SpringTulip Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 Would it be too young for an 11 and 13 year old to watch any of the Great Courses DVDs? Would the material be too difficult? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 I think it would depend on the level the of the children and which courses you are considering. There are some geared toward high school students but many of the others are basically college lectures. My 11yo has been using them for the past couple years...mostly music history, theory, and regular history courses. She enjoys them on car rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 Depends on the child's level and on the course. My DD was 13 in 9th grade and used 72 lectures as part of her Ancient History studies. Her brother listened to and enjoyed some of her medieval history lectures when he was 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatHomeschoolDad Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 We've found some of the GC instructors to be better than others (just like the real world), but there are some real gems. DD12 has been into them for a few years, now, so I would say yes, give them a try. If one is a dud, another might not be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 My kids have listened to some of Elizabeth Vandiver's Mythology ones with great interest, but there can be some *cough* adult themes (is it $ex with 30 maidens in one night or $ex with one maiden each night for 30 days straight?) in some of them that will either pass right over their heads or have them asking questions I'd rather they (the younger ones - not dd#1) wait on for a few years. I think they would really like some of the ones in Masterpieces of the Imaginative Mind, but the dude will suddenly throw in sexual imagery without warning - so I have to pre-screen them (and it takes me awhile to get that done as I'm almost always surrounded by kids). So, it depends on the course & the kids. I've read that the science ones are really good, but I don't have any of those (yet)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 There are hundreds of courses, and they vary enormously in terms of level of material, quality of presentation, etc., — ranging from middle-school level US and world history lectures presented by a guy in silly costumes to advanced college-level math courses. Are there any particular topics or courses that you're interested in? Perhaps we can recommend specific courses if you can narrow down the subjects a bit and tell us what kinds of things your kids like. DS15 started watching TC courses when he was about 10; he has watched hundreds of lectures, at all levels, and they're a VERY large part of homeschooling for him. He even asks for them as presents (he's getting three new ones for Christmas). DD11, on the other hand, finds them totally boring, and most would be over her head at this point anyway. I would say that the two "High School History" courses taught by Linwood Thompson would be accessible even to elementary students, but not everyone likes the rather corny presentation style. Two short courses (12 lectures) that are very accessible are Bob Brier's Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and Neil Degrasse Tyson's My Favorite Universe. They have a pretty good sale going on right now, coupon code HVA3 will get an extra 20% off plus free shipping. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 I agree with Jackie. It is really going to depend on the child. My 12 yr old dd would be bored out of her mind with them. (and I detest Linwood Thompson's approach) 13 is probably on the cusp of pretty much being ok with the approach. Starting around 9th grade they become an integral part of our homeschool. But before that, no, not really. The odd lecture series, yes, but not as a core approach. If you have never seen any of them, I recommend seeing if your library has any titles and watch them to see the style. All of them are similar in style. THe major difference is the ability of the various professors as engaging lecturers. Some of my kids absolutely love certain professors and their lectures. My 17 yr old son bought many of the physics and astronomy lectures with his own $$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 I agree with Jackie. It is really going to depend on the child. My 12 yr old dd would be bored out of her mind with them. (and I detest Linwood Thompson's approach) 13 is probably on the cusp of pretty much being ok with the approach. Starting around 9th grade they become an integral part of our homeschool. But before that, no, not really. The odd lecture series, yes, but not as a core approach. If you have never seen any of them, I recommend seeing if your library has any titles and watch them to see the style. All of them are similar in style. THe major difference is the ability of the various professors as engaging lecturers. Some of my kids absolutely love certain professors and their lectures. My 17 yr old son bought many of the physics and astronomy lectures with his own $$. Which Astronomy lectures does your son recommend? Shannon is really interested in Astronomy. She doesn't have the math and physics to really "do" it yet, but we're working on that. I wonder if any of them would be accessible at this point just as an overview, and then she can go back through them when she has more math under her belt. I would love to hear his suggestions - which were his favorites, which might be a best first one, which to definitely wait for . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Which Astronomy lectures does your son recommend? Shannon is really interested in Astronomy. She doesn't have the math and physics to really "do" it yet, but we're working on that. I wonder if any of them would be accessible at this point just as an overview, and then she can go back through them when she has more math under her belt. I would love to hear his suggestions - which were his favorites, which might be a best first one, which to definitely wait for . . . I personally wouldn't buy any for an 11 yr old. I think videos like Through the Wormhole seasons would be a better investment for an 11 yr old. I know people in this thread have younger kids liking them, but seriously, I think that they are too "serious" for even most advanced 11 yr olds.....especially ones that haven't taken a real physics course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 I personally wouldn't buy any for an 11 yr old. I think videos like Through the Wormhole seasons would be a better investment for an 11 yr old. I know people in this thread have younger kids liking them, but seriously, I think that they are too "serious" for even most advanced 11 yr olds.....especially ones that haven't taken a real physics course. Thanks. We're doing Conceptual Physics & PreA now . . . we will revisit in a couple of years! It's a good reinforcement to what I have been telling her: get your math and physics down first! I think we can enjoy the various docos to keep the love alive for now, and save the courses for later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymonster Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Perhaps check your local library. Our local library has a number of the Great Course offerings on DVD. It might make sense to preview them for suitability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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