering how you are liking to program and would you use again.

[@angelfaulkner3993]

how have u liked the online distant learning with teachers teaching students and the teachers grading and engaging w your child? ty soo much for your insight

[@kkelling9584]

Yes why are the videos sooooo old like 30 years, and also with the wrong answers, my kid also gets lost after 20 minutes reading history textbook in the classroom by other kids who can’t read yet, lol

[@marciethiels6062]

If the student has a question can they ask the BJU teacher or how do they deal with that ?

[@cyndileatherman9258]

Thanks Erica!!! another great and helpful video!!!!

[@shalon4jc2]

So if we do DVD version are tests and quizzes given by parent?

[@luv4all43]

Yes! They are given by the parent.

[@shalon4jc2]

Thank you for your replies...I will contact BJU also

[@valerieromero3157]

Would Cultural Geography be considered “World History?”

[@erica_arndt]

Yes, in this curriculum it covers world cultures and their history, the next level (grade 10) is more of traditional world history. They should have descriptions on their website with more info.

[@heathera6271]

Hi Erica! I came across your video while searching for info on BJU Press. I’ve been researching or trying to at least….how are book reports/reviews & compositions done? Are they to be turned in for grades or do home teachers do the grading? Do they do Science lab reports to be turned in also?

[@erica_arndt]

You as their parent do the grading at home :) So they turn everything in to you. They do have teacher grade pages, and guides for grading their writing, so it's pretty easy.

[@heathera6271]

Awesome, thank you :)

[@kittenpiano8358]

Great review; thank you. Have you had any negative issues with BJU "online"?

[@kittenpiano8358]

I did a 30 day trial with another "highly rated" company, BUT it marked a correct answer as wrong, and then I lost confidence that even the correct answers were truly correct; the objective after all was to allow for independent learning "and grading", yet I was always double checking their grading accuracy. I was also bumped offline about 3x within each hour(!), but they offered no resolve. This company is 20+ yrs old, and promoted by well known homeschool groups, so I'm a bit apprehensive about "any" online. Any feedback from your experience (esp regarding BJU, bc i adore their book-curriculum!) would be greatly appreciated. Hope you see this, being 2yrs later. Blessings!

[@erica_arndt]

No not really. I can change their grades if needed. The only negative for me is the cost, it’s a little more than others but I like the classes we’ve done so far and I like the videos more for my high schoolers.

[@kittenpiano8358]

@@erica_arndt Thank you for your good feedback. It's good of BJU to give parents the flexibility of grades, as well as maybe being a quick resolve to unavoidable tech-issues. Yes, they are pricier than many others, esp those who offer the gracious family rates(I'm a discount hunter for sure), but compared to the private school tuition I've paid before, BJU online is actually just a drop in the bucket. I did finally get to see some vid samples, and as Much(!) as I adore the BJU books, etc., and really wanted to love their online program, at the risk of sounding negative, I surprisingly didn't like the vids at all. They were, imo, too babyish for a fifth grader(the dramatics were distractingly and insultingly dumbed down; more suitable for K-3), and the teaching was simply reiterating what was already learned by reading the text, rather than adding info. for a deeper understanding(basically, a waste of good time). I discovered a program called CTCMath, which does a beautiful job of highlighting the math "processes" in great detail, whereas BJUonline adds verbal overlays to their skimpy visual examples, allowing for confusion. I sure appreciate your(& others too) review, and I'm glad that many are blessed with the BJUonline program, but I've since decided to use either Math U See or CTCmath, and just buy the BJU books(& companion teacher books too) for the rest. Even having to do all the grading, and supplemental teaching, I think their online is lacking what I'm looking for. Thank you though for your time to review and reply! Hope your family has a great school year!!

[@hongmajeska4918]

My kids just started BJU this week and they totally loveeere it. The videos are so good that even I myself couldn't stop watching..

[@heathercampos2326]

@@hongmajeska4918 are they doing the high school cultural geography course? I only saw sample videos, but they don't look very interesting

[@kevintalley8386]

Are there any hands on activities or map work and if so how much. I am concerned that the Cultural Geography is primarily text book with no hands on. Thanks

[@erica_arndt]

There is a student workbook that has mapping skills, but yes it's mostly textbook and worksheet oriented.

[@kevintalley8386]

@@erica_arndt Would you be able to give me a couple of generic example of what the mapping skills look like and are there any other projects assigned. Thank you for all your help.

[@laceyramsey1286]

So I am a new homeschooler what do y'all think about the abeka curriculum?!?!

[@karinagrinchish]

dont know if youre "new" anymore lol but i think its really good if you like the books. video wise maybe not.

[@celestejohansen]

Help! How would I buy a pdf and print it off?? My daughter has ADHD and it helps to only have todays work in front of her.

[@HerLovesBooks]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@TheSeibold6]

Did you use this for the rest of high school Or for any other grade?

[@erica_arndt]

we are still using it for high school

[@shalon4jc2]

Did you use just the textbooks or the DVD/online? Thank you

[@erica_arndt]

We also got the textbooks because I think it's easier for her to study from.

[@heathercampos2326]

Are the videos interesting? We watched a clip and it didn’t keep my daughter’s interest. I don’t want to do online if it’s boring. Do they show real life photos from around the world, or is it just the teacher talking?

[@erica_arndt]

The videos include a variety of the teacher talking, note taking screens, images that correlate to the lesson, and sometimes other videos of things as well.

[@heathercampos2326]

@@erica_arndt Thank you. So it is interesting? We don't do school online, but I know it can be fun if they do and show things that I normally wouldn't.

[@hongmajeska4918]

My 3grader and 6grader love the online video lessons so much. They kept saying: my teachers are so funny and the lessons are fun...

[@heathercampos2326]

@@erica_arndt So does the teacher show videos and photos from around the world? On the video, I just saw definitions and pictures of maps. Also, does her teaching take the place of the textbook? I don't want my daughter to sit through a class and still have to read all of what she would have to read if she wasn't doing online.

[@cici2369]

Since the grading is done online , does this mean they will give you a transcript after a level is completed?

[@erica_arndt]

I actually keep my own records, so I'm not sure if they send out an official transcript, but you can print their grades etc. so you have a report.

[@hiskingdom]

Is the content faith-based or secular-based in terms of viewpoints? e.g. history, social studies, literature, etc. ?

[@erica_arndt]

BJU Press is a Christian company.

[@rachelsaunders3800]

How did your daughter learn to take notes along with the videos?

[@rachelsaunders3800]

And how did she learn to study from those notes? When does she do this? At a separate time, or is it incorporated into the lessons?

[@erica_arndt]

I have a whole "how to study" video playlist, check it out! kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJu5oHybe5yYaMU

[@rrichards1210]

Is there a time limit that the online videos are available to the student ie 12 months?

[@luv4all43]

I was told by bju that the online is available for 18 months. Dvd is for 13. Contact bju customer service for all the details.

[@shalon4jc2]

Do your kids do online or DVD? I am in California...

[@meandmybirdsnest1583]

Do they do cursive writing or all subject's are in print?

[@erica_arndt]

Yes, BJU offers cursive writing as well. This review is for their distance online learning.

[@angelfaulkner3993]

@@erica_arndt plz tell me the difference between distance online learning, from what I hear it is not much different than homeschooling being a parent corrects papers n grades tests, and yikes who knows what else :( ty

[@junjunkathy]

Thanks for sharing! I wonder how can I register for single subject? I looked it up and it’s showing me the package price all the time.

[@erica_arndt]

Hi, you can just click on the grade level you want, then pick the subject you want. You do not have to do the whole package. We just do individual subjects.

[@karinagrinchish]

if you go to the original site they will have all the options

[@hiskingdom]

What if student comes across a teaching that he/she doesn't understand?

[@erica_arndt]

If they're having troubles, I will usually help them, but honestly BJU does such a great job teaching and the text book also has answers. The TM has page numbers so if there's something they don't get you can go to the exact page it's discussed. You can also send in questions to via the interface as well.

[@shalon4jc2]

Are the DVDs the same teachers that are online?

[@erica_arndt]

I'm honestly not sure? I'm assuming they are, but you may want to ask BJU Press.

[@shalon4jc2]

Is bjuhomeschool program accredited?

[@erica_arndt]

You'll want to check their website for that info. For the most part from what I've found is that it doesn't matter whether curriculum is officially "accredited" or not. But it can depend on what your state requires.

[@shalon4jc2]

Erica Arndt thank you😍