If you have used the TC lectures to supplement a Great Books study...

[TeaTotaler]

I own several Teaching Company CDs by Elizabeth Vandiver (Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid) and would like to use these to supplement our Ancients GB study. How have you used these? Do you and dc listen first, then tackle the work? Listen to sections as you go along? Other suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance.

[regentrude]

I own several Teaching Company CDs by Elizabeth Vandiver (Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid) and would like to use these to supplement our Ancients GB study. How have you used these? Do you and dc listen first, then tackle the work? Listen to sections as you go along? Other suggestions?

 

Oh, we loved her courses!

Iliad, Odyssey and Aeneid courses: we did the reading first and then listened to the lectures about the portion we had read (we did not finish reading the whole epic before beginning the lectures, but we always read ahead of what was going to be covered.).

Classical Mythology: we just listened. We had read mythology from various sources over a span of time and just needed this to get extra perspective and interpretation.

Greek Tragedy: we listened to those lectures that discussed the plays we had been reading or were intending to read. Some plays we read first, some afterwards.This was the only course we did not use in its entirety; we only used 11 out of the 24 lectures.

[bugs]

Oh, we loved her courses!

Iliad, Odyssey and Aeneid courses: we did the reading first and then listened to the lectures about the portion we had read (we did not finish reading the whole epic before beginning the lectures, but we always read ahead of what was going to be covered.).

 

:iagree: this.

[TeaTotaler]

Oh, we loved her courses!

Iliad, Odyssey and Aeneid courses: we did the reading first and then listened to the lectures about the portion we had read (we did not finish reading the whole epic before beginning the lectures, but we always read ahead of what was going to be covered.).

.

 

Thanks for your reply. Approximately how long did it take you to cover each of the works bolded above using the lectures? I'm trying to figure out how much time to set aside for each work and if I will need to take other works off my list.

[Harriet Vane]

We read first, then listen to the lecture.

 

My rule of thumb has been 50-125 pages per week depending upon the complexity of the work. For long epics like The Odyssey or Beowulf, I kept it to 50ish. For a novel (like Austen or Bronte) I will assign 125 pages per week.

 

The reading load should be heavy enough for the student to read a decent amount of time all at once. That extended time with the text helps the mind fall into the language of that text. The more you read, the faster you will be able to read. Also, with a difficult text your best reading will come 10 minutes or so after you start, because you will have acclimated to the language. This applies also in the sense of having the student read the text a couple days in a row. Each time the student picks up the text, the mind has a better chance of remembering the language and falling back into it more easily.

[Candid]

I use them in a way that is different that others (at least I think so). We use Tapestry of Grace and the full literature schedule is brisk. Most of the Teaching Company Lectures are too long to use in the Tapestry format.

 

So I listen to them (mostly when I walk the dog) and then when we cover the material in Tapestry, I can bring out more points of discussion. The nice thing about some lecture series is the detailed notes, so I can refer back to those to make sure I get details correct (Vandiver's notes are the best). I try to listen to them just before we cover the material so it is fresh for me.

[regentrude]

Thanks for your reply. Approximately how long did it take you to cover each of the works bolded above using the lectures? I'm trying to figure out how much time to set aside for each work and if I will need to take other works off my list.

 

We spent about one month each on the Odyssey and the Iliad (but DD was also reading Herodotus at the same time)

The Aeneid took us two months, but we were listening simultaneously to the Mythology lectures and reading Ovid.

[TeaTotaler]

Thank you ladies for your helpful suggestions. Another quick question: Did you read portions aloud together or mostly by yourselves and then listen to lectures and discuss?

Edited September 13, 2012 by TeaTotaler
added question

[TeaTotaler]

We read first, then listen to the lecture.

 

My rule of thumb has been 50-125 pages per week depending upon the complexity of the work. For long epics like The Odyssey or Beowulf, I kept it to 50ish. For a novel (like Austen or Bronte) I will assign 125 pages per week.

.

 

Thanks for sharing your rule of thumb - it will help with scheduling books in the future.

[HSmom25andRN]

We did the Illiad over the summer. We listened to the lecture first and then read. I purchased the book on audio cd's (which are abridged but not like a normal abridgement. Whole books were left out so we read those books separately then followed along with the CD with the sections it covered). Now we are doing the Odyssey the same way except the audio book is not abridged. I really wanted my kids to love this time and when we tried to read it aloud together we just couldn't get into a groove with it. But we are all enjoying the auio book. I don't usually use audio books. I love the teaching Company lectures! It's made the study so rich.

[RhondaM.]

We did the Illiad over the summer. We listened to the lecture first and then read. I purchased the book on audio cd's (which are abridged but not like a normal abridgement. Whole books were left out so we read those books separately then followed along with the CD with the sections it covered). Now we are doing the Odyssey the same way except the audio book is not abridged. I really wanted my kids to love this time and when we tried to read it aloud together we just couldn't get into a groove with it. But we are all enjoying the auio book. I don't usually use audio books. I love the teaching Company lectures! It's made the study so rich.

 

This is exactly what we intend to do. Listen to the lecture then read along with the book while listening to the audio. We start Monday with the Iliad and we are both looking foreword to it.

 

RhondaM.

[Elinor Everywhere]

I use them in a way that is different that others (at least I think so). We use Tapestry of Grace and the full literature schedule is brisk. Most of the Teaching Company Lectures are too long to use in the Tapestry format.

 

So I listen to them (mostly when I walk the dog) and then when we cover the material in Tapestry, I can bring out more points of discussion. The nice thing about some lecture series is the detailed notes, so I can refer back to those to make sure I get details correct (Vandiver's notes are the best). I try to listen to them just before we cover the material so it is fresh for me.

 

This is a good idea. And it would double-duty to encourage me to exercise while listening and walking my pup. :D