Can we have a Classical thread? - Page 3

[Relynn]

Is Ambelside a Classical Education?
Rebeeca

[LoveBaby]

Originally Posted by Relynn

Is Ambelside a Classical Education?
Rebeeca

No, Ambleside isn't classical. It's based on the ideas of Charlotte Mason, who believed that great literature, "living books", short lessons and a liberal education were more beneficial to the student than dry textbooks.

Ambleside doesn't follow a 4yr. history cycle either. The booklist is amazing though and it does offer a very vigorous liberal education!

[angelak2008]

Hi there-
This is my first post on this thread, and I could use some opinions on our situation...
I am pretty convinced I want to do Classical home schooling with my kids (DD is 2, DS will be here in April), and my husband is almost on board I have fallen in love with The Well-Trained Mind, and want to do a close modeling of it when the time comes, minus some of the religiously-based curriculum.

But here's my question.
I've been doing a parent-participation nursery school with DD this year, and she loves it. It's very play-based, and a sweet little school. We intend to do it next year as well, given her positive reaction and enjoyment of it. Is this bizarre? That I want to home school but we are doing a nursery program? My current thought is that I will begin supplementing/doing phonics in the next year, and in the meantime, she and I will make some friendships we can hopefully hang on to when they all go off to elementary school/home school. This year, the class is one day a week for 2 hours, with me there the whole time. Next year, it's 2 days a week for 2.5 hours, one day I'm there, one day I'm not. My MIL will stay with our baby on the morning I am at school, which is as ideal a situation as I can manufacture.

I would really love some feedback on this. I am so torn. I love the idea of keeping her home and doing school, but she is having a wonderful time and has not, as yet, picked up anything I wouldn't want her to. Is it "ok" to do nursery school and then Classical home school?

Angela

[auntieM]

Originally Posted by angelak2008

... But here's my question.
I've been doing a parent-participation nursery school with DD this year, and she loves it. It's very play-based, and a sweet little school. We intend to do it next year as well, given her positive reaction and enjoyment of it. Is this bizarre? That I want to home school but we are doing a nursery program? My current thought is that I will begin supplementing/doing phonics in the next year, and in the meantime, she and I will make some friendships we can hopefully hang on to when they all go off to elementary school/home school. This year, the class is one day a week for 2 hours, with me there the whole time. Next year, it's 2 days a week for 2.5 hours, one day I'm there, one day I'm not. My MIL will stay with our baby on the morning I am at school, which is as ideal a situation as I can manufacture.
...
Angela

My 5yo is in her fourth year at a parent participation nursery school. Next year, we plan to do school at home. I don't find this odd at all. I see our nursery school as an enriching environment in which we both get to interact with other children & parents we both trust. There is also a parent education component that I find very valuable. Though most families go on to school outside the home, a few home school & many seek parent participation schools where they can continue to be closely involved in their child's schooling.

[Quindin]

We have been eclectic with homeschooling, but have been using more of the classical ideas for the older two the past 2 years.

My two oldest (ages 9 and 10) will be starting Latin this week.
We are going to use this program: http://www.galorepark.co.uk/subjects...ers-latin.html
It looks very good and straightforward, and the prices are very goo.
They also sell a Greek package.
Both packages are designed for British private schools, but I am pretty sure they are perfectly usable in the US.

Do you ladies teach children younger than 9-10 ?
If so, what do you use and how do you do it?

Also, does anybody have good links about classical home education?

[srlpenny]

Nursery School

I love our nursery school, I have often joked if I could keep my kids in nursery school forever I would. The teachers are wonderful and caring and the children are only there for a few hours a week. It gives me a little break and it gives them some w/out Mommy time, which while I DO NOT like how much of that PS gives, I think a little bit is good.
Alas, we can't afford Nursery school again next year, and with HSing the older ones the running to and from NS would make it difficult to school at all in the AM so we'll just be forgoing it all together next year.
So anyways, I don't think you're weird at all.

[angelak2008]

Thank you guys so much for your replies. They made me feel a lot better about our decision. I don't know why I thought if I did nursery school I "couldn't" then home school, but I did. I'm over it We'll do both

Angela

[NoHiddenFees]

Originally Posted by Quindin

My two oldest (ages 9 and 10) will be starting Latin this week.
We are going to use this program: http://www.galorepark.co.uk/subjects...ers-latin.html
It looks very good and straightforward, and the prices are very goo.
They also sell a Greek package.

Are you using Latin Prep or So You Really Want to Learn Latin? The latter would probably be too much for a 9 or 10yo.

The Greek distributed by Galore Park is not one of their products. However, they are working on a Classical Greek program, the first volume of which is due out by fall 2009, IIRC.

[Quindin]

Originally Posted by NoHiddenFees

Are you using Latin Prep or So You Really Want to Learn Latin? The latter would probably be too much for a 9 or 10yo.

The Greek distributed by Galore Park is not one of their products. However, they are working on a Classical Greek program, the first volume of which is due out by fall 2009, IIRC.

We are not using anything yet, but were thinking of buying the "So You Really..." book this week. It is what several private schools use for kids entering year 7 (6 grade) which is what my daughter (turning 11 soon) is starting now. My son would be in year 5, entering year 6, but is very bright and does the same materials as my daughter. Their understanding of grammar is also very good.

Having said that, DH was looking at their samples, and his plan was to take it slow and stretch the chapter over several lessons + add more practice himself.
Is the other program you suggested better , you think? Do you have a link? (I did not see that in their book store)

[Quindin]

Duh! I had not seen the Latin Prep books on their site!
Thanks, I will take a look at them now! And they do recommend them for kids 7 - 11 I don't Latin to be torture, so we'd better start light.

Thanks again for mentioning that!

[NoHiddenFees]

Originally Posted by Quindin

Duh! I had not seen the Latin Prep books on their site!
Thanks, I will take a look at them now! And they do recommend them for kids 7 - 11 I don't Latin to be torture, so we'd better start light.

Thanks again for mentioning that!

Latin Prep is humorous, but not easy. It moves at about 2/3 the pace of SYRWTLL, and according to the publisher, you can do the three books of Latin Prep followed by the third book from the SYRWTLL series.

SYRWTLL is best suited to Years 9-11 (ages 14-16), as it prepares students for the GSCE. Likewise, Latin Prep is not suitable for 7yo's. Galore Park's website is a bit confusing.

There's a Galore Park User Support group on Yahoo! in which the publisher participates (though it is not an official Galore Park group). There are also a number of Galore Park users on the Well Trained Mind boards.

[VanessaS]

I've been doing a parent-participation nursery school with DD this year, and she loves it. It's very play-based, and a sweet little school. We intend to do it next year as well, given her positive reaction and enjoyment of it. Is this bizarre? That I want to home school but we are doing a nursery program?

I agree with the PPs. Totally not bizarre. Homeschooling's all about customizing and finding a good fit (very AP, in my opinion ) so it makes sense to just do what works.
There are also after-schoolers (who just use school as a babysitter or for the free extra-curriculars) and people that send their kids to school part-time or to homeschooling academies, and people who co-op. There's a good academy near where we live that we're considering that follows the WTM curriculum. It's just down the street, so it's really convenient, too. They meet Mondays and Wednesdays and math/LA is done at home the other days. Seems like a nice fit for us.
I've also met cyber-homeschoolers and charter-homeschoolers. There's something for everyone nowadays.

Do you ladies teach children younger than 9-10 ?
If so, what do you use and how do you do it?

Mine are much younger. I've started preschool-stuff with my almost-4 yo. We work on math with manipulatives, dot-to-dot pictures, mazes, puzzles, dominoes, dice games, board games, etc. And we write letters to Grandmas and read nice children's books together. They also do arts and crafts with their dad and we go on nature walks together.

Is Ambelside a Classical Education?
Rebeeca

Technically, no. But the two can be combined quite easily and well. There's a lot of overlap. We've adopted some of the CM philosophies ourselves. Here's the WTM-author's article about it.