Since homeschooling has become increasingly popular due to the challenges of traditional schooling, parents and educators are now looking for the best curriculum for their individual student’s learning needs. Two of the most popular programs are Enlightium and Monarch, and understanding the difference between the two will help homeschool parents make the best choice for their family. In this article, we’ll explore the features of Enlightium and Monarch and explain the differences between them to help you understand which might be the best fit for your student’s learning style.
What is Enlightium?
Enlightium is an accredited Christian homeschool program that was created by teachers and provides excellent curriculum for students who want to progress through eighth grade. This program offers a complete curriculum to each of its families that is tailored to their individual student’s needs.
Enlightium’s courses are self-paced and can be adjusted to fit into busy family life, allowing students to plan their own learning schedules without requiring too much of the parent’s involvement. Courses are offered in all core areas, including math, science, history, and language arts, as well as a variety of electives. In addition to the course content, Enlightium also offers its families a range of resources and support, including lesson planning and tracking tools, direct contact with teachers, and access to virtual classes and live seminars.
Moving through this program, students can earn high school credits, which allows them to be college ready when they graduate from homeschool.
What is Monarch?
Monarch is another Christian-based accredited homeschool program and is offered as an online or DVD course. This program was designed and created by Alpha Omega Publications and provides pre-planned, personalized learning experiences for students in kindergarten and all the way up to grade twelve. Like Enlightium, Monarch also offers a variety of courses and lessons in all core subject areas.
In addition, Monarch also has a range of electives, including Bible, financial literacy, and foreign language. Monarch also encourages independent learning through its self-paced online training, as well as provides printable activities that supplement its online lessons.
The program also offers its families an interactive course-building system that allows parents to custom-make courses for their student and track their progress. It also offers students instant feedback and the ability to review previously completed lessons.
What are the Major Differences Between Enlightium and Monarch?
The major difference between Enlightium and Monarch is the level of interaction between students and their teachers. Enlightium offers direct contact with teachers as well as a range of resources and support, such as access to virtual classes and live seminars. Monarch, on the other hand, offers an interactive course-building system that allows parents to custom-make courses for their student and track their progress, as well as printable activities that supplement the lessons.
Another difference between Enlightium and Monarch is the cost. Enlightium costs $1,000 per student per school year, whereas Monarch costs only $59 per month for the subscription for one student.
Finally, Enlightium does not offer any form of high school diploma, whereas Monarch does offer a high school diploma. Both are accredited, however, and students from both programs can continue on to college.
What is the 4th Grade Curriculum like in Enlightium and Monarch?
Enlightium has a 4th grade curriculum that is specifically designed to provide a solid foundation in core subjects such as Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. It also includes six electives, such as Spanish, Art, and Music, as well as additional subjects such as Bible, Sign Language and Health. This program is self-paced and parents can choose the level of their student’s curriculum, depending on their individual learning needs.
Monarch also offers a robust 4th grade curriculum that covers all of the core subjects, as well as a variety of electives, such as Art, Music, Computer Technology, Financial Literacy and Bible Studies. The Monarch program also offers printable activities as well as a course-building system that allows parents to create custom-made courses for their student and track their progress.
What are the Pros and Cons of Each Program?
Enlightium offers arobust curriculum and offers students direct contact with teachers and access to virtual classes and live seminars. The cost of this program is also manageable and can be adjusted depending on the family’s budget.
Its downside is that it does not provide a high school diploma and may not be suitable for all students in higher grades. Monarch has a unique and interactive course-building system that allows parents to custom-make courses and monitor their student’s progress. It is also very affordable, costing only $59 per student per month.
One downside of the Monarch program is that it lacks the one-on-one contact with teachers and interactive classes that Enlightium offers.
What is the Cost of Enlightium and Monarch?
The cost of Enlightium depends on the number of courses taken by the student, but all families can expect to pay $1,000 per school year for the full curriculum. Monarch costs $59 per student per month for the subscription and offers access to all courses and supplemental activities.
This cost can be adjusted to fit the family’s budget.
What Grade Levels Does Each Program Cover?
Enlightium covers grades K-8 and provides high school credits that allow student to prepare for college. MonarchR covers grades K-12 and provides a high school diploma upon graduating.
Does Each Program Offer Support and Resources for Parents?
Enlightium offers its families lesson planning and tracking tools, direct contact with teachers and access to virtual classes and live seminars. Monarch offers an interactive course-building system, printable activities and the ability to review previously completed lessons.
What is the Quality of Each Program?
Both Enlightium and Monarch have high quality curriculum and excellent track records for preparing students for college. Both programs have been accredited by the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
Does the Curriculum Offer Videos or Other Media?
Enlightium offers access to virtual classes and live seminars, as well as a range of other resources and support. Monarch offers an interactive course-building system, printable activities and the ability to review previously completed lessons. It is also possible to watch videos that supplement the lessons.
Is the Curriculum Up-to-Date?
Yes, Enlightium and Monarch both have regularly updated their curriculum and keep it up to date.
How Does Each Program Assess Student Learning?
Enlightium assesses student learning through the use of assignments, projects, and tests. Each student’s progress is tracked and the results are shared with the parents. Monarch assesses student learning by using formative and summative assessments, as well as adaptive placement tests, which are designed to accurately measure a student’s knowledge.
Conclusion
Understanding the differences between Enlightium and Monarch is key to helping homeschool parents make the best choice for their student’s individual learning needs. While both programs offer their own unique features and advantages, many parents opt for the one that best suits their student’s individual learning style. Whether you choose Enlightium or Monarch, you can be sure that your student will receive a quality education.