We finished our first year of Classical Conversations...

[mommytime]

and I have no idea if we should go back next year (especially in light of the insights I've been gleaning fom the Circe thread). Siigggh.

 

Anyone else feel this way??

 

So many pros and cons both ways.

 

I'd love to hear from someone who's done cycle 1. Are the songs fun like they are in cycle 3?

[amselby81]

Our last day is this Friday. I feel pretty torn too, but I've already registered for next year. I thought I'd give at least another year to decide. I think I only really have two gripes. 1.) I hate the cost!!! and 2.) I really wish it were on a 4 year cycle. Cycle 1 is so...broad. I wish they had a cycle designated solely to the Ancients. Do you have CC Connected? You can listen to the cycle 1 songs. They're pretty good too. I just am not familiar with a lot of World History, so many of the topics are over my head.

 

Anyway, I love the group setting, and I love that it lays out all of the memorization for you. I really do love it, but I don't know if I love it enough to keep paying the price for it. :/

 

Edited b/c I typed that I wished it were a 4 week cycle, but I meant 4 year cycle.

Edited March 28, 2012 by amselby81

[Missouri Okie]

My only struggle with CC is the time it takes away from what *I* want to do.

 

However, I don't think that the CC vision runs counter to the Circe vision. If you refer back to THE THREAD, in the first of Andrew Kern's responses, he lists as one of the core human faculties that needs to be strengthened as part of learning is "recollection (ie. a trained memory)". That is what CC memory work does.

 

Cycle 1 history songs are just as wonderful and memorable. Cycle 1 history covers a lot more territory than cycle 3 though. The songs cover from ancient times to modern times, including events from all over the world.

 

We'll continue with CC because it pushes me and the kids to learn more than we would be inclined to learn otherwise. Plus the networking with like-minded people is invaluable to me. There are other benefits too, such as the presentations....I think I could go on, but I have other things to do! :001_smile:

[lindsrae]

I view CC as a supplement to what we are doing. We studied American history this year and will do ancients this year, but those were decisions made independent of what is going on in CC. I waited to start ancients until my middle DD could join a long a bit, and I plan to take 2 years to cover ancients because I'll be mixing in Bible history with SOTW.

 

CC DOES go too fast to keep up with it as a spine for history study, in my opinion. Sometimes our work co-incides with what we are doing in CC, but again, I consider it to be a supplement. It helps train our brain with memory work, we get more science and fine arts than I have the energy to do with littles right now, I have made invaluable friendships, and I am encouraged to provide a rigorous education for my children.

 

I think CC pushes me to read more myself and read more to my kids (a la Circe), because I realize there are so many things I don't know! I am reading Leigh Bortin's The Core, and it is helping me examine how I am spending my time educating my kids...I don't want everything to be kill and drill...I want to make them life-long learners!

 

The cost...I know! Ouch! I will have two DDs in next year!

[LND1218]

Well I am totally biased....we have done CC for many many years. I have lost count 7 or 8.

 

I almost didn't finish my first year. I almost quit after my second. I have questioned so many things so many times, but now that I am seeing the fruit of it in my oldest 2, I am so glad I stayed.

 

The more I learn the more I like it. But like I said I am at this point biased. So take it for what it's worth.

 

They history songs are all done by the same person, so they are all very similar. We love Cycle 1. (Although, 2 is my personal favorite!)

 

Make a list of pros and cons and weigh it out.