abrightmom Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) I'm always floundering on that site . . . Can someone give me the link or direct me to WHERE to search for the pricing? I am thinking about working toward TRYING it this next year in lieu of teaching any content subjects at home. :D I'd have 3 kids in CC (K'er, 1st, 3rd) and a toddler to find childcare for. I realize there are costs for supplies too, right?? What EXACTLY will I need to own to make the most of it? I like to have the items that make it EASIEST on me and the children to enjoy and learn. I doubt we can make it fly but I want to put it on the table as an option. I REALLY want to focus in HARD on the basics with these kids without losing the fun of "content". CC seems like a fantastic way to bring some content in (and memory work and hands on fun) with little to no effort from me. Am I thinking clearly on this? FYI, we have a CC group that meets a mile from here. I've heard good things about it (through the grapevine). ETA: What cycle is coming up this next year? I think it's 3 but want to be positive about that. Edited January 5, 2011 by abrightmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRmommy Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Check out this page! http://www.classicalconversations.com/academic-programs/foundations.html?task=article If you look on the right, there are a number of pdf files that should help answer your questions. Here is one of them below. http://www.classicalconversations.com/images/stories/pdffiles/CC_Program_Registration_Forms_2011.pdf We absolutely love CC! This is our first year for my 4 year old, and he is really enjoying it. There are other materials that you have to purchase including the Foundations Curriculum Guide ($50) and Veritas Press timeline cards (5 sets for $20/set). These are a one time purchase. Optional purchases which were definitely a huge plus included the audio CD. I hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I'm always floundering on that site . . . Can someone give me the link or direct me to WHERE to search for the pricing? I am thinking about working toward TRYING it this next year in lieu of teaching any content subjects at home. :D I'd have 3 kids in CC (K'er, 1st, 3rd) and a toddler to find childcare for. I realize there are costs for supplies too, right?? What EXACTLY will I need to own to make the most of it? I like to have the items that make it EASIEST on me and the children to enjoy and learn. I doubt we can make it fly but I want to put it on the table as an option. I REALLY want to focus in HARD on the basics with these kids without losing the fun of "content". CC seems like a fantastic way to bring some content in (and memory work and hands on fun) with little to no effort from me. Am I thinking clearly on this? FYI, we have a CC group that meets a mile from here. I've heard good things about it (through the grapevine). ETA: What cycle is coming up this next year? I think it's 3 but want to be positive about that. I have a K4, 1st, and 3rd grader this year. (And had a baby during week 3!) It's our first year of CC. I've posted a bit about it here, here, and here. :) We paid about $1,300 for the three boys for the year (for Foundations), though facility costs can vary. I think many groups have childcare available on site for an additional fee. In addition to that, I purchased the Foundations Guide, Veritas Press history timeline cards, audio CD, and tin whistles. I'd say that is minimum for supplies. I also purchased the science cards (nice, but not necessary) and have subscribed to the online community (*very* inexpensive monthly fee for lots of resources). Cycle 3 starts in September. I've found the Kingfisher or Usborne History and Science Encyclopedias to be fantastic resources for expanding on content at home. That and videos and books from the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2denj Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I have a K4, 1st, and 3rd grader this year. (And had a baby during week 3!) It's our first year of CC. I've posted a bit about it here, here, and here. :) We paid about $1,300 for the three boys for the year (for Foundations), though facility costs can vary. I think many groups have childcare available on site for an additional fee. In addition to that, I purchased the Foundations Guide, Veritas Press history timeline cards, audio CD, and tin whistles. I'd say that is minimum for supplies. I also purchased the science cards (nice, but not necessary) and have subscribed to the online community (*very* inexpensive monthly fee for lots of resources). Cycle 3 starts in September. I've found the Kingfisher or Usborne History and Science Encyclopedias to be fantastic resources for expanding on content at home. That and videos and books from the library. If you have a few minutes, could you elaborate just a little on what exactly Kindergarteners will be doing in CC. I have read the website and talked to a few people. However, I am still not quite clear on how it workd as far as what they do during the 3 hr class and at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirstin Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) I tutor the K4-5 year olds on my CC Campus. This is the first year for our campus and the first CC group in our City. Lots of firsts! http://www.classicalconversationsbooks.com/ this is the page for the bookstore...you'll want to buy things for Cycle 3. Every CC campus everywhere stays on the same year cycle so that every body is in sync. https://us-dc1-order.store.yahoo.net/classicalconversationsbooks/ymix/MetaController.html?ysco_key_event_id=&ysco_key_store_id=classicalconversationsbooks§ionId=ysco.cat-req here is a link to request a catalog. (Sorry for the long link - I've forgotten how to make them small and part of a title word) I bought nearly everything available for the year...but looking back there are things I could have done without. These would be my must haves. http://www.classicalconversationsbooks.com/focugu3rdedn.html Foundations Guide http://www.classicalconversationsbooks.com/tinwhistele.html Tin Whistle http://www.classicalconversationsbooks.com/cy3mewoflne.html Memory Cards (we LOVE these and wouldn't have excelled without them) I now have two sets...one for my purse and one to keep home. http://www.classicalconversationsbooks.com/focy3aucd.html Audio Memory set. I will admit that I am not a fan of the music ditties for the history time line. However, my kids have thrived from learning these songs. It enhanced their memory of the history sentences by 200 percent. We listen to them during lunch, in the car and sometimes as they are falling asleep in their beds. They're very handy and effective even if a tad annoying (to me). LOL I wouldn't have wanted to try to do without them. http://www.classicalconversationsbooks.com/cy3pocd.html Memory work resource CD rom. This is like the audio...but with visual aids. It's really not necessary to have both, but still very handy. My boys loved going over and over and over the weekly subjects and seeing it flash in front of them and saying the memory work along with the person speaking. It was just another memorization aid. I'm glad I got it. If I HAD to choose between this and the audio...i guess I'd go with the audio cause we can take that everywhere with us in the car and use it just a tad more. As MUCH as I love the big beautiful timeline cards and the science cards....I simply haven't used them at all. They are just IMO a fun bonus to thumb through....or a super visual aid if your children need that visual "push" while memorizing. I recommend that every parent attending CC subscribe to the forums to have access to the file share. It is RICH with FUN printable resources, games, ideas and hands on stuff.... to go along with each week's study. The files are put there by other moms and tutors so they are down to earth and pratical. It has made my life so much easier as a tutor. I couldn't do without it. I wish that all the parents of the kids in my class were using it so that they could continue through the week with the things I do in class. As for the "concept" of CC....it really is what you can and want to squeeze out of it. This year MY boys and I are just showing up...and get what we can from the one day of CC class. We're not supplemting at home or going for memory master because we are overwhemlemed in our personal family life. Husband is laid off, I'm having to work, my mom and grandmother both have severe cancer, and the list goes on. Because of this, it really is just almost a fantastic high end co-op (for us) that we're attending for the community aspect, and the memorization that my boys manage to get from that one day of class. HOWEVER...as a result of our involvement all last semester ...my older boys, 9 and 7, are driving THEMSELVES to achieve, excel and memorize. They prod ME to help THEM all on their OWN initiative because they enjoy the gentle peer pressure to participate, compete (the fun natural kind) and dialog with their peers. I've LOVED watching my boys take off in this direction. There are detailed lists for resources to read that correspond with each week's focus. In that sense you wouldn't need your own science, history, latin(?), geography, and maybe language arts....(IMO you need a gentle early L.A. (phonics, reading, spelling, and early grammar) for young students in CC). You will need a math program for sure if you'd planning to be doing math. I LOVE tracing/drawing the maps and having CC give me a geography focal point each week. We're liking that. I LOVE that we're memorizing the "basic grammar" of every basic subject. I LOVE that about CC. Many moms are following up and adding to the subjects covered each class day...and reading /expounding on that all throughout the week (in each subject area). Several handy resource lists make it easy for a mom to pull that off. As for me...we kept it light this year. I was focusing on getting my boys to read and build skills in math. We've only barely, lightly addressed other subjects and because of that I didn't use the resource lists to do CC related reading throughout the week. But still my boys have learned and memorized SO much from last semester. Hope this was helpful. Blessings! Edited January 5, 2011 by Kirstin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirstin Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 If you have a few minutes, could you elaborate just a little on what exactly Kindergarteners will be doing in CC. WOW my last post was really wordy and long winded and probably full of rabbit trails! I shouldn't be here late at night with a box of kashi cookies! In the Kindergarten class....your kids will hopefully have a teacher that will use printables, games, hands on activities, puppets, individual white boards, tracing paper, songs, tongue twisters and who knows what else...to INTRODUCE each week's concepts. She may even stand on her head if that makes it interesting. LOL We are not there to teach or expound (you will do that during the rest of each week)....Our job is to give a fun, unforgettable, engaging introduction....and while applying it with a hands on activity...prod them along in memorizing the information. It is a big responsibility and challenge to get 8 kids 4 and 5 years old to even CARE what the 7 types of biomes are much less to commit them to memory. The goal of the class is to have the kids nearly reciting the information before moving on to the next block of subject focus (for instance English grammar or Skip Counting by 10's., etc.) There is alot of repetition during each class to try to imprint this into the children's minds...but at the end of the day...that really is the goal....introduction, drill, and something fun enough to help make it stick. I use the file share from CC and Enchanted learning for lots of visual things to print, little tracing things, hands on things...but the whole time we're "doing" something we're also chanting and reciting the information. It's not a "laid back-swing your feet-color a paper" environment. I have 5 mintues (roughly) per subject to fascinate my students into memorization. The parent sits in the class to watch, learn and take home ideas for carrying on through the week what I began in class. Ideally...the next week...the child will have mastered (at home with mom) the last week's information and be able to recite it. We spend half an hour each class on REVIEW from the previous weeks up to 6 weeks worth at a time. I pull out puppets, games and fun, lighthearted competition at this time. In the begining of last semester....I had 4 year olds who couldn't write the first letter of their name and it stressed them out to try to draw a circle or be away from mom (if she was in another class with an older child) and now they are tracing Europe , writing their names (or most of it), reciting science facts and singing latin songs. I do think this is something a mom could do on her own with the guide, CDs and memory cards....BUT there is so much wealth and spirit you get from the "community" aspect and since it's just one day per week...i think it's been so good for the kids to see OTHER kids applying themselves and working hard at just "being accomplished". Other skills they'll work on are: Public Speaking/Presentation, Science Projects / Experiments, Basic Music Theory and Playing the Tin Whistle, Memorizing The Presidents, Memorizing a Scripture Passage, and really interesting art concepts and an activity to go along with the concept. Hope this was helpful. Nite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2denj Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Kirstin, Thank you so much! This is exactly what I wanted to hear. Both of your posts helped tremendously. I am 95% sure that we are going to be starting in the fall. I am praying that they have space available. Have a wonderful day!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonersl Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I would recommend you contact your local director: talk about your specific questions, get a breakdown of cost, what she/he recommends for supplies, and content covered by ages, etc. Set up a time to visit and spend some time getting to see the CC community in action. You might find after a visit that CC might not be a good fit for your family or it could be just what you are looking for. Good luck! Shannon in NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I would recommend you contact your local director: talk about your specific questions, get a breakdown of cost, what she/he recommends for supplies, and content covered by ages, etc. Set up a time to visit and spend some time getting to see the CC community in action. You might find after a visit that CC might not be a good fit for your family or it could be just what you are looking for. Good luck! Shannon in NC I agree. There is at least one cost that varies by campus (facility fee.) You always really need to check into whether the campus you are near is running well. The tone, atmosphere, purpose, and quality vary greatly from campus to campus. The exact costs (I think someone already linked the pdf) for Foundations are: $312 tuition per child $50 registration fee per child $50 supply fee per child facility fee of $35-$50 - this is usually per family, but not always You also have to purchase the Veritas cards ($100,) the Foundations guide ($50,) and a tin whistle for each child ($10.) So you would pay $412 per child, another $35-50, and at least $150 plus $10 per child for materials. After that, other materials are optional. I wouldn't do it without at least the audio CDs, but the flashcards are also nice. You will also probably want to usethe nursery, if they provide one. A lot of moms on our campus tried to keep babies/toddlers with them the first year, but ended up putting them in the nursery the second year. That may either cost per week or you will rotate in and out (just paying is much easier, as you don't want to miss weeks.) You could become a tutor to pay for your dc. The pay from tutoring would probably leave you just a few hundred dollars to pay for the year. Ask when you talk to the Director if they need tutors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 Ladies, THANKS for the wealth of info. here. :001_smile::001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 If you have a few minutes, could you elaborate just a little on what exactly Kindergarteners will be doing in CC. I have read the website and talked to a few people. However, I am still not quite clear on how it workd as far as what they do during the 3 hr class and at home. Kirstin did a fabulous job of explaining what the kids do in class. I posted exactly what a day at CC looks like for us at this link. The tutor for our K4 class is exceptional. I agree...she does anything it takes to keep the class interested and focused. The class only has 5 kids, so that helps, and parents in the class are available to help with hands on things like geography outlining and tin whistles. I also agree that you should visit your local CC. The communities vary in atmosphere. Ours happens to be perfect for us. Structured and disciplined enough to not be chaos, but laid-back enough to not be stressful and it is filled with very kind people. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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