Would Classical Conversations make my life easier or just cause more chaos?

[bethben]

Do you find that Classical conversations makes your homeschool more hectic or easier? I wouldn't do it as a supplement, but our whole program. I love TOG, but am looking for outside support and another "motivator". I am struggling also with a 10 year old who has gotten very emotional about school work as of late. See here for my other issues:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2058988#post2058988

 

Beth

[monalisa]

We did it last year, but as a supplement. If you do it as your central organizing curriculum, I think it could simplify your life. However, you have to be able to give up that 1/2 of a day every week for 24 weeks, which for me was kind of hard (when it boiled down to it, it really was a full day, because we got home about 1:30 and no other school work got done because both of us were whipped). It made it feel tough to do other things, like field trips and at the time it made it too hectic for me. But, it wasn't my main program. I can really see that if it was, life would feel easier.

 

I thought I would be glad to not do it this year, but I have to admit I miss the weekly fellowship with other HS moms (though not all were "classically" homeschooling).

 

Have you read The Core by Leigh Bortins (founder of CC)? If not, I highly recommend it ; it is only about $10 on Amazon. It pretty much explains how you do classical education the CC way.

 

I read your other post, and just want to say :grouphug:.

[bethben]

Anybody doing this program as their spine? Anyone?

Beth

[QuirkyKapers]

Yes- I am using it as the spine. I admit, I wondered how this would work but it is going well for our family. I joined the online community and it gives you weekly resources. basically, I add in read alouds that go with the history time period. I supplement math and phonics. I think you can make it as much or as little as you want.

[SonshineLearner]

Are you doing it will all your children? It will simplify and complicate your life :) Are you planning on the writing and english part... which is the "Essentials" program?

 

Memory work for my son... I can do in the car... or let him watch the computer component a couple/few times a week.... (This is for the morning/foundations part)

 

As far as doing things with the Foundations Program... there are line ups... different ways you can do that... kinda like you can do a Sonlight schedule...

Essentials is 1hr for English Grammar and 1hr for the writing.... It is a good program... good at dialectic beginnings...

 

BUT, you have to be there with them... you would need to have your children in their afternoon activities... have them rest in the room... (or whatever... you just have to know that you have to be with the student in Essentials...) Pretty much you are both enrolled in the class :) You should learn a ton :)

[G5052]

We've been in CC for five years now, and it is one of the best choices we've ever made in our decade of homeschooling. That said, it's definitely not for everyone, but it fits us well. I work part-time, tutor both Foundations/Essentials, homeschool, and I'm the housekeeper, gardener, financial manager, driver, and general manager of everything because of DH's disability issues. CC keeps is on track, gives us the encouragement of like-minded friends, and enhances what I do at home. I don't think I'd still be homeschooling without it.

 

And yes, there are times that I hate the panic the night before and morning of CC, but then we get there and it's worth it. Every campus is slightly different, so a lot depends on how you "fit" with your group. Some groups are more tightly run than others, some more friendly than others.

 

I've never tried to match our studies with CC, but approximately matched the Sonlight Core to the CC cycle because I don't have the time for planning and prefer programs that are open-and-go.

 

Now that I have only one in Foundations/Essentials, I use BJUP for history (the 7th grade program this year approximates Cycle 2), CLE for science, and use a book basket of library books for free reading on some of the CC topics (i.e. whatever I can find quickly on a Saturday trip to the library). We've had a good experience with Challenge, but even there you must be involved as a monitor their work and sometimes teach some of it at home, depending on the subject and ability of the tutor.

[bethben]

I guess the reason why I'm mostly looking into it is for the junior high/ high school years. My #2 son is motivated by competition. If we joined next year, he would be in essentials also. Dd would be in the nursery (which would be interesting in itself) and #3 would be in foundations alone. We already do a weekly co-op (switch off between TOG co-op and art class). We do pretty good with what we're doing now, I just see potential issues down the road with ds#2 and motivation to do well. I'm trying to head those off before they come. I also want a little more simplicity.

 

Beth

[Hedgehogs4]

definitely simpler. DEFINITELY. we use it as our spine, and it has taken so much pressure off of me this year. next year we plan to enroll in Essentials for my ds9 (will be 10 next school year) which we will do with foundations for two years, and then challenge when he is 12. i did a major blog write up about my journey with CC from participant, to tutor to drop-out, to back in, fully engaged.

 

As much as i love SWB's books, concepts and all that she stands for, i am an extrovert and cannot implement all that she recommends without a community that helps me along. CC does this and more for us, as well as educates the parents as to how to become classical educators, which is something that most of us really had no clue how to do when we started this.

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

Anybody doing this program as their spine? Anyone?

Beth

 

We are at the moment, but at only two weeks into the program, I'm not sure I'm the one to give advice. :001_smile:

 

I chose to do CC this year for a variety of reasons. I have a baby due in a couple days, so I really did need something to both simplify our lessons AND keep me going and accountable.

 

With three young children in the program (who aren't used to a classroom environment) and a newborn on the way, I can't imagine doing this without my mom's help. She comes with us to CC, monitors one of the boys in his class, and helps with any other duties (clean-up, etc.). Because she is there when the material is presented, she is able to help with review if I need her during the week.

 

The memory work is so easy to review during the week. All 3 boys are learning the same material. They are excited about what they've learned. They enjoy doing the songs and motions. They seem very motivated by the accomplishment of memorizing. We can review *anywhere.* We went through all our memory work while waiting in line for a prescription at Costco the other day...

 

I have 3 extroverted boys, so the classroom environment is exciting for them, and I think seeing other kids learning (and a little competition) is very healthy for them. It is also good for me (an introvert) to have some interaction and accountability with like-minded families each week.

 

There are great resources to supplement the information (the CDs, the history cards, maps, etc.). Right now, I am using CC as my main spine. We read the Journey Through the Bible, The Children's Illustrated Bible, or the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia to correspond with the history timeline cards. I have a list of SOTW chapters that correspond with our history sentence (and lots of supplemental books since we studies medieval history last year). If I can get a book or DVD (such as Bill Nye) to correspond with science, that is great! The boys are practicing their drawing right now with pages printed from Donna Young.

 

We aren't participating in essentials this year, so I can't comment on that, but this is what our week will look like:

 

Class on Monday. In assembly, we sit as a family and learn/sing a patriotic song, say the Pledge of Allegiance, listen to a family presentation, go over Bible memory work and history timeline cards, etc. In individual class time the boys get memory work in history, science, grammar, Latin, and math. They do map work, a science experiment, and a fine arts project. They do presentations/public speaking in front of their classmates. And review games, too. (And have a snack. :001_smile:) So far, the tutors are doing an AMAZING job with the kids (especially considering all are new at this!). After class, we eat lunch with the other families and then have some structured game time in the gym. I think that is a very profitable 4 hours!!! (And then take the afternoon off, unless the boys have reading material or educational DVDs in the afternoon which they enjoy.)

 

Tues-Wed: At the very least, review memory work thoroughly every day (dinner time for Daddy, in the car, waiting in lines, spending time with Grandma, with the CD in the living room.....). Add in supplemental reading or DVDs for science and Bible/history. Spend some time on fine arts and map work. Then do short lessons in math (we are doing RightStart math, but mostly review right now), handwriting (I have workbooks for each of the boys to simplify things at the moment), and phonics/spelling. Other than piano practice for my middle guy, that is about all we're doing for the next few months.

 

I'm hoping to add in quite a bit more around January, BTW: SOTW 3, Christian Kids explore Chemistry, MCT grammar/writing/poetry, and more Latin. But I'm feeling really good about what we're doing now, too. My oldest will participate in Essentials next year, and I'm glad we have the possibility of doing stuff at the higher levels, as my boys will most certainly benefit from the comraderie, discussion, competition, and social elements of being in a group like this.

 

(Sorry about writing a novel. I'm in a chatty mood, apparently. :D)

Edited September 25, 2010 by Heidi @ Mt Hope

[angela in ohio]

I guess the reason why I'm mostly looking into it is for the junior high/ high school years. My #2 son is motivated by competition. If we joined next year, he would be in essentials also. Dd would be in the nursery (which would be interesting in itself) and #3 would be in foundations alone. We already do a weekly co-op (switch off between TOG co-op and art class). We do pretty good with what we're doing now, I just see potential issues down the road with ds#2 and motivation to do well. I'm trying to head those off before they come. I also want a little more simplicity.

 

Beth

 

The junior high and high school programs (Challenge) ar a drop-off program, so you can use those without having to do the whole program or be there all day with the other dc.