Should I buy Laura Berquist's "Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum"?

[SoCal Sandra]

I own many of the classical ed. resources available today and have benefited from all of them. I am tending toward designing my own curriculum for the Fall school year and will likely do so over the summer.

 

I don't own the Berquist book, however, and am wondering if it is worth adding to my collection if I'm not Catholic. Is it adaptable for use by a non-denominational Christian?

 

I love "The Harp and the Laurel Wreath" and often use it's Introduction as a mini refresher on the spirit and purpose of Christian classical education. Will "Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum" help me implement the Classical Christian approach without a lot of work involved in modifying it for use by a non-Catholic. TIA.

[Rhondabee]

I personally haven't found it very helpful. I bought it just to get a "second opinion" on how to do classical. The religious studies are easily skipped over, and were not my complaint. But, basically, it is just a book/textbook list by grade level.

 

There are good literature and history-related literature lists, recommended poetry lists, sometimes music lists, and timelines for 4th-9th grades. (They just didn't line up with *our* plan for history - maybe they will for you!)

 

But, these lists are not included for K-3rd or high school at all. She uses Seton quite a bit in high school, and an anthology for literature. The 10th-12th suggestions are much more "Catholic"-sounding than the earlier grades (to me, anyway).

 

BTW, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade is American History. 6th is Ancient Civilizations. 7th is Ancient Greece and Rome. 8th is Medieval. 9th is American History.

 

hth,

Rhonda

[Plaid Dad]

The title is a bit misleading; it's really a curriculum guide, comparable to TWTM.

 

You can get a good idea of her recommendations (updated since the book was published) by looking at Mother of Divine Grace.

[plain jane]

You can actually view most of the book online via this handy-dandy little tool! It's missing a few grades, but you should be able to get the gist of the book. This should help you decide if it's worth buying for you or not. HTH.

[LindaOz]

I have this book, and I think it is easily adaptable for non-Catholics by replacing the religious study with something that fits you. Some of the history texts are chosen for their Catholic viewpoint, but that could either be a source of discussion of point-of-view or could be repaced with something different - like SOTW maybe :001_smile:

 

HTH

Linda

[Cindy in the NH Woods]

This book is a "keeper" in my educational resource collection. ;)

 

Cindy

[M in Canada]

I have been schooling for about three years now and I do pick up Laura's book at least three or four times a year. I like her voice. I like the way she focuses on quality versus quantity. I also consider her to be very reliable as I think she did send many of her children to Thomas Aquinas, an excellent Liberal Arts college. So she does have high standards even though she recomemnd shorter school days than most.