Spark Schooling

Name: Spark Schooling
Brand: Spark Schoolinghttps://sparkschooling.com/

by Spark Schoolinghttps://sparkschooling.com/

ArtGrades K–8

About This Curriculum

Spark Schooling provides engaging, on-demand Art, Music, Physical Education and STEM classes developed and taught by experts for homeschooling families.

What makes it unique: Low-pressure, flexible enrichment classes that help families include often-skipped subjects like art, music, PE, and STEM without overwhelm, using simple household materials

Spark Schooling: Flexible Online Art Enrichment for Unschooling Families

Spark Schooling is an online subscription service offering on-demand art classes for grades K-8, designed as enrichment rather than comprehensive curriculum. The program emphasizes low-pressure, exploratory activities taught by experts with flexible scheduling for unschooling and homeschooling families.

Best for

Homeschooling families seeking art enrichment with minimal structure, particularly those following unschooling philosophies who want expert-led activities without formal curriculum pressure

Evaluation Criteria

1 strength · 1 concern · 2 neutral · 2 insufficient evidence

Teacher TrainingStrength

The curriculum includes extensive parent support and planning resources. The SmartSIX Planning Toolkit and organizational guides help parents implement the program effectively.

Includes 'Spark Insider Curriculum Guide,' 'SmartSIX Planning Toolkit,' 'Get started videos,' supply lists, and 'parent training and support' materials

Structured Vs OpenConcern

The curriculum heavily emphasizes creative exploration over structured instruction. Classes focus on 'active participation, exploration, and fun rather than memorization, mastery, or other stressful forms of education.'

Described as 'low-pressure, flexible courses' that avoid 'memorization, mastery, or other stressful forms of education' and allow creative application after technique demonstration

Direct InstructionNeutral

Classes provide some direct instruction through pre-recorded demonstrations by expert teachers. However, the emphasis on avoiding 'mastery' suggests limited explicit skill building.

Classes are 'taught by experts' with demonstrations like the drawing tutorial, but the philosophy explicitly avoids 'mastery' and emphasizes exploration over structured learning

Technique InstructionNeutral

The curriculum provides some explicit technique instruction through step-by-step demonstrations. The one-point perspective drawing lesson shows specific, guided instruction for drawing techniques.

The sample art course 'walks children through drawing a see-through tunnel' with 'very specific' directions for the drawing technique, followed by creative application

Vocabulary BuildingInsufficient Evidence

Limited evidence of explicit art vocabulary instruction. The curriculum appears to focus more on hands-on activities than building specialized art terminology.

No specific mention of art vocabulary instruction in the review, though the one-point perspective lesson may introduce some technical terms

Art History KnowledgeInsufficient Evidence

Art history content appears minimal based on available evidence. The curriculum focuses primarily on hands-on activities rather than historical or cultural knowledge.

No specific mention of art history instruction in the art libraries (3 Dimensional, Mixed Media, Painting, Drawing), though music classes include biographical content like Beethoven

Sources: cathyduffyreviews.com