Guest kat.garrett Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 Hello Everyone! :) I 'm new here and a new homeschooler...and I am overwhelmed in trying to decide between these 2 curricula! I've already started HOD and LOVE it!!! I am hooked! But...i am equally drawn to CC's memory work. However...we can't afford the "co-op", so that's not an option for us. Can I add Classical Conversations memory work on to HOD? I am not even sure how CC works! Is it a whole curriculum in itself? (i've combed through the website but still don't understand...does it come with phonics, writing, etc). How do I pick *which* memory work to do with CC? I've tried to get with the coordinator here but don't feel like I can ask as many questions since we don't plan on doing the co-op, but maybe that's just my perception :tongue_smilie:. I'm just not sure where to get started and what to order with CC, or if it's even doable on top of HOD (our oldest is 5). And I'm not sure how the program works long term...is it a part of Veritas Press, does it merge with their curriculum or is it complete in itself? Please forgive my ignorance...I'm trying to read everything I can on the message boards here but it's a lot to sort through...i'm just overwhelmed in trying to come up with our curriculum plan...do i stick with HOD (i LOVE the character/Bible emphasis) but I also love the amazing memory work from CC :P Thank you all so much...have any of you tried both? :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvonne Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 (edited) If you've started HOD and love it, stick with it! Especially with a five year old. No, CC is not a complete curriculum in the grammar stage. If you can't do the co-op this year, you could definitely do the memory work on your own at home on the side. HOD would be your main curriculum. All you would need are the CC memory flash cards (or electronic version to print your own) and a complete set of the VP history timeline cards. The flashcards are marked with the week for each one. There will be a science card, history sentence card, math, Latin, English grammar, and geography card for each week. Just pull out the cards for Week 1 and the first 8 VP history timeline cards and you're ready to start on Week 1's memory work. (There is an audio cd from a homeschool mom with all of the VP cards, in CC order, set to song that makes it much easier to memorize the timeline!) Oh, and CC does offer an audio cd with all the subject memory work (no VP timeline cards) that we listened to in the car. That said, I know for me it was extremely difficult to do the memory work on my own. It didn't really work and wasn't fun for the kids until we did it as part of a CC community. CC really shines as a group effort. What you could do is find two or three other children who'd like to get together once a week to do new memory work for 30 mins. and then review all previous weeks' memory work for 30 minutes and then play. Edited May 6, 2011 by yvonne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kat.garrett Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Yvonne, Thank you sooooo much! Your response was so incredibly helpful and a blessing to me (I have been stressing over this!). Thank you for such a succinct, wise reply :). Just a question...you mentioned, "There is an audio cd from a homeschool mom with all of the VP cards, in CC order, set to song that makes it much easier to memorize the timeline!" Is this something that I can order...do you have a link for that? That sounds GREAT! Again...thank you SO much, you really helped me :) :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 The Veritas Press cards and CD are separate from CC. VP is a full curriculum company (and online school) that is not affiliated with CC. CC just happens to use their cards. You can buy the cards and CD (which not only includes the song but also the teacher's manual if you want to use the cards as a curriculum. There are 5 sets of history cards. They used to sell a cd with just the song but I haven't looked in a while to see if they still do that. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelissaMom Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I'm planning on doing CC at home next year too. I've heard mention of that audio and would LOVE to get my hands on that! :bigear: I've got all the other resources otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I just noticed your oldest is 5. I wouldn't feel the need to start memorizing the VP cards at least for another year. VP recommends starting their history program in 2nd grade. Right now enjoy HOD. Learn to read. Get going in math. No need to do everything at once. And definitely don't stress about not being able to do CC. It really isn't necessary or even appropriate for a 5 year old. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kat.garrett Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Thank you so much, Heather. I just don't want to get "behind" LOL :P (of course i'm joking, but i do have the gift of stressing myself out :P) So do I need to order the teacher's manual from VP if I plan on just using CC (along with the history cards and c.d.) I was confused about that too when I looked at the CC website and saw where i would need to order the cards from VP... Melissamom :), we are going to have to find out where this audio cd is! :P Glad to hear you're attempting this too. Do you think you will try to do it with friends like Yvonne mentioned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Thank you so much, Heather. I just don't want to get "behind" LOL :P (of course i'm joking, but i do have the gift of stressing myself out :P) So do I need to order the teacher's manual from VP if I plan on just using CC (along with the history cards and c.d.) I was confused about that too when I looked at the CC website and saw where i would need to order the cards from VP... Melissamom :), we are going to have to find out where this audio cd is! :P Glad to hear you're attempting this too. Do you think you will try to do it with friends like Yvonne mentioned? No - if you just want to memorize the card timeline you don't need the enhanced cd (that is the VP cd that includes the song and the digital Teacher's Manual). If you don't plan to join a CC group, I'd personally recommend learning the cards in VP order. That's how they were set up. CC reworked them because they like it better that way but I like them organized the way the cards are numbers and by group (Old Testament/Ancient Egypt, NT/Greece/Rome, Middle Ages, Explorers -1815, 1815 - Present). The songs are excellent. And then someday if you want to use the VP history either at home or with their self-paced online class that is fabulous you are already set with their curriculum. There is no inherent reason to learn them in the CC order if you aren't going to be in a CC group. There is no link to a curriculum or a group. VP order will give you more options someday. Another thing to consider, at home memory work can be done in many ways that aren't CC. Living Memory is a great resource for memory work. There are many Bible memory resources. All kinds of choices. CC has it nicely laid out but it can feel very disjointed and haphazard. If you are in a group and have a goal like becoming a Memory Master or something, then it can feel fulfilling. On it's own it can feel pretty random. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kat.garrett Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Oh, i didn't realize that CC taught them in a different order than VP...that's helpful to know! Thanks for sharing the other memory resources! Now i have another decision to make...CC memory order or VP memory order, but that makes sense that the CC memory can seem disjointed apart from the class. I guess I'm leaning towards learning it the CC style b/c of the cute videos I have seen on youtube of kids reciting things, although...I'm guessing veritas does this too. Ahh, so much to learn and thank you for help educating me on all of this! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Oh, i didn't realize that CC taught them in a different order than VP...that's helpful to know! Thanks for sharing the other memory resources! Now i have another decision to make...CC memory order or VP memory order, but that makes sense that the CC memory can seem disjointed apart from the class. I guess I'm leaning towards learning it the CC style b/c of the cute videos I have seen on youtube of kids reciting things, although...I'm guessing veritas does this too. Ahh, so much to learn and thank you for help educating me on all of this! :) Well VP and CC have different philosophies for memory work. CC focuses on memory work without context. Their theory is that it's about the memory work and they don't need to know what it means or study the information at this point - that they will run into the info at some point down the road. VP uses the card memory work as a framework for their history study. You memorize the timeline while studying the information on the card. The idea is that the cards and memory work will focus the studies at the younger ages and provide the hooks to build on down the road. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I guess I'm leaning towards learning it the CC style b/c of the cute videos I have seen on youtube of kids reciting things, although...I'm guessing veritas does this too. I don't really think that VP does the signs... BUT, what's stopping you from doing the signs in VP order. I agree about the Scholars program and keeping them in VP order. As a side note, I've heard it rumored that CC is changing to their own Timeline cards for the 2012/2012 years... Not sure if that's true... but it's what I heard. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kat.garrett Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I was just thinking i would copy the signs/motions from CC...if I do the VP order, i would have to translate the "dance"/songs. I really have no clue what i'm talking about at this point...i have just seen the videos on-line and was very impressed :P. That is good to know that CC might be coming out with their own cards! Thank you so much for that tip! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvonne Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 (edited) We haven't found the order difference to be an issue. I was worried about it, since we are doing VP's history, but my children haven't had a problem with it. My boys were Memory Masters this past year, so they've got the timeline down in CC order. They also did VP MARR last year and are doing VP Explorers - 1815 this year and learned the timeline songs for both those classes. They're able to sing any of the timelines. There is no special advantage to CC's particular order. However, there is an advantage to memorizing all 160 cards in chronological order with a minimum of interruptions by unrelated, filler words. (The VP songs have more extraneous, filler words than the 160 Events in History song which just gets you through the list of all 160 events.) Whenever we come across any historical person or event, we figure out where that person/event would fit in the complete 160 event timeline. Breaking the cards up into 5 sets, one for each year, each with its own song, as is done for the separate years of VP's history curriculum, breaks up the flow of history, at least for us. Bottom line: 1) A single 160 historical event timeline which we get from the CC song a mom wrote (not available from VP or from CC) is the most helpful timeline tool we have in our studies. 2) My children and I both like the VP history curriculum, so we're also using that for now. 2) The order question is a bigger deal for my older mom brain than it is for my kids! :) Just my .02! I know I churned on this order question for a long time before actually doing anything and that was all a waste of time! Hope to save at least one other person from that. Edited May 7, 2011 by yvonne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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