If you do Classical Conversations....

[LAmom]

Could you please answer a few questions?

 

I know there are other questions on the forum.  I have done a search and found some helpful posts and some that make my decision-making harder!  LOL.

 

I'm worried about the finances (would enroll 3 kids this fall for $1400).  I have 2 other kids that would eventually join in if we stuck with it.  I am not currently interested in being a tutor though would consider it for the future, especially when all 5 are enrolled.  We can currently come up with the money but it will not be easy and there will be sacrifices.

 

My other worry is how to tie everything in.  Does this just end up being an expensive supplement?  The history cycle looks like it would drive me nuts, considering I prefer the 4-year cycle. 

 

So, is it worth the money for you?  

 

How do you do school the rest of the week?  Just the basics (English, Math, etc) or do you also do more history?  I understand the younger years could just be a review and practice the memory work, but for older kids (like my 5th grader and 3rd grader) do you stick to using a history curriculum?  I was going to use MOH 2 this year and listen to SOTW 2 as it matches up.  BUT, CC is doing Cycle 2 which starts at Charlemagne and quickly goes through MOH 2, SOTW 2, 3 and some 4!!  How do you work this out?  I have found excellent resources online for lining things up, but then much is skipped over.  It seems to just be bare bones and not in depth.

 

What do older years look like?  Challenge A and B?  I can't find samples online.  I will look again because I am sure the website has something better to explain it but so far I have found nothing.

 

To sum up, my biggest concern is wondering if it is financially worth it and if it would make extra work for me vs making things easier on me.  Wonder what others with 5th graders do for the year for history.  

 

I also am planning to Apologia Science.  Will this be too much in addition to CC having some science?

 

Oh, my other hesitation is that I already printed everything for MOH 2 and am getting everything ready for the school year but now may change things up abruptly.  I am kind of hoping to ease my schedule because i realize this may be a very stressful year with my current 4yo and toddler (that is into everything)!  I may just need a lighter year...

 

THANKS for any input.  

[mrs.m]

Could you please answer a few questions?

 

I know there are other questions on the forum.  I have done a search and found some helpful posts and some that make my decision-making harder!  LOL.

 

I'm worried about the finances (would enroll 3 kids this fall for $1400).  I have 2 other kids that would eventually join in if we stuck with it.  I am not currently interested in being a tutor though would consider it for the future, especially when all 5 are enrolled.  We can currently come up with the money but it will not be easy and there will be sacrifices.

 

I agree it is a sacrifice out of anyone's budget! But it breaks down to $12.00 per week or something like that which really isn't that much.

 

My other worry is how to tie everything in.  Does this just end up being an expensive supplement?  The history cycle looks like it would drive me nuts, considering I prefer the 4-year cycle.

 

this year, I'm actually using it as my spline. This is the first year I've gone this route but I did do it last Spring after a stint of illnesses going through our family. I liked it enough to try it again this fall. The kids loved the unit study approach. But the other way worked two. And it's not just the memory work, the community has been so wonderful for us.

 

So, is it worth the money for you?  

 

Yes.

 

How do you do school the rest of the week?  Just the basics (English, Math, etc) or do you also do more history?  I understand the younger years could just be a review and practice the memory work, but for older kids (like my 5th grader and 3rd grader) do you stick to using a history curriculum?  I was going to use MOH 2 this year and listen to SOTW 2 as it matches up.  BUT, CC is doing Cycle 2 which starts at Charlemagne and quickly goes through MOH 2, SOTW 2, 3 and some 4!!  How do you work this out?  I have found excellent resources online for lining things up, but then much is skipped over.  It seems to just be bare bones and not in depth.

 

Honestly, just use MOH and don't try to match it up. Sometimes it will intersect and then it's great because they either have the reference from the history text in their heads or they have the memory work in their head. It all builds and comes together in their brains. The timeline really helps with this too. They start singing the song from the point I bring up. Keep it simple.

 

What do older years look like?  Challenge A and B?  I can't find samples online.  I will look again because I am sure the website has something better to explain it but so far I have found nothing.

 

It would be best if you talk to someone in those programs. it's pretty in-depth for a forum post! If you look at the catalog, it will give you some course descriptions. It is very classical in nature and not really much more than what they say.

 

To sum up, my biggest concern is wondering if it is financially worth it and if it would make extra work for me vs making things easier on me.  Wonder what others with 5th graders do for the year for history.  

 

I wish I could promise that it will make things easier on you. it probably won't. You will lose one day a week and have to work on the memory work throughout the week. But, our family loves the accountability  and encouragement that CC offers and the relationships with other families. I have a group of moms that know my kids and have great ideas to help enhance our learning at home. I always have someone to bounce idea off. I love the academics at the Challenge level as well.

 

I also am planning to Apologia Science.  Will this be too much in addition to CC having some science?

 

Nope. CC is just memory work.

 

Oh, my other hesitation is that I already printed everything for MOH 2 and am getting everything ready for the school year but now may change things up abruptly.  I am kind of hoping to ease my schedule because i realize this may be a very stressful year with my current 4yo and toddler (that is into everything)!  I may just need a lighter year...

 

Well, CC can offer that. But you have to be willing to study week by week and let that be enough. We supplement in the summers and spend time going through the timeline cards and do some Apologia Science. The other option is to accept that you won't get all the way through a text by the end of May and be ok with that as well. it can be done. We finished SOTW 2 and Apology Land Animals our first year in CC. Our problem has been DD is getting older and her work in Challenge is harder so she needs my assistance more and more.

 

THANKS for any input.  

 

[OK Family]

Hope this helps... I have 3 kids, ages 6,7,10. They will all do Apologia Botany this year. We just read one section twice a week and do a short lapbook question for each, by journey through learning. Doesn't take very long to complete.

 

 

For history my oldest has been doing Sonlight history. My youngers don't do extra history. We will however listen to SOTW audio CDs when driving to places. (we love listening to audio books so not a problem)

 

My younger 2 will do phonics lessons, spelling and math.

 

My oldest will also do spelling, math, history,and doing the essentials program. We've done Latin the past 2 years not sure about this year yet.

 

I believe it's worth it. I've been trying to keep my oldest on the path of going to challenge A for 7th grade. He's in 5th this year. In Challenge A they teach all the subjects and lessons for the whole week that students are expected to complete at home with parental guidance. Their catalog explains it a bit more, at least it does in an older catalog I have.

 

Even if you decide not to enroll in a community in the future, you can always do some of the memory work if not all at home. Because of finances we did cc at home last year, but missed it and going back!

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

It may help to specify why you are considering CC. is it for making your life easier homeschooling or for networking with other families and kids? or another reason?

[maize]

The families I have known who love CC

generally find the greatest value in the community aspect. In my opinion there are much cheaper ways to do memory work. Whether or not the benefits are worth the cost to your family will depend largely on what benefits you are looking for. If you just want the kids to memorize a timeline, you can do that at home. If your family is in need of regular interaction with a community of likeminded homeschoolers, CC might fit the bill.

[Mrs Twain]

I have signed up for CC this year because I think it will meet many goals which I have not been able to do well by myself at home.  These include more memory work (especially the timeline), public speaking practice every week, a classroom experience requiring work outside of class, music theory as well as extra art and science projects, and opportunities for my kids to make friends with others who have things in common with them.  In addition, it is a co-op which all of my kids can join.  It is not easy to find a co-op like that. 

 

I agree that it is expensive (don't forget the extra costs of buying books/supplies +/- facility fees).  Nevertheless, I think the benefits will be worth the cost for our family.  As a pp said, make a list of the benefits to determine if it is worth it for you.

[Micron4]

This is a great blog post to help you with some of your history questions. It's more specific to sotw, but I think you could still apply these thoughts to moh.

 

http://mthopeacademy.blogspot.com/2013/08/history-studies-integrating-cc-and-sotw.html?m=1

 

Hope that helps

[LAmom]

It may help to specify why you are considering CC. is it for making your life easier homeschooling or for networking with other families and kids? or another reason?

 

 

Both.  I realize it is an expensive way to meet others but it has been hard.  I think I may like organized structure of CC better than park day co-ops.  It also may add more motivation to do memorization.  Or not!

[LAmom]

Hope this helps... I have 3 kids, ages 6,7,10. They will all do Apologia Botany this year. We just read one section twice a week and do a short lapbook question for each, by journey through learning. Doesn't take very long to complete.

 

 

For history my oldest has been doing Sonlight history. My youngers don't do extra history. We will however listen to SOTW audio CDs when driving to places. (we love listening to audio books so not a problem)

 

My younger 2 will do phonics lessons, spelling and math.

 

My oldest will also do spelling, math, history,and doing the essentials program. We've done Latin the past 2 years not sure about this year yet.

 

I believe it's worth it. I've been trying to keep my oldest on the path of going to challenge A for 7th grade. He's in 5th this year. In Challenge A they teach all the subjects and lessons for the whole week that students are expected to complete at home with parental guidance. Their catalog explains it a bit more, at least it does in an older catalog I have.

 

Even if you decide not to enroll in a community in the future, you can always do some of the memory work if not all at home. Because of finances we did cc at home last year, but missed it and going back!

 

 

So you just focus on memorization from CC and then ignore matching history up and follow your Sonlight schedule?  I guess it is only my 5th grader I am thinking about the most.  I had MOH2 planned out and I am wondering if trying to do that 3 times a week would be too much or not.  I also want to make Apologia Astronomy work this year.  I am trying for 1 day a week.  We are a family that just gets the basics in and really struggles to do anything else.  Last year went OK because during quiet time they listened to SOTW 1 audio.

 

I wish CC was laid out to match a 4-year history cycle.  It is hard to let that go since it was what I was set on.  So I probably won't let it go.  Other friends that have started CC since their oldest was 4 don't understand as much my issue.  I guess I will look at history at home and history at CC as different.  CC being focused on memorization.

 

Now, any suggestions of MUST buys.  I know the minimum I need (Foundations book and tin whistle).  Audio CDs and anything else?  I am planning to make a tri-fold to aid in daily review.  I have to wait until I am registered and then I think I can get the printouts on the Connected site.

 

I am pretty excited.  Hopefully the kids will love it and learn much from it.  When the year is over at least I will know and not have my yearly debate on if I should join or not!  LOL.

 

[LAmom]

Some reason I added my response to the above quote.  Weird.  Here it is:  

 

"So you just focus on memorization from CC and then ignore matching history up and follow your Sonlight schedule?  I guess it is only my 5th grader I am thinking about the most.  I had MOH2 planned out and I am wondering if trying to do that 3 times a week would be too much or not.  I also want to make Apologia Astronomy work this year.  I am trying for 1 day a week.  We are a family that just gets the basics in and really struggles to do anything else.  Last year went OK because during quiet time they listened to SOTW 1 audio.

 

I wish CC was laid out to match a 4-year history cycle.  It is hard to let that go since it was what I was set on.  So I probably won't let it go.  Other friends that have started CC since their oldest was 4 don't understand as much my issue.  I guess I will look at history at home and history at CC as different.  CC being focused on memorization.

 

Now, any suggestions of MUST buys.  I know the minimum I need (Foundations book and tin whistle).  Audio CDs and anything else?  I am planning to make a tri-fold to aid in daily review.  I have to wait until I am registered and then I think I can get the printouts on the Connected site.

 

I am pretty excited.  Hopefully the kids will love it and learn much from it.  When the year is over at least I will know and not have my yearly debate on if I should join or not!  LOL."

 

Just trying to figure out what to buy right now.  I am going to see how using MOH along with it will work.

[mrs.m]

I buy the memory master cards and subscribe to C3 for the music rather than purchasing the CD. I also buy a geography trivium table for each child. I also love the timeline cards. But if you sub to C3 the tutorial has the picture.