Reviews for Clover Valley Chemistry courses

Reviews for Chemistry with Honors Chemistry option

2022/2023 school year

All expectations were clearly communicated and instructor was organized and provided timely feedback. Excellent course. My son feels like he gained a solid understanding of Chemistry. Extremely impressed and satisfied. I wish my son could take all of his future science classes with this instructor!

I have and will continue to recommend this course to others. My daughter will enroll when it is time for her to take Chemistry. This has truly been the best online class we have taken throughout our extensive homeschooling experience. The instructor provided clear and thoughtful expectations and was available for questions. I wish all classes were as organized and thoughtfully executed.

– Parent

I actually enjoyed it a lot and it became my favorite subject this year.

– Student

I took this course along with my student and learned tremendously. I found the videos super helpful and the material very interesting, I finally understand trans fats! Loved the organic chemistry section best. I loved this course. The instructor goes above and beyond to make this a good experience for the students. I have an older student who struggled through chemistry. Having completed this course, I wish she could have taken it. I think the general chemistry (not honors) would have been perfect for her.

– Parent

I often found the textbook reading (by itself) difficult to understand. However, paired along with the video lectures, they then made perfect sense. For me personally, I was able to gain the most understanding from the reading by skimming it once, watching the video, and then reading it again with more attention to detail. Sometimes I found the lab instructions (in the kit) to be somewhat vague. However, it never really interfered with my ability to do the experiments; I just had to reread a couple times. The video lectures were often the most useful part of the course. It was the biggest part of gaining understanding of the lesson and being able to complete the homework. Personally, I rarely checked/joined any office hour sessions. However, I’m sure they’re actually very useful/valuable in general, but I just rarely looked.

This was one of the first science courses I’ve ever done where the material actually makes sense. It was taught in a way that I could actually understand, which was an amazing feeling to have. I thought the lessons were well organized and easy to follow. Generally, I also really liked how the class was set up as a whole. Having it be asynchronous, with the ability to reach out and have a real live conversation, with set due dates was really helpful. I’d be able to complete assignments in my own time and have my own schedule, but also be able to manage my time accordingly to be able to make the soft due dates. This worked perfectly for me and made sure I didn’t procrastinate most of the time. Overall this was a really awesome class that made me feel like I could actually understand chemistry!

– Student

The course was so clear and well done that my child never needed to go to the office hours! My student learned a ton and gained a lot of confidence with general problem solving. (What aspects of this course were least useful or valuable?) I would say most aspects were valuable, but because things made sense, my child didn’t need extra help sessions. (How would you improve this course?) I really can’t think of a way. It was the best path to get through that introductory content of high school chemistry! (What are your overall impressions of the course?) My child loved it and never complained (always a sign of excellence!) My child really enjoyed the organic chem/biochem introductory chapters at the end. Not all high school classes cover that material, but I’m really glad that’s in there to give the kids an idea about those areas of study!

– Parent

(What are your overall impressions of the course?) I liked it, the assignments and tests summarized the content very well and the video lectures were very detailed.

– Student

A good course that deepened my understanding of chemistry while fulfilling graduation requirements.

– Student

I think it would be better for the lectures to be on YouTube instead of screencast. (*Note from Mrs. S: As the evaluations of my course are anonymously submitted, I couldn’t respond to this student’s comment. 🙂 For others reading here, my choice to host lecture videos on Screencast as opposed to YouTube was for the digital safety of students. If I host my video lectures on YouTube, I have no control over the ads that students might see during the lectures. By hosting on Screencast, I can ensure an ad-free watching experience for students. :))

(How would you improve this course?) Overall, I think it’s perfect, maybe just change the video lectures to youtube. One of my favorite courses I’ve taken in high school.

– Student

Well organized, accessible, clear.

– Parent

Teacher responsiveness was kind, considerate, fair, and consistent. Excellent communicator! My daughter loved Chemistry Mole. The mascot was fun and added some personality to an online course. She also loved the opportunity to earn bonus points. I think I have expressed my gratitude clearly in email messages. Not only did you show up for my student through chemistry, but also as an outside authority figure. She needed some of the “intangible” lessons learned through this course.

– Parent

I didn’t use the live classes (office hours) much but they were helpful when I needed them.

– Student

2021/2022 school year

The class was excellent! You were the most valuable part of the course. With multiple children, outsourcing and being a former public school teacher, I’ve been surprised and disappointed at how difficult it has been to find great teachers. We’re so happy to have found you! I would have loved it if an interactive discussion board among the students was a part of the class. We wish you offered AP Chem 🙂

  – Parent

I think the videos were helpful, but also the review for the final exam and midterm were great. I loved this course! I feel like I learned a ton. I actually heard of this course from a recommendation of a friend, but I too now would recommend it to others. Nothing else! Thanks for a great class. 🙂 

 – Student

The lectures and checklists were the most helpful. If something in the book wasn’t making the most sense to me I usually understood it after I watched the video and the checklists help me keep track of what I needed to get done. The discussion forums were the least helpful because I prefer to send an email directly to the instructor. I would add videos for the labs so the instructions can be made more clear and we can follow along. I loved this course and I learned a lot. Mrs S is one of the greatest teachers. She always explained everything thing and made all the lectures fun so it was more enjoyable to watch everyday. I’m definitely going to miss this class and Chemistry Mole next year. 

  – Student

The course was very clear and easy to use, it made me really interested in chemistry. The lectures were extremely thorough and comprehensive.

  – Student

The recorded lectures were extremely helpful. The textbook was difficult to understand sometimes, but the recorded lectures always explained what I didn’t understand. The labs were sometimes hard, especially because I didn’t really know what the results should look like. Because the class is asynchronous I don’t really know how to fix that, except maybe a reference video. This course was great, especially for someone like me who had never really taken chemistry before. Mrs. S is a great teacher, and I would highly recommend her to anyone!

  – Student

I found the videos to be much more helpful in understanding and engaging with the material. The units on moles and stoichiometry were extremely helpful! All of the lessons that involved math were very easy to learn and I will take it with me as I go on with school! A lot of the first units were lessons I previously learned so I got less out of them as others. I don’t have anything I’d want to improve (in the course). This is a really well organized course and it made chemistry less of a stress for me which was amazing! Thank you again for this course!!

  – Student

I really enjoyed the live office hours and recordings because it helped me solidify the concepts that were confusing to me! I came into this course with a pretty basic understanding of chemistry, and now I feel like I know a lot more! It was easy to access all of the information and assignments, and it was easy to understand as well.  I really enjoyed this course, so thank you, Mrs. S!

  – Student

Reviews for Chemistry

2020/2021 school year

Connie made chemistry the favorite subject for girls now 16 and 17. The most important was how fast she replied and graded work. It shows how much she valued their effort on homework and test taking. This was exactly what we needed for HS science.

Outstanding and thoughtful teacher. Our girls both declared this their favorite course and they are not going the science route. THANK YOU! CONNIE!

  – Parent, Chemistry

I love that you have added an intermediate Chemistry course. Our son started in the Honors Chemistry (very rigorous) and moved to the regular Chemistry (maybe too easy). He would definitely have benefitted from the intermediate course! Good call!

Your organization was extremely helpful, especially the checklists. Wonderful for online learning to help students be organized. Highly recommend. Thank you! Your courses are outstanding!

  – Parent, Chemistry

The office hours and screencast videos were the most useful parts of the course. The videos provided enough knowledge to complete the homework (and understand everything in the lesson), and the office hours were perfect for follow-up questions. I can’t think of anything to improve. The homework, office hours, textbook, and tests are excellent!! Thank you for such an incredible year, Mrs. S! I loved taking your course, and the material was really engaging and fun. I loved how you were so enthusiastic about the material as well – that really boosted my interest and excitement in the course! I don’t think I’ll go into chemistry later in life, but this was my favorite course this year. Have a great summer!!

  – Student, Chemistry

I thought the course was very thorough. The instructor was enthusiastic about chemistry and it showed through her teaching. My student was not particularly excited about Chemistry before the course and now finds it very interesting. This is an excellent instructor whose expertise and enthusiasm was translated to her students. Mrs. S goes above and beyond to provide her students with support as they try to understand the material. She is a fantastic teacher who clearly invests herself in their success!

  – Parent, Chemistry

I think the most valuable and useful thing of this course, after the course lectures, was without a doubt, the office hours. They are very helpful not just because you can ask questions, but because you can learn from what other students ask and the teacher’s response. There were none (aspects of the course) that I thought were the least useful. The course was well thought out and well structured, I did not encounter any problems in the time that I took the course. I really enjoyed the course and thought that both the students and the teacher were just great. I enjoyed how in the discussions the students shared news and stories about things happening in the chemistry world. I also liked how helpful and kind the teacher was. Lastly, I loved how Ms. Schwartz encouraged us students to research, learn, and explore other chemistry subjects, even teaching us things during the office hours that weren’t even in the course.

I would, without a doubt, recommend this course to others. I came into this class with no chemistry knowledge at all and now I am telling my family and friends cool things I learned. I really enjoyed seeing how everything we learned really was reflected in the world around us. I think this class is a fantastic class for all ages and that the teacher could not be a better teacher.
Thank you Mrs. S for teaching such a great chemistry class.

  – Student, Chemistry

I thought Ms. Schwartz did a great job in simplifying complex concept and providing little ‘tricks’ that helped my student remember them. I appreciated that she also incorporated organic chemistry and biochemistry into the course. The course was well planned out and the material thoroughly covered the essential topics of Chemistry for high school. The office hours were helpful for reviewing topics/problems that were tricky. Ms. Schwartz was very quick to grade deliverables and very quick to respond to emails. Also, she sent the kids a few emails about animal sightings that they appreciated and enjoyed. She made Chemistry enjoyable and my child now loves chemistry and thinks its is cool. Kudos to a great class!! Wish you taught AP Chemistry.

  – Parent, Chemistry

The course is wonderfully organized and all of the materials necessary to succeed were provided. My student learned a lot and will be very comfortable in his next chemistry course. (Overall impression of the course): It’s fabulous. Can’t wait for my next son to take it, and only sad that my oldest son missed out!

  – Parent, Chemistry

My twins got a full semester’s worth of learning from the class, and I did not have to supplement or scaffold the work at all. Exactly how I feel a well run, outsourced class should operate.

  – Parent, Chemistry

I appreciated how organized all the modules were! I do well with routine, and knowing week after week how my work was to be structured help me to stress less and immerse myself in the material. I think the recorded lectures were a great part of this class. I liked being able to go back and hear you explain things again. Also, if the textbook reading was a bit confusing to me, I always understood after watching you explain and expand on it. I dove into this course knowing only a little about chemistry through my biology course, but I’ve come out it with a solid base of knowledge from which I can expand in more science classes. My overall impression is that this is an engaging, challenging course that provides a solid understanding of basic chemistry. So, very positive impressions! 🙂 Thank you so much for this class, Mrs. S! I hope to see you again in your higher level chemistry classes.

  – Student, Chemistry

I feel that I know all the chemistry I will ever want.

  – Student, Chemistry    Note from Mrs. S: This comment intrigued me. 🙂

Very good! This course really piqued my interest in chemistry and beyond that the material was well-organized, explained in a very approachable way (coming from someone who hasn’t had a ton of experience with STEM), and overall interesting and enjoyable!

  -Student, Chemistry

I found that the online recorded lectures were invaluable. They were presented in a natural and familiar way that made the concepts very easy to understand and demonstrated the problems exactly the way they were expected to be shown on the homework and tests. They were also easy to go back to and clearly discussed all of the topics we were expected to know. I also really appreciated the review documents that were provided at the midterm and final. This was not something that I expected to be offered to us and it was a very pleasant surprise. Studying was much easier and more efficient with the provided resources. (Overall impression of the course) It was great! I came into this class with a mild interest in chemistry from my biology class and through this class I’ve really come to love it. This course made chemistry a fun and engaging class rather than simply a high school credit. I especially loved how ready you were to offer support or assistance. Constant replies to discussion chats and notes on the homework assignments were really great.

  – Student, Chemistry

My student ended this course saying that he loves chemistry. He is even thinking about taking another of your courses after next year. Wonderful course.

  – Parent, Chemistry

2019/2020 school year

Mrs. Schwartz is an incredible teacher, she has found her passion and it shows. She fluently describes chemistry in a fun engaging way and I will never forget about Chemistry Mole and Avogadro!

  -Student, Chemistry

Kudos to you for hosting such an amazing class and having such a good connection with the kids. That is hard to do, but you were amazing!! Thank you so much!

  -Student, Chemistry

This class was really great. My daughter loved your class and you as a teacher.  Thank you so much for offering this class. My daughter is going to miss you.

  -Parent, Chemistry

I loved it a lot! It was nice to have an online class and have the teacher around 24/7 if you need help. (Note from Mrs. S for posting in “Reviews”: I don’t know that I’d say I’m available 24/7 🙂 but I do tend to be a night owl and so am at my computer when many teens are doing their work. ;))  Absolutely a fantastic course. Definitely recommend!  Thank you Mrs. Schwartz for being a wonderful teacher! And thank you Chemistry Mole and Avogadro for being my cheerleaders throughout this course! 🙂

  -Student, Chemistry

Great course! Challenging but doable and it made me very interested in chemistry 🙂

  -Student, Chemistry

Well-organized and easy to pace work around a very busy student’s schedule. Excellent teaching of difficult concepts.  Excellent introduction to chem. My student thought she would dislike it, but your course changed her mind. She’ll definitely take another chem course at some point.  Love your enthusiasm and joy for teaching. You were a bright light in my student’s 2019-20 school year. Thanks for sharing your talents with us this year!!

  -Parent, Chemistry

Mrs. Schwartz certainly has a skill for making the most difficult problems clearer. Her responses were in the course of one business day, and she took the time to explain a question in full. I am not a fan of chemistry, but I genuinely enjoyed many aspects of it as a result of her teaching. Thank you for a great year, Mrs. Schwartz!

  -Student, Chemistry

He had zero interest in chemistry (just took it because mom told him it was a requirement to graduate) until he took the class and now he is loving it! The class was enjoyable and he really learned a lot and is interested in taking additional chemistry, maybe biochem.

  -Parent, Chemistry

This course was a great experience overall. We signed up for this on a leap of faith solely based off the comments I read on The Well Trained Mind forum by Connie and by others whose children had taken her course last year. I’d emailed Connie last winter with a long list of questions…all of which she answered completely and in great detail. I was slightly leary of signing up for an online chemistry course (would there be enough instruction? help? how to do labs?) but Connie has absolutely nailed it with this course. I personally did not have a good experience taking chemistry in high school nor college. I don’t have a strong background in chemistry. I had no idea how I was going to teach my son chemistry. This course was the perfect solution. It was rigorous enough that I have full confidence that my son will be able to easily transition into a college chemistry course in a year or so. The feedback was individualized and given on a regular basis. Connie really does care about her students and does a great job of establishing a relationship with them. My son would talk about things he’d learned in her lectures at random times so that tells me it really stuck with him. I am already planning on my youngest son enrolling in this course when he is ready. You do need a good bit of personal discipline to take this course…it is all on the student to be sure to get the schedule and map out how he will get all the work finished.

  -Parent, Chemistry

This course turned out to be great for one of my kids.  He really loved it. It was terrible for the other one, who really struggled with the material for various reasons. Not having a live class was an absolute killer for him. He just could not connect with the material.

  -Parent, Chemistry

Remarkably well put-together, organized, and clear. Balanced workload and curriculum.

  -Student, Chemistry

The format worked really well for my student. I was unsure about asynchronous lectures but having a definite due date for all coursework and stretching it out over 2 weeks worked really well for my kid. She liked the flexibility of her work schedule but she still needs the pressure of a due date. She also liked that she could go back to the lectures and re-watch whenever she needed to review something. Finally, the reference packet your provide is very generous! It allowed students to focus on the concepts without having to worry about all the extra stuff they may/may not remember, like the polyatomic ions and solubility rules.  Great course! I really enjoyed watching my daughter learn chemistry this year. She really enjoyed the class.

  -Parent, Chemistry

This course was really great, and I don’t think I would actually change anything as it worked very well for me and my learning style.  It was a very interesting course that ignited some interest in Chemistry in me. I hope to use it in my future schooling/career.

  -Student, Chemistry

You’re one of the best teachers I’ve ever had, and I absolutely loved your class.

  -Student, Chemistry

2018/2019 school year

Clover Valley Chemistry is wonderful…I can’t recommend it highly enough. My daughter, a motivated homeschooler who’s taken dozens of online classes and can be a tough critic, loves the Chemistry course. Ms. Schwartz is an ideal teacher—personable, professional, enthusiastic, and organized. The readings, coursework, labs and lessons are interesting and effective. Ms. Schwartz is quick to grade and return assignments and is always responsive if my daughter has a question or needs something. She’s obviously a pro who loves what she does. I strongly recommend this class. It’s what all online classes should be.

   -Parent, Chemistry

My student HIGHLY enjoyed this class and Mrs. Schwartz was fabulous – if only she taught every single subject !! Thank you !!

   -Parent, Chemistry

VERY well done, and I would recommend the course enthusiastically!

   -Parent, Chemistry

By far my most enjoyable class this year. Thanks, Mrs. S! And tell Chemistry Mole I’ll miss him.

   -Student, Chemistry

Very well organized course. Thank you for your time and effort in putting together such a great Chemistry course for homeschool students!

   -Parent, Chemistry

A really good course, that had a great teacher that kept things interesting.

   -Student, Chemistry

I’m so glad my daughter was in your class. She learned so much in this positive and supportive online forum. I would recommend this class to others without hesitation. Thanks for being such a patient, caring instructor.

   -Parent, Chemistry

My son is enrolled in the Clover Valley Chemistry regular Chemistry course. This was our first year using an online science course, and it has surpassed all our expectations. Connie Schwartz is gifted at teaching chemistry. She is enthusiastic, encouraging, and makes complex concepts simple and relatable. She is incredibly knowledgeable and just a general pleasure to work with. The course is well organized, with expectations and a course syllabus provided at the onset of the course. Students work independently, but receive as much support as they need to get a complete understanding of the material covered. There are dedicated discussion boards to communicate with one another, office hours once a week for questions, and Mrs Schwartz is very responsive through email. I honestly could not have asked for more in an online class.

   -Parent, Chemistry

“This course has been exactly what we needed. Connie made chemistry interesting and understandable. It was a great introduction to high school science for my 9th grader to experience labs, exams, midterms, and managing time wisely from a friendly and supportive instructor. I would recommend it to anyone.”

   -Parent, Chemistry

Reviews for Advanced Honors Chemistry (previously my “Honors Chemistry” course)

**You can also see reviews for Advanced Honors Chemistry from parents and students through AP Homeschoolers here:

https://www.aphomeschoolers.com/course/honchem/review/index

2022/2023 school year

Thanks for the course, it was challenging but fun!

– Student

Funnily enough, I thought the midterm and final felt a bit easy after the intensity of the course. I can’t believe how much I have learned! (What aspects of this course were most useful or valuable?) I loved having the chapter checklist to keep me on track. I also found being able to print off the lecture slides extremely useful. Mrs. Schwartz was amazing and so quick to respond to any email.

This course was incredibly well-organized and thorough. It was also extremely difficult because the workload was as advertised. I registered for this course because I did not believe it would actually be 10-12 hours of work because, being smart, nothing has ever taken me as long as I was told it would take. This course required that much time, or more. I have learned an unbelievable amount of chemistry. In reviewing for the final, I looked at an AP chemistry review website, and it seems to me that after taking this course, the AP exam would be a breeze. I have never before had a teacher who put in so much energy and effort, and I felt very supported throughout my chemistry journey.

I would not recommend this course to anyone I know because I do not think they could handle it, however it is still an excellent course. I would recommend this course to those who love chemistry and hard work and know what they are getting into.

Mrs. Schwartz is a wonderful teacher! She’s clearly very knowledgeable and passionate about chemistry, which makes learning it from her much more interesting and engaging. She is also very encouraging, supportive, and helpful, and her availability could not be better! She has taken so much care with the organization of the course that a student cannot help but know what to do. You learn so much chemistry in this course, but it is not for the faint of heart!

– Student

2021/2022 school year

Ms. Schwartz was extremely good at returning grades with helpful feedback and if I still didn’t understand I could email her and she would explain it in a way that made sense. I used the live hours on zoom most weeks but I didn’t really see too many other people in the class taking advantage of that help. The zoom sessions were one of the most helpful things for me. I really enjoyed doing all the labs that were assigned. They were engaging and fun. I had no background of chemistry before this class. After this class I know most of the material pretty well and I am preparing to take a CLEP exam. It is a good class if you want a good challenge. I would (recommend) for any students who are willing to put in enough time and dedication to fully understand the material. I don’t think this course is for everyone but it sure was for me. Kudos to Ms. Schwartz because she has put together a really great course.

  -Student

I appreciate your level of professionalism and expertise. This course represents the best of distance and online learning.  Maybe provide spiral type reviewing throughout the entire semester for those who engage with you in help sessions so the midterm and final are less daunting.  As a fellow teacher I usually think bonus points are given too freely for work students should already be doing. You have however done an excellent job of allowing students to earn bonus for paying extra special attention to your lectures and engaging in appropriate communication with an instructor. I have an older student who earned 47 dual enrollment credits through high school. I taught him and helped him learn to communicate with professors and if he found an error to let them know or to question them. At first he was uncomfortable but he now appropriately communicates with adults and realizes they sometimes make mistakes. I also love the challenge bonus questions on homework. They were hard. Kudos to you!

  – Parent

Challenging but it teaches a lot of material and time-management

  – Student

The way the course was organized was very helpful—chapter checklists helped me plan out each block. The fact that the next chapter blocks were posted early allowed me to work ahead when I was out. The double instruction of the textbook and the videos helped to really reinforce the concept.  It’s a challenging course, and does take up as much time (or close to) as an AP course does in the fall semester (1.5-2 hrs/day), but it prepares the student extremely well in two respects. The first is in general chemistry knowledge—I feel more confident and prepared going into AP Chem next year because of the rigor of this course. Secondly, it allows the student to develop good study habits while still allowing a small amount of room for error (bonus points were extremely useful and helpful!).

  – Student

It was amazing! I learned so much and had so much fun! Thank you so much for this course!! You were so friendly and helpful and probably the best teacher I’ve ever had! 

  – Student

Excellent content. Well organized. My child felt the AP Chem exam was easy after taking this course.

  – Parent

An excellent, high-level course that challenged my student. Thank you for an excellent year of chemistry! My student loves chemistry and has gained valuable study skills as a result of taking your course. 

  – Parent

2020/2021 school year

Emails were always responded promptly. My daughter got the answers she needed. I appreciate the instructor’s understanding, patience, and flexibility.

My daughter had never taken a Chemistry course but had knowledge of it by what I had taught her when she was younger and what she learned in AP Biology. She would get excited every time she saw a connection with what she had learned in AP Biology and I could see her confidence increase when she was able to understand the concept deeper.

The course is challenging which is what I look for in a course. The student needs to put a lot of effort and time into it. It definitely prepares the student for AP Chemistry.

I would definitely recommend it to someone that wants to really understand Chemistry and is willing to put the time and effort. I am very thankful for this course and for Mrs. Schwartz as I was last year when my son took this course. Both my kids enjoyed it and learned a lot from it. It prepared my son for AP Chemistry so well that he was confident and stress free when taking AP Chemistry. He felt very prepared for the class and the exam.

  – Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

I feel very fortunate both my boys got to learn chemistry with you. I wish all homeschool courses were as well organized and as rigorous as your honors chem.

  – Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

This has been the most challenging and also enjoyable course I’ve taken. I really liked the way you explained and taught everything, and you made it very fun and interesting to learn. I wish it was longer because I’m disappointed it’s over 🙂 I’m planning on taking your Organic Chemistry course in two years, which I am really looking forward to. Thank you for everything you taught me, I hope you have a great summer! 

  – Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry

2019/2020 school year

This class is a great preparing for AP Chemistry classes, and I learned a lot more than I expected. The video lectures were extremely useful and really helped me understand the concepts taught in the course.

  -Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry

Chemistry mole is not a mole, chemistry mole is a hedgehog, and this drove me nuts for the entire course.

  -Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry         Note from Mrs. S:  The student is correct! 🙂  I do explain about Chemistry “Mole” actually being a hedgehog at the bottom of this website page (the student who gifted him to me was adamant he was a mole (so as to relate him to chemistry :))) but I may have neglected to clarify that to students.  I shall clarify going forward! 😀  But even with his hedgehog beginnings, he’ll still always be Chemistry Mole. 🙂

I was very impressed with how promptly & thoroughly Mrs. Schwartz kept students and parents informed. I really appreciated that she sent out study tips/exam preparation hints to help guide the students for the midterm and final exams. As for the live office hours – these were the highlight for my daughter, and we both believe it was because of these office hour sessions that my daughter was able to succeed in the course. I know she really looked forward to the office hours , and Mrs. Schwartz always helped her wrestle through some confusing point or concept.

  -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

This course really challenged my student. In the end, it made them realize they were capable of doing very complex things and that is a valuable lesson.  This course is not just for anyone. It requires loads of discipline, sound math skills, and acute attention to detail.  My student took several online classes this year. The one thing they repeatedly told me throughout the school year was how nice Mrs. Schwartz was as a teacher. That alone kept my student from giving up. The material was so very hard, but your lectures and constant encouragement made my student stick with it. As parents, we are exceedingly proud of that effort and are most grateful to you for being “that kind” of teacher.
Thank you!❤

  -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

I found the lectures to be very useful as they went into great depth on the topic and made the subject much clearer than the textbook.  I found labs to not be very useful.  I would have liked to be able to submit assignments on Canvas rather than through emails. With emails, it takes longer to submit assignments and I have to be careful that everything goes through and that all of the files are in the right emails. If I could submit through Canvas, I could see exactly what was and was not done and also would spend less time trying to find an old homework assignment.  I really loved this course.  Thank you so very much!

  -Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry

Thanks for such a great course. My student enrolled because I told her she had to take SOME chem, and this week was excited to signup for AP Chem.

  -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

This course matches its title. It was quite challenging for me, I also learned many new things from this course. So overall, I believe students who wants to take up a challenge, go for this.

  -Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry

This course taught me so many things it’s hard to even explain! I knew nothing about chemistry. Now I feel like I’m more connected with my world. Last week I saw a bottle containing some sort of industrial alcohol, and so I sat on the floor and properly named it in my head using the IUPAC system. What used to be meaningless hieroglyphics is comprehensible now! It’s a great feeling.  I felt like I learned a lot, and was encouraged to take a broad interest in chemistry. Mrs. S is very passionate about chemistry, and organic chemistry in particular, and her passion for it is not only visible, but inspirational as well.

  -Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry

The office hours were PARTICULARLY helpful. They really helped me understand the chem concepts better. Thank you!  This was an excellent course! I’m so grateful I took this course and I know that my understanding of chemistry has vastly improved.  You’re an amazing teacher – of course I would recommend the course!

  -Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry

2018/2019 school year

One of the probably most time consuming but most helpful aspects of this class is how responsive you are. We have had teachers take longer to respond and to grade papers/tests, and find that when it takes longer to get feedback, the learning is really decreased. The student moves on, forgets what the problem was, or it just becomes less relevant to them and then the moment is lost, it seems. We REALLY appreciate how timely you are!  The workload was a real challenge. I can’t imagine a student taking a full load of classes along with this class unless they really were great at time management! However my student is on the young side so we were still able to adjust the schedule to take fewer and more challenging classes.  This has been an amazing course and I have watched my kid grow so much because of it. You are truly a gifted teacher!

  -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

Thank you! It is always appreciated when students get a high quality teacher as well as an organized and well-structured course especially with such a challenging and intricate subject as chemistry.

  -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

Chapter block checklists were extremely helpful for my daughter to pave and organize her work. It made for a smooth learning experience free of cramming. She will use this as a template moving forward and it is a skill she can carry into college.
Excellent and thorough high school chemistry. I would recommend that students take this class to be prepared for AP chemistry, organic chemistry, and college chemistry in STEM fields. My daughter really got to know Connie and felt supported all the way through this class (and so did I). She was warm and engaging, and her love of chemistry was passed on through her interactions with my daughter.

   -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

Teacher response time was the best. I never felt that I was a burden to her. She really knows how to convey to us that she is there for us. This was a challenging course but the teacher was always there for me. I hope all my other teachers are that responsive and caring.

   -Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry

Connie Schwartz was incredibly responsive and invested in her students. Probably one of the best online teachers I’ve had. This was the first class I felt alright not getting an A in because I learned so much regardless both about the subject itself and learning scientific material effectively.

   -Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry

Ms. Schwartz was awesome 🙂 I did like the course and I think it was good, but it was VERY challenging compared to other ‘honor’ level courses. I would warn others to know what they’re getting in to.

   -Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry

Honors Chemistry course has challenged my son to work hard unlike any other course he has taken maybe with the exception of Art of Problem Solving Math. The course certainly teaches beyond what typical honors courses in public high schools offer. Honors Chem is exceptionally well organized, but the greatest asset at Clover Valley is the teacher. Connie answers all question very promptly in addition to providing live office hours. Those live meetings have made a tremendous difference, allowing my son to make true connection with the teacher and get needed help on difficult material.

   -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

“Fabulous learning experience! Ms. Schwartz was always involved with my daughter’s progress. She communicated often with me and my daughter, which helped a lot since my daughter was taking a subject that was challenging for her. Through Ms. Schwartz’ mentoring my daughter learned more than just advanced high school chemistry! The course at an academic level is amazing and taught very well through the materials, labs, and online live sessions. My daughter would definitely retake a course with Ms. Schwartz – definitely a growing experience for my daughter!”

   -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

“I am a 9th grader about to complete Mrs. Schwartz’s Honors Chemistry class. I honestly believe that there is no other chemistry class out there that is as rigorous as Mrs. Schwartz’s. For anyone interested in this class, you will need to carefully plan your work out because you won’t make it if you leave it sit on your desk until the last minute. However, for anyone seriously interested in building a strong foundation in this subject, this is without a doubt the class to take. Mrs. Schwartz’s high expectations and encouragement along the way will only make you better prepared for more advanced chemistry classes. I am planning to take Mrs. Schwartz’s Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry class, and am looking forward to it already.”

   -Student, Advanced Honors Chemistry

Our 9th grade science-loving son is currently completing Mrs. Schwartz’s Honors Chemistry class. Both class and teacher have been a perfect fit for him. The weekly live-component has been particularly helpful in getting assistance with some of the more challenging course material. Mrs. Schwartz’s rigorous curriculum has not only significantly increased his knowledge in chemistry but her high, yet fair, expectations have also made of him a much more detail-oriented student. We couldn’t have been happier with the quality of Mrs. Schwartz’s class as well as with the encouragement and support she has so generously provided to our son over the past year. He is now planning and looking forward to taking Mrs. Schwartz’s Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry class.

   -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

I am very reluctant to outsource and rarely do. When I do, I have high expectations or I will completely regret the decision and end up withdrawing them from the class and doing it at home myself. That said, Clover Valley honors chemistry course receives high marks from both me and my daughter. The course is well-organized and covers the material extremely well. It is one of only a handful of outsourced courses that in my 25 yrs of homeschooling has not only met but also exceeded my expectations.
On the rare occasion that I do seek an outsourced course, my goal is to have it be solely responsible in providing my student with all necessary skills and content. Clover Valley honors chemistry meets that objective. I have been completely hands-off and my student is excelling.
Highly recommend based on our experience.

   -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

I honestly cannot say enough good things about Mrs. Schwartz’ class and about her as a teacher. Her videos are thorough, extremely well-done, and actually quite enjoyable; her enthusiasm for chemistry is obvious and pervasive (and probably contagious), as is her empathy for the students as they face tough topics. I’m no expert, but it appears that the content is rigorous, and it seems there are very few things that are in the textbook that she is skipping over. The homework and suggested review problems seem to be appropriate preparation for the tests, and everything correlates well with the textbook. She grades assignments quickly (including helpful feedback on items that are incorrect), and she responds to questions quickly, thoroughly, and helpfully. For a beta run on a class of this magnitude, there have been surprisingly few errors or oversights, which I think says a lot about her thoroughness and attention to detail.
As a parent, I think the thing that impresses me most about her is that she clearly communicates that she has high standards and little tolerance for not taking things like deadlines seriously, but on the flip side she is incredibly supportive and encouraging, and accommodating when it is appropriate; it comes through very clearly that her highest priority is helping students to succeed in learning chemistry. I think this incredible mix was most clearly on display by her assignment to write a “formal” lab; this was a hugely difficult task, and way beyond anything I’m sure anyone had been exposed to (and probably way beyond typical high school expectations – she pointed out that her motivation was to give them a first taste of a college-level lab report), *but* she encouraged the students to submit multiple iterations and get feedback (which she gave quickly, constructively, and very extensively), and she only gave a grade when the students had gotten it to a level they were comfortable with.
The only thing that I could think of that I would be anything less than overwhelmingly positive about would be the labs; however, I know that with kids working in kitchens without teachers, there is only so much you can do. I guess I was expecting a few more labs on basic techniques (e.g., distillation of coffee), but maybe more of those are coming. I feel like the depth, breadth, and rigor of Mrs. Schwartz’s content probably exceeds that of the honors chem classes in our local high school, but I would guess that the lab experience would probably be more substantial in a science classroom. But since the local science classroom isn’t an option, I am fine with what Mrs. Schwartz has put together in terms of labs.
I think her class has been an outstanding introduction to chemistry (both in rigor and in cultivating interest), and I am optimistic that it will be a great foundation for AP Chemistry next year.

   -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

The best part of honors chemistry is the support a student receives from Connie. As this is an honors class, a student is bound to have questions and follow-up questions. Connie is always prompt even when we least expect it. This has been a challenging class for my daughter yet it has instilled a sense of accomplishment and helped with her time management skills. Connie is not only generous with her time in answering questions over email, but she also offers two live office sessions with easy access to recordings and is always in communication with students and parents. She has put so much effort into her videos which are essential to the course; her videos expand on concepts taught in the book and make it easier to digest the information. Her class is rigorous, but if a student works through the videos and homework on a consistent basis, it is manageable, especially since Connie is very accessible. We are planning to take the next class in a couple of years.

   -Parent, Advanced Honors Chemistry

Reviews for Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (IOCBC)

2022/2023 school year

Since the class was not live, I am unable to comment on the level of participation that was expected/allowed. While the questions on the midterm exam reflected the material well, to my chagrin, I found that some of the questions on the final exam did not follow directly from the content that had been taught (i.e. the student was expected to think several steps beyond the material that had been presented, which was both possible and a good challenge, but I personally was not thrilled to be presented with such questions). The labs were online, so there were no kit materials; however, for me, the virtual labs were time-consuming and not terribly helpful/relevant.

I appreciated the prompt and easy email communications, and found my email exchanges with Mrs. Schwartz to be extremely valuable. I also enjoyed the amount of repetition provided (i.e. I completed the textbook reading, then the problems, then the study guide, then watched the lecture, then did the homework, and only then took the test); it was very helpful in solidifying my understanding of the material.

(How would you improve this course?) Other than what I’ve already mentioned (i.e. labs and minor quibbles regarding select final exam questions), it’s wonderful as it is!

I plan to pursue a career in STEM, and IOCBC has given me a solid introduction to some of the material I will encounter over the next few years. Thank you for a great experience! I would recommend this course to anyone who has a good grasp on and/or enjoys inorganic chemistry! I truly enjoyed IOCBC, and will sing its praises whenever I can. 🙂 Thank you so much for this course, Mrs. Schwartz!

– Student

2021/2022 school year

i like that the lessons themselves are recorded so i caould watch them when i wanted to instead of on a class schedule      What are your overall impressions of the course? really exceptionally awesome you are my most favorite teacher ive ever had, thank you

  – Student

2020/2021 school year

I appreciate the quick responses from Mrs Schwartz whenever I had any questions. She also is very organized.

  – Parent, IOCBC

It was great. I cant think of any improvements. Thank you for a wonderful year mrs. Schwartz. I had fun and learned a lot.

  – Student, IOCBC

It was challenging, but I learned a lot.

  – Student, IOCBC

I found the recorded video lectures especially helpful and almost always answered any questions I had after reading the textbook sections. I also really liked learning about the real-world applications of chemistry, such as finding out how vanilla flavorings are different from real vanilla or why lemon neutralizes fishy odors. It made me think about chemistry much more outside of the course. (Overall impression of the course): I enjoyed it very much and am now (slightly) less anxious about taking organic chemistry in college! Thank you so much for being a great teacher this year!

  – Student, IOCBC

2019/2020 school year

I really enjoyed Mrs. Schwartz’s lectures, as they really helped me to grasp and solidify new concepts. Mrs. Schwartz explained everything in full detail in her video lectures, and I found the practice problems that Mrs. Schwartz worked through in her lectures to be especially helpful.
Also, Mrs. Schwartz’s homework was challenging and fair and helped me to practice what I had learned up to that point. Whenever I had a question, I could email Mrs. Schwartz and she would promptly respond. It was really easy to ask her any question I had, and she would give a great explanation.
The labs were also very fun and helpful in applying all the new information that I had learned!
I really enjoyed this course! It greatly enhanced my interest in Organic Chemistry particularly, and Mrs. Schwartz was so helpful and has set up an amazing course that ensures that every student will succeed. I highly recommend this course to anyone who has some previous chemistry experience. This really is a superb class!

  -Student, IOCBC

Great course. Mr. Peter Moskaluk referred this course to us and it has exceeded our expectations. This course lays an excellent foundation for anyone interested in pursuing medicine in University or hoping to Major in Chemistry.

  -Parent, IOCBC

I enjoyed some of it, but I disliked most of it. It seems to be more memorization than application of prior chemistry knowledge. For some people, it might be enjoyable. For me, it was not. Regardless, you are a good teacher and I can see that you spend a lot of time for your students. 

  -Student, IOCBC

Engaging lectures and live office hours. Very satisfied. I recommend your courses frequently. My student and I were very happy with the organization of the course and the content. It is clear you are knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter. You are an inspiring instructor, and we are so grateful we found your courses.

  -Parent, IOCBC