Challenges with Classical Conversations...anyone else?

[LisainVirginia]

I'll try to be brief...

We're commited to classical education.

I love the presentation aspect of CC - provides something that I can't at home.

I hate that my kids (5 and 7) sit in a chair from 9:30 to Noon without a recess or any kind of break - it seems the law of diminishing returns in definitely in effect for what they learn. (BTW, their tutors are wonderful and age-appropriate in how they present material and agree with this, but can't do anything about it.)

 

My questions:

I understand the memory aspect of the grammar stage and my kids memorize everything every week; however, it keeps nagging at me that there is no context provided for any of the memory work. We could read more on the subjects at home, but to me the history moves 'too fast' to really do that. Not to mention we went from Hinduism to India & the Age of Imperialism to Confucius...not exactly timeline-friendly. And even if we did, there isn't time to 'linger' on something they are interested in. Is this a valid concern for grammar stage learners? Wouldn't it be more effective to create memory work from our history curriculum (SOTW)?

 

My kids get upset when they can't memorize everything exactly and very quickly. To me, it totally takes the fun out of learning. Yes, it's cute that my 5-year-old can skip count to the 15s and she LOVES doing it...yet she's upset when she can't remember it all right away. She joyfully learns new things in math and language arts - I'm wondering if CC is just overload - it seems to drain them - anyone else and what did you do about it?

 

Thanks for any thoughts, advice, etc.

[SonshineLearner]

I hate that my kids (5 and 7) sit in a chair from 9:30 to Noon without a recess or any kind of break....... but can't do anything about it.)

 

My questions:

I understand the memory aspect of the grammar stage and my kids memorize everything every week; however, it keeps nagging at me that there is no context provided for any of the memory work......

 

My kids get upset when they can't memorize everything exactly and very quickly.

 

Ok, so I kept the parts that I wanted to talk about.

 

Our littles sit in their chairs for geography. Besides that, they are walking around doing games... doing motions, sitting on carpet squares, getting up.... and we have a 15 minute (or just a bit shorter) break in the middle of the day...

 

History this year... is the hardest of the 3 cycles. It's geographical.. instead of just purely chronological. Your children are little. Perhaps pick 6 sentences and study about those. Don't fret about trying to do too much.

 

Also, I recommend that the parents in my group go over the sentences before class. Look at their mouths... see that they are saying the names/words correctly. Let them learn the motions and the songs at class... and then practice at home. (That's kinda the "treat" of going to class:-)

 

I'd say.. up for everything that can be up and around.. and games and clapping... etc.

 

If you want some more suggestions.. how to suggest... etc... Feel free to pm me... (Also tell me what week you're on)

 

Carrie:-)

[Mandy in TN]

Wouldn't it be more effective to create memory work from our history curriculum (SOTW)?

 

I am not doing CC, but when I asked here about a secular version someone suggested that I purchase Living Memory by Andrew Campbell. (Living Memory isn't necessarily secular, but contains a lot of memory work that can be used by anyone.) Anyway, he writes-

 

I can't stress this enough.... too often the Trivium becomes mere trivia.... I do npt recommend that you require students to memorize science facts or history dates before they have encountered them in the natural course of their studies. I urge you to arrange your memory work in a way that fits into your curriculum.

 

If you want to do CC, why don't you drop SOTW. Instead of having your dc memorize trivia, have your home studies follow your CC studies so that your dc are learning memory work that is in the context of their studies. This may help CC feel less like overload.

 

HTH-

Mandy

[LisainVirginia]

I'd say.. up for everything that can be up and around.. and games and clapping... etc.

QUOTE]

 

Interesting...glad to know the 2 1/2 hours of sitting still is not a CC-mandated thing.

 

And as much as I tell them I don't care if they learn it or not, they got an academic competitiveness gene from somewhere...the skip counting 'contest' we had on Monday was not pretty - won't be doing that again!

[HerdingCats]

I would concur with you on how you are feeling because I have been there when mine were younger and we did our first year of CC. The issues you describe are some of the reasons we didn't continue the following year. My youngest would have been in the first year of the Abecedarians group and I didn't think he could handle it.

 

Well, that said, we are in it again this year with a slightly different perspective. I have seen a little of the bigger picture with my oldest in 7th and I can see value that I didn't see before. Yes, it is difficult to flesh out all the topics with any success during the year. What we are doing is a little of both. We are reading SOTW and trying to go along at our own pace. We also make an effort to do a little "dip" into the CC topics for that week just to give some context. For instance, we watched a Bill Nye episode (free on youtube!) on each of the classifications of living things back when we were studying that. Right now we are watching David Attenborough's Private Life of Plants (also on you tube) all week because the topic is plants. For the history, I try to just look at each weeks topic as a small rabbit trail in our studies. It's sort of like the timeline, you can't possibly flesh that out while you are learning it, but as we get to a particular history topic in our regular studies, there is a peg to hang it on. While I don't like every aspect of CC, I know it is FAR more successful than any memory program I could try to implement on my own. The group dynamic is just so motivating, and I can't reproduce it. As far as the sitting still aspect, your kids are very young as mine were that first year. If I had to do it again, I would continue though. I just try to remember that these kids would be sitting for much longer all week were they in ps!

[Haiku]

Wouldn't it be more effective to create memory work from our history curriculum (SOTW)?

 

 

In my opinion, yes. SWB has never, imo, advocated memorization in a vacuum. In fact, in TWTM she gives instruction on how to pull these things from your curricula.

 

We have never done Classical Conversations or any kind of co-op because ... the reason I homeschool is so that no one else is telling me what to do. If I wanted one-size-fits-all, I'd send my kids to school. Imo, your feelings about this are an indication that CC is not a good fit for you.

 

Tara

[LND1218]

There are different theories on what is best with grammar.

 

Maybe waiting until they have seen it in there studies to introduce it is ideal, but in the real world how do you do that? I actually don't think it is, but even if it was I couldn't do it. You would have all your children doing different memory work - this is why memory often gets left behind. I have 4 kids - no way I could juggle 4 sets of memory work - plus Latin vocab and all.

 

We have done CC for years, and it doesn't phase my kids to not have context. They get the context later. It's been fine.

 

At our program, 5 and 7 yr olds wouldn't be sitting for 2 1/2 hours. Talk to the tutors about that. I don't think any of our kids for for 2 1/2 hours.

 

I don't think it's too much at all. I think it's just the right amount. The first year is harder though. I think maybe you should try a new approach. Are you on the C3? If not, I highly recommend it. There are great ideas and tutorials the kids can do. Talk to other CC moms there about ideas at home.

 

We do a lot of games with it and make it fun. If you do the 30 minutes with it each day and that's it, it shouldn't overwhelm them. We do 30 minutes work and then we add about 30 minutes to an hour of fun and games with it. But I have older kids going to MM.

 

At 5, I focus on something I want to accomplish and work on that. It is too much for a 5 year old to get it all. For my 5 year old, we are focused on timeline and the first 6 weeks only!

 

I see how fast they pick it up now - I love what CC has given my crew. But honestly I struggled my first 2 years wondering what I was accomplishing.

 

Now I see it!

 

It really doesn't matter what memory work you do as long as you do it! If you feel like it's better to do something else that's fine.

 

The reason families like CC is because it keeps you going and you have other families to do memory work with. And it really works.

 

Cycle 1 history is a little weird to keep up with.

 

I think my response is a little scatter, but I keep getting distracted by the kids. Better get back to them...

[angela in ohio]

I'll try to be brief...

We're commited to classical education.

I love the presentation aspect of CC - provides something that I can't at home.

I hate that my kids (5 and 7) sit in a chair from 9:30 to Noon without a recess or any kind of break - it seems the law of diminishing returns in definitely in effect for what they learn. (BTW, their tutors are wonderful and age-appropriate in how they present material and agree with this, but can't do anything about it.)

 

 

They should not be sitting in a chair for that whole time. They should be up playing games with the memory work, up to give presentations, standing for at least part of the new memory work. It is not age-appropriate to expect 5 or 7 yo to sit that long. I trained Foundations tutors in our state this past summer, and we talked about that in training. I would speak to the tutor about getting them up for part of the time, and then speak to the Director if nothing comes of it.

[LND1218]

I would concur with you on how you are feeling because I have been there when mine were younger and we did our first year of CC. The issues you describe are some of the reasons we didn't continue the following year. My youngest would have been in the first year of the Abecedarians group and I didn't think he could handle it.

 

Well, that said, we are in it again this year with a slightly different perspective. I have seen a little of the bigger picture with my oldest in 7th and I can see value that I didn't see before. Yes, it is difficult to flesh out all the topics with any success during the year. What we are doing is a little of both. We are reading SOTW and trying to go along at our own pace. We also make an effort to do a little "dip" into the CC topics for that week just to give some context. For instance, we watched a Bill Nye episode (free on youtube!) on each of the classifications of living things back when we were studying that. Right now we are watching David Attenborough's Private Life of Plants (also on you tube) all week because the topic is plants. For the history, I try to just look at each weeks topic as a small rabbit trail in our studies. It's sort of like the timeline, you can't possibly flesh that out while you are learning it, but as we get to a particular history topic in our regular studies, there is a peg to hang it on. While I don't like every aspect of CC, I know it is FAR more successful than any memory program I could try to implement on my own. The group dynamic is just so motivating, and I can't reproduce it. As far as the sitting still aspect, your kids are very young as mine were that first year. If I had to do it again, I would continue though. I just try to remember that these kids would be sitting for much longer all week were they in ps!

 

:iagree:

 

I thought about leaving CC for several years for some of your reasons and honestly for the reason Tara mentioned. I like being in control! And more. But that was because I didn't see the big picture.

 

Dh really wanted us to stay, so we did. I am so grateful we did! I had 2 kids when it started here. It was easier to homeschool my 2 sweet girls, and I didn't see the huge benefit for my 7 and 3 yr old. We were doing our own thing successfully.

 

Now I have 2 boys too. I see now how helpful this is to my homeschool. I couldn't have kept going on my own!

 

Especially, now that I have one leaving grammar stage and moving to dialectic, I see the big picture. It is so much better than what I could have or would have done! My daughter is so much better prepared for the secondary level because of this. I am so grateful for dh for insisting we stayed.

 

Talk to moms of older kids - I hear all the time. If only I had known about this before now.

Edited November 5, 2009 by Steph

[Renee in NC]

Maybe waiting until they have seen it in there studies to introduce it is ideal, but in the real world how do you do that? I actually don't think it is, but even if it was I couldn't do it. You would have all your children doing different memory work - this is why memory often gets left behind. I have 4 kids - no way I could juggle 4 sets of memory work - plus Latin vocab and all.

 

Not sure I understand what you mean. If you are following TWTM, then all of your students are following the same time period, regardless of age. Therefore, all of their memory work would still be the same, yet learned in the context of the material.

[LND1218]

Not sure I understand what you mean. If you are following TWTM, then all of your students are following the same time period, regardless of age. Therefore, all of their memory work would still be the same, yet learned in the context of the material.

 

If you only do memory work in history that's true. But we don't. There is grammar memory work in all subjects not just history. Yes, we are on the same page in history, but not English, Latin, Math, Science, Geography, poetry etc. We believe the heart of the grammar stage is grammar. So we learn it for all subjects.

[Renee in NC]

If you only do memory work in history that's true. But we don't. There is grammar memory work in all subjects not just history. Yes, we are on the same page in history, but not English, Latin, Math, Science, Geography, poetry etc. We believe the heart of the grammar stage is grammar. So we learn it for all subjects.

 

Understand now, thanks!

[Woodland_Mom]

I tutored masters students for two years, and now I tutor the Challenge A class in our area. I totally understand what you're feeling. When we started, my boys were 7 and 5.

 

We use SOTW at home and use Classical Conversations as our memory work only. CC is not the "core" of our curriculum, but an "added extra."

 

Here are my suggestions/thoughts:

 

• We spend 15-20 minutes each morning going over memory work. Get them up out of their seats at home and make the memory work fun. You could even use the colored review cards (available through CC) and play games with them.
  
• For those who don't center their curriculum around CC: When your 15-20 minute review time is over, then check CC off of your list and go about your day. That's just my advice. This seems to work well for our family. :)
  
• Remember: Early in the grammar stage, your job is to expose your children to all kinds of information: good literature, history, science, math, etc. They are forming the basic building blocks of their knowledge base. Much of the material in CC contains concepts that are too difficult for 5 & 7 yr. olds to digest and understand. They will naturally grasp some of the memory work, i.e. skip counting. It is absolutely fine to gloss over the concepts that you feel are not appropriate.
  
• Unless your children are trying for Memory Master, remind your kids that it's okay if they don't memorize to 100% perfection. (I didn't ask either of my boys to try for memory master at that young age.) Let their little ears hear the information a a few times during your review period and then move on. If it happens to be information that you'd really like for them to know, i.e. geographical locations, then pause and work a little harder on that area.
  
• Part of CC is learning new things in all kinds of subjects. Many of the details will come later. This is true even while doing "regular course work" during the early years. For example, when you begin teaching your children about English grammar, you don't begin by diagramming compound-complex sentences and requiring them to rewrite the sentences by adding descriptive adverbs and adjectives. They wouldn't understand! You begin by teaching some basics like the definition of a noun or verb and how to identify those parts of speech.
  
• Classical Conversations cycles through lots memory work over three years in order to provide some building blocks or memory pegs for you and your children. Later, when your children are learning Latin, they'll have a jump start because they will already have memorized (or at the very least have been exposed to) noun and verb endings!
  

I have discovered many "Aha! moments" with my kids, and as you study history, science, math and other subjects you will probably have these same experiences should you stick with CC. This year my son was learning about calculating the area of a triangle. As we went through his math lesson, he said, "Hey! I remember this formula from CC!" He was familiar with it, so it wasn't nearly as difficult for him to memorize or understand because he already had a place to hang the "area of a triangle hat."

 

I agree with other posters about your inactive class. If talking with the tutor doesn't work, then I would suggest that you talk with the director about getting these young classrooms more active. I'm sure other moms feel the same way you do! CC is meant to be fun, encouraging, & educational!

 

Best wishes to you!

[matrips]

why can't the tutors do anything about sitting in the chairs for 2.5 hours?

 

we do CC and the kids are not sitting in chairs at all most of the time. they're in the 4/5 yo class. the only things that are done in chairs are art and geography. they usually stand up to do timeline and motions, and of course their presentations. science is often done standing around a table. they do spend a good deal of time on the floor sitting in a circle but it does seem fairly well broken up. they often put on little skits to learn the history. and halfway through, there's about 10-15 minutes for bathrooms and snacks. can you suggest they mix it up a bit? or peek in at some of the other classes? I heard a lot of stomping or parading coming from some other rooms this week- not sure what they were up to but it wasn't sitting! the parents take turns bringing snacks; it's a nice break.

 

my 4 year olds are loving CC! they are already looking forward to cycle 2. and no, they don't get in depth with the material, but wow- what a springboard to outside learning! my kids were all excited when we were reading a book about Japan this week and we came to the shogun closing the borders (that was from the history sentence for the week). they can recognize the maps and cities in the book. and another ds was reading an encyclopedia today and found a page on the Crusades. he stopped to read it because he recognized it from the Timeline cards. otherwise, he probably would have passed that page on by.

 

the math is coming in super handy. especially with learning money.

 

they love memorizing everything each week (even the Latin!) because they get quizzed on it and they love to raise their hand and show off! they spend their mealtimes quizzing each other (not me!). this is all on them. I have to tell them to stop talking for a bit and eat!

 

CC is an extra for us, not our main curriculum. but I can definitely see its value and I love that they are enjoying it so much.

[G5052]

We used Sonlight for the first three years of CC without trying to match it lockstep so that they had stories in their minds behind many of the sentences and timeline cards. I didn't worry about 1-to-1 connections though. I don't have that kind of time and inclination, and they still got so much out of it and drew more connections that I ever expected. Their grasp of history is incredible, if I may say so myself. It's not that I taught NO connections though. In both class and at home I've always touched on some of the rest of it (i.e. Where is India? Where did the Queen of the British Empire Live? What were the British doing in India? etc.).

 

And neither of mine were ever interested in memory master, but I have always insisted on mastery of the timeline, history sentences, and a bit more depending on the year. Now my oldest is in Challenge, and my younger one is suddenly motivated to go for Memory Master, so she's drilling herself a lot and I'm doing a bit more with her when I can. We'll see.

 

And yes, tutors should have the kids moving, regardless of the age, but especially the younger ones. I know some tutors that actually don't use chairs at all, so it can be done.

 

When we started homeschooling, I had great dreams of doing everything WTM-style on my own, but time proved that unreasonable for our situation because of family needs. Not everyone needs or wants something like CC in their homeschool, but it's there for many of us that need it.

Edited November 5, 2009 by GVA

[Blueridge]

I'll share my thoughts about CC. Two years ago, 3 ladies and I made our own informal CC program. We met once a week, rotated the teaching in 3 week blocks, and had a really great year. It was not our primary curriculum, but we did this to provide something different and a little challenging for the girls. It's nice for all the memory work but shouldn't be exhausting! Honestly, I think you could do this for your children right at home...and they can have snack breaks, too. ;) You could purchase the Essentials manual, the CDs for the history songs and Latin, etc., and a large wipe off board for your wall if you have the space. You could have CC time once a week, at home, and follow a format of your choosing. We had the kids up moving from time to time, conducting music or doing science experiments. You could make it as formal (pledge, prayer, announcements or oral reports, etc.) or as relaxed as you want. The CDs and manual contain the basics that you need, so you can just plan out what to write on your board and have them review the lists and chants daily. We used different colored markers for each subject, dividing them with blocks on the board. Just a thought to have them in a happier environment. No breaks for young ones is very counterproductive IMO. Blessings~

[SonshineLearner]

Really, This thread just makes me sad. Obviously, your tutor needs to talk with the Director to get some hints. If the Director doesn't step up right away, talk to the State Director for some help.

If you're on the C3 community, there are great helps. If they don't give your children a break... that's a problem. Just let them know that to avert discipline problems, that you'll need to take a 15 minute break and want to take it at the best time for the group. Get to that point, and take a break. There's not a preschool in America (or kindergarten) that doesn't take a break.

Carrie

[midwestbelle]

This is my 4th year with CC. We started when my 4th grade twins were in 1st. We moved after that first year and I tried doing it at home since there wasn't a group in my area, but it just wasn't the same so I started a group in our new town. Now we've moved again and I started another new group!

 

We only use the memory work in CC as a supplement to the curriculum I use at home. Our history at home does not line up with CC, but I have seen over the years that as we study things at home, they are fleshing out what we have learned through the CC sentence or timeline. Last year in Cycle 3 we learned the sentence "In 1789 in New York, George Washington....." and in CHOW several weeks later we read about the French Revolution in 1789. My daughter lit up and said "That's when George Washington became President!" Several times when going through a museum we have come accross information from a history sentence and the kids get excited and recite the info they learned. This is helping them to cement the info in their head and build on their "pegs" of information. My 4yo boy walks around the house singing about the Pax Romana. He doesn't understand it at yet, but that info is stored and waiting for him when he needs it.

 

You didn't ask advice for curriculum, but I found a science curr this year that I love and is going along nicely with CC. We don't cover the same things the same week of the CC memory work, but it builds nicely together. It is "God's Design for Life" by Answers in Genesis. Each lesson has a section for 3 different age levels (PK - upper elementary) so we are all doing it together.

 

HTH

[mom2abcd]

I tutored that age for CC last year. I really think CC should adapt their plans for that age. OR they should include creative ideas for the youngers. It was exhausting to me to come up with age-appropriate ideas. (Age-appropriate for 4-7s is NOT sitting in a chair for 2 1/2 hours!)

 

The other thing is that they don't have the basic pegs to hang the new peg info on! LOL I did "introduce" the Grammar sentences, etc., but we focussed much more on "stories" (history sentences and timeline cards) than on Grammar or Latin. They just don't have the background to put those abstract thoughts in context yet. We also did extra on the states & presidents when we got to that part. They LOVED putting together the giant foam puzzle of the US and really learned the states with the help of the book Little Man in the Map. Kids of that age need something concrete and less abstract.

 

I agree that if the tutor is truly having the kids SIT that long, she needs some help from the director or others. Parents could volunteer to find ideas for one component each and make those more up-and-about. CC really should provide ideas.... You can make Simon Says games, etc. for introducing most anything. Plan the day so they're in circle time, then to the tables, then back to the carpet, then up for snacks. Circle.... then up to stretch and do a few exercises, etc.

 

I don't know that I would pay the mucho-bucks to have my kid that age in the program. As everything, it depends on the strengths of the adult in charge. There are ways to make it bearable for the kids and even fun. But I do think at that age some topics should be merely introduced and not dwelt on. In our tutor training they said that's all we should feel the need to do. Parents can drill the Grammar and Latin, etc. at home if they wish.

 

HTH>

[amtmcm]

You have lots of great responses here and I agree with all of them. I would just add that CC is so much more than history. We spend about 1.5 hours doing science, presentations and fine arts and 1 hour doing "grammar." During that 1 hour of grammar the history is only 2 out of 7 subjects.

 

We use CC as a social outlet and I knew my DD would enjoy the presentations, science and fine arts. The grammar memory work is icing on the cake for us.

[angela in ohio]

I really think CC should adapt their plans for that age. OR they should include creative ideas for the youngers. It was exhausting to me to come up with age-appropriate ideas. (Age-appropriate for 4-7s is NOT sitting in a chair for 2 1/2 hours!)

 

CC really should provide ideas....

 

Training varies by state, I'm sure, but that's exactly what was taught in our tutor trainings: how to adapt for different ages and many ideas of things to do. Of course, some is up to the tutor, too. That is why it is a paid position; there is an expectation that the tutor is working to make the class a good experience.

[JessMcG]

I just wanted to pop in and concur with the women who are enthusiastic about the program.

 

I've gone through the cycle of doubt over whether this was all worth it. After our first year (this is our second) I almost convinced myself to stop, but dh thought we should continue. I am SO glad we did. The second year has been so much easier now that I have a handle on things. Memory work is nearly painless for us (we spend 20 minutes listening to the cds and 5-10 min going over Scripture and Timeline (which we learn by song)). My kids enjoy it and really look forward to going to the campus every week.

 

My 4 yo is picking up so much advanced vocabulary. Reading library books has become so much more enriching for all of us as we come across facts we've encountered in CCC.

 

The program is supplemental for us as well. We are doing SOTW1 on it's own schedule and still finding much enrichment going on between the two programs.

 

We are also starting to take the presentations more seriously (in a fun way). They're becoming like a weeklong creative project-like opportunity to find out more about things each kid takes a special interest in.

 

Midwestbelle...thanks for the science recommendation. That's just the kind of thing I've been looking for.

[LisainVirginia]

Really, This thread just makes me sad. Obviously, your tutor needs to talk with the Director to get some hints. If the Director doesn't step up right away, talk to the State Director for some help.

If you're on the C3 community, there are great helps. If they don't give your children a break... that's a problem. Just let them know that to avert discipline problems, that you'll need to take a 15 minute break and want to take it at the best time for the group. Get to that point, and take a break. There's not a preschool in America (or kindergarten) that doesn't take a break.

Carrie

 

Thanks for all the comments on this - I really thought the no break was a CC thing. Glad to hear the rest of the country does it in a way that I find more appealing! They do get a snack, but Abecedarians do presentations during snack (meaning the rest sit & listen) and Apprentices do art/music during snack, which is kind of funny & a little ridiculous - how are you supposed to play tin whistle while eating a snack?!

[angela in ohio]

Thanks for all the comments on this - I really thought the no break was a CC thing. Glad to hear the rest of the country does it in a way that I find more appealing! They do get a snack, but Abecedarians do presentations during snack (meaning the rest sit & listen) and Apprentices do art/music during snack, which is kind of funny & a little ridiculous - how are you supposed to play tin whistle while eating a snack?!

 

There are no breaks on our campus during Foundations. The program is not set up that way. But students are moving around most of the time, and there is such variety, so that doesn't really make a difference. Kids don't ask for breaks; they are not ready to go when the time is up anyway. :001_smile: The only breaks are five minutes or so once or twice to go out and do bathrooms/drink.

[LisainVirginia]

There are no breaks on our campus during Foundations. The program is not set up that way. But students are moving around most of the time, and there is such variety, so that doesn't really make a difference. Kids don't ask for breaks; they are not ready to go when the time is up anyway. :001_smile: The only breaks are five minutes or so once or twice to go out and do bathrooms/drink.

 

I'd love what you describe. It's the pure sitting (with the exception of the science that is sometimes done in a different room and one class gets one two-minute potty break) for the whole time that doesn't work for me. I'm glad to know others have worked movement, etc. into their program w/o sacrificing quality. I'll speak to the tutors (and come with some ideas) and see what happens. Thanks!

[Laboroflove]

This is our second year to homeschool. Last year we attended CC for one year. I loved one tutor, the other was okay, but the biggest aspect was that I felt the three year cycle didn't fit our needs. You have 2 years of world history and 1 year of American history. We backed out of CC after meditating on it. I joined a co-op and started one of my own. Perhaps once a week you could have one or two other families form a co-op who are following SOTW, plus add science or any other subject that interests you. It's a lot cheaper, plus you control the content. I love the social aspect of CC, the fellowship, the presentations, and the songs. You can get all of that through another format if you desire or you can run your curriculum around CC to give it the context you feel is lacking. We've begun SOTW. Next year we will use both SOTW and MOH. There's a thread on this forum which links to a web page connecting the topics in both curriculums.

[angela in ohio]

I'd love what you describe. It's the pure sitting (with the exception of the science that is sometimes done in a different room and one class gets one two-minute potty break) for the whole time that doesn't work for me. I'm glad to know others have worked movement, etc. into their program w/o sacrificing quality. I'll speak to the tutors (and come with some ideas) and see what happens. Thanks!

 

Well, that's the thing: the quality is based on the movement. Age-appropriate memory activities for a 5 yo should incorporate movement in almost all cases. So at least the half hour of new memory and the half hour of memory review should be out of chairs. Some art/music will require sitting, listening to the presentations requires sitting, and some science experiments may require sitting (though standing around a table seems easier.)

[SonshineLearner]

Hi Angela,

 

So, do you all not do "snack" time? Or, do you just work it into your morning? I guess it's because several of our kids need a snack.. and restroom break... that we break for it. I thought I heard about it in training.. oh well.

 

I have the GREATEST tutors:-) My ABCers tutor is leaving at the end of December... and if I can't find another... I'm it!! There's only one mom in the whole program that could tutor.... besides the ones who are...

 

SO, I'll probably have moms on boards talking about me. :001_huh:

 

I'm watching this thread thinking about how I'll need to be...:D

 

Carrie