Can you "do" Classical without...

[I.Dup.]

OK, please don't think I'm a total imbecile here. Keep in mind I am pregnant with 4 very young children and could be hormonal/sleep deprivation driven. I feel incredibly stupid for asking this.

 

But can you still successfully follow this method without studying Latin or putting a lot of emphasis on the Great Books? (*ducking tomatoes*) :blink: :001_unsure:

 

I have never been into classic literature be that I have tried, and I have never learned another language. I just personally cannot get passionate about these 2 aspects of this method. Like all of us, I only have so much energy and time to devote to all areas of life and need to weigh the cost of every decision and just cannot get on board with these 2 areas. Everything else, I really love.

 

Am I a lost cause?

[Ester Maria]

It depends on how you define a "classical education". It can be with regards to the method (which usually means the trivium approach) or with regards to the content (usually it means classics-oriented broad education). So the answer is both a "yes" and a "no".

 

Technically, you can school your children with the classical method without the classics themselves. Just as you can school your children with some completely different method and just add Latin and Greek to top of the curriculum. Both will be considered a "classical education" by some, and none will be considered by some others.

 

I did all of my primary and secondary education in "classical" schools (the name of the institution also included that word), both approach-wise and content-wise. My high school education was really emphasizing classics and literature (in our native language, advanced-level foreign languages and of course in classics), along with emphasizing some other related stuff, such as history and philosophy. Naturally, coming from such an environment and having had a rather nice experience with it, my standards for "classical" are also somewhere along those lines. Other people have different standards and that's absolutely okay.

 

Personally I'd suggest you to quit thinking in terms of labels. Do what you think is the best for your children and for you. They will grow, develop their own interests and preferences, you will inevitably at some point rethink the "label" of the education you're giving them to suit them. Also, you realize already that not each child is the same and develops in the same ways, has the same academic needs and abilities. I believe that only you as a mother can make a decision on what's best for your children - thinking in terms of labels will only blur the perspective. :)

[hmschooling]

I'm not doing those right now...I have some listed in my signature, but that's a "if we get to it thing"...I'm thinking of just doing a prefixes and suffixes study as the basis of our language learning-- pre-latin or pre-roots program.

 

I have 3 young children and am pregnant too...I know what you mean. I'm using Ruth Beechick methods and Charlotte Mason methods along with starting the classical history cycle-- but that's not until...shhhh...5th grade. Seriously, we're just reading lots of literature about American history and people, loosly following the unit studies I've written and taking it easy in these years where being a child and discovering are the most important things to learn! And I'm dumping math textbooks for K-2 and maybe 3...following all of Beechick's math guidlines at a pace that fits each of my kids...then they'll be ready to tackle real math off the page AND on the page. And yes, I'm still "doing" classical (in my own way) so I'd say you can too :o)

[johnandtinagilbert]

skipping the latin...ugh...I suppose you could, but I couldn't happily rec. it...thinking of advanced sciences and benefits in reading history.

 

skipping the great classics...you'd better duck! I'm throwing tomatoes! :lol:

[LadyAberlin]

You sound like a great candidate for the eclectic homeschooler title. Just take what you like from the classical method and choose some other aspects that you like from other philosophies. That is what I do. It won't mess your kids up any. You have to pick what works for you. I plan on teaching Latin, but I was homeschooled and my mom didn't teach me Latin and we didn't read all the great books either and I did fine in college. So it isn't the end of the world if you don't teach those. So I'd label yourself eclectic and be happy doing what works for you.

[abreakfromlife]

You could do it, it just wouldn't be called classical. But that doesn't mean it can't be a good education.........although, I think you and the kids will miss a lot by skipping out on the Great Books. Have you looked at The Well-Educated Mind? It helped me not to be so overwhelmed by them.

[I.Dup.]

Thank you all!

 

I'm not concerned about labels so much as trying to figure out "where we're going" in my head, if that makes sense. I know that this method has a great long term plan- you know what you're working towards and how to do it. I really respect that, and so many facets of CE. But it's hard when I can't fully get behind certain aspects and wonder if the rest is still good to follow anyway. It's esp. hard when it's so organized and planned out and seems so solid, but if my heart isn't into it and I don't see the true benefit of certain things, then what's the point, yk?

 

Thanks again. Still trying to figure it all out I guess. :001_smile:

[Testimony]

I hereby give you permission to do classical without Latin.:lol:

 

You know this classical education is supposedly taken from the knights of old when they studied the trivium. There was studying Latin and classical literature, etc.

 

If you studied the literatures of old, the ancient times, etc. without Latin, you can do it. It is your homeschool.

 

I study ancient times and Latin because I studied Latin as a child. I have added classical literature to my lessons, but I don't know. Do what you feel comfortable with doing. :grouphug:

 

Blessings to you in your homeschooling journey!

 

Sincerely,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[Peela]

Is the "classical" label so important to you? If it is, I suggest you reconsider Latin and Great Books. But it's just a label. It's more important that you do what's right for you and your family.

 

However, I suggest you start with what does resonate with you- your children are young, you have plenty of time to change your mind later. Story of the World is fantastic. The other suggestions in TWTM are great. Maybe they will encourage you to try other aspects.

And, believe it or not, Latin CAN be fun. ANd, so can Great BOoks- but you dont have to read the adult version first. Read a children's picture book of the Iliad and see if your kids enjoy it. Same with others. Read good quality literature. You will get a taste for it along with your children, and the Great Books won't seem like such a big leap. I have read many of Shakespeare's tales in story form-Lamb, Nesbitt etc- to my kids and they are completely unintimidated by the real Shakespeare.

 

The great thing of TWTM is that it leads you gradually there so that its all doable. Same with Latin. Its not a big deal if you are starting at the beginning.

 

However, there are plenty of other valid approaches, and the people here wont kick you off these boards if you dont do Latin or Great Books.

[johnandtinagilbert]

Is the "classical" label so important to you? If it is, I suggest you reconsider Latin and Great Books. But it's just a label. It's more important that you do what's right for you and your family.

 

...CAN be fun. ANd, so can Great BOoks- but you dont have to read the adult version first. Read a children's picture book of the Iliad and see if your kids enjoy it. Same with others. Read good quality literature. You will get a taste for it along with your children, and the Great Books won't seem like such a big leap. I have read many of Shakespeare's tales in story form-Lamb, Nesbitt etc- to my kids and they are completely unintimidated by the real Shakespeare.

 

The great thing of TWTM is that it leads you gradually there so that its all doable. Same with Latin. Its not a big deal if you are starting at the beginning.

 

However, there are plenty of other valid approaches, and the people here wont kick you off these boards if you dont do Latin or Great Books.

:iagree: I def. didn't start leaning classical until ds#1 was in 3rd grade. It took me a while to figure out "who" we were as a family. Enjoy your wee ones....and read excellent books to them! You'll be amazed at all you can learn together!

[dragons in the flower bed]

I have never been into classic literature be that I have tried, and I have never learned another language. I just personally cannot get passionate about these 2 aspects of this method.

 

I wouldn't be able to, either, if I wasn't devoted to studying it. Just reading a "great book" is like just eating a chicken. Blech. You must prepare it. Study guides are like ovens: they bake the book into something digestible. It's because these books are so old. They were written outside of our cultural context, and inside of the context of a hundred other great books you haven't studied yet. You must prepare.

 

Also, Latin is different from all other languages. Fifty percent of what you speak is Latin. It's easier, more fun, and you can do it. It's a ton easier than Spanish and I grew up with Spanish-speaking relatives so I even had a head start there.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that if classical, by which I mean "a curriculum grounded upon - if not strictly limited to - Greek, Latin, and the study of the civilization from which they arose" (Climbing Parnassus, p. 15), is appealing to you, you can get over those parts that seem tricky.

 

Now, if classical isn't what you want, yes, escape Latin and great books guilt free. Maybe you really want a traditional, rigorous, content-focused education? That would be awesome, too.

 

Like all of us, I only have so much energy and time to devote to all areas of life and need to weigh the cost of every decision and just cannot get on board with these 2 areas.

 

In order to do great books and Latin, many of us ease up on much of the rest. We let art and science (nature study) happen during family time, or combine grammar with Latin and great books with composition. If a classically defined classical education is what you want for your kids, when your life gets busy, you'd put Latin and great books first and let go of the rest.

[PeterPan]

Kristi, dirty little secret, but if you read enough threads, you'll find posts by long-standing members here who slogged through latin for years only to STOP, realizing it either didn't fit their kids or their own family goals. Some of them will even say they wish they had stopped earlier. Sometimes the study of latin becomes an idol. You need to have your reasons and decide if it fits your goals and situation or not. It may not right NOW but might later. It might not with one child but it might with another. Sure you could be cookie cutter and say all kids must, but then what's the point of homeschooling, if you're throwing off the factory system of the public schools and putting on a new factory mentality?

 

Kids are not factories. They are human beings with hearts. Right now your oldest is only 7, so you're just barely starting to see those bents. I see it loud and clear in my 10 yo. You can force some issues and say they OUGHT to, but the reality is they are bent toward certain things and have certain gifts. I figure it's gotta be very important to me if I push it so hard as to say she MUST do it despite not being bent that way. And it's also timing. You're not at the right stage of life for latin. If you wait till your oldest is in 5th grade, he could pick up some of the popular curricula and do latin almost independently. I wouldn't say never, just not now. :)

[PeterPan]

On the Great Books, there's no reason to form an opinion on that now, lol. You'll know when you get there. My dd is a rising 5th grader, so I'm just starting to read ahead and see how I want to approach things. There are so many options. You can use it to flesh out your history (WTM lists), read by genre (CW lists), read with an emphasis on character (lists in Norms & Nobility by Hicks), do the lit in TOG, or just use whole books in a more standard lit curriculum like BJU. Your thoughts on this will grow and you'll find an option that fits YOUR family and values. Obviously you're going to want them reading books. It's just a matter of which books and what goals.

 

When you read WTM, try to separate the CONTENT from the METHOD. I know that might not make sense, but WTM has great methods and explanations of the progression of skills, which you can then apply to any content. Don't like the WTM great books? Don't read 'em! But you could take another popular GB or literature course and carry over some of the WTM methods quite happily. See, use it, rather than having it use you.

 

Don't worry. You'll get there. Your oldest is only 7. :)

[PeterPan]

Not to hog this thread, hehe, but I thought I'd throw out our latin experience. We started latin in 1st with Prima Latina, did LC1 and started LC2, the latter two in great co-op classes. I got prego and didn't want to do anything but put up my feet during the scheduled class time, let alone driving to a latin class or supervising her homework. We dropped, and now a year later I'm sort of in that process of deciding whether to pick up or not. In the meantime, she has really sprouted and come into her WHY stage. She wants to know WHY she should study latin. Even though she's good at it, she's not a natural language bug the way I was. I can think up some good reasons to study latin, but no reasons so strong as to make me force against her bent, kwim? And there are only so many hours in the day. And I'm realizing that we to need to focus and do things WELL, not just dabble. Dabbling gets you nowhere.

 

If we had more hours in the day, I would pick it back up. I don't have a slew of littles, just my one baby, and still I find it challenging to get everything done. That's why I say cut yourself a lot of slack. An older student can make up very quickly stuff you'd find yourself slogging through at this age. If you decide you want to do it, nothing says you have to do it now. In your shoes, I'd probably wait till your oldest 3 were all ready to do latin (5, 7, 9, whatever the spacings are), then start. No point teaching just one, lol.

[sewinglady]

I didn't read all the posts, so forgive me if I repeat anything from previous posts. But I seem to remember from reading TWTM that with young children you start with a child's version of the classics. Try reading a few of those Illustrated Children's Classics. (I'm sure someone out here knows if that is the correct name!) They are short, simplified versions of long, tedious, yet well written classics. I was surprised how much I enjoyed these as a gentle introduction into classical literature. I spent a year tutoring a boy. We read may of these books instead of the more modern children's series. Then later when I braved the world of classical literature on my own, I understood the stories much better.

 

As for Latin. No tomatoes here! Just get them a cd with some great Latin hymns. Maybe learn what they mean. That's a great way to learn a bit of latin. :001_smile:

[LND1218]

What are the aspects you like? Maybe focusing on what you do what to do will help you figure out where you are going.

[prairiegirl]

I have been wrestling with the label of CE for awhile now. We don't do latin as my kids are dyslexic and learning another language right now is torturous for them. I personally think that if you leave out latin and the GB then you can't really call it Classical. But does that really matter? All that matters is that your children get a good education. I think it is possible to do that without latin. You can still offer a great buffet of learning without it being under the umbrella of CE.

 

As far as the Great Books are concerned, I wouldn't throw this bath water out yet. As your children become older, you might change your mind. I encourage you to just get your feet wet with some of the classics like Jane Eyre, Dickens' books, Twain's books, etc and see if there isn't a spark that is born from reading these books. You might just surprise yourself and find that there is a yearning for more.

[I.Dup.]

Thank you all SO much, each reply has been so helpful.

 

Elizabeth, your help was priceless, thank you!! And you're very right, thank you for giving me perspective.

 

I'm definitely not counting anything out right now. I am very passionate about whole books, just not into the Shakespeare/old English style at this point. That doesn't mean we won't grow in our interest of that in a few years though.

 

I'm under the impression that with this method, you have to figure it out and start pretty early. I already feel behind because we're doing SOTW1 in 2nd grade, and we didn't do it in first. Same with grammar, we're just now starting that. However, she is ahead or on target in every other area. She is a very bright child and could handle a lot, I'm sure. Her mind is thirsty and I love that and want to capitalize on it. :) I just can't seem to get a passion for the old books and the Latin at this point. Also, if we're also going to study Great Books and Latin, I was thinking we'd have to get going with that pretty soon to be able to be on track and accomplish what we need to, and I just didn't know how to fit that all in. But starting with children's versions is a great idea, and one I liked from WTM. I'm also planning on getting unabridged classics for them to listen to on CD from the library, as well as the children's versions of some of the classics.

 

Modern literature (like Understood Betsy and Peter Pan) can still count as whole, good literature, right? It doesn't have to be all Shakespeare? lol...

[japhmi]

If by 'classical' you mean the neoclassical model that is patterned off of the Sayers 'trivium' (and neoclassical is SWB's word that she's used to describe TWTM) then, yes, you don't need Latin.

 

If you mean 'classical' as it was understood pre-Dorothy Sayers, then no, Latin is central.

[PeterPan]

Kristi, do you actually have a copy of WTM? Nobody is saying you have to have a 7 yo read greek tragedy, lol. I'm reading some now to get ready for dd in a couple years, but 7 yo's don't read that. WTM has reading lists for each grade that move you through a progression both of time and difficulty. You might like to use them (even if not being picky about grade) as a way to funnel books to your dc and keep them moving forward. I'm finding as my dd gets higher it's easy for them to stall out and just hang out reading easy stuff that doesn't challenge them to move forward. Having those lists in WTM will help you keep going forward. And they're just plain good books, not weird stuff or "old english" hehe...

 

BTW, Shakespeare wasn't Old English but Middle English. If it was in Old English, you wouldn't be able to read it. ;)

 

Ooo, absolutely get good books on cd/tape!!! Put them on by the hour. Fill your dc with language. That's what WTM is about at this age, building a literature-rich environment, and you're missing the big picture if you get lost in details like when to start latin, which history first, etc. knowledge exposure, all of them "right." Skills are the BIG THING, because without skills you can't move forward.

 

Back to audio books! My dd LOVED the unabridged Chronicles of Narnia from Harper Audio, the Little House series, anything read by Julius Lester, Charlotte's Web, etc. If you find something your dc particularly like, buy it so then can listen over and over again! Put it on while they play and let them just absorb and learn by osmosis. What they hear, what they read will become their sentence structure and thought process. Fill them with good literature! Then when they start to read, flood them with good books from the WTM lists, VP catalog, SL, TQ, etc. If you use the library, monitor what they read and keep them moving up in good stuff, no junk.

[sewinglady]

Thank you all SO much, each reply has been so helpful.

 

Elizabeth, your help was priceless, thank you!! And you're very right, thank you for giving me perspective.

 

I'm definitely not counting anything out right now. I am very passionate about whole books, just not into the Shakespeare/old English style at this point. That doesn't mean we won't grow in our interest of that in a few years though.

 

I'm under the impression that with this method, you have to figure it out and start pretty early. I already feel behind because we're doing SOTW1 in 2nd grade, and we didn't do it in first. Same with grammar, we're just now starting that. However, she is ahead or on target in every other area. She is a very bright child and could handle a lot, I'm sure. Her mind is thirsty and I love that and want to capitalize on it. :) I just can't seem to get a passion for the old books and the Latin at this point. Also, if we're also going to study Great Books and Latin, I was thinking we'd have to get going with that pretty soon to be able to be on track and accomplish what we need to, and I just didn't know how to fit that all in. But starting with children's versions is a great idea, and one I liked from WTM. I'm also planning on getting unabridged classics for them to listen to on CD from the library, as well as the children's versions of some of the classics.

 

Modern literature (like Understood Betsy and Peter Pan) can still count as whole, good literature, right? It doesn't have to be all Shakespeare? lol...

 

I don't think your children will miss out on anything if you skip over some of the classics. Shakespeare's plays will still be around for many years! I dropped AO after seeing all the books on English history, BORING! Then I read TWTM, but my book list doesn't come straight from that either. Actually Sonlight picks most of my reading material! So I fall under the Eclectic group. But I still incorporate ideas from Charlotte Mason and Classical. A lot depends on the subject, and how my dd learns.

 

Relax! It takes time to figure out which curriculum and method to choose and how to best apply it. That's part of the fun of homeschooling--we get to pick and choose!

[I.Dup.]

BTW, Shakespeare wasn't Old English but Middle English. If it was in Old English, you wouldn't be able to read it. ;)

 

Oh yes, of course :blushing: :blushing:

 

Yes, I do have the WTM although it's just the first version from the library. I'm trying to get all of this figured out, and it's a little overwhelming at times, lol.

[PeterPan]

Don't read the whole thing, lol. I used the 1st edition WTM until this summer when I got the new 3rd edition. You don't even need the new 3rd edition, because the bulk of the updates were in the upper levels, where you won't be for a while yet.

 

Have you bought WWE? FLL? Get those. Take it one step at a time. Pick one chapter in WTM, whatever chapter resonates with you in some way, and make a list from it of the things that make sense. Nothing says you have to do ALL the subjects the way WTM says, lol. You could do WTM for the LA recs and just do what you already had planned for science and history. Transition slowly and make it your own. Everybody here has found their own niche and way it works for them.

 

To the person who isn't keen on Shakespeare with their kids, maybe they need a different version? There are multiple prose forms for kids (Nesbit, Lamb, etc.), and there are WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL picture book versions. Your children's librarian could point you in the right direction. Kids don't come to subjects with the same aversions we have. With my dd I throw a lot of things at her and see what sticks. You just never know! :)

[phathui5]

You know what my 8yo loves for reading classics (at least for being introduced to them)?

 

Graphic Classics:

http://www.graphicclassics.com/

[elfinbaby]

I think Japhmi stated it well. Personally, I think the definition of Classical could be interpreted in several ways.

 

When I think of a Classical education, I think of the trivium. Teaching kids how to learn will enable them to pick up anything and learn it. It won't matter if you don't like to read the classics if you've given them the tools to read a book and think about it critically. They'll be able to do it on their own should the desire/need arise.

 

However, the further along I get into this whole philosophy, I realize how important it is for people to read great works. I read A Thomas Jefferson Education and was inspired. I think it is vital to my children's education to introduce them to the classics. I read in TJE that great men read great works and I think there's something to that. It's not going to be easy. My brain is in terrible shape to read the classics but I'm going to do it. I am assured that once I get going and start "exercising," it will get easier.

 

I rec. A Thomas Jefferson Education. I don't purchase many books on homeschooling anymore but this one is high on my list.

[Colleen in NS]

Oh yes, of course :blushing: :blushing:

 

Yes, I do have the WTM although it's just the first version from the library. I'm trying to get all of this figured out, and it's a little overwhelming at times, lol.

 

If it's any comfort, when I first read WTM I thought, "No way, who'd want to do all that reading and writing??" Latin just didn't enter my radar. But when my oldest hit grade 1, I wanted a plan, so I started with WTM. I realized it really wasn't that much writing at that age, and that the children's versions of GB, as well as ALL the other recommendations for nice children's books, were wonderful!

 

I didn't have any great aspirations back then for Latin and analyzing GB. I just needed a plan to submit to the DOE and to follow every day.:lol: Then when my oldest hit 3rd grade, I decided to re-read that Latin chapter, and decided to give it a try.

 

I've discovered that I discover new ideas every year, new reasons for doing things, a little deeper understanding of classical methods of learning. I don't care if my kids cover all the GB that may be on others' lists, I am now starting to care that they get introduced to some of them and learn to think about their reading. Latin helps with this, but I didn't know that until I started experimenting with Latin.

 

With the ages of your kids, I wouldn't worry about your lack of passion for Latin and "THE GREAT BOOKS":lol: - you just concentrate on raising young kids, and let yourself explore some new ideas and get the bigger picture as you're able. If you had told me 12 years ago that I'd be homeschooling and all passionate about Latin and reading and writing (and my newest learning curve, mathematics - trying to get a grip on that now), I'd have not had a clue what you were talking about.

[I.Dup.]

Thank you all, this is really helping me so much!!! I can definitely see myself getting more into Latin and "THE GREAT BOOKS" :lol: the more I learn about the true reason behind it all. This method def. speaks to me, for sure. :001_smile:

[Avila]

JMO, but I don't think you can do classical without the Great Books and Latin -- but at the age your kids are, you really don't need much of either! It really does build.

 

I follow WTM a lot more closely starting in 5th grade with the logic stage, and I still feel like we are getting a good, classical education. I don't start Latin until then. I do read some of the classics to them, but not some of the ancients, since we don't follow the 4-year history cycle until 5th grade. I really think you can DELAY some of the things that you find overwhelming without skipping them altogether! At least we do here. I follow most of the LA and math recommendations and add in the rest as we have time and interest to do so. In 5th grade, we follow much more closely, and we have not had a problem doing so, even without the background others have coming into it.

 

If it speaks to you, don't give up on it just because you don't want to pursue all of it in the grammar stage. You have plenty of time to do that later. When the kids are little, reading and writing and basic math take priority. Add in the rest as you can.

 

Best wishes!

[Jami]

If by 'classical' you mean the neoclassical model that is patterned off of the Sayers 'trivium' (and neoclassical is SWB's word that she's used to describe TWTM) then, yes, you don't need Latin.

 

If you mean 'classical' as it was understood pre-Dorothy Sayers, then no, Latin is central.

 

 

I'm going to quibble a bit here. Sayers is pretty clear in her essay that Latin is necessary in the model of education she's suggesting. She also has another essay (speech) focused on the centrality of Latin in her own education.

 

http://www.memoriapress.com/articles/sayers/sayers1.html

 

 

And from "The Lost Tools of Learning":

 

"Let us begin, then, with Grammar. This, in practice, means the grammar of some language in particular; and it must be an inflected language. The grammatical structure of an uninflected language is far too analytical to be tackled by any one without previous practice in Dialectic. Moreover, the inflected languages interpret the uninflected, whereas the uninflected are of little use in interpreting the inflected. I will say at once, quite firmly, that the best grounding for education is the Latin grammar. I say this, not because Latin is traditional and mediaeval, but simply because even a rudimentary knowledge of Latin cuts down the labour and pains of learning almost any other subject by at least fifty per cent. It is the key to the vocabulary and structure of all the Romance languages and to the structure of all the Teutonic languages, as well as to the technical vocabulary of all the sciences and to the literature of the entire Mediterranean civilisation, together with all its historical documents. Those whose pedantic preference for a living language persuades them to deprive their pupils of all these advantages might substitute Russian, whose grammar is still more primitive. (The verb is complicated by a number of "aspects"—and I rather fancy that it enjoys three complete voices and a couple of extra aorists—but I may be thinking of Basque or Sanskrit.) Russian is, of course, helpful with the other Slav dialects. There is something also to be said for Classical Greek. But my own choice is Latin. Having thus pleased the Classicists among you, I will proceed to horrify them by adding that I do not think it either wise or necessary to cramp the ordinary pupil upon the Procrustean bed of the Augustan age, with its highly elaborate and artificial verse-forms and oratory. The post-classical and mediaeval Latin, which was a living language down to the end of the Renaissance, is easier and in some ways livelier, both in syntax and rhythm; and a study of it helps to dispel the widespread notion that learning and literature came to a full-stop when Christ was born and only woke up again at the Dissolution of the Monasteries."

Edited August 12, 2009 by Jami

[Jami]

 

BTW, Shakespeare wasn't Old English but Middle English. If it was in Old English, you wouldn't be able to read it. ;)

 

 

 

Actually...;) Early Modern English.

[elfinbaby]

Blessedwinter - if the method speaks, then ride it out:) That's how I felt. My first experience w/TWTM mind was at the bookstore. I flipped through and quickly decided that was waaaaaay too much for me. Then a friend mentioned she loved the book so I gave it another go.

 

My first year educating classically I only focused on a timeline and chronological history - that's what "classical" ed meanto to me at the time:tongue_smilie: The next year I joined Classical Conversations so I got a thorough understanding of the trivium. Big eye opener! Now after continuing to read books on the topic, things are unfolding even more. It's so exciting! I wish I got it all the first time but that's impossible. I learn classically so I need to go over things a few times to really understand them:D

[jibaker103]

Thank you all SO much, each reply has been so helpful.

 

Elizabeth, your help was priceless, thank you!! And you're very right, thank you for giving me perspective.

 

I'm definitely not counting anything out right now. I am very passionate about whole books, just not into the Shakespeare/old English style at this point. That doesn't mean we won't grow in our interest of that in a few years though.

 

I'm under the impression that with this method, you have to figure it out and start pretty early. I already feel behind because we're doing SOTW1 in 2nd grade, and we didn't do it in first. Same with grammar, we're just now starting that. However, she is ahead or on target in every other area. She is a very bright child and could handle a lot, I'm sure. Her mind is thirsty and I love that and want to capitalize on it. :) I just can't seem to get a passion for the old books and the Latin at this point. Also, if we're also going to study Great Books and Latin, I was thinking we'd have to get going with that pretty soon to be able to be on track and accomplish what we need to, and I just didn't know how to fit that all in. But starting with children's versions is a great idea, and one I liked from WTM. I'm also planning on getting unabridged classics for them to listen to on CD from the library, as well as the children's versions of some of the classics.

 

Modern literature (like Understood Betsy and Peter Pan) can still count as whole, good literature, right? It doesn't have to be all Shakespeare? lol...

If anybody should feel behind it would be me!! I just discovered TWTM in the spring and my ds is 13!! We are starting 8th grade and neither one of us has touched a classical book before. Therefore, I plan to use logic stage (5th-8th) literature recommendations from TWTM plus Beautiful Feet and Sonlight throughout high school. As my ds matures I might throw a classical book at him and by 12th maybe he will confident enough to tackle a years worth at that point. Either way I feel like he will have a very strong education!!

 

Jennifer

Mother to Noah Age 13