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MSherman

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    http://www.scholarsandsaints.com
  1. Yes, precisely. I read each Lesson myself. This is something I enjoy doing, so it is no burden. When (not if) an issue comes up upon which I have a different view, I explain that this is the Catholic view. I also explain what Baptists believe (that is our denomination). Sometimes, we also talk about what other denominations or even other religions believe. This, to me, is an integral part of education. For example, we worked through much of TOG this year. There were lessons on Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism. We talked about what people of those faiths professed, and how Christianity compared (not that I am comparing Catholicism to Buddhism :001_smile: but I hope you get my point). I don't let them loose with this or any other curriculum. I believe that the Bible makes me primarily responsible for their education, and that I would be failing in that duty to simply turn them over to any school or text book without knowing what they are (or are not being taught). No text book, curriculum or school is worldview neutral, after all. Even if I were sending them to a Christian school of my own denomination I would feel a duty to talk to their teachers and review the text books they were using.
  2. We used Singapore this year (our first year of HSing). The kids had been in Saxon at their private school previously. We have liked Singapore (better than Saxon). The Home Instructor's Guides are easy to follow and their is a helpful Forum. It did teach things in a different sequence in some cases, but that did not create a problem for us.
  3. Jane, I responded in more detail to your earlier post. But, to put it simply the Grammar program is excellent. I have been thrilled with what my two daughters have learned there (and my son in the Petty School program as well). Like you are contemplating, I first enrolled my kids only in the Grammar course. I liked it so much, that I have slowly added more and more courses. It is really quite good.
  4. Hi Jennifer- I didn't call Mr. Cain a liar. I didn't "attack" the CLAA's detractors. I said I have read his 10 page e-mail and found it to be thoroughly full of inaccuracies. I stand by that statement. That is not to say he hasn't posted other helpful information here. It is to say I disagree with his critique of Mr. Michael based on my personal experience of having my children in the CLAA for this entire school year, which is what I understood the question that started this thread to be seeking (the experience of those parents with kids enrolled in the CLAA). As far as "defending" the CLAA, that was not my intent. I assure you that I do not "write copy" for the CLAA or anyone else for that matter. Rather, as I said, my intent was to respond to the original question that asked about the experience that folks in the CLAA were having. Whether it sounds like a brochure, I don't know. I was simply relating my personal experience, pro and con about a program that I frankly had my own misgivings about initially (based on my not being a Catholic). Happily, as it turns out, my concerns were unfounded. You stated that when you are looking at programs you like to read statements from those that like the program and those that don't. Mine is simply a statement from someone who does like the program.
  5. Jane, I'd like to return to your original question about the experience that folks in the CLAA are having. I am neither pro nor anti CLAA. So, my biases are known, I am pro Christ and pro my family! I have 4 children ages 11-2 at home. I am a lawyer on sabbatical from my law practice of 15 years while I pursue a seminary degree. While doing that I am homeschooling the kids, with the blessing of my dear wife. I am a protestant. This is our first year homeschooling. When I first started down this road, I read WTM and LCC. I decided LCC was going to be easier for us to follow (I appreciated the "much, not many" approach and was worried that in our first year, I did not want to overwhelm my children or myself with various curriculum, courses, etc - though I still nearly did so at the start). When I finally started to make curriculum choices, I was basically going to follow LCC with a couple of additions from WTM. At some point, I noticed Drew Campbell had mentioned the Praeceptor course at the CLAA. That was my first introduction to the CLAA. I checked out the site and the forum and was intrigued. I contacted Drew directly about the Latin program and he recommended we enroll in the CLAA instead of following the recommendations he had made in the LCC. I took his advice, and I am so glad I did. My oldest two daughters (6th grade and 3rd grade) are on Lesson 39 in Grammar I (which is to say they are almost through the course). I am no Latin scholar, but I did have 2 years of Latin in high school, and have reviewed several other Latin texts (including all of the standard recommendations). The CLAA Latin program is remarkably good. T osay we have been pleased would be a huge understatement. I marvel at what my kids are learning. It is very challenging, and Jane, to answer your question, accurate. I like the fact that it uses John 1 in many of the lessons. If you are looking for a secular program, the CLAA is probably not your best choice. But, here is the thing, I thought I had found a fabulous Latin program for my kids, but it turned out to be so much more. We have since enrolled in nearly every course they offer (we have made varying progress through them, as I am prioritizing our time around completing the Grammar 1 course and the other programs we started at the beginning of the year under the LCC and will re-evaluate during this summer). The Chronology and Geography courses are favorites around here. I enjoy the Praepceptor course myself. But, beyond the academic life, there is a community of some of the most loving, Christlike people I've ever come to "virtually" know. There is really an environment there that encourages one another to piety, including daily prayer, the value of simple living and hard work, as well as working along side one another in the mission field. Granted, that is probably not for everyone, but there it is. It has really been a blessing to our protestant home! Are there negatives? Of course. Mr. Michael, under much more demand than was anticipated, agreed to open the courses sooner rather than later so there are typographical errors in several of the lessons and we have come across a few mistakes on the tests. But, those are quickly corrected. I am glad he didn't wait until all of the courses were written and error free before making them publicly available. I view that the same way I view Drew Campbell having an errata section on his website for mistakes in the LCC - as inevitable and expected. Then there is Mr. Michael's harsh tone. Seems like this is the most common objection from the handful of detractors of whom I am aware. Is it true? Yes, sometimes it is. Does it take away from the program? I don't think so. Christ had a harsh tone when he drove out the moneylenders! As someone that has come to appreciate his work, I sometimes wish he didn't come off that way, because I think some are turned off by it, who might otherwise come to appreciate him and his work, if given the chance. Often, it is my opinion, that he comes off that way because of his sometimes sarcastic humor which does not always come across in the online world. That being said, I can tell you that in my personal interactions with him, despite our obvious theological disagreements, he has been EXTREMELY warm, caring, and charitable. In fact, he has been unbelievably generous in a number of ways. I am on a lot of the mailing lists, forums, etc where the CLAA has come up before. It seems to me there are 2 people who are outspoken critics of Mr. Michael and the CLAA (Drew Campbell is not one of them - though he is a critic, he mostly keeps his concerns private, the best I can tell). The funny thing to me is that these two purport to base their opinions on their experience with the CLAA, as insiders, as it were. BUT, neither of them were enrolled in the CLAA once it was officially launched in he fall! Nor, I suspect, did either of their children make any meaningful progress in the courses offered there (they weren't around long enough to do so). So, how can they be informed about the CLAA and what it does? The fact is that the website, the Student Forum, the Stadium, and much of the programs that are integral to the CLAA were not even in place in the form they are now when those two people were enrolled in the CLAA. From my perspective (and I could be wrong), it appears they and Drew parted company with Mr. Michael only after he expressed his views about corporal punishment. Do I practice corporal punishment in the way Mr. Michael said he did? No. Do I think corporal punishment is anti-Biblical? Of course, not. If you disagree with him about that issue and therefore do not want your children in the program, fine. But, at least be honest about your motivations. I have read Mr. Cain's 10 page e-mail critique of the Mr. Michael. It is full of inaccuracies (if I were harsh like Mr. Michael, I might call them lies). But, honestly, I wonder where they come from. Is he talking about the same man that I've been dealing with all year? I've gone on far too long. My point, Jane, is to answer your original question - our family feels blessed that Drew Campbell recommended we pursue our studies with the CLAA. We hope to visit his farm this summer (yes, he does have one) and serve on a missions trip beside him, his children, and many of the other "sheep" that have their children enrolled at the CLAA (for the uninformed that is what one of the critics above has called those of us parents who have our children enrolled in the CLAA - we are sheep that unthinkingly follow Mr. Michael). The academic courses, though not typographically perfect, are rigorous and grammatically correct. But, we now love our study in the CLAA for much more than that.
  6. :iagree: I would read it 4 times 3.
  7. DTB- If you decide you want one. but don't want to spring for a new one, I've got a "like new" one that I would sell you that I have not yet put on the boards. I bought it new when my oldest was K age, but we ended up not using it (long story, but we ended up sending her to private school instead of home school; we will be homeschooling this fall for the first time) so we only read a few of the books. So, it has been sitting under her bed since. As such, I can't really comment on your question. The couple we read she enjoyed, but honestly that was no more than 2 or 3 of the books. If you are interested PM me. Michael
  8. bump Any other thoughts? Wondering if Plaid Dad monitors this board.... :bigear:
  9. Sorry to hijack the thread, but I am interested in this issue too. I am starting my then third and sixth grade dds in CW next year. I'm planning on using Homer A for my 6th grader and doing A and B over 40 weeks. I was also planning on using Harvey's since CW is keyed to it. As this is our first year homeschooling I am not tied into any particular grammar program. OhElizabeth, is there a particular reason you say not to use Harvey's or was your comment related to the fact the BJU was already being used, so no need to switch. Beth, are you using Harvey;s? I read your blog, but I can't remember if I've seen you mention Harvey's before. Thanks, Michael
  10. Thanks, for the input. I'll plan on using LL as a reader. I wonder if LNM has any advantage over just sticking with the Henle/LL recommendation that Drew made in the LCC. Anyone else with input or thoughts on Latin for the New Millennium?
  11. So, I want to freshen up (i.e. relearn!) Latin having not studied it since 2 years of high school (that seems like a very long time ago). I was planning on taking Plaid Dad's advice and using a combination of Henle and LL, but then I heard about Latin for the New Millennium which sounds like it combines the two approaches into one program. Anyone used it before or have any feedback as to how it would compare to the Henle/LL combination? Drew? Thanks in advance, Michael
  12. So, sounds like it would be ok to make the switch, start them below "grade level" to fill in any holes in their math education to date (and to account for the different approach that Singapore takes) and they can "catch up" by working a little more quickly through the material (and during the summer) to get back on track to finish NEM before SATs. :001_smile: I hate thinking about "teaching to the test" (especially at their ages), but I also don't want to commit any missteps in our choice of curricula that short change their opportunities. Thanks for the input. It was helpful. If any others have experiences to share, I'd welcome them as well. Michael
  13. Thanks for the introduction to these materials. I've decided that we will use them over the summer for an overview of history and worldview before beginning the Ancients in the fall.
  14. So, having read some of Bill's recent Math threads, I am reconsidering my approach to math. Some background: I will be homeschooling my two daughters (they will be in grades 6 and 3 respectively) beginning this fall for the first time. They are coming from a private prep school which uses Saxon. I thought I would simply transition them to the homeschool edition of Saxon, but Bill's got me rethinking that. Instead, I think I might want to use Singapore as a spine and supplement with Miquon and some Right Start games. But, I am worried about how the girls (especially my oldest) would transition. They are both straight A students who merely tolerate math. I looked at the placement tests and am concerned that my oldest would not be quite ready for Level 6A of Singapore (I also don't think my younger daughter would be quite ready for Level #A). The concern is that then they would not finish New Elementary Math by 10th grade (which would be a problem for college entrance exams according to SWB). Anyone else faced this problem or can give me and advice? Do I simply leave them in Saxon? Any advice is appreciated. Michael
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