To know God and to make Him known

Essentials

Age 9+

Words, numbers, and sentences are essential to language development.

Every challenge is an opportunity for meaningful growth and a catalyst for lifelong learning.

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Our Programs

Foundations
Age 4+
National Memory Master
Scribblers
Age 4–8
Essentials
Age 9+
Faces of History
Challenge
Age 12+
Excellence in Education
A
Age 12+
Science Fair
B
Age 13+
Mock Trial
I
Age 14+
Debate
II
Age 15+
Protocol
III
Age 16+
Poetry Cafe
IV
Age 17+
Senior Thesis
A mom holds her son outside, showing him something in her hand

Lead Your Child to a World of Possibilities

Essentials is a bridge between the grammar and dialectic arts that prepares students for the middle and high-school Challenge programs. Built around the support and accountability that can only come from a local community, this power-packed, Christian-based homeschool program guides parents of children ages nine to twelve through the foundational principles of language structure and analysis, the structure and style of writing, and arithmetic speed and accuracy.

A homeschool family holding books outside

Equip Your Children with the Essentials

Items students learn in the program:

  • How to properly capitalize and punctuate words and sentences
  • What the eight parts of speech are and how to use them properly
  • How to recognize and create 112 sentence patterns
  • How to diagram sentences
  • How to analyze sentences by purpose, structure, patterns, and speech parts
  • How to write with structure and style through Institute for Excellence in Writing
  • How to write an outline, narrative, expository, and essay
  • Math drills, increasing speed in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, roots, and exponents, in preparation for higher math
A homeschool family walking outside

Learning Beyond a Worksheet

Parents and their students meet once a week with a Tutor for the two-hour Essentials program after Foundations. It is in the support of this community environment, parents are equipped and trained by observing the Tutor and learning alongside their child. Tutors, trained in the program’s materials, facilitate community time by modeling the exercises that parents will do with their students at home. Student and parent participation are critical components of this unique partnership!

Students emerge prepared to tackle foreign languages, essays, and pre-algebra confidently when these essential (yet often neglected) skills are mastered.

To browse our Essentials bookstore
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CLC was the perfect amount of time: every other week for two hours, with six meetings. It was manageable and the cost was well worth it! The lessons my mentor presented each time were great, and it was a growing experience.

Kristen

CLC has been great in helping me follow a form in preparing my lessons at home . . . I think through the lessons . . . and how to relate them to the students and create a desire to learn the material. The questions have been very helpful in assessing that the students are following the lessons, too.

Angela

The CLC has had the single largest positive impact on my growth as a classical educator. It is the reason my class feels successful on community day, and it has changed how I give assessment.

Laura G

My Essentials classes are far more engaging, and I am able to clearly see the important pieces of the lesson . . . with the specific students I am walking with, and I’m better able to bring those two elements together in a meaningful way.

Cheree

This has given me so much confidence in . . . my own skills, a desire to seek to improve in showing hospitality to my students, and encouragement that other moms are out there doing the same thing each week!

Brenna

It has helped me grow in leading my classes and my own children to be more efficient, classical, confident, and gracious.

Stephanie

The CLC has given me the confidence to teach my children at home and to lead Essentials in my community.

Courtney

The cohort does a great job of helping parents, teachers, and directors, feel equipped to lead a lesson and a conversation. Each semester [builds] on the previous one nicely, giving a well-rounded picture.

Jakki

CLC has been great in helping me follow a form in preparing my lessons at home . . . I think through the lessons . . . and how to relate them to the students and create a desire to learn the material. The questions have been very helpful in assessing that the students are following the lessons, too.

Angela

The CLC has had the single largest positive impact on my growth as a classical educator. It is the reason my class feels successful on community day, and it has changed how I give assessment.

Laura G.

CLC was the perfect amount of time: every other week for two hours, with six meetings. It was manageable and the cost was well worth it! The lessons my mentor presented each time were great, and it was a growing experience.

Kristen

The encouragement and support from other parents is vital. I enjoy learning from those before me in their journey, encouraging those beside me, and sharing with those coming behind.

Laura
CC Parent

I am a grandmother homeschooling my 9-year-old granddaughter who has been through a lot of trauma with both parents. The moms, Tutors and Director have truly been encouraging and most accepting of this old grandma and her granddaughter. We are going into our 5th year at CC.

Cindy
Grandmother

My CC community breathes flavor, energy, and structure into my homeschool. The steady support, motivation to learn perpetually, and sweet fellowship is vital to me personally and to my family.

Cecile
CC Parent
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