Classical Conversations questions

[i.love.lucy]

We're looking at going into CC next year for my dd who will be 10 in 5th grade and my ds who will be 6 and K.

 

I have done tons of research and think I have a good picture of most aspects. I do have a few questions:

 

DD 9.5, 4th grade right now, will be 10 in 5th this fall:

 

• I want to put my dd in Essentials. I pulled her last January from mid-3rd grade. She did R&S Engl level 2 but was bored since it was too much review. I put her in CLE LA level 400 this past fall in 4th grade. We probably do have some holes, but overall it's going quite well and I'd like to continue with it. Can I continue with it for the rest of this year and figure that she will be prepared to start Essentials on-level? A friend suggested I do Shurley now (is that what's used for Ess? That was the first I'd heard that.) in prep for Ess this fall. But I hate to put her in yet another LA program. What should I do now to make sure she's ready for Ess this fall, or would you just keep on trucking with what you have and see how it goes?
  
• I can keep my math program that I like, right? So if we are doing CLE Math, I can just keep on with that. Again, it's going quite well. There's no reason to fix that if it's not broken. If I like CC (and I think I will) then the plan will probably be to keep on and move into Challenge. Should I plan to switch her to Saxon so that she will be ready for Challenge math?
  
• If she is in Essentials, that covers LA and Writing, no more to buy there, right? Through Foundations my plan is that I could build on more history/geography/timeline/science using living books and projects, movies, library. So I would only buy or get what I need for that depending on the subject. No full curriculum to buy - or maybe I would buy the SOTW and Activity guides? She'd also have Latin. Do I need a full Latin program? What is missing? For spelling I already have Megawords and will use that. I don't have other foreign language, but I'm wondering if we'd have time for that?:confused:
  

DS 5.5 in preK, will be 6 and in K this fall:

 

• He will need his own phonics/reading program. I am using 100EZ right now and it's not going well. I'm thinking of switching him to The Reading Lesson or Reading Made Easy this fall or later this spring. He will need math too, and I'm thinking I will get him started in CLE. Still researching that tho. As for all other subjects I will do the same as his sister and build on what he's learning in CC. Sound good?
  

Any ideas or opinions are appreciated! I love the idea of MCT but I just don't see how to switch to that, only to move on to Essentials this Fall. It's just too much. Also CC is a big expense, so I am trying to see how I can work within the framework of what they give me and just add to it as necessary from the library or little bits and pieces. That way I avoid the cost of a full curriculum and only wind up using bits of it anyways.

 

Do those of you that have some experience with CC have any other thoughts you can share? Thanks!!

[newlifemom]

I can answer the Essentials questions. EEL is the grammar portion of Essentials. It is a combination of Shurley English and Our Mother Tongue. It is a multi-layered program and you the parent have ultimate control how in depth you go. The EEL guide is cumbersome and hard to navigate, however a good tutor will be able to help you with that and if you are like me, you will end up loving it. I don't know that you have to use Shurley now. We had only ever done R&S and even did R&S last year when dd was in her 1st year of Essentials. [We used the Essenstials class as a supplement of sorts.] She fit in fine although there was a little difference in how compound sentences are diagrammed.

 

As for math. You can still use whatever program you would like until Challenge. You can also opt out of the math portion of Challenge if you want, however the more classed you child is in with peers helps with building that dynamic one is looking for in higher level learning. KWIM?

 

You can certainly build on Foundations science and history. You could also build on their fine arts as well. Or, you can do your own thing and use Foundations as a memory work supplement. I do that for now.

 

The Latin is tricky. What they are learning this year in Cycle I is great for my little ones. My older has finished LCII and is using Cycle I memory work + Lingua Angelica to get her ready for Henle next year. She has a Latin background and Challenge A Latin [which I teach, would be far too easy for her]

 

For your son, have you considered the OPGTR? I just love it and have been using it to teach my little ones, with much success. I don't do any bells and whistles, just read the lesson to them and have them read their part. My dd, 6 1/2 can read words like 'technigue' now and 'picturesque'. It boggles my mind.

 

I am a tutor so my opinion is obviously bias, but I love CC. HTH.

[i.love.lucy]

Thanks Pam!!! That does help a lot! I guess I will continue with CLE lang arts for this Spring and summer and then see how it goes when she starts Essentials. I can always get her some extra helps when she starts.

 

I guess for now we will continue on with CLE math. She's in the 300 level and trucking right along. I put her a level behind to make sure she didn't have any holes and had plenty of practice. I will keep up with it and once we are in CC I can talk more to the other moms in Challenge to also get their feedback. I don't mind switching eventually, I just didn't want to do it so close to the last change (from ps Everyday Math, to Singapore, and now CLE).

 

I guess I could go ahead and get started on some Latin just so that by this fall it's not completely new. Any suggestions? I have NO CLUE about latin programs. Hmmmmm...wonder how many threads will come up if I search "latin".:tongue_smilie:

 

And yes, I have thought about OPGTR. I will have to look at it again. I haven't ever seen it in person, so I don't know, but I'll check into it.

 

Thanks again!!!

[angela in ohio]

EEL (the grammar program) in Essentials starts from the very beginning. You could start it with no previous grammar experience, so I wouldn't worry about doing anything special to prepare for it.

 

I'd keep going wtih the math you are using and worry about switching to Saxon or not later.

 

You don't need a full curriculum; you could just read books about the history sentences at home. Considering there is no real history in Challenge A and B, you may want to do some sort of comprehensive history now, though.

 

You might want to use a Latin program. If you start next year, you will get conjugations and some vocabulary in the two years she in Foundations, but nothing about declensions.

 

You will probably have time for another foreign language instead of a Latin program.

 

Math, reading, and CC-related work at home is plenty for the little one. :001_smile:

 

(I started a campus last year and directed Foundations, and I direct/tutor Challenge A this year.)

[i.love.lucy]

Thanks Angela! I will just keep on trucking with CLA LA and Math and see how it goes.

 

I guess for now I will plan to get the SOTW books and Activity books to use to flesh out the history more. We are history nerds around here so it shouldn't be too hard to add more that way.

 

For Latin, I did a search and found your thread from November about doing your own latin, and since I am CLUELESS about Latin and think I will need a curriculum for it for hand-holding, do you thing Latina Christiana is a good one? There are lots of choices out there, but assuming we enjoy CC as much as I think we will, it makes sense that we'd do LC for a couple of years in prep for moving into Henle later, right? What are you thoughts on that?

 

Thanks so much! I am overwhelmed by what I learn from folks around here!