[TxBec]

Nice to meet ya! I see you are going to start (or HOPING to) Classical Education next year. Is that a program, book, or ?? I guess we can say we have been unschoolers (or maybe more relaxed homeschoolers). We've done the Saxon and several other sources, a little of this and a little of that (Writing Strands, Streams of Civ, etc, and LOTS of History and Discovery Channel).

This next year we are going to go with more structure (I have a soon to be 9th grader), so we need to really clamp down. I'm going to be signing up with MODG (Mother of Divine Grace.) If any of you have read Laura Berquist's book, Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum, this is what we will be following.

[TxBec]

Ok. FYI, this is the ping list as of now:

2JedisMom;homeschoolmama;BallandPowder;ffrancone;whyisatexasgirlinPA;WIMom;oldfriend;dd5339;vic3o3;masongal

[Vic3O3]

Look up Covenant Home for a classical curriculum. Some folks in our area have had great success with their products.

[homeschool mama]

There are different approaches to the classical philosophy of education, Tx. I have a description around here someplace...I'll find it and post.

[Marie Antoinette]

I need to update my page I guess :-)

We started Latin in August last year and then *cough* quit. It was my own fault, not very confident in Latin I guess. We are going to start it again this year, I have flashcards and some help for myself too, so I shouldn't flounder too badly this time. We are using Latina Christiana I, Famous Men of Rome, and my neighbor loaned me her Usborne book about ancient Rome. Very neat. For my little one I did purchase the Phonics Tutor CD of Alpha Phonics. And for math we are using Christian Light workbooks. They really like having their own workbooks and it helps me because they are laid out very well, basic, and you don't have to be a math genius to help your kids :-)

This past year we've mostly concentrated on reading, math, and handwriting. Both of my boys learned to read in public school, and I can see they didn't get a true phonics program so I'm going to remediate them into the Phonics CD. The first several lessons will be very easy and they will probably like it.

This year we spent maybe 1 1/2 hours on schooling throughout the day, and a lot of stuff they pick up just from reading what's lying around. I let them read anytime they want, even at 10pm. My 10 year old is finally loving reading and eating every Hardy Boys book in the neighborhood!

I hate when people ask what "grade" they are in, because we don't "do" grades at all. I guess my oldest would be in 5th. Some things he doesn't do that other 5th graders do (when DO they teach long division these days?), but he's knowledgeable about a LOT more than what is taught in school.

I understand about having to crack down when you reach the high school level, my neighbor and best friend has two teens and she says its more time consuming than ever!

Happy homeschooling!

[SuziQ]

We're doing the Classical thing too. Our kids are about halfway through Amer. History; they'll finish up around December. After that they are both going to use the TRISMS program. It is in the classical model in that everything is studied chronologically, but the lesson plans are done for you. I'll still use "The Well Trained Mind" as a resource to get more info on reference books and reading suggestions. Our daughter will start on the four year high school sequence, but our son who will be in 7th will do a two year (well, one and a half) sequence of world history from pre-history to the present by studying Science, Inventions and Exploration. They'll both be reading Great Books and Historical Fiction that tie in to the era being studied.

[whenigettime]

Have you read "The Well Trained Mind" by Jessie and Susan Bauer (mom and daughter). It is also of the ClassEd mindset.

We will be using Rod and Staff for our first years as well as the TATRAS phonics and Math U See (if I can find a used version of Math U See, I'll buy it...)