When I first began to homeschool, I had visions of my children sitting at my feet, hanging on my every word, and basking in the warm glow of knowledge. We have never had a day like that, but there is one time of day when they are sitting at...
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A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps (Proverbs 16:9, KJV). Homeschooling humbles me. I am inconsistent. I am a perfectionist. I am selfish. I am distracted when I need to focus. I am focused when I need to be distracted. I have poor time management...
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Integration. To some, it’s a dirty word. To others, it’s a beautiful thing. God is the author of all subjects. If they are all authored by Him and all point to Him, then they must point to one another, as well. Your history discussions will quite naturally call to...
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For all you planners, perfectionists, and overwhelmed moms out there, here’s my little story from three years ago which I hope will provide you with a dose of hope and encouragement! At the beginning of our summer, I had it all figured out. I had plans to make plans to make more plans. My plans included planning these wonderful,...
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In my first article on this topic I focused on the overarching vision of Classical Conversations which is often delineated by the alliterative, threefold focus: Classical Christian Community. This article will focus on community as it relates to each of the three stages of learning: grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric. Is the art of “grammar”...
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Throughout history, mankind has appreciated beauty in nearly every area of experience: art, literature, architecture, engineering, design, arrangement, nature, astronomy, landscaping, music, mathematics, animals, gardens, food, geographical features, skies, birdsongs, rainbows, and human beings. We find beauty in any location, medium, or endeavor. People seek beauty. While some argue...
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Aren’t road trips wonderful?! They promise adventure, surprise, discoveries, and memories. The perfect road trip is a blend of planning and serendipity: enough foresight to keep the destination attainable, but enough spontaneity to capture the unexpected treasures found along the way. My daughter, a college junior, and four of...
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“Contemplation: the act of reflecting on one’s studies in order to connect them satisfactorily to that which is already known and to discover their significance in one’s pursuit of wisdom.” Author’s definition. Robert is older than the other students. Challenge III will likely be his last year in Classical...
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School is upon us (again)! Every year about this time, I get excited about what God is going to do in the lives of our children. Yet, at the same time, I get that queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach; the same feeling I used to get...
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After discussing the grammar stage of learning and mastering facts in part one of this article, let’s take a look at the next two stages of the trivium. The second stage of the trivium is dialectic learning. By name, this clearly involves dialogue. Once a child has acquired the wealth of...
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What should I do for my children’s education next year? Should I homeschool them? Where do I start? This is the time of year when parents begin evaluating their educational choices for their children. Parents who are already homeschooling pull out their catalogs and pore over them, searching for...
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The overarching vision of Classical Conversations is often delineated by the alliterative, threefold focus: Classical Christian Community. For a brief moment, I’d like to zoom in on each “C” in this alliteration. Classical Conversations is “classical.” That’s not surprising, eh? However, although folks are not surprised to hear that we’re...
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