Pata Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I posted something about this today on my blog (link below), but I thought I'd post something here too. As I've gotten more into the homeschooling journey I'm realizing the gaps in my own education. I got my BS in Biochemistry from VA Tech, lots of science and math, which I love. I have had a wonderful education, but I didn't learn much about history or literature and I don't have alot of confidence on teaching things like Latin and writing. My dh and I were discussing this a several weeks ago and he suggested I look into going back to school for those things I felt weak in. I was also inspired to continue my own education when I read The Well Educated Mind about a month ago. So I decided to look into going back to school, but it just costs too much. I figured for far less I could look up syllabi online and put together my own reading program for the subjects I wanted to study. Wah lah! The Education of Me Project. I'm posting here because I know that I need some public accountability or I will just let this drop. What do you think? Am I the only one who has considered this? Do you want to join me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I've always enjoyed learning about new things. I don't think I'd want to go back to school though. Right now I'm learning Latin along with the kids, and I just got Wheelock's so I can keep a bit ahead of them. Have you looked at the Teaching Company for courses on sale? I've considered that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allearia Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I've been thinking about this a lot lately too. I just finished reading Climbing Parnassus, which has encouraged me to think of studying Latin or Greek on my own. I also would love to learn more history and literature but am not sure where I want to start. I do have The Well Educated Mind and might just start with those books. And maybe math too. Not that I have a lot of time to spend on all this but I want to start somewhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I'm in! I've started on Henle I with a Lingua Latina supplement already, and have been reading some of the novels in WEM (but not taking notes! :001_huh: ). I've already been poking around, looking for a good grammar brush-up for myself as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 Ok, so I'm not totally crazy! I posted my reading plans for Ancient History & Literature on the sidebar of my blog. I plan on reading the Western Civ section before the literature book and just keep moving down the list with the goal of being done by the end of May 2009. I also plan on keeping a journal and just writing my impressions and interesting things I learned after I read, nothing to big. All I've got is a notebook and pencil, a library card and a Western Civ book (I got this from betterworld books for $4). So I'm thinking that if we take this one subject at a time or one chunk at a time we'll start moving forward. I'm going to do weekly(or biweekly updates depending on time) on my blog of my progress. If you want to join in, I'll set up a blog list for us all. You don't have to do what I'm doing, the idea is just to track our educational journey and give some accountability. PM or email (info@elementalscience.com) me if you have a question or want to join. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon H in IL Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Around here, this is standard operating procedure. I'm always working on learning about some big concept, or preparing a lecture for a group I'm in that requires learning and researching. Several years ago, pre-kids, I did a big study of Dante's Inferno, and read three different translations, all kinds of study guides, and listened to a Teaching Company audio series on it. What fun! Then I jumped into Aquinas, but that wasn't nearly as exciting. Still, interesting. Now I'm finishing up a Teaching Company series on Aristotle's Nichomacean Ethics. Wonderful! It's never too late to learn -- that's why we live this long, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in VA Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I recently ordered 2 courses from The Teaching Company for the very reasons you mentioned. I haven't started them yet... so I'm right there with you on the "needing accountability" issue! Shelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 bumping up to see if anyone else is interested! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I recently ordered 2 courses from The Teaching Company for the very reasons you mentioned. I haven't started them yet... so I'm right there with you on the "needing accountability" issue!Shelly Yay! Me, too! Which ones did you order? I got The Writings of CS Lewis, The History of the English Language, The Joy of Thinking, and How to Listen to and Enjoy Great Music. I'm so excited about each of them...don't know which to start with first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Oh, I forgot to say to Pata that I am interested as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Another perpetual student here. I try to post self-ed updates to my blog along with our homeschooling reports. I've been re-reading a bunch of titles from the LCC high school literature list, and I'm taking an online class on the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas. I find that I get mopey if I don't have some sort of "just for me" project going, and self-ed fits the bill nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 Debbie in OR-just send me your blog address and I'll add it to the list. Plaid Dad-Maybe that's been my problem. I had been restless, but then I wrote my curriculum. That just left me wanting something else that was just mine. It's so nice to be stretching my mind again and I'm wondering why I stopped! If you want I'll add your blog to the list, just let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Sure! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in VA Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I also got The Writings of CS Lewis, along with A Brief History of the World. I already feel more accountable, just knowing that someone else has the CS Lewis on their mind. :thumbup: Maybe I'll start with that one! Shelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom to Aly Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Ooh, you guys are braver and more ambitious than I! My degrees were all in French, Lit & Creative Writing (with one, strangely, in Math). I figured I'd remember/learn science, geography and history as I did it with my dd--that is as far as my aspirations take me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted July 16, 2008 Author Share Posted July 16, 2008 bumping up one more time to see if anyone else is interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I was an Engineering major. I have NEVER taken a literature course of any kind -- not even in high school. I am a very literal thinker; understanding such things as poetry, figurative language, and symbolism in literature is a real challenge for me. Reality for me, though, is that I have to get what I can while learning alongside my sons. Fortunately, I have a good friend who is willing to trade her help with English for my help with Math and Science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumztheword Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Count me in! Maybe I should go find the CS Lewis stuff to start? (Sorry, no blog... no time) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlashine Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I'm in! Currently reading Don Quioxte, with the hope of making it through all the books in WEM in the next few years. I'm taking notes and laughing about it, cause I resisted notetaking when it came to literature so strongly when I was in school. Now I'm seeing the point to it. Anywho, there's that, and the Bible, and a book on writing called the Gotham Writer's Workshop that I'm working through, and the collection of drawing books I'm working through to teach it, and the nature books I've been reading to get better at journaling. There's a teaching company course on the writings of Lewis? I need that, I've read a lot of his stuff but would like to do more directed study, is there one for Tolkien? I like to study the progression of his stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumztheword Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I'm in! Currently reading Don Quioxte, with the hope of making it through all the books in WEM in the next few years. I'm taking notes and laughing about it, cause I resisted notetaking when it came to literature so strongly when I was in school. Now I'm seeing the point to it. Anywho, there's that, and the Bible, and a book on writing called the Gotham Writer's Workshop that I'm working through, and the collection of drawing books I'm working through to teach it, and the nature books I've been reading to get better at journaling. There's a teaching company course on the writings of Lewis? I need that, I've read a lot of his stuff but would like to do more directed study, is there one for Tolkien? I like to study the progression of his stuff. I read Don Quioxte waaaaay back in college and loved it then... I should go reread it now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted July 16, 2008 Author Share Posted July 16, 2008 I'm in! Currently reading Don Quioxte, with the hope of making it through all the books in WEM in the next few years. I'm taking notes and laughing about it, cause I resisted notetaking when it came to literature so strongly when I was in school. Now I'm seeing the point to it. Anywho, there's that, and the Bible, and a book on writing called the Gotham Writer's Workshop that I'm working through, and the collection of drawing books I'm working through to teach it, and the nature books I've been reading to get better at journaling. There's a teaching company course on the writings of Lewis? I need that, I've read a lot of his stuff but would like to do more directed study, is there one for Tolkien? I like to study the progression of his stuff. Good luck with Don Quixote, I've tried to read it, but never finished, maybe next year! Do you mind if I add your blog to the list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I recently ordered 2 courses from The Teaching Company for the very reasons you mentioned. I haven't started them yet... so I'm right there with you on the "needing accountability" issue! Shelly Teaching Company courses are WONDERFUL if you want to continue your own education. Our library has a ton of these and I am so amazed by this great resource. I also think WEM is a great place to start. I am reading my way through this book (although I just read them once each and not 3 times!) I am finished with all the novels in there and I have 2 more autobiographies to go. I have so enjoyed this course of reading for myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in VA Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Engineering degree here, too; thinking about it now, I am amazed that universities award college degrees with no humanities requirements. I think I had to take 2 history and 2 English classes in college; other than that, it was all math, science, and classes related to my major. Shelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in VA Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=297 (Life and Writings of C.S. Lewis) It's even on sale right now! I don't know that they have a specific course on Tolkien. Shelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I also got The Writings of CS Lewis, along with A Brief History of the World. I already feel more accountable, just knowing that someone else has the CS Lewis on their mind. :thumbup: Maybe I'll start with that one! Shelly CS Lewis or Bust (not sure Lewis would approve of that colloquiallism...see how much I need to do this?!) I'll start with that one as well! Also, Pata, I don't have a blog...does that count me out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlashine Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Pata, you are welcome to add my blog. It will *hopefullyz8 encourage me to put more work into it. Thanks for the link, Shelly, I will see if library has it before I order, even though it appears to be quite reasonable compared to some of the other lectures I've looked at from them. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted July 16, 2008 Author Share Posted July 16, 2008 Debbie-- All are welcome, blog or no blog! I'll (or someone else if they disire) post a thread here to so we can discuss what we are learning. Does that work? Mindy-- How did you find those at your library? I would like to take one but would prefer to get it free from the library! Also do you want me to post you on the blog list? Thanks starlashine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Debbie--All are welcome, blog or no blog! I'll (or someone else if they disire) post a thread here to so we can discuss what we are learning. Does that work? That's great and I just realized your name is Paige, not Pata...should read things more closely! Sorry about that :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophiaH Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I'll do my best to join you!:001_huh: I'm currently reading WEM right now and hoping to jump in when our school year starts in August. I have an English degree in which I took loads of literature classes with some random Calculus classes thrown in (I made 'A's, but seriously, what was I thinking? :confused:), but as my husband and I were discussing last week, I definitely would be a more attentive and productive college student now than when I was actually IN college. I'm just not sure that I retained all that much (or was that interested or motivated). I've just ordered Henle I to get started on this school year as well. And something that I never thought I'd hear this English major say is that I hope to in the future also go through some upper level math and science courses. (My husband teaches math, so hopefully he can give me a boost!) I've carved out a half hour period in my schedule daily for Henle and another half hour in the evenings for reading the classics. My husband will be taking seminary courses so he won't be able to "spur me on" but he will need to be reading/studying in the evenings as well (instead of our current nightly activity--watching "Everybody Loves Raymond" :tongue_smilie:). That CS Lewis course looks awesome. I think I'm going to order it too! :D Someone also posted a while back the link to the MIT open courseware. Has anyone done any of these classes? If so, what did you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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