K-5 Learning Reading and Math Enrichment Review

As I said in my disclosure, the boys and I were given the opportunity to try out K-5 Learning: Reading and Math Enrichment for six weeks. The six weeks we were given actually fell right in the holiday season, but we used it as much as we could in order to be able to give an accurate review.  We started on November 25 and finished up on January 6. All opinions given are true and 100% my own.

Bailey (7th Grade) and Dalton (3rd Grade)

After signing up, the boys were given both reading and math assessments to see exactly where they fell within the K-5 grade levels. 

Here is a screen shot example of the lower level reading of the assessment that Dalton did.

 And here is a screen shot of the higher level reading that Bailey worked through.

When I looked at the results of the assessment, I really thought that Bailey just blew his way through it, answering the questions just any way to get it over with. As a result, his score was lower than it should have been, at least in my opinion. So, I simply sent in for a repeat assessment and explained the situation. It was then given to him and he did MUCH better. Dalton's results in the beginning were pretty spot on. He is behind in some areas and way ahead in others.

There was one thing I wasn't crazy about... you have to request assessments. It isn't instant gratification. You request it and it may be 24 hours before the child is actually given it. I may be too demanding, because I like to have things right when I want them. Also, they don't normally let you repeat the assessments... Toward the end of the six weeks, I wanted both boys to repeat the assessments to see if they were still on track. We had continued to do our normal curriculum at the same time we were doing K-5 and I thought that maybe they would fall into different areas of their current levels since we had covered most of what was assigned to them on K-5. When I requested the assessment, they said they don't normally repeat them. But that if you felt the level was too hard or too easy, you could let them know and they could adjust it. You can also follow your child's progress in the reports section if that is your concern. I just think that re-doing the assessment would be easier to tell where they should be working than having to email back and forth saying this is too hard or this is too easy. I'd also like to be able to set where I think my child should be instead of having to request them to do it. Again, I like instant gratification. I know within a moment or two if something is too hard or too easy for my child. It'd be much easier and less time consuming to adjust it on my own. This was really my only dislike. Everything else was pretty great.

(Eventually, I realized that it would probably be easier to do an actual screen shot on the computer than it would be to try to take a photo with my camera. So I did some of those as well. )

After the assessments, when the child signs in, this is the screen that they will come to. Clean, simple, and easy to understand. 

If they chose the Reading & Math button, they will come to this screen. The reading lesson and math lesson were both automatically assigned by K-5. But you can go in and assign things that you think your child needs to cover. That is the math assignment link. 

You can also choose if you want to work on Vocabulary or Spelling and the number of words to work on at a time. I really like that. Because with Bailey, I expect him to do a larger number of words than Dalton. Simply because he is older. 

The boys did eventually get to work. Here is a screen shot of Dalton's lower level math,

 and Bailey's upper level math when they first started their assignments.

Along with a few shots of Dalton's math facts work from the first couple days.

As you can see it is bright and fun,

and the graphics are great!

Dalty was showing me the funny little dude on the screen.

There wasn't any whining or complaining when I asked them to do their work on K-5 and that is ALWAYS a plus. You don't want their education to be dull and boring when it can be fun and upbeat with the same results.

 K-5 isn't just work, work, work, though. Dalton enjoyed the little games between assignments and especially loved that he could customize his avatar. 

Of course that is all fine and good, your child needs to be happy. But Mommy needs to be happy too, and this Mommy loved all the different progress reports!

The money situation in our house is always tight these days. So, after the initial trial, I couldn't afford to continue with the program. It costs $25 per month for the 1st child and then $15 a month for each additional child. I simply couldn't pay that. If it were free, I'd use it every day. But since it isn't, we sadly had to walk away. If our financial situation improved, I'd sign up in a flash. If you pay annually, you can save over $150 for two kids. That is exactly how I'd do it if I had the cash in hand.

Overall, I have to say that K-5 is certainly worth a shot and there is no credit card required for the free trial. You can't go wrong there!