asta Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Hi all. I posted this over at the Yahoo LCC group, but it's kind of slow for High School over there.. As we're winding to the end of 9th grade, kiddo has *finally* admitted that he preferred how I set up 8th grade (I used Gombrich's "A Little History of the World" as a jumping off point to research the different aspects of history from myriad sources that I came up with, plus a math program, science, and Analytical Grammar). I was essentially doing TRISMS "History Makers", but, as always, it was my own spin. We're currently doing TRISMS Expansion of Civilization. I love it. Kid does great with it. Only he doesn't like it the way he liked the "mom" version. This disconnect is leading to him dragging out finishing things. We had a long talk, and he is really feeling like he wants a more of less (Drew's Multum non Multa). So - not wanting to blow the farm on a bunch of curricula that wouldn't fit him anyway, I pulled my copy of LCC back off the bookshelf for a re-read. He and I have decided to do a sort of truncated LCC; he already did Greece and Rome this year, albeit not as "in depth" as he would have with LCC. It is just as well, as actually slogging through the Iliad and the Odyssey would have killed him (the transition to HS has been a bit... bumpy and he thought the excerpts went on and on...). Using Drew's "Adapting LCC: A Further Example", this is what we have come up with: Catch up reading between 9th and 10th: How to read a book - Adler Bullfinch's Mythology - Bullfinch Portable Greek Historians, excerpts - Finley Historians of Ancient Rome, excerpts - Mellor 10th Grade: History: *The Story of Mankind - Van Loon (this will be his main text instead of A Short History of the World by Roberts, as Van Loon's style is more in keeping with kiddo's personality) *Utopia - More; Leviathan - Hobbes; 2 Treaties of Gvt - Locke; Communist Manifesto - Marx (one person on the LCC board mentioned that these works may be too heavy since he thought Homer was overwhelming - I just don't know - I've never read any of them) Literature: *Beowulf; Divine Comedy (Inferno) - Dante; Canterbury Tales - Chaucer Composition: *Classical Rhetoric - Cothran Logic & Philosophy: *Socratic Logic - Kreeft (the same person pointed out that this may be too much. I don't know. He did fine with Kreeft's Catholic apologetic "Fundamentals of the Faith") Mathematics: *Algebra 2 - Systematic Mathematics Science: *Chemistry - Dickerson & Geis Language: *German (tutor) Art/Music/Religion: *The Story of Art - Gombrich; College of Piping - Scotland; Catechism of the Catholic Church + History ___________________________________ I think it looks great. For 10th grade. When I shift to 11th, however, I run into a problem: Composition. I know that Drew suggests "Classical Writing", but their stuff isn't even published yet, AND kiddo is really responding well to Andrew Pudewa's style in IEW. We have the main program (TWSS), which is designed to adapt to whatever, but we have been using Trisms, which tells us which bit to use where. I admit that I am uneasy about *knowing* what bit to apply to what work. I am deathly afraid that my kid who has never enjoyed writing, but does well at it (which is why I'm so happy he likes IEW) is going to be the kid who can't come up with a literary analysis essay to save his life. Now, he will start Wheelock's Latin in 11th, and he will be reading (in theory) Shakespeare, Milton and poetry for Lit. He will do de Toqueville along with Am History, and will have Plato for philosophy. Will it be *enough* to simply have him draw his composition lessons from the application of IEW to those works? When I look at the focus of CWs (eventual) 11th and 12th grade program, it just seems like it is so *completely* different. FWIW, I have 12th written out as the second half of Wheelocks, 19th and 20th c. novels for Lit, and a combo platter of Declaration of Statesmanship, additional founding documents, and an econ program I already own. He will round out Philosophy with Aristotle. Obviously, both 11th and 12th will have mathematics, science, and theology (though my version of theology is quite fluid and subject specific, so I will probably only give him one credit for theology for all of high school). Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. asta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted March 29, 2009 Author Share Posted March 29, 2009 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kfamily Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Asta, I'm not any help...sorry! I think your plan looks great! I wish I could be of more help with the writing (IEW) but we are using Classical Writing. Herodotus is supposed to be ready this fall, I think. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmen_and_Company Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 You have several options. Continue with IEW, as they do offer a Progymnasmata text now: Classical Rhetoric through Structure & Style. The following IEW products should carry you through high school: The Elegant Essay and Themed based lessons High School Essay Intensive IEW's Classical Rhetoric through Structure & Style (progym) You could use D'Angelo's Composition in the Classical Tradition (progym) during 11th or 12th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Carmen - good to see you again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmen_and_Company Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Carmen - good to see you again! We're on break until after Passover, and my eldest two are in Israel with their father until Sunday. So, I have some free time on my hands since I'm not car-jockeying kids around town--lol. And, I have a new laptop with wireless broadband service. Now, I can access the Internet from swim meets, dance class, while waiting for the eldest to get out of his late afternoon class, and during the youngers guitar and violin lessons. Nice to see you too, Nan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 You have several options. Continue with IEW, as they do offer a Progymnasmata text now: Classical Rhetoric through Structure & Style. The following IEW products should carry you through high school: The Elegant Essay and Themed based lessons High School Essay Intensive IEW's Classical Rhetoric through Structure & Style (progym) You could use D'Angelo's Composition in the Classical Tradition (progym) during 11th or 12th grade. Thank you Carmen! This has been very helpful. asta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 Asta,I'm not any help...sorry! I think your plan looks great! I wish I could be of more help with the writing (IEW) but we are using Classical Writing. Herodotus is supposed to be ready this fall, I think. HTH I just re-looked at the CW site and saw that it is available in Beta format. That's what I get for being so myopic. I noticed that the Herodotus program includes many of the books I was intending to use this coming year. ARG! I feel so behind! asta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 A second for IEW's Classical Rhetoric. We are using it this year and it is excellent. Also want to recommend Teaching the Classics by Adam Andrews for IEW- it is a lit analysis program. You could always use the TWSS and go through the units using his reading- that is a great and simple idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 A second for IEW's Classical Rhetoric. We are using it this year and it is excellent. Also want to recommend Teaching the Classics by Adam Andrews for IEW- it is a lit analysis program. You could always use the TWSS and go through the units using his reading- that is a great and simple idea. I was just looking at that and wondering what the big difference was between it and "Windows". asta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Carmen, I agree with Nan that it's nice to see you back. (I just referenced one of your old threads recently in response to someone else's questions about Teaching Textbooks!) If you feel like sharing, I'd love to hear how Taz is enjoying his Freshman year at the University of St. Thomas. (How did he find the transition from homeschooling to college life? Any pointers for those of us with seniors who'll be making that transition soon?) Feel free to post here or on the new College Board. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 This looks like a wonderful plan! I do have a couple of thoughts on a few specifics below: Hi all. I posted this over at the Yahoo LCC group, but it's kind of slow for High School over there.. Catch up reading between 9th and 10th: How to read a book - Adler Have you read this? This is an excellent source of information, but it is dry, dry, dry. (IMHO) :) For a child at the beginning of HS who also found Homer a bit difficult, I'd either save this for 12th or break it up into small, discussable parts to be read over many months, not in one summer. Bullfinch's Mythology - Bullfinch Portable Greek Historians, excerpts - Finley Historians of Ancient Rome, excerpts - Mellor 10th Grade: History: *The Story of Mankind - Van Loon (this will be his main text instead of A Short History of the World by Roberts, as Van Loon's style is more in keeping with kiddo's personality) *Utopia - More; Leviathan - Hobbes; 2 Treaties of Gvt - Locke; Communist Manifesto - Marx (one person on the LCC board mentioned that these works may be too heavy since he thought Homer was overwhelming - I just don't know - I've never read any of them) They might be hard, it is true. I'd certainly start the first one slowly, with plenty of "check-in" time with you, to make sure he is not getting lost or overwhelmed. In keeping with the LLC mind-set, just be sure to talk a lot during the reading. I do think it will probably be necessary for you to read these along with your son. Literature: *Beowulf; Divine Comedy (Inferno) - Dante; Canterbury Tales - Chaucer All such rich, enjoyable reads. Don't be afraid to leave out some of the Tales. I'd be certain to read parts of all of these out loud together. Composition: *Classical Rhetoric - Cothran I'd save this text for his later HS years. It is a lot of reading and anlysis of Aristotle and Adler, and does not really have much in the way of direct, hands-on writing instruction. Logic & Philosophy: *Socratic Logic - Kreeft (the same person pointed out that this may be too much. I don't know. He did fine with Kreeft's Catholic apologetic "Fundamentals of the Faith") Has he done any other Logic texts? It is a very long, but wonderful book. :) I love it, and use it to round out our studies in Traditional Logic. Mathematics: *Algebra 2 - Systematic Mathematics Science: *Chemistry - Dickerson & Geis Language: *German (tutor) Art/Music/Religion: *The Story of Art - Gombrich; College of Piping - Scotland; Catechism of the Catholic Church + History ___________________________________ I am deathly afraid that my kid who has never enjoyed writing, but does well at it (which is why I'm so happy he likes IEW) is going to be the kid who can't come up with a literary analysis essay to save his life. I'll suggest Lost Tools of Writing, but certainly admit that it takes more input from mom than some other programs. asta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 Thanks, Leah! He has done some basic logic in TRISMS, and he has also done Kreeft's "Fundamentals of the Faith". As he said to me: "Hey - you made me disprove God for that book -- I can do anything!" I think you're right about Cothran's book - I've been reading descriptions of all sorts of programs the past couple of days, and I think it would be overkill. I just submitted a message to the IEW list asking about combos of their products, and I also found (through another thread... somewhere around here) D'Angelo's "Composition in the Classical Tradition" / Corbett's "Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student" -- both look like good 11th or 12th grade fodder. We have started reading "How to Read a Book" together. I guess we're dorks, because we're finding it interesting... Looking through all of these things is incredibly interesting: I'm realizing that I was taught quite a bit of it growing up, only I never knew what it was called! asta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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