Why don't more people use Memoria Press full curriculum?

[Papillon Mom]

For those that use a boxed curriculum, why don't more people use Memoria Press? I know it's full curriculum is relatively new. It seems so LCC and classicalish. It makes me nervous that more people don't use it. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

[Hunter]

It's expensive!

 

It's still not finished.

[Zoo Keeper]

I'd use it if I could afford it...and if I had different children.

 

None of my children are on grade level (whatever that is... :lol:) in all their subjects. 

 

I have heard that MP is very accommodating if you need to do substitutions in your package, and I do like the lesson plans you can buy for individual subjects.

 

But, cost is the deciding factor for me. 

[jnaj]

You can pick and choose what you want to use with Memoria Press, and also look for pieces of it used, not purchase the books from them but find them used, etc to make it more cost efficient of course. We are going to be using the full curriculum for Pre-K and 1st. I'm *so* excited.

[Crimson Wife]

I personally find that a little MP goes a long way. I like and use some of their products but they do tend to be a bit on the drier side. I think my kids would revolt if I bought them a full MP package (even one "tweaked" to make all the components the appropriate level).

[FO4UR]

Cost.

 

 

[SevenDaisies]

In the beginning, I avoided it because it didn't look fun. It looked like a lot of dry workbooks. I tried Sonlight History and Literature, because it did look fun, but in the end it seemed like a lot of disjointed pieces. All the books just skimmed the surface, and dd wasn't retaining anything. We then tried Prima in 3rd, and then Latina Christiana, Famous Men of Rome and Classical Composition in 4th. We loved them so much, that we added the 4th Grade Literature Guides and States and Capitals. Dd and I have loved the simplicity and order of the books. Some may be turned off by the lack of breadth, but MP really emphasizes depth and mastery, which I have absolutely come to love. Next year we start the 5th grade core. We did sub out some items, which as a pp said, they are very willing to do, and plan to continue with our current science and math (although I do plan to use their science as enrichment).

[LAmom]

I have looked at it several times but cost per child would add up to be a lot and I also try to keep them in same history and science.  MP would have them all doing their own thing--which sometimes is really appealing to me.  Hand them the box and go!  

[lvmom]

I often browse the MP catalog and wonder how it is....good to hear thoughts above.  Can someone explain what the Literature guides are like in content?  I've considered it for my 2nd and 3rd grade girls...thanks!

[SilverMoon]

I like the idea of MP, but we have yet to finish anything we've tried from them. We reached the just can't take it anymore level before the book was done three times in a row and I haven't tried them since. *shrug* I do like Famous Men, but I won't use their guides.

 

On the other hand, CAP also practices multum non multa, and we haven't had a dud with any of their materials. Their motto is classical subjects creatively taught. They don't have graded kits yet, but they're getting really close to offering every subject.

 

That said, plenty of people use MP and seem perfectly content with it! If you feel drawn to it I'd ask people why they like it on MP's forum. :)

[ALB]

I like the idea of MP, but we have yet to finish anything we've tried from them. We reached the just can't take it anymore level before the book was done three times in a row and I haven't tried them since. *shrug* I do like Famous Men, but I won't use their guides.

 

On the other hand, CAP also practices multum non multa, and we haven't had a dud with any of their materials. Their motto is classical subjects creatively taught. They don't have graded kits yet, but they're getting really close to offering every subject.

 

That said, plenty of people use MP and seem perfectly content with it! If you feel drawn to it I'd ask people why they like it on MP's forum. :)

What is CAP?  I'm about to order almost all MP products for next year and I have to admit I am nervous it will all feel the same and become a drudgery.

[Ad astra]

I looked at MP website and the samples, and here is why I don't use it:

 

1. Too expensive

2. Too religious for a secular family

3. Too many pieces either I find too boring or don't need at all

 

Last year I bought BFIAR and Sonlight 3/4 but didn't get the full use out of them for the same reasons. So I decided to go with separate programs for each subject that work better for us, allow us to go at our own pace in depth and are yet more cost-effective.

[Angie in VA]

What is CAP? I'm about to order almost all MP products for next year and I have to admit I am nervous it will all feel the same and become a drudgery.

http://classicalacademicpress.com/

[Haiku]

MP's catalog is really pretty, but I really cant stand the relentlessly smug attitude of Martin Cothran. All his articles make me angry. I finally had to give up reading the catalog.

 

So that's one reason.

 

Others include the fact that it's unalterably religious, it's expensive, and, honestly, their materials are too workbooky for me. Everything I've looked at is just a workbook with comprehension questions.

 

Just not a good fit for us.

[Soror]

The catalog and articles look so nice, romantically classically however my experience with what we tried was dry workbooks with little depth. I'd rather poke my eyes out.

[Jayne J]

I really, really wanted to like and use MP. I found that I was already using lots of their chosen texts anyways. But, the workbooks are really dry. Fine for Latin, not so great for literature. They don't seem to encourage much thought, just vocab., and comprehension. And the science seems too light for our family. The Kindergarten package is awesome though--I used a beta version for my youngest and we really enjoyed it. But I still found myself subbing out the math.

 

(Just for reference, I've used the workbooks for Famous Men of Greece, Famous Men of Rome, a literature guide for Lassie Come Home, the Latin series up through First Form, and one Christian studies course, so I've sampled lots of subjects. All the workbooks are dry. Sigh.)

 

I am going to check out CAP...

[jnaj]

That's disappointing to hear that about MP for some of the upper levels/books- I have heard awesome things about the Kindergarten, and the Pre-K and 1st grade levels are really great IMO. Even just the Enrichment guides if you don't use the whole package (I am using something different for math as well.) I love how the enrichment guide incorporates reading nice books and gives you great questions to discuss, it has poetry, music, art, and optional history/culture and science studies for each week. I find it way easier to implement than FIAR and I love the specific art studies weekly etc. I think it's perfect for the K-2nd age group.

 

I love the look of CAP as well, so that is a possibility in the future. 

 

I do believe the science and history are light in the younger years with MP because they want to focus on the 3 R's and really get everything down solid. I will be adding in SOTW1, and possibly a little extra science this year as well. 

[CrunchyGirl]

The religious factor kills it for us. But it is lovely to daydream about. I've got a serious crush on a lot of CAPs stuff right now.

[jnaj]

Yes, the religious aspect is definitely there, no getting around that! Not in the enrichment guides though, we haven't had anything religious in there so far, and if there was it would be very easy to skip over.

[Saddlemomma]

I really, really wanted to like and use MP. I found that I was already using lots of their chosen texts anyways. But, the workbooks are really dry. Fine for Latin, not so great for literature. They don't seem to encourage much thought, just vocab., and comprehension. And the science seems too light for our family. The Kindergarten package is awesome though--I used a beta version for my youngest and we really enjoyed it. But I still found myself subbing out the math.

 

(Just for reference, I've used the workbooks for Famous Men of Greece, Famous Men of Rome, a literature guide for Lassie Come Home, the Latin series up through First Form, and one Christian studies course, so I've sampled lots of subjects. All the workbooks are dry. Sigh.)

 

I am going to check out CAP...

 

This is precisely why we don't use the full curriculum from MP.  I tried the 5th grade package at the beginning of this last year, and DD revolted after a couple weeks.  It was just too dry.  She loved the Famous Men book we used, but the workbook was a no go.  In fact, through that experience we discovered DD was not an all workbooks type kid.  A couple are okay but not for every subject.   As a total package it was just too much of the same thing every day. We do like the Latin and will continue with that.

 

Since I had also purchased the first unit of TOG Y2 to try, I started that.  DD loved the living books approach and dove right in. It was the difference between night and day.  I continued with TOG, and we had our best year yet.  Thankfully, my part-time babysitting gig paid for the additional units.

 

It just all depends on what kind of kid you have.  I loved the idea of MP, but my DD just didn't like it, so we had to adjust.  I will continue to use the parts of MP that do work. 

[Michelle in MD]

I've always been drawn to MP and LCC (which had something of a connection to MP, at least in the past), but I've never understood how to reconcile the "much not many" philosophy of "A Latin Centered Curriculum" with the number of subjects/workbooks now in the core packages. I've done the math and it would amount to something like 50-60 workbooks I'd be evaluating every week. Blows my mind to imagine! For some romantic reason I still linger over their catalogues, trying to figure out why I can't make sense of this.

 

We do use MP's Latin programs on every level.

[Michelle My Bell]

I found some of it too schoolish for me. I lean towards Charlotte Mason. I love their Enrichment guides however. You could build a whole curriculum around that for the littles. 

[TheAttachedMama]

I'm not really sure I understand Memoria Press.  I look at their complete grade packages and don't see any history study.  Am I missing something?

[GrammarGirl]

MP's catalog is really pretty, but I really cant stand the relentlessly smug attitude of Martin Cothran. All his articles make me angry. I finally had to give up reading the catalog.

 

So that's one reason.

 

Others include the fact that it's unalterably religious, it's expensive, and, honestly, their materials are too workbooky for me. Everything I've looked at is just a workbook with comprehension questions.

 

Just not a good fit for us.

[GrammarGirl]

I am uncomfortable with Cothran's articles, too. While I usually agree with his general premise, the lack of substantiation or use of outdated sources nags at me.

 

I am using Prima Latina, STT, and NAC next year; but I prefer more intensive phonics programs, a more advanced math scope and sequence, and a less Euro-centric approach to history to ever do a full package.

[Crimson Wife]

I'm not really sure I understand Memoria Press.  I look at their complete grade packages and don't see any history study.  Am I missing something?

 

Don't they include the "Famous Men" books for elementary and Dorothy Mills' books for middle school? I personally think history is one of MP's strengths. True, they are Western Civ-centric but the whole neo-classical approach is based on the importance of studying Western Civ.

[jnaj]

I know in the younger grades it doesn't include history outside of the little that's in the enrichments. I plan on adding SOTW to it, and we will see how this year goes. If we like it we will likely continue with  2nd the following year and then reevaluate at 3rd whether we want to switch to something like CAP or what we want to do. I am trying to be ok with simplifying and using MP as is other than adding in history and a different math for 1st this year. I feel like we will be able to really dig into things this way as everything is really great for this age IMO. I have no experience with the upper grades, only what I have seen on their website. 

[Critterfixer]

Cost is my major reason, but a secondary reason would be the dryness of them. I will say, however, that we like the Latin, and we actually really enjoyed MP Insects and MP Astronomy. Both courses got my makeover to include outside reading, and I did have to correct some issues with the insect orders in the book. No biggie.

[Papillon Mom]

Wow! Thank you for all your thoughts. The articles in the catalog annoy me too! I like it because it is clear cut and easy to use. Dd doesn't love it but I don't think she would love anything that wasn't me reading aloud the entire day.

Thanks again!!!! Love to hear more thoughts!

[AimeeM]

We can't really us any boxed curriculum - but ESPECIALLY memoria press. Don't get me wrong - it's great - but my eldest is dyslexic, strong in math, and it would just be terrible for her; the writing program they use would be sheer torture, the spelling isn't OG-similar (which she needs), and the science is incredibly light.

My middle son is advanced almost across the board - but not in writing. The writing required in MP would be way over his head.

We would have to definitely sub out their Bible and Christian studies with something catholic in flavor.

 

MP with different math, more science, and a different religion is definitely something I'm considering LATER for my middle son, though.

[Reefgazer]

I love much of Memoria Press' stuff, but I don't use a pre-packaged curriculum because I think DD benefits from a different style of math than they offer, I don't want religion near my science, and their lit guides are dry as dust.  I suspect more people don't use the package because they want to pick and choose the materials for each subject. 

[AimeeM]

I so badly wish CAP didn't use VP for history. I love CAP and would love if they came out with a full program... but I couldn't do it if they used VP history (not without major subbing).

[SevenDaisies]

This is precisely why we don't use the full curriculum from MP.  I tried the 5th grade package at the beginning of this last year, and DD revolted after a couple weeks.  It was just too dry.  She loved the Famous Men book we used, but the workbook was a no go.  In fact, through that experience we discovered DD was not an all workbooks type kid.  A couple are okay but not for every subject.   As a total package it was just too much of the same thing every day. We do like the Latin and will continue with that.

 

Since I had also purchased the first unit of TOG Y2 to try, I started that.  DD loved the living books approach and dove right in. It was the difference between night and day.  I continued with TOG, and we had our best year yet.  Thankfully, my part-time babysitting gig paid for the additional units.

 

It just all depends on what kind of kid you have.  I loved the idea of MP, but my DD just didn't like it, so we had to adjust.  I will continue to use the parts of MP that do work. 

 

I agree with this last paragraph. It absolutely depends on the child. I tried the literature approach with Sonlight and it was a bust. I had stayed away from MP because of all the workbooks, but once we finally made it there, we discovered it was what worked for this child. She loves the orderliness and she loves knowing what to expect. There are no surprises as to what you will be doing from day to day.

[jnaj]

For those that say Memoria Press Lit guides are dry (I have no experience with them, as we aren't there yet)- are they any others you would suggest to look into that are't dry? Thanks!

[SevenDaisies]

I love much of Memoria Press' stuff, but I don't use a pre-packaged curriculum because I think DD benefits from a different style of math than they offer, I don't want religion near my science, and their lit guides are dry as dust.  I suspect more people don't use the package because they want to pick and choose the materials for each subject. 

 

I had never expected to use a pre-packaged curriculum, but they are extremely flexible with their packages. By the time I had ordered the 3 subjects I wanted, it was only slightly less than ordering a complete package minus the math and Rod & Staff. I basically got a lot of other stuff for free, and I like the looks of some of it and may use it for enrichment. They will substitute or remove almost anything.

[SevenDaisies]

For those that say Memoria Press Lit guides are dry (I have no experience with them, as we aren't there yet)- are they any others you would suggest to look into that are't dry? Thanks!

 

 

I really have no suggestions, but look at the samples of the MP Lit Guides - what you see is what you get. Every chapter is laid out the same way. I personally have a hard time imagining a lit guide that is not dry, and am eager to see what others suggest :001_smile:

[jnaj]

I really have no suggestions, but look at the samples of the MP Lit Guides - what you see is what you get. Every chapter is laid out the same way. I personally have a hard time imagining a lit guide that is not dry, and am eager to see what others suggest :001_smile:

 

Ok I do see what you mean now looking at the samples (I have been focusing on what we are using this next year, and trying to figure out our general direction of what we are wanting to accomplish in our homeschool, etc since we are only a year into it :) Still learning!) I hope someone coms in with some suggestions. I would love to have things to keep in mind for the future. I'm pretty confident that this year will be a good year at least :) 

[Reefgazer]

The lit guides I've found that are the best were the free online ones, believe it or not.  The Center for Literary Education had a few that I thought were amazing!  Those lit guides were much more discussion-oriented, rather than who did what, when, and to whom (which I define as dry).  That site also has an excellent DVD/workbook course for parents on teaching literature to children that is very good and negates/reduces the need for a lit guide. 

For those that say Memoria Press Lit guides are dry (I have no experience with them, as we aren't there yet)- are they any others you would suggest to look into that are't dry? Thanks!

 

[Clear Creek]

For those that say Memoria Press Lit guides are dry (I have no experience with them, as we aren't there yet)- are they any others you would suggest to look into that are't dry? Thanks!

 

I use all of the guides from MP (not just the Lit) as discussion guides - I don't order the student guides, just the Teacher's guides, and after the child does the reading (history, Lit, Bible), we discuss. I just use the questions in the guide to lead the discussion, we don't limit it to what is in the guide, but for some things like history it is nice to have answers to the comprehension questions so I can skim over them and not have to read the entire selection before discussing. There are also a lot of thought-provoking questions in the guides, far beyond just comprehension.

 

Honestly, though, for most literature I just read ahead of the student and lead the discussion with "should" questions. No Lit guides necessary, and no boring comprehension questions.

[Dallasmom]

I bee lined right for their booth at a recent convention because I've been dying to get my hands on the materials. My oldest is K in the fall so I lean toward the younger stuff. I bought First Start Reading, classical phonics, the first copybook, and some readers from the K package.

 

I've been wanting FSR for awhile and then realized my son has already been through CVC words so he is beyond it, sadly. I was considering doing it anyway for handwriting practice but we are going to use the copybook instead---Which I love because of the scripture (the religious aspect is a plus to me but of course not for everyone). Going to save FSR for my daughter but I'm so sad to hold off on it because its so pretty! I love the beautiful simplicity of their workbooks. Never busy. Really clean and focused. Classical phonics has been a nice review/assess book while I go through OPGTR with my son.

 

I love the look and feel of their products. I guess I'm in the minority as I love the preachy articles in the catalog. Ha! I loved the recent one that finally helped my pea-brain understand phonics the WRTR way versus traditional phonics.

[dewdropfairy]

Not secular. I avoid a lot of popular curricula because of religious content.

[CherryBlossomMJ]

I'm not really sure I understand Memoria Press. I look at their complete grade packages and don't see any history study. Am I missing something?

In JrK-2nd the history is social studies. Its on a seasonal theme and holiday basis. Starting in third grade the do Greeks and Christian Studies. Fourth is Rome, medieval, eastern hemisphere and Christian Studies. And so on...

 

Basically you find the history listed as Classical Studies, Modern Studies, and Christian Studies as well as noting a theme in the literature choices. You can also find more detail at thelatinschool.org on what's to come as more grade levels are provided as a curricula.

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

Memoria Press always seems appealing until I read the sample, and it looks so boring and dry.  We are trying several of CAP's programs next year (writing, Bible and foreign language).  I also do not do boxed curriculum because I am particular on what I like exactly.  However, we are strongly considering TOG after SOTW, which is sort of boxed, but not really.

[Guest]

I have used K and 1st and attempted 2nd at least 3 times. We just cannot get past the lit guides. It makes Son 4 cry. The guides are all the same for just about every subject so I use the books as a reading list. So why am I thinking of using them agin? I don't know. The cost is not as much as BookShark or TOG or VP. Really, it is a steal.

 

I crave something not religious all laid out for me to follow, private classical school in a box. Got any ideas?

[Mama2two]

We do a lot of Memoria Press, but not a lot of workbooks. We do a lot of the history and lit orally or with other writing

[Kfamily]

We felt this way about a lot of the MP books too. My older daughter did Prima Latina when she was younger and has done First Form and likes the latter book series, but both girls could not take Latina Christiana.

 

We also tried the guide to The Book of the Ancient World by Dorothy Mills and found it very dry too. I was initially so excited about it because we love the Dorothy Mills books and had just finished her book Renaissance and Reformation Times to which no guide existed. This had left me to create our own. When we went back to the books by D. Mills for ancient history and saw MP with guides, I was hopeful to save myself the work of creating more of our own guides. But, unfortunately, we liked our own better and so now I've written guides for The Book of the Ancient World, The Book of the Ancient Greeks and I'm currently working on The Book of the Ancient Romans (and should have it ready by the fall). I will then work on The Middle Ages and will have completed all of the major ones by then. I tried to correct what I saw as some of the flaws with the MP guides such as taking advantage of the draw on primary resources and including these as additional readings and writing creative narration suggestions, including assignments and offering a high school extension to them which includes questions for a Great Ideas Discussion. Any of these questions and written work suggestions could be used in any way which best suits the abilities of the student.

 

We also have used the Introduction to Classical Studies Guide but tended to use it more for the Greek Myths than the other books.
 

[Mrs. Tharp]

We don't use the complete package because it would be way too much in the same style for us. I love the lit. guides, though. My oldest struggles with reading comprehension and vocabulary, so from a remedial learning standpoint I think they are absolutely wonderful, better than anything else I've seen.

[Ewe Mama]

Most of my kiddos do not like workbooks for learning. A little bit is fine, a lot is torture, for them and for me.

[Guest mommyt5]

I have been considering the complete program for my 7th grader (but we would use mostly their 6th grade core since we are so new to classical method).  It would be so easy just to click a button and be done with my curriculum shopping.  Alas, I just can't bear to spend that much money!  I am trying to find what I can "used", but it is hard to find.  Christian Book Distributors sells a lot of their material at lower prices.  It does look like an excellent program!

[Guest]

How much do you guys think is "too much" for a boxed program? Really, MP isn't that much and downright cheap for what you get compared to other providers. I am confused.