Some one talk me out of joining Classical Conversations

[Tohru]

Foundation level.

 

We really want/need the community of a solid group.  I am enticed by the weekly science and art, but not fond of the memory work or the presentation of facts.

 

I guess it's silly to not agree with the core concept of the program, however the community... science experiements, friends, art projects. We need that or something like that we haven't been able to find, ever.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

:grouphug:  You have read the threads! You know all the objections and why all the sneering, when there is sneering. No need to turn inside out over it again, IMO.

 

If you truly can afford it and the need for friends and a group outweigh prejudice against the organization, you have nothing to lose except the money. You'll know in a matter of months whether it's just what you need or whether you are joining the nose-in-the-air crowd.

 

I sincerely mean it. If you can afford to try it and want to, then go ahead.

 

I have two arguments in favor of CC, and only two: Heidi of Mt. Hope and Golden Grasses, two bloggers, WTMers, and homeschoolers whom I admire greatly, both love CC. They've found something good there that you might find, too.

 

If not, come back and we'll all snark some more. Guaranteed!

[SarahW]

Does CC still do those 3-Day summer seminars? If it does, go to one and take a good look at the book table. Ask questions of the leadership. Observe the kids. Read carefully all the literature they give you.

 

I went to one of those. It was enough to convince me I would not fit into CC. Either that community or the organization as a whole.

 

ymmv

[Hyacinth]

I'm with Tibbie. If the cost isn't prohibitive and you really want that once-a-week, out-of-the-house, maybe-we'll-find-some-friends experience, then do it.

 

But do make it about the social aspect in your head because, based on what you've shared, the rest will frustrate you. (Even the highly touted art projects and science experiments will likely fall short of your expectations. Time is very limited for those aspects of the morning and this often impacts the quality of both instruction and comprehension/appreciation, imho.)

 

 

[kateingr]

Make sure you meet the director before signing up! She (or he) makes or breaks the atmosphere of the campus. I've been thrilled with my director--she follows the CC protocols, but she's flexible, kind, and truly cares about every family that's there. But it sounds like there are some overly-regimented, joyless campuses out there, and that would be no fun at all, especially when your main goal is a pleasant day socializing out of the house. (Which is my main goal, too. :) 

[paulasue]

I agree that each campus is different.  Some are very friendly and welcoming, some are very clicky and will just say "Hi" and never have a conversation with anyone new.  Just know that corporate does not require directors to refund your money if it is a bad fit, so if you get in a campus and hate it, you may have to walk away after paying for a full year.  I'd spend some time with director to get a feel for the campus.

[school17777]

Foundation level.

 

We really want/need the community of a solid group. I am enticed by the weekly science and art, but not fond of the memory work or the presentation of facts.

 

I guess it's silly to not agree with the core concept of the program, however the community... science experiements, friends, art projects. We need that or something like that we haven't been able to find, ever.

 

I am in a classical co-op that does foundations (not a cc co-op though). I joined for the exact reasons that you want to. I was up front about my reasons and they were fine with them (although the tutor that was fine with my reasons got switched to another class). My dd is the only child at home and I want her around other kids her age during the week on a regular basis, so that was my purpose for joining - not the foundation material.

 

I think this has been a beneficial year for dd, but I am not sure if I will continue next year. We are there all day because they offer other classes in the afternoon that dd stays for. It is difficult to lose a full day every week when the academics that they do there don't line up with what we are doing at home. Other families plan their science and history around the cycle.

 

I don't have time to make sure that dd is memorizing her facts each week. I play the cd during breakfast and lunchtimes, that's all that I have time for.

 

Dd has made friends with the kids in her class and I was hoping that they would get together outside of Friday's, but that hasn't happened. The families with girls don't live in the area.

 

Are you able to try it out before you join? We have families visit a couple of times before they decide.

[momacacia]

We had a similar experience socially. We met a wonderful group of girls for oldest and very nice families. Oldest did all three cycles, finishing up last year. However, it took a year or two for outside connection to develop and I took a lot of initiative. I think that may be the case with lots of things socially.

 

The science, IMO, is disjointed. The science you memorize is in no way related to the science you experiment with or discuss. It felt very unholistic to me in that sense, and part of what I love about classical is it's holistic subject nature. There's about 15 minutes/week spent on the experiment and it always felt rushed to me.

 

As others have said, if money is no issue and you have nowhere else to find people for friend development, do it. I was glad oldest did all the memory work and will do it with later kids as well, just in less than 5 hours of my time/week.

[The Crazy 4]

I joined for social reasons also.... This is our 2nd year and my daughters and I like it. I didn't at 1st, I questioned everything. But now seeing the program as a whole has put me at ease. We only do Foundations (next year Challenge A) I work as well as homeschool a 12, 5,3 and have a 8month old. I don't have lot time. Plus we love but our director and the people are great. Really blessed with our campus!

I think CC is what you want it to be. Do more of what you like, leave out what you don't.

Use your own curricula or use what they suggest.

[Storygirl]

Have you been to an information session? I went to one a couple of years ago when our family was looking for a change. I wasn't sure that CC would be the right fit for us, but I wanted to learn more before making my decision. During the presentation, I just felt more and more sure that it was NOT the right choice. By the end of the evening, I was certain that I did not want our family to join. I'm sure some people had the opposite experience and felt more certain that it was right for them as they heard the presentation.

[FO4UR]

It might be easier to find a handful of other HS moms who merely want weekly science & art (and socialization).

 

Meet at the library (or a church or other public building in your area).  Alternate teaching every 12 weeks so no one burns out, unless you find someone who loves teaching art or science.  

 

 

If you meet at the library and organize as a true co-op, it will cost only whatever you need for supplies/books, maybe add in childcare for littles under age 6 if that's an issue in the group. There are likely many other moms in your area who are looking for "just science, art, and fun!"

 

 

 

[mmasc]

FWIW, would *I* do it for the science and art? No way, definitely not worth it. Would I do it for community/friends? Yes, because I do it every week. :) We all know on this board that things have to be done for our own specific needs of our own families. That being said, we were not only coming off a 1 year deployment, but also moving to a new place (again), and pulling oldest out of PS at age 6. Simply put, my oldest (and I) needed stability and friends immediately. No time to find people who might be interested in science/art or whatever, no time to 'get to know people'. There wasn't a CC group here, so interested families started meeting bi-monthly for play dates to get to know people in the community. So it gave my kids friends quickly. Coops tend to give us people we recognize or know, but not really 'friends.' That's just not what DS needed at the time. When we move (again) in a year or less, I have no idea if I'll want to utilize CC for friends. I'll have to see if there are other quick options for befriending people. :)

[Mrs Twain]

The science experiments are weak. Don't join it for the science experiments. I say this as a CC tutor who tries hard to make the science experiments into something worthwhile. Even so, they are weak.

 

The art projects are pretty good but not worth the money if this is the main thing you are expecting to get out of the program.

 

The strengths of the program are the memory work, the oral weekly presentations, and the community. The extra science experiments and art projects are nice, but I would not join merely for them.

[blue plaid]

I totally understand the need for community -- that was why we joined a couple of years ago.  But one year was enough.  I don't regret having tried it or that year-- I did meet some nice moms but as others have said, that didn't translate into anything outside of class day, which was fine.  

 

But, as the year progressed I found myself becoming more philosophically opposed to memorization without accompanying education.  And since parents have to sit in on the classes all of the time, by February I was ready to poke my eyes out :)   It is true I could have tried to match our work at home to the curriculum to provide the accompanying education, but it seems like that would lead to a fairly jumpy curriculum with little flow/coherence, as well as being a ton of work.   And I like choosing my own curriculum.

 

SInce we only listened to the cds in the car to learn the memory work (and by spring even that didn't get done too much-- we were all tired of it) I felt like not being "all in" was putting at least one of my kids at a disadvantage as the year progressed.  Her tutor was very rewards oriented for memory work, behavior, etc.   I became concerned that my daughter would start feeling like she wasn't smart since some of the kids (who practiced the memory work regularly at home) clearly knew the material much better.  (My daughter did retain an amazing amount based on how little we reviewed -- not sure if she still knows any of it though!)  

 

So just some thoughts, but I agree with what others have said, do what you think is best for you and your family!

 

 

 

 

[G5052]

Can you visit the community you're thinking of?

 

We were part of two different communities for a total of seven years, and liked both for different reasons.  The first was a better fit academically, and the second was a better fit socially.  Every group is just a little different.

[fourisenough]

Well, I'm not going to talk you out of it. That would be hypocritical since we've just re-enrolled for next year! It will be our 3rd. It isn't a perfect fit for our family, but we get enough positives out of it that I just can't seem to give it up. With that said, I will tell you that the science projects/demonstrations/experiments are probably the weakest part of CC, followed closely by the art. 

 

However, what makes CC worth it FOR OUR FAMILY is: the great group of moms & kids with whom we get to interact every week, a lovely Director, the weekly public speaking opportunity afforded by presentation time, and both the skill and the content involved with the memory work. I make a weekly trip to the library to grab a stack of books on every possible piece of memory work, spend about 10-15 minutes previewing videos/internet content, jot it all down on my daughter's planner for the upcoming week, and we have a very cohesive, robust week of learning ahead of us. We do a full history curriculum (SOTW), but I don't attempt to align it. I don't really do a full science curriculum, but I use the weekly memory work as a spine and then pull in living books, videos, websites, and the occasional hands-on experiment, etc. I'm amazed how often a topic will pop up in life (a geographic location on CNN Student News, a history event mentioned in a literature book, a Latin word inscribed on a building) that is familiar to us via our CC memory work. It does seem like a crazy, breakneck pace and a sometimes indecipherable sequence, but who am I to judge? At the end of the 3 cycles, we will have covered it all and there will be context for everything. I love the high-quality materials (audio cd's, laminated flash cards, & maps are our go-to resources) from CC that make it all very easy to fit into our already full lives.

 

As others have suggested, if you can afford it, join a group. You may love it or you might not. It isn't for everyone, but it works for us.

[Mrs Twain]

ETA:

Joining CC just for the community may be worth it.  The most academic and rigorous homeschoolers I have met are all in CC, and they have become some of our family's best friends.  If CC is the community you want to be part of, it could be worth the time and money.

 

In contrast most of the people I have met at homeschool park day are the "better late than early" types.  That is not my cup of tea, and so I haven't found a lot of friends in those types of activities. 

 

I am speaking about my local area and CC.  The people in yours may be completely different.  I agree that visiting the CC community, such as attending an open house, is a very good idea.

[cintinative]

I am not going to speak against CC, but it is not for everyone. Is there another local co-op that would have the fun science stuff and art?  Perhaps that would work just as well. You definitely need to visit the co-op and/or CC to get an idea of the campus. All CC campuses are different.  My experience was that I was in a different socioeconomic class than a lot of people at my campus. Also the format and organization of the day (this varies by campus) made it hard for me to connect, and I grew to understand by year's end that the connection aspect was just as important to me as what my kids were learning, if not more important.  We can do art at home, and we can do music study at home.  We can do science at home. But being with women who care for me as a homeschool mom who I can have genuine friendships with is what I craved most.  Sorry I can't give you answers for your situation. I just felt like as I considered what my priorities truly were the choice became more obvious. We ended up doing a co-op and my kids get science there. We could pay for art also but choose to do it at home.  I wish you the best!!

[hicksmom]

We were involved in a CC campus for 3 years - mostly for our older son to do the grammar (EEL) and writing (IEW). Both of these were excellent. I agree with others that the atmosphere of the campus really makes it or breaks it. Meet the director, shadow the campus, and talk candidly to other families before agreeing to join up. Look for a campus that CREATIVELY presents the information, not just rote memorization and learning. Our director really thought outside of the box and made it worthwhile. My 7th grader still remembers the valuable grammar, math, and most history timeline songs.

[Sahamamama]

Foundation level.

 

We really want/need the community of a solid group.  I am enticed by the weekly science and art, but not fond of the memory work or the presentation of facts.

 

I guess it's silly to not agree with the core concept of the program, however the community... science experiments, friends, art projects. We need that or something like that we haven't been able to find, ever.

 

If you are mostly interested in the art and science, which are not the best features of CC, why not put the $$$ into dedicated art classes? Around here (Northeast US), most art classes for homeschoolers are set up for 10 week sessions, meet once a week, usually for 1 or 1.5 hours per week, and cost $10 per hour per student.

 

At the same time, you might find some science or nature study classes through your local Parks & Recreation office, a CC, or a homeschool co-op that is not CC. Our local parks department holds science classes for homeschoolers that are nearly free, and we can set up a class to meet once a month on any weekday we choose. Does your area have 4-H? Some of those clubs focus on science, ecology, or robotics. You could also look around for a Lego League or other robotics group. Another option, if you really like the idea of having a group focus on Science -- get a subscription to SuperCharged Science, gather supplies, and advertise for a group to meet at your house, the library, or a church. HTH.

[Momto4inSoCal]

We are considering CC next year also. I've read all of the complaints on here and I have thought about those complaints but I think for us it will be worth it. My kids were in school for a couple of years before I pulled them out and my oldest really wanted that school type environment so co-ops have helped her adjust to homeschooling. My middle child has a hard time in general making friends so she loves being a part of a "group". I have a few friends in CC and they are more like minded (in terms of schooling) than the moms in the co-op I am at. We pay a lot to be a part of a co-op we are in so financially it will only be a little bit more than we are already paying. I like the memorization part of CC even though I know a lot moms here don't like that part. My oldest will be in essentials. I'm on the fence about the essentials grammar. Someone is bringing me the book to look through. You aren't tied to anything so if you don't like it after a year you can drop it. I guess it's a lot of money to spend if you don't like it though. We've already been to one parent meeting and we are going to another one with a list of follow up questions. I plan on attending the practicum and open house. I think after all of that I will have a pretty good idea of how I feel about it. 

[pehp]

I think if you need to be talked out of it, you shouldn't do it! You have to base it on whether it feels right, and if it feels not right, then that's the answer!

 

We are in our third year of foundations, and it is our final year.  My son (2nd grade) has greatly benefited from making friends, the gentle presentations, etc. We do NOT use it for academics--just as a sort of enrichment/extra.  But now we are busier--with art lessons, piano lessons, and so on-and I don't feel the need to do it.  Plus, I am tired of going every week.  We will take next year off, and if I feel like we need the social interaction again (I am not interested in a traditional co-op where I have to be responsible for 'doing something'--), we can join up again.  But I am looking forward to the freedom!

 

It was a lovely experience for us simply in terms of meeting my son's needs at a certain point in time.  The emphasis on memory work at his age was pretty light/minimal.  I'm happy to have a free day in our schedule next year. Onward and upward we go!! 

[pehp]

BTW, I will agree that the science and art are *not* reasons to join, if you don't have additional reasons.  The science was shallow (and the demonstrations seemed to fall flat) and the art was a lot of "hurry up and try to draw this picture in the 25 minutes we have left".  I enjoyed CC for many reasons, but art/science were at the bottom of the list.  Just my 2cents!

[greyseal]

I know I'm echoing the sentiments of others here when I say the director and community make the difference! I had a friendly community, but because we were of a different church family, none of the other moms seemed to want to make an outside connection with our family. I am not bitter about it, or anything, but our lifestyle and family cultures just were very different. My kids were excited about seeing "Frozen" and dressing up for Halloween -- things the other kids at CC just were not doing. Midway through the year our director had already decided he wasn't continuing with CC in the future, and a lot of the verve and enthusiasm drained out of our community, since it was to clear it would be dissolved. 

 

If I were to do it again, I would join an established community that I was certain was a going concern, so that we wouldn't have to go looking for a new community in subsequent years. I would also seek out a community where members were from more than one particular church family. Most of the reason we didn't return this year is because I didn't want to shell out for another mediocre year when I would have had to enroll my pre-K 4yo (plus, he was NOT academically ready for the memory work, but would not have been allowed in the nursery). 

 

I agree with everyone who has said variations of "don't do it for the science or art." I agree you should get to know the director and people in the community before making a commitment, because they will make or break the experience.

[Suzanne115]

We did CC for one year.  In my opinion, the science and art activities were pretty weak.  At our location, they were really rushed through and my daughter thought the science experiments were really lame.  That said, our group had a lot of great people and the environment was conducive to getting to know people.  My daughter didn't like it very much at all so we didn't return the next year.  I found the experience frustrating.  It seemed really forced and fake to me. 

 

 

Good luck whatever you decide.  We have friends who love it.

 

 

Suzanne

[...................]

Sometiems you don't reallu know until you try where you and your kids will find supprt and community. Over the years we have tried. Co-ops, homeschool groups, play groups, and our community that my kids love is a mix of our swim team and a few friends they clicked with along the way, and church. My son happens to prefer his swim team friends who are really kind and inclusive over the church kids his age who stick to themselves and have no time for a new kid. It's ok with me because sometimes you just don't know where you will find yor friends and click. The people in my current homeschool group annoy me more than I can say. My friends are from swim team and church. And that's ok. It's just what worked for me.

 

So, try it out. I mean it's kind of a money commitment and there are no refunds but if you've tried other ideas and groups well then you need to keep trying!

[...................]

Ps as I say jn all my comments on these CC threads CC is more about community and accountability than anything else so you would be joining for the best reason.

[Leah_S]

This was our first year in CC (Foundations).  

 

We joined CC CHIEFLY for the social aspect.   We had been sold on the merits of classical conversations many years ago as newlyweds (in 1999), so we were doing Veritas Press (Classical Education based curricula) before we ever heard of CC.   CC actually utilized Veritas materials before it developed its own.      I was already convinced of the great value of memorization (the "Grammar" stage of the Trivium in Classical Ed) so CC didn't INITIATE this pursuit for us and thus I didn't need to join CC for this purpose.     

 

Do I think CC has good material?    Mostly.      For a child to learn all the material in CC, a kid would have to spend a few hours each week working to do so.  Of course this varies per child, but -- for my son -- it has taken him about 2 hours/week (20 minutes/day) to be able to completely MASTER all of the material in CC.     For those of you unfamiliar with CC...at the end of the year, kids are allowed (encouraged) to aim for the TITLE: "Memory Master".    To obtain this goal/honor, the child has to be able to recite all the year's material quickly/fluently/flawlessly (no errors are permitted).   It's a lot of work for both the mom and kid.  The rigor of the process is excellent for any child.  My son's having to devote himself to this goal and work at it diligently on a daily basis has been worth the money in and of itself IMO.

 

But again, our chief NEED and interest in joining CC was for the socialization component.  It has proven to be one of the best decisions we've made because both my son and I have met several "kindred spirits."  

 

I did not like giving up an entire day of our regular homeschool.  On CC Day (Mondays), we leave our home by 8:30 to get to CC by 9:00, we have our lunch there and the kids who do not have to start Essentials at 1:00 go outside even after lunch and continue playing.   We stay there and play until about 2:00 and sometimes a buddy will come over to our house from about 2:00 to 4:00 (remember that during CC class from 9:00 - Noon, the kids aren't supposed to be "socializing"; they supposed to be learning/focusing/being still/etc).    Thus, CC is an entire day for us.     So when we get through with the afternoon play date, we still have our main subjects to do which for us are Math, English and Piano.    I do the other subjects (that we WOULD have done on Mondays in the past) on Saturdays.    Thus Monday evenings we have about 2 hours of school (math, english, piano) and on Saturdays we have about 2 to 3 hours of school remaining to get all of our regular school done.

 

 

[Leah_S]

BTW, I will agree that the science and art are *not* reasons to join, if you don't have additional reasons.  The science was shallow (and the demonstrations seemed to fall flat) and the art was a lot of "hurry up and try to draw this picture in the 25 minutes we have left".  I enjoyed CC for many reasons, but art/science were at the bottom of the list.  Just my 2cents!

I agree completely.    Your group has an entire 25 minutes for art?!?!!  seems like we get about 8 minutes!   The in-class art time is nothing spectacular.  

 

The science MEMORIZATION component is reasonable and the Science incorporated in the History Cards (famous Scientists/Science memory cards) are REALLY good but the in-class science is certainly not the reason to join.    

 

One of our moms did lead about a 6 week ART focus/workshop which went from 11:00 to 12:00 (the last hour), and THAT was good and provided a good amount of time for art, but that was the extent of the art.

[matrips]

This was our first year in CC (Foundations).

 

We joined CC CHIEFLY for the social aspect. We had been sold on the merits of classical conversations many years ago as newlyweds (in 1999), so we were doing Veritas Press (Classical Education based curricula) before we ever heard of CC. CC actually utilized Veritas materials before it developed its own. I was already convinced of the great value of memorization (the "Grammar" stage of the Trivium in Classical Ed) so CC didn't INITIATE this pursuit for us and thus I didn't need to join CC for this purpose.

 

Do I think CC has good material? Mostly. For a child to learn all the material in CC, a kid would have to spend a few hours each week working to do so. Of course this varies per child, but -- for my son -- it has taken him about 2 hours/week (20 minutes/day) to be able to completely MASTER all of the material in CC. For those of you unfamiliar with CC...at the end of the year, kids are allowed (encouraged) to aim for the TITLE: "Memory Master". To obtain this goal/honor, the child has to be able to recite all the year's material with no help from the teacher/mom; the child is allowed only 3 errors; any more than this and the child is disqualified and doesn't earn this title. It's a lot of work for both the mom and kid. The rigor of the process is excellent for any child. My son's having to devote himself to this goal and work at it diligently on a daily basis has been worth the money in and of itself IMO.

 

But again, our chief NEED and interest in joining CC was for the socialization component. It has proven to be one of the best decisions we've made because both my son and I have met several "kindred spirits."

 

I did not like giving up an entire day of our regular homeschool. On CC Day (Mondays), we leave our home by 8:30 to get to CC by 9:00, we have our lunch there and the kids who do not have to start Essentials at 1:00 go outside even after lunch and continue playing. We stay there and play until about 2:00 and sometimes a buddy will come over to our house from about 2:00 to 4:00 (remember that during CC class from 9:00 - Noon, the kids aren't supposed to be "socializing"; they supposed to be learning/focusing/being still/etc). Thus, CC is an entire day for us. So when we get through with the afternoon play date, we still have our main subjects to do which for us are Math, English and Piano. I do the other subjects (that we WOULD have done on Mondays in the past) on Saturdays. Thus Monday evenings we have about 2 hours of school (math, english, piano) and on Saturdays we have about 2 to 3 hours of school remaining to get all of our regular school done.

Just curious. Each cc group we've done ( we've moved a bit), there are zero mistakes allowed for memory master. The three mistakes is just to pass on to the second round of proofing. But by the third round, it must all be perfect. As does the fourth round with the director. Does yours really allow the title of memory master for someone that has made mistakes? Or did I misunderstand what you wrote?

[mom31257]

Just the fact that you want to be talked out of it says a lot. I know I don't want to be part of the CC which is in my area. They mostly come from one, hyper-Calvinism church, and I heard the same legalism carried over into the organization. 

 

When I wanted those things, I formed my own co-op with friends who had a desire for it as well. It's been more cost-effective, we mutually decide what we are going to have in our classes, and the kids already knew each other. Unless these are students your children already know, you aren't guaranteed they are actually going to make any real friends.

 

 

 

 

[Momto4inSoCal]

We decided to join after going to an open house. My daughters are both going to do essentials. To be honest I like essential better than foundations. I still haven't decided how I feel about the challenge program. In essentials they do grammar, math games and iew. To me this makes all the difference because I won't feel like we are losing a day to CC.

[pehp]

I agree completely.    Your group has an entire 25 minutes for art?!?!!  seems like we get about 8 minutes!   The in-class art time is nothing spectacular.  

 

The science MEMORIZATION component is reasonable and the Science incorporated in the History Cards (famous Scientists/Science memory cards) are REALLY good but the in-class science is certainly not the reason to join.    

 

One of our moms did lead about a 6 week ART focus/workshop which went from 11:00 to 12:00 (the last hour), and THAT was good and provided a good amount of time for art, but that was the extent of the art.

 

We get 30 minutes, but by the time the kids settle in, look at an artist's work, get their smocks on, and get instructions, I think it *is* about 8 minutes of working time!!! ;) 

[Mrs Twain]

ETA:

This year in cycle 3, the first half of the year science was anatomy, including putting together a paper body.  That was great.

[EowynR]

Ok - I won't talk you in or out of CC, but you need to be on board with the memory work before you join. Your children may feel discouraged if they are not keeping up with the class or if you have a negative attitude.

 

I see CC as a memory work period class, to strengthen the neural networks in my children's brains. I think science has proven that brain training is an incredibly important skill for life. As a mom who has been in CC, I now have thousands of facts memorized myself, and it's proven invaluable for me in teaching my children at home.

I have four days outside of CC to work on my own curriculum. We use a few short hours a week and in the car for CC memory work. It's *good* memory work. It's full of important history dates and people, geography, math, science, Latin, and English grammar. The grammar memorization alone will be amazing when it comes to learning a second language. I'm not a huge fan of skip counting, but it's also helped me. My kids had to work hard on the multiplication facts at CC after they turned 10, but they were successful, and they memorized their times tables up to 15. They later joined other co-ops and were sort of stunned at how the other kids didn't know formulas and theories.

http://www.medicaldaily.com/math-skills-childhood-can-permanently-affect-brain-formation-later-life-298516

 

The science projects and art are fun, but they are not in any way the major strength of the program. I say this as a former director and tutor. I tried very hard to make science and art time meaningful and to help the students by repetition and learning in those areas, but not all tutors have a liberal arts background and are capable of putting in the effort, although some will be very good. It will depend on the tutor. Perhaps you could put them in a class with a local art teacher, and/or sign up for instrument lessons. That would be more valuable perhaps. All the science projects are taken out of one book of experiments for kids. It's fairly weak, but it is kind of fun.

 

I will also say with gratitude that over the course of eight years I have made at least 100 CC mom (and dad) friends, and for that I will be eternally grateful, so it's not something to be discounted, either.

 

[Leah_S]

Just curious. Each cc group we've done ( we've moved a bit), there are zero mistakes allowed for memory master. The three mistakes is just to pass on to the second round of proofing. But by the third round, it must all be perfect. As does the fourth round with the director. Does yours really allow the title of memory master for someone that has made mistakes? Or did I misunderstand what you wrote?

Yes you're right!  Thank you for pointing out this for me.   I'm new to CC and misunderstood the rigor/high standard to earn this honor.   They're allowed a few errors only in the proofing process but none on the final testing.   I've edited my post to say this.  

 

Thanks again! 

 

 

 

I found this link also on the subject of MEMORY MASTER also should someone be interested:

 

https://ccoalexandria.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/memorymasterguide1-7-14-jf3-final.pdf

[jetzmama]

Didn't read through all of these, so it may have been mentioned, but if not:  Know that most, if not all, of the friends your kids make in Foundations will likely move on to Challenge.  Which means your kids will want to move on to Challenge to stay with their friends.  Challenge is an amazing program on multiple fronts, but it, not you, will drive your curriculum choices, assignments, and schedules once you reach that level.  Many find this aspect of Challenge freeing, others find it constraining.   Pulling kids away from their friends in the middle/high school years is some kind of tough, so I would encourage you to take a long term view, considering if you believe the rigors, curriculum, and schedules being pre-set will be a good fit for your family or not.  

[Beth in Mint Hill]

... If the cost isn't prohibitive and you really want that once-a-week, out-of-the-house, maybe-we'll-find-some-friends experience, then do it. <snip>

 

Might I suggest that you create your own "once-a-week, out-of-the-house, maybe-we'll-find-some-friends experience."  It will be a lot cheaper and more rewarding!    :tongue_smilie:  

[musicianmom]

You would have to pay ME to sit through a CC class. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by musicianmom

[bethben]

You would have to pay ME to sit through a CC class.

 

I know!!!  As I think about joining any co-op, I just want to make sure that I don't actually have to sit through the classes my children take.  Put me in a study hall helping with algebra, papers, anything!  Just don't make me sit through my kid's classes.  When we were in CC, the whole day was draining - just sitting there - doing the same thing week after week...sitting...pretending to be enthusiastic...sitting...trying to keep kids behaving so the teacher could teach (sorry---tutor---model for the parents---whatever)...sitting...YAWN.