x-post: The Great Courses you've loved that are safe for upper elementary grades?

[Alte Veste Academy]

Ancients? Medieval? Any other subjects that wouldn't be too intense or inappropriate but might still be of interest? :bigear:

[regentrude]

we have used many of the courses for ancients and medieval history (all of Vandiver, all of Daileader ), but I would not find them suitable for upper elementary. Not because of inappropriate content, that is very rare, but because these are college lectures, and the level of discussion would be over younger student's heads.

We use them extensively starting in 8th grade.

[Corraleno]

I would say that the 2 high school history courses by Linwood Thompson would be appropriate for those ages, but they're very different from the other TC courses — they're taught by a high school teacher who dresses up in costumes and presents the lectures in character. DS thought they were totally lame (he was ~11 when we tried them), but DD (who would have been ~7) liked them and thought they were funny. IMHO, the level is definitely more middle school than high school.

 

The Bob Brier short course (12 lectures) on Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt is very interesting and accessible, and he's a very engaging, dynamic speaker, so he would hold a younger child's attention better than most of the profs.

 

There are also a couple of fun short (12 lectures) astronomy courses by Neil Degrasse Tyson, who's a really animated, interesting presenter. I think a fair amount if it went over DD's head, but that was a couple of years ago.

 

How advanced is your 9 yo? Does he like history and want to go more in-depth in specific topics? My DS started watching TC courses in 6th, and he watched probably 10-12 courses last year in 7th, but he is obsessed with Greek history and was reading about it in depth on his own, so he totally understood the courses on the Peloponnesian War, The Greek & Persian War, Age of Pericles, Alexander & the Hellenistic World, etc. He's also really interested in linguistics and has watched all of McWhorter's linguistics courses. So I would say that some of the college-level lectures could be doable for an advanced kid with a real passion for the subject.

 

OTOH, I definitely wouldn't use TC courses as an intro or spine for younger kids who are not very interested in the subject — e.g. I wouldn't plunk kids as young as yours in front of the DVD player to watch the Middle Ages series if they have no real interest in the topic and have no background in it. Most of the courses really are just college lectures presented by less-than-exciting professors standing at a podium, with minimal graphics. You have to be really interested in the information, because the "entertainment value" is pretty low otherwise. Does that make sense?

 

Jackie

[Alte Veste Academy]

we have used many of the courses for ancients and medieval history (all of Vandiver, all of Daileader ), but I would not find them suitable for upper elementary. Not because of inappropriate content, that is very rare, but because these are college lectures, and the level of discussion would be over younger student's heads.

We use them extensively starting in 8th grade.

 

Thank you. I don't know why I was thinking of them being more like documentaries. DS9 can handle pretty complex info with documentaries so when I found out our library carries these I got excited. Maybe I'll get them for me and he can watch with me if he wishes. You are right that the presentation might be a struggle. He does like (what I consider) some pretty dry audio books though, so who knows. Anyway, they're free. I'm happy to know they don't have inappropriate content. This is my kid who eats up content and absorbs everything his eyes or ears come into contact with.

 

I would say that the 2 high school history courses by Linwood Thompson would be appropriate for those ages, but they're very different from the other TC courses — they're taught by a high school teacher who dresses up in costumes and presents the lectures in character. DS thought they were totally lame (he was ~11 when we tried them), but DD (who would have been ~7) liked them and thought they were funny. IMHO, the level is definitely more middle school than high school.

 

The Bob Brier short course (12 lectures) on Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt is very interesting and accessible, and he's a very engaging, dynamic speaker, so he would hold a younger child's attention better than most of the profs.

 

There are also a couple of fun short (12 lectures) astronomy courses by Neil Degrasse Tyson, who's a really animated, interesting presenter. I think a fair amount if it went over DD's head, but that was a couple of years ago.

 

How advanced is your 9 yo? Does he like history and want to go more in-depth in specific topics? My DS started watching TC courses in 6th, and he watched probably 10-12 courses last year in 7th, but he is obsessed with Greek history and was reading about it in depth on his own, so he totally understood the courses on the Peloponnesian War, The Greek & Persian War, Age of Pericles, Alexander & the Hellenistic World, etc. He's also really interested in linguistics and has watched all of McWhorter's linguistics courses. So I would say that some of the college-level lectures could be doable for an advanced kid with a real passion for the subject.

 

OTOH, I definitely wouldn't use TC courses as an intro or spine for younger kids who are not very interested in the subject — e.g. I wouldn't plunk kids as young as yours in front of the DVD player to watch the Middle Ages series if they have no real interest in the topic and have no background in it. Most of the courses really are just college lectures presented by less-than-exciting professors standing at a podium, with minimal graphics. You have to be really interested in the information, because the "entertainment value" is pretty low otherwise. Does that make sense?

 

Jackie

 

Thanks! It makes total sense. We are using SOTW and the OUP books for our history spines, so I had these in mind just for enrichment. Your point about entertainment value is well taken. It might matter and it might not. Sometimes it is hard to know. DS9 is my enigma, very tricky, advanced but stealthy in his learning. That sounds ridiculous, I know, but it is the only way I can think to describe him! :lol: Sometimes he completely surprises me one way or the other with what he is interested in and when. He is very content hungry. The more I offer him and challenge him, the better he responds. I made the mistake of having too-low expectations in the earlier years and it took some of his spark away but it has gradually returned with a longer but more casual school day and a larger buffet of subjects, resources, etc. Now, me telling him to do something can drench that spark right out :glare::tongue_smilie: (which is why I avoid dictating specifics for the vast majority of work in the content subjects), but having really cool, complex enrichment add-ons strewn about is the kind of fishing expedition that almost always reels him in.

 

I will specifically look for the Linwood Thompson courses. Sounds like my whole family will love those! Will try Brier also. We love, love, LOVE Neil Degrasse Tyson here so I will check that one out for sure. Thanks again!

[regentrude]

I'm happy to know they don't have inappropriate content. This is my kid who eats up content and absorbs everything his eyes or ears come into contact with.

 

Typically they don't. There are occasional topics that would not be appropriate for a 9 y/o; for example, in one of the Vandiver lectures on mythology (female monsters and monstrous females) there was quite a bit of discussion about sexuality. (I do not usually have a problem with this, but the discussion would be weird for a young child.) Remember, they are addressed to an adult audience.

 

I would at least skim the outline booklets before you decide.

Btw, we find watching the lectures unbearably boring; we much prefer to listen to the audio versions in the car.

[Alte Veste Academy]

Typically they don't. There are occasional topics that would not be appropriate for a 9 y/o; for example, in one of the Vandiver lectures on mythology (female monsters and monstrous females) there was quite a bit of discussion about sexuality. (I do not usually have a problem with this, but the discussion would be weird for a young child.) Remember, they are addressed to an adult audience.

 

I would at least skim the outline booklets before you decide.

Btw, we find watching the lectures unbearably boring; we much prefer to listen to the audio versions in the car.

 

Thanks again. I will definitely preview/evaluate for propriety. It makes sense that watching regular lectures would be boring. I'll take what they have on audio and just embroider or otherwise keep my hands busy while I listen to anything they only have on video.

 

Too late to change my thread title but I did have these in mind for self-education initially and then wondered how they might work for the kids, which then became my burning question and concern.

[yvonne]

We're listening to Bob Brier's Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and History of Ancient Egypt now. We've heard 5 lectures of Pharaohs and 3 of History. Just now, on the way home from piano lessons, the boys actually asked me to put on the next Pharaohs lecture. Brier is a great lecturer, part professor and part story teller. In the first lecture, he said he wanted to tell the history of ancient Egypt through its people, in particular, its great pharaohs, not by focusing on a bunch of dates. My newly 12 year old boys and my 9 year old daughter and I are all enjoying the lectures.

 

During the summer, we listened to a bunch of Rufus Fears' lectures on Great Romans and Great Greeks. Those were great, too.

 

I think my kids have enjoyed these particular lecturers because they are really good story tellers. Also, it could be that history lectures are more accessible to younger students than lectures on literature.

 

Oh, there is some sexual content in a couple of lectures, but both Briers and Fears handle it very modestly, I thought. So far, I've only skipped over one section of the Famous Romans lectures, but we haven't listened to everything yet so I don't know if there's more ahead.

Edited September 29, 2012 by yvonne

[Alte Veste Academy]

We're listening to Bob Brier's Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and History of Ancient Egypt now. We've heard 5 lectures of Pharaohs and 3 of History. Just now, on the way home from piano lessons, the boys actually asked me to put on the next Pharaohs lecture! Brier is a great lecturer, part professor and part story teller. In the first lecture, he said he wanted to tell the history of ancient Egypt through its people, in particular, its great pharaohs, not by focusing on a bunch of dates. My newly 12 year old boys and my 9 year old daughter and I are all enjoying the lectures.

 

During the summer, we listened to a bunch of Rufus Fears' lectures on Great Romans and Great Greeks. Those were great, too.

 

I think my kids have enjoyed these particular lecturers because they are really good story tellers. Also, it could be that history lectures are more accessible to younger students than lectures on literature.

 

Oh, there is some sexual content in a couple of lectures, but both Briers and Fears handle it very modestly, I thought. So far, I've only skipped over one section of the Famous Romans lectures, but we haven't listened to everything yet so I don't know if there's more ahead.

 

This is great to know! Thanks!

[yvonne]

I agree with regentrude's comments about Vandiver's Mythology series.

I listened to two or three lectures and decided it was more than I wanted my kids to listen to at this age.

 

I do still think the Brier and Fears lectures can work really well for 9 years old+, depending on the child. They're almost like SoTW for older students & adults. :)

[Corraleno]

DS9 is my enigma, very tricky, advanced but stealthy in his learning. That sounds ridiculous, I know, but it is the only way I can think to describe him! :lol: Sometimes he completely surprises me one way or the other with what he is interested in and when. He is very content hungry. The more I offer him and challenge him, the better he responds.

He sounds just like my DS — "stealth learner" is a good description! Letting him follow his interests while keeping him supplied with new material has led DS in some very unexpected directions! He's doing intensive Greek & Latin classes (Lukeion), just started a Coursera programming class, and has been researching all sorts of things about Mongolia after we saw some Mongolian throat singers at a world music festival last weekend. He now wants to learn Mongolian, he's been teaching himself throat singing from online videos, and he wants to learn to play a traditional Mongolian morin kuur. Oh, and he's begging me to sign up for a Mongolian horse & camel riding trek with REI next summer. :lol:

 

Your DS may really like the TC lectures. In many ways they're ideal for "content hungry" kids, because there is a LOT of very detailed information presented at a higher level than most kids this age would be capable of reading, so they can get access to college level content, without having to slog through a college textbook. A warning though — TC courses are highly addictive!

 

Jackie

[Alte Veste Academy]

I agree with regentrude's comments about Vandiver's Mythology series.

I listened to two or three lectures and decided it was more than I wanted my kids to listen to at this age.

 

I do still think the Brier and Fears lectures can work really well for 9 years old+, depending on the child. They're almost like SoTW for older students & adults. :)

 

Thanks!

 

He sounds just like my DS — "stealth learner" is a good description! Letting him follow his interests while keeping him supplied with new material has led DS in some very unexpected directions! He's doing intensive Greek & Latin classes (Lukeion), just started a Coursera programming class, and has been researching all sorts of things about Mongolia after we saw some Mongolian throat singers at a world music festival last weekend. He now wants to learn Mongolian, he's been teaching himself throat singing from online videos, and he wants to learn to play a traditional Mongolian morin kuur. Oh, and he's begging me to sign up for a Mongolian horse & camel riding trek with REI next summer. :lol:

 

Your DS may really like the TC lectures. In many ways they're ideal for "content hungry" kids, because there is a LOT of very detailed information presented at a higher level than most kids this age would be capable of reading, so they can get access to college level content, without having to slog through a college textbook. A warning though — TC courses are highly addictive!

 

Jackie

 

Thanks! I have stalked you here for quite some time :tongue_smilie:, enjoying every post. You are my secret role model as I try to strike a balance with my kids, especially DS9. I have often felt that he is quite like your DS (from your previous posts) and I just love hearing about what he is doing!

 

Right now DS9 is very into codes. It's awesome, but exhausting because I'm supposed to be the one to crack whatever code he brings me while he looks on smugly, knowing it's not going to happen and I'll have to admit defeat again. Even with hints. But whatever. :lol: