If you can't/don't want to join CC (Classical Conversations) for whatever reason(s), which....

[celeryseedling]

If you can't/don't want to join CC (Classical Conversations) for whatever reason(s), in which of its course offerings do you most lament your kid not being able to participate?

And why?

 

I'll kick it off...

 

I wish we could participate in the literature discussions and debates and science threads of Challenge A because I'd like my kids to have more opportunities to learn to respectively and properly debate and reason in peer group where there are varying opinions.

 

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

I worry that this is a troll.

 

Seems like a strange post for someone with ONE post on this forum.

[Petrichor]

We don't do classical conversations and I don't need to lament anything.

 

We homeschool for the flexibility in curriculum choices and teaching methods. 

 

We homeschool so our school day ISN'T 6 hours long. 

 

If I wanted my kids in school, they'd be in school. 

 

We run the other way when we see things that are heavily marketed/advertised.

 

There are tons of ways to teach how to respectfully debate and reason without using Classical Conversations. 

 

And I do sort of wonder how many "varying opinions" really would exist among students in a program like Classical Conversations. Aren't they a relatively homogenous group (religiously, racially, and economically speaking)?

[HSmomof2]

We’re doing CC this year, and the only thing I lament is the way we used to homeschool. IMO, CC is highly overrated, way overpriced, and not all that academically impressive.

Edited March 1, 2018 by HSmomof2

[brehon]

Absolutely nothing...

[HomeAgain]

It's an interesting first post.

 

I'll bite.  My answer is nothing.  During Dec/Jan I may look longingly at the nice, neat items in CC, but I know I'll never bite.  It is an expensive, over-inflated MLM-style school.  I'd rather spend money on quality classes tailored to my kid and not have him lock-step by age.

[....]

Yeah, I've never looked longingly at CC, either.  Sorry!

[Mommyof1]

I want to be the one to teach my kid.

 

I like to pick our curriculum and when she is older she gets too.

 

I don't want to have to schedule our lives around classes. Other then extra curricular.

 

The only group thing I'm interested in is park days, playgroups and field trips.

[marbel]

I don't understand the question.

 

If I didn't want to join CC, why would I lament not joining it?

 

If I couldn't join CC, there would be no point to lamenting not joining it.  

 

 

 

I wish we could participate in the literature discussions and debates and science threads of Challenge A because I'd like my kids to have more opportunities to learn to respectively and properly debate and reason in peer group where there are varying opinions.

 

There are other ways to do this other than joining CC, assuming there are other homeschoolers around (or even schoolkids who might be interested in after-school literature club, etc).

[nixpix5]

Hmmmm...maybe because she saw that this board leaned classical homeschooling that we all were pro CC.

 

I am most definitely not fond of CC. I entertained it for a season when I first started homeschooling because I wanted a community. I got over that quick when I met with the directors and they seemed cultish and clueless. I have since found my peeps as have my children. I am not sure where you live if you have ample other options but if you do, take those. No need to pay a fortune for subpar education.

[Ms.Ivy]

It is pretty easy to set up a literature discussion group with homeschool kids, without CC. Many of the homeschoolers I know have their kids in book clubs at some point. I grant that it might seem hard to find other homeschoolers to do this with, but I am from the old homeschooling days when everyone just met at a park each week and found each other that way. If we want our kids to discuss lit together, we arrange it. That is what I have been doing for the past few years and how I found my own community. No big $$ needed. I am willing to go places and invite people over, though. Even people with whom we disagree. I think it is a lot more interesting this way than CC. I have known some families that wanted the accountability and structure from CC to get school done, but I can't think of anything that is missing from my life that CC would provide.

[bethben]

I found a classical Christian co-op that does have all of the op wants. The difference is, one tutor is not expected to do it all. The co-op I found has teachers for different subjects who can actually devote time to one subject and do a good job on their one subject rather than trying to do a good job on six subjects. I’d much rather have a mock trial experience with someone who only taught government type classes and actually has time to do a mock trial well rather than an overworked homeschool mom who is trying to pull off a mock trial in the midst of having to teach/learn a ton of other subjects at the same time.

 

 

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[8filltheheart]

Lol, bc no one can do those things without paying a ridiculous amt to the auspicious CC. (I'm on my phone, and I don't know how to make a green emoji. :))

 

Book clubs have been around forever. Libraries often even have teen and kid ones--free and far more diverse than CC.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Laughing so hard...whether this is an attempt at trolling or market research, I would still recommend The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer to anyone interested in classical education.

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

TROLL

[KeriJ]

Or someone who wants to let go of CC and is having a hard time making the decision. I have a few friends irl that asked this type of question when they were nervous about leaving CC after doing it for so long. I've asked this type of question before when making a tough decision. Not fair to call someone a troll.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I don't want to join CC because there is nothing there that I can't teach my own children better at home.  If I felt like there was stuff that they could teach better than I would consider it. 

[purpleowl]

This person had one other post a few weeks ago, indicating that she was trying to decide whether CC's Challenge A would work for her child this fall. I don't think she's trolling. I think she's looking for others who find CC appealing but ultimately don't do it, for whatever reason.

 

I do think there are others like you, OP, but many of us on these boards are non-CCers without any sort of longing for CC. So I'm not sure how helpful our responses will be, other than to reassure you that it's entirely possible to homeschool well apart from CC.

[HSmomof2]

Or someone who wants to let go of CC and is having a hard time making the decision. I have a few friends irl that asked this type of question when they were nervous about leaving CC after doing it for so long. I've asked this type of question before when making a tough decision. Not fair to call someone a troll.

Agree......I’m struggling with whether or not to continue as well for dd. Neither of us like it academically, but literally all of her friends are there. She is afraid she’ll drift away from her friends, and so am I. She spent so much time lonely and wanting friends. Now, she has a nice group of close friends at CC. It’s a steep price to pay for friends, but it’s probably what I’ll do.

[mamaraby]

Not Christian so CC foundationally doesn’t appeal to me.

 

If I was looking for social opportunities and my kids were having difficulties getting enough of that with what we do presently, then they’d be going to school. We’re just too many years in, have spent too much time trying to find it within homeschool circles, and consequently I have zero forks left to give for that nonsense.

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

Well ok if you’re not a troll I’ll answer :

Nothing

 

CC does not fit my needs or my children and we’ve always been able to find consistent friend groups through other venues.

 

Having a good co-op or support group is almost a must. But CC? Never fit.

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

Agree......I’m struggling with whether or not to continue as well for dd. Neither of us like it academically, but literally all of her friends are there. She is afraid she’ll drift away from her friends, and so am I. She spent so much time lonely and wanting friends. Now, she has a nice group of close friends at CC. It’s a steep price to pay for friends, but it’s probably what I’ll do.

In this case what I would do, is stick with it unless the academics really aren’t working. If you start to get to that point, and I’ve done this, is to start to get your foot in the door at another social venue that meets every week, whether it’s sports or another co-op. If your dd is really Happy making

Friends at the second place then you could drop CC

[HSmomof2]

In this case what I would do, is stick with it unless the academics really aren’t working. If you start to get to that point, and I’ve done this, is to start to get your foot in the door at another social venue that meets every week, whether it’s sports or another co-op. If your dd is really Happy making

Friends at the second place then you could drop CC

Agree. The problem here is CC has destroyed the other regular co-ops that used to be available. Dd is only in middle school currently, so we can live with the academics at this point. CC thins out in the upper level Challenge levels anyway. Hopefully by then, her friends will also be making other schooling choices, and she’ll have a wider base of friends/activities through other activities.

[Mimm]

Agree. The problem here is CC has destroyed the other regular co-ops that used to be available. Dd is only in middle school currently, so we can live with the academics at this point. CC thins out in the upper level Challenge levels anyway. Hopefully by then, her friends will also be making other schooling choices, and she’ll have a wider base of friends/activities through other activities.

 

 

There are so many CC chapters in my town that I think about joining one every now and then just to meet the other homeschoolers in the area. It just seems so wildly overpriced for what it is. :(

[desertstrawberry5]

I sat in on a day of CC after hearing a glowing report from other moms.

I was disappointed that they weren't offering anything more than what we already did at home, except a pseudo classroom, which to me is not an advantage. We were using better materials, and my presentation is better. My kids were more engaged with less busywork. 

I nearly fainted when I saw the price. 

 

I would have liked that kind of consistent social interaction with a stable peer group. 

[G5052]

We did it for seven years until it wasn't meeting our needs. I felt like it was mostly worthwhile for us, but after awhile it wasn't. We were less happy with Challenge and felt much better about the earlier programs.

 

For us, paying for a few online courses was a better buy. I preferred paying for what I really needed when I needed it versus the one-size-fits-all of Challenge.

[HSmomof2]

There are so many CC chapters in my town that I think about joining one every now and then just to meet the other homeschoolers in the area. It just seems so wildly overpriced for what it is. :(

It is wildly overpriced for what it is.

[Itsnotasprint]

If you think there aren't other hs groups in your area, go online and see what you can find. Surely not everyone is in CC, there has to be some families who didn't fall prey to cc.  Try looking for group music lessons, ice skating lessons, book discussions at the library, classes for home educators at the zoo, museum, or local community college. If you are okay with a church group, call local churches to see if any of them have a group of homeschoolers that meet (they just might not advertise it). Find local evaluators and ask them if they know of any groups that meet for classes or social activities. Maybe check facebook for a local group?

 

If these friends can't be bothered with your daughter outside of  CC, then maybe it is time to seek out other friends.

I started posting here when I had a terrible experience with a CC director who made false assumptions and accusations. I searched old posts here and read for hours. I felt rather foolish for having been sucked into CC after everything I read here.  I sold and gave away my materials. I have a few things left, but will never use them because it was a bad ending and I don't want to be reminded of it. 

 

To answer your question, there is nothing I regret about not being involved in cc anymore. As far as being in group with various opinions, I watched the peer pressure in the Essentials class when they had to take a side on an opinion paper for the IEW lesson.  Nope, I don't miss it at all.

[HSmomof2]

If you think there aren't other hs groups in your area, go online and see what you can find. Surely not everyone is in CC, there has to be some families who didn't fall prey to cc. Try looking for group music lessons, ice skating lessons, book discussions at the library, classes for home educators at the zoo, museum, or local community college. If you are okay with a church group, call local churches to see if any of them have a group of homeschoolers that meet (they just might not advertise it). Find local evaluators and ask them if they know of any groups that meet for classes or social activities. Maybe check facebook for a local group?

 

If these friends can't be bothered with your daughter outside of CC, then maybe it is time to seek out other friends.

I started posting here when I had a terrible experience with a CC director who made false assumptions and accusations. I searched old posts here and read for hours. I felt rather foolish for having been sucked into CC after everything I read here. I sold and gave away my materials. I have a few things left, but will never use them because it was a bad ending and I don't want to be reminded of it.

 

To answer your question, there is nothing I regret about not being involved in cc anymore. As far as being in group with various opinions, I watched the peer pressure in the Essentials class when they had to take a side on an opinion paper for the IEW lesson. Nope, I don't miss it at all.

We’ve homeschooled a long time.....in our area CC has replaced the traditional co-ops. There are some homeschool activities in the area—Park days, library events, some arts/crafts, gymnastics, etc. geared to the younger crowd. But, my dc are teens, and aren’t interested in hanging out with 5-10 year olds. Plus, their school work takes a lot longer now than when we could easily be done by noon. When some friends from our old co-op invited us to try CC, we decided to give it a chance for this year. Dd has made a nice group of friends and does see them outside of CC. But, she spends 6 hours with them at CC, and without that, she would likely feel a little ‘outside’ the group. These are middle school girls after all. Ideally, yes, things would be fine if she didn’t do CC, or she could just find new friends.....but we spent too much time with virtually no friends to risk it now. For us, CC’s social benefits for dd currently outweigh the negatives. Once that changes, I’ll gladly leave it behind.

[Itsnotasprint]

Is your question really then how many other people are in cc for the social benefits? Are you looking for support in what you feel is a less than ideal educational environment and you want to focus on the good things about the current situation?    I have a 15 yr old who wants social opportunities and I'm looking in the areas I suggested in my previous post, so I really do understand the desire/need for friendships. I've got a few leads and will be pursuing them.  

 

 

[HSmomof2]

Is your question really then how many other people are in cc for the social benefits? Are you looking for support in what you feel is a less than ideal educational environment and you want to focus on the good things about the current situation? I have a 15 yr old who wants social opportunities and I'm looking in the areas I suggested in my previous post, so I really do understand the desire/need for friendships. I've got a few leads and will be pursuing them.

No, I’m sorry, I’m not the op. My original response was that I wouldn’t lament missing anything from CC. We’re only doing it for social reasons currently, and I am certain it’s what is best for dd. I just won’t miss it when we’re done, and I definitely think it’s overpriced and overrated.

[8filltheheart]

We moved to an area that has lots of co-ops and CCs. I am not interested in either. I put announcements in several church bulletins stating that I was forming a group for families to connect for social and volunteer activities. I had something like 12-14 families respond. We had a planning meeting at my house with just moms and dads in attendance, and we have a calendar of activities planned--everything from a family campout, bike riding, volunteering in an assisted living community, to a mom's book club.

 

There are families out there that want to connect outside of co-op type environments. (Fwiw, we are in a rural area and I advertised in about 45 min radius.)

[matrips]

I’m not sure that you find that debate and discussion. We had looked at Challenge; however, it was suggested by the tutor that it would not be a good fit since my kids might be disruptive or might distress the other students since we had different (though still Christian beliefs). She thought exchanging different ideas might make the other students ‘uncomfortable’.

 

Another Challenge, farther away, that we looked at put priority on kids that were extremely local (and belonged to the same church).

 

My kids are loving their Literature and Debate classes at a local coop. So much better! And a wonderful variety of classmates and ages. I am extremely grateful that Challenge was not an option for us!

[Junie]

I don't even know what CC offers.  I took one look at the price and was done.

[celeryseedling]

I worry that this is a troll.

 

Seems like a strange post for someone with ONE post on this forum.

What's a troll post?

I'm too new to forum to have learned what constitutes a "strange" or a troll post. What's so strange about my post?

 

I asked this because I'm thinking about offering ONE course to folks like me who don't want to do CC (because it'd take over my homeschool curricula choices, eat up way too many hours, etc) yet I'm wondering if there are a few common denominators(common gaps) that you members can share so that I can decide which course would interest moms.

 

I'd like to offer a one hour class where kids can do the class then freely socialize for 2-3 hours afterwards. As a mom I'd like to have a group of ladies with whom I can socialize. My son needs the same.

 

The social aspect of CC is the main thing that ever interested me.

 

 

 

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[celeryseedling]

I worry that this is a troll.

 

Seems like a strange post for someone with ONE post on this forum.

I don't even know what a troll is [emoji4]

 

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[celeryseedling]

I worry that this is a troll.

 

Seems like a strange post for someone with ONE post on this forum.

What's a troll?

 

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[celeryseedling]

I don't lament a single thing.

 

Is this a troll post?

I need to google "troll post"?

 

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[celeryseedling]

It's an interesting first post.

 

I'll bite. My answer is nothing. During Dec/Jan I may look longingly at the nice, neat items in CC, but I know I'll never bite. It is an expensive, over-inflated MLM-style school. I'd rather spend money on quality classes tailored to my kid and not have him lock-step by age.

What's MLM?

 

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[celeryseedling]

I want to be the one to teach my kid.

 

I like to pick our curriculum and when she is older she gets too.

 

I don't want to have to schedule our lives around classes. Other then extra curricular.

 

The only group thing I'm interested in is park days, playgroups and field trips.

All of your reasons are the exact reasons we're getting out of cc

 

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[HSmomof2]

What's a troll post?

I'm too new to forum to have learned what constitutes a "strange" or a troll post. What's so strange about my post?

 

I asked this because I'm thinking about offering ONE course to folks like me who don't want to do CC (because it'd take over my homeschool curricula choices, eat up way too many hours, etc) yet I'm wondering if there are a few common denominators(common gaps) that you members can share so that I can decide which course would interest moms.

 

I'd like to offer a one hour class where kids can do the class then freely socialize for 2-3 hours afterwards. As a mom I'd like to have a group of ladies with whom I can socialize. My son needs the same.

 

The social aspect of CC is the main thing that ever interested me.

 

 

—————————————————————-

Your post and idea isn’t strange.....that’s how co-ops used to be before CC came into the picture. We had two co-ops in our area where families got together weekly and parents taught something they knew/were interested in/wanted their dc to experience in a group. We had music, art, PE, literature, history, science, cooking. baking, sewing, choir, drama, etc offered at different times. Those that didn’t teach helped in other ways. Teachers got a small honorarium and families paid for their own supplies. Kids and parents socialized. It generally worked pretty well. Then, a couple of the leaders got pulled into CC’s MLM model and eventually convinced enough others to go with them.....then the co-ops fell apart. I’m certain this hasn’t only happened where we live. CC has only been in our area for 5-7 years.....

 

 

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[celeryseedling]

Or someone who wants to let go of CC and is having a hard time making the decision. I have a few friends irl that asked this type of question when they were nervous about leaving CC after doing it for so long. I've asked this type of question before when making a tough decision. Not fair to call someone a troll.

Not fair at all. Sadly, I think this will be my last post.

 

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[celeryseedling]

This person had one other post a few weeks ago, indicating that she was trying to decide whether CC's Challenge A would work for her child this fall. I don't think she's trolling. I think she's looking for others who find CC appealing but ultimately don't do it, for whatever reason.

 

I do think there are others like you, OP, but many of us on these boards are non-CCers without any sort of longing for CC. So I'm not sure how helpful our responses will be, other than to reassure you that it's entirely possible to homeschool well apart from CC.

Thank you for your kindness

 

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[celeryseedling]

Agree......I’m struggling with whether or not to continue as well for dd. Neither of us like it academically, but literally all of her friends are there. She is afraid she’ll drift away from her friends, and so am I. She spent so much time lonely and wanting friends. Now, she has a nice group of close friends at CC. It’s a steep price to pay for friends, but it’s probably what I’ll do.

We're in cc now and aren't returning this fall

 

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[celeryseedling]

Agree. The problem here is CC has destroyed the other regular co-ops that used to be available. Dd is only in middle school currently, so we can live with the academics at this point. CC thins out in the upper level Challenge levels anyway. Hopefully by then, her friends will also be making other schooling choices, and she’ll have a wider base of friends/activities through other activities.

Exactly!! CC has done this in my community. It's pretty much CC or nothing here. Now that we're getting out I want to offer a single course that'd appeal to many that would provide the one subject (wouldn't take over one's curricula /time too much) and afterwards the kids and moms could visit/socialize for 2-3 hours. Wanted to pick your brains for what subject would appeal. I now am thoroughly convinced that I did so in a convoluted way.

 

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[lots of little ducklings]

Not fair at all. Sadly, I think this will be my last post.

 

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Thank you for your original post, celeryseedling ....it was an excellent question.    I hope you continue posting.  :)

 

CC tends to elicit some intense responses on both sides on these forums (and there have been troll-like posts in the past).   

 

To answer your original post, my family has had a great experience in Foundations, but between the cost/commitment involved in Challenge, and the fact that Essentials and Challenge will likely be a poor fit for at least one of my children, we probably won't move beyond Foundations.

 

We have an excellent, well-established UM-type program in our area, which I could use in high school if I wanted debate/discussion outside our home.  And I have friends doing a casual co-op for IEW because they liked the program, but hated the pace of Essentials.  

 

So for me, at least, I'd be interested in non-CC classes that cover those topics. 

[celeryseedling]

Is your question really then how many other people are in cc for the social benefits? Are you looking for support in what you feel is a less than ideal educational environment and you want to focus on the good things about the current situation? I have a 15 yr old who wants social opportunities and I'm looking in the areas I suggested in my previous post, so I really do understand the desire/need for friendships. I've got a few leads and will be pursuing them.

I know of no leads. There are two homeschool groups in my area... CC and another coop that is so exclusive/hyper-conservative that we'd never mesh. There's taekwondo, tennis, mixed martial arts, swim teams, gymnastics, and the like but these, like CC, are not really for socializing. The kids aren't supposed to be socializing during the instruction or implantation of these lessons. I need my child to have a group of peers who meet for the MAIN purpose of socialization. I don't mind taking on a single course (book club, Art of argument, speech and debate, etc ; (this class would be serious /appropriately rigorous) for them to do prior to socializing but I don't know what course to offer (I'll have to advertise it). I'm not the only person in my area who's in this exact boat of not wanting to do CC and yet missing aspects of it. I have friends who can't join for finances; I have a friend who can't return because she's having her 5th baby in July and it wears her out to drag them all to CC weekly; then there's me who likes to choose the curricula that fits US, that doesnt want to add 6 hours a day of school to our 2-3 hours of pre-existing non-negotiables, and who wants to teach my own kid. Yet all of us who aren't returning will lament(.. This Verb has caught flack... So let's say "will be bummed") .... Yet all of us who aren't returning will be bummed about missing out on some aspects of the program. So... I've got opinions from 2 gals (other than myself) about what she'll miss and what she'd sign up for and wanted to get MORE imput... thus my post.

 

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[celeryseedling]

We moved to an area that has lots of co-ops and CCs. I am not interested in either. I put announcements in several church bulletins stating that I was forming a group for families to connect for social and volunteer activities. I had something like 12-14 families respond. We had a planning meeting at my house with just moms and dads in attendance, and we have a calendar of activities planned--everything from a family campout, bike riding, volunteering in an assisted living community, to a mom's book club.

 

There are families out there that want to connect outside of co-op type environments. (Fwiw, we are in a rural area and I advertised in about 45 min radius.)

Really great ideas. Thanks

 

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

I’m truly sorry celery. CC has torn many countless homeschool communities apart, abused many of its members, misuses marketing techniques, and is a pyramid scheme. So, it causes a lot of flare ups here.

 

Anyway,

For younger kids I have found that sticking to old fashioned support group type activities works. Meet weekly, at a home or rented park pavilion. Week one can be just play and talk, week two can be a craft or art project and then kids play, week three can be the monthly party (non scary Halloween, thanksgiving, Christmas, new year’s valentines, saint patricks day, Easter, May Day, end of school year. Each party should have a game or craft and something to do that the kids might take home) week four can be a field trip. Try to keep it local. In the beginning you and one other mom can do it all and then as the group grows you can start assigning positions. People should pay a small dues to cover costs of rental and crafts and they pay the dues regardless of whether they attend, up front, in quarterly payments. Usually about 20.00 per family. Field trips should be as local as possible otherwise people won’t go, and at first they can be you just going someplace without a docent, but once the group grows enough you can enforce more rules, arrange the trips ahead of time and therefore the places you go will provide you with a docent.

 

This is similar to how our old support group in Florida worked and it was awesome!

[celeryseedling]

:grouphug:

 

Don't feel foolish. I've hung out here for years and I still tried CC this year, despite having read (and participated) in many of those threads and having more misgivings than I can list. I tried to talk myself into it despite my intuition. Our homeschool group abruptly eneded, my kids were desperate for some sort of group, and I paniced and thought I could overcome my deep seated feeling that CC is a rip. I was wrong. We made it less than two months and I felt a little bit of my soul died on every meeting day. I had to drop out. The kids were sad we left like we did, but they didn't get that we were sacrificing all of that time for 20 minutes on a playground. I'm trying to start local park get togethers instead now. Never again will I go against my gut like that. At least I hope! But I don't feel foolish. You shouldn't either. We were just trying to do right by our kids and not everything it going to work. Better now than in five years! It's just a live and learn type of thing.

You captured my exact thoughts on MANY a CC day.... I go through ALL this for him to enjoy 20-30 minutes on a playground.

 

I will say that I have met some really great friends from CC. So this good has come from it.

 

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