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classical conversations: fun? would it be interesting?


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A CC group is starting nearby, and I have the opportunity to enroll A. for next year.

 

Looking over the materials, I had two concerns:

1. We are not Young Earth Christians, so some of the history facts are different.

2. I think A. may not be challenged by the program. Math facts are the obvious place where he's far ahead of the CC materials, but it is a general concern I have.

 

It doesn't seem like there will be other children similar to A. in terms of acceleration, but I hear they are a very sweet group.

 

any thoughts? and thanks in advance!

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We looked into it and ultimately decided it wouldn't be a good fit because 1. We don't homeschool for religious reasons (though we are Christian) and many (all) involved in CC in our area homeschool at least partly for religious reasons, 2. CC here requires time spent outside of CC days during the week and I don't want our week dictated by CC outside of class, and 3. Our goal was to find a more consistent group and we found a better alternative.

 

I'm constantly re-evaluating academic materials/plans for my oldest, who masters content quickly and needs challenges to stay interested so outside academic usually don't work well for him unless they are very specifically what we are looking for (engineering/design, fine art, music, sports).

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How much is A. challenged by memorization? If he loves it, the challenge of the memory work and the chance to compete with others on it (and probably others quite a bit older than he is) may make it a good fit. If he doesn't, it will be painful.

 

I decided against it because DD HATES to memorize. She's good at it, she does it quickly, but she stubbornly insists that she can't and won't.

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How much is A. challenged by memorization? If he loves it, the challenge of the memory work and the chance to compete with others on it (and probably others quite a bit older than he is) may make it a good fit. If he doesn't, it will be painful.

 

I decided against it because DD HATES to memorize. She's good at it, she does it quickly, but she stubbornly insists that she can't and won't.

 

 

Hmmmm ... A. doesn't report that he enjoys memorization, but he doesn't complain about it and is quick at it. We do memory work related to our poems, MCT grammar parts, math and a bit of other stuff. I do think (going by his reports of his Aikido class ) that he enjoys supportive & friendly competition, so that element might be a good one.

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We do CC here. All of my dc have enjoyed it though we are not YE'ers (We are also Catholic). The math is a bit behind, but this year they picked it up a bit (including metric measurements, etc). The memorization is very helpful. We don't spend a lot of time outside the class on CC b/c my dc picked up the material very quickly. The Latin chants are particularly helpful. It also ensured that science and usually art got done every week, as did a weekly presesntation. We just really enjoy all the families in our group. And my kids thrived in the competitive arena.

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Thanks, Laura, that's very encouraging! The tone of our group seems excellent, which promises well.

 

I'm also glad to know CC hasn't become all-encompassing. A. has a full load already, and I don't want to lighten it; taking a morning or day off each week isn't a problem, but adding to the other days would be.

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We have friends who have raved about it, so my kids tried out a group. We hated it. It was soooooo far behind their levels, and the CC group was not at all willing to compromise on placement. Age only - no if's, and's, or but's, because "all children learn the same way, and all parents think their kid is smarter than the rest." Bologna. The "science" was a joke (they glued rocks to a page that was supposed to be something about a rock cycle, but no one ever once mentioned what a rock cycle is or why the kids were gluing the rocks there). The "music" was from YouTube, and they "reviewed" things that the group had apparently been working on for weeks but couldn't answer (my kids could answer all the questions, and we haven't really done much music ... their kids had elaborate lapbooks that were nearing completion, but still couldn't remember anything they'd "learned" from making them). The "Latin" was rote memorization of 4th declension endings. The "art" was one of those pages you get from the dollar store where you use a wet q-tip to dip into the dry ink at the top of the page and paint the picture. They require you to engage in their prayers and songs, even if they teach something contrary to your belief (a different flavor of Christian, I mean). The Essentials math was just flash cards... playing a speed matching game against an opponent (opponents who are clearly mis-matched to each other in ability... I suppose in an effort to encourage the younger, but it would frustrate my perfectionist kids to lose every.single.time.) Yes, the kids were all well-mannered, and the parents were all way too friendly, and some of the kids recited excessively long passages of scripture in front of the group, but eh... we decided it wasn't worth as much money as they were asking and as much time as would be necessary to complete the "optional" assignments and not make my kids outcasts for not doing the homework (kids who do the homework are rewarded with fake money to buy prizes and stuff).

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Serendipitous, with gifted kids, it is very easy to keep up w/the CC material. My kids mostly listened to the cd in the car on the way to class and then again on the way home. Aside from geography, they really didn't need to 'study' any more than that to keep up w/the class and do Memory Master (we did a bit of cramming right before the testing).

 

It was a bit off putting to not have the context behind the things they were learning, but that does come in time. To see them recite something about the Anasazi, but not have any clue who they were bothered me in the beginning. But then I realized that these are pegs and later they will fill in knowledge as they get older and it will mean more to them because it is 'familiar.'

 

Some of the science is lame. Some of it is not. We paid for a highly regarded science teacher to come to another of our co-ops, and she did similar science experiments to the ones that CC does---such as building a rocket, dissecting owl pellets. It was more than we were doing at home on a consistent basis. And like everything else, it's always more fun with friends. Last week we put a peppermint candy in a container of water to illustrate the different eroding effects of a lake vs. a river. Easy, yes. But not something I've done before.

 

So much depends on the campus atmosphere (some are very rigid, others have a looser feel--some are uber conservative Christian, others much more welcoming to non-evangelicals). Also, the tutor is key. I love our tutor. I am amazed at the stuff she comes up with to make this stuff stick (I tutored one year and put so much more effort into what we did, but she accomplishes more w/less complexity). And you can tell how much she enjoys teaching.

 

There are several pluses and minuses. For us, the social was good and the materials were a bonus.

 

Laura

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2smartones, I'm really glad to have that perspective; I may contact a mama I know who is currently in the group and see how it is going for her. I agree that if our group is doing those sorts of projects it would be a waste of time and of money.

 

Laura, thanks for taking the time to write out your thoughts. I do expect to be a bit annoyed at the context-less pegs, but at least I'm expecting it!

 

I met with the tutor (and one other interested mother) this morning, and was more encouraged than I'd thought to be. The tutor is Southern Baptist; I believe most of the other mothers are Christian. My children are not Christian (I myself am a work in progress, and hesitate to label until my boundaries are better defined :) ), and when I said just that to the tutor she was unperturbed, and emphasized the inclusive nature of the group and the cultural value of the Christian elements of the curriculum. She knows that my child will not be able to take part in a group prayer, and I know that he's expected to memorize Ephesians 6 next year, and both of us are okay with that. The other mother (clearly a conservative, Protestant Christian) was also kind, warm, and very encouraging to me.

 

I also am encouraged b/c the tutor and her husband run a tutoring business independent of CC; they are both fans of math, and will be offering weekly math + art morning camps for elementary kids this summer. The tutor herself apparently loves art, and had them working on projects from Mary Ann Kohl's book on art from the Great Artists, and also Mona Brookes' Drawing with Children. I happen to be irked by the Brookes book but it is a strong resource and, I hope, a good sign regarding the program.

 

Also I can bring the toddler, a huge plus and a nod to practicality that I appreciate. There will be a tot room, with either a mama or a shared babysitter.

 

-- y'all, thank you so much for giving perspectives, positive and negative. I'll be reflecting on them some more. I would so much like to expand our sense of community but also want to make wise choices.

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You can schedule an open house visit (either when other parents are there, or preferably when you just call and say "hey, I'd like to spend a day with you tomorrow") so you can REALLY get a feel for a group. Observing and having your kids in classes one day is free, and you can do it at multiple campuses if you have them. Trying it for yourself is better than asking around, because people who chose to do it will defend their choice, and those who chose not to will defend theirs. The answers will always be biased.

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