We were going to be homeschoolers, and it only took nine years, a cross-country move, and no excellent education options in the new place. I’ll be the first to admit I was a staunch opponent of this proposition and voiced my displeasure numerous times, often at a significant volume. However, with graduation on the horizon, I view my time enrolled in the Foundations and the Challenge programs as difficult and rewarding experiences. And, looking back, I can see that the Foundations program prepared me to homeschool through high school and readied me for life’s challenges.
Don’t Waste the Wondering Years
The following are ten ways Classical Conversations’ Foundations curriculum helped me prepare for the Challenge years.
1. Memorizing facts on a wide range of topics fostered my curiosity.
The ability to recall a myriad of information quickly is a fundamental life skill that forms the basis of the Foundations curriculum and is a skill that has served me countless times in all six of the Challenge program as well as other aspects of life. Whether I’m thinking quickly in a heated debate, recalling scenes from Shakespeare with proficiency, or dedicating countless scripture verses to heart, deepening the well of memory is the most precious gift I received from the Foundations program.
2. Drawing maps, complemented by memorizing the Timeline song, gave me a more holistic worldview.
One of the many perks of the Foundations program is the emphasis on continuously drawing maps, which not only facilitates an understanding of where places are in relationship to each other but also allows me to quickly comprehend various geopolitical conflicts throughout history and in current headlines. Additionally, by memorizing a sequential timeline, I have more effectively grasped how people are always connected, whether they realize it or not.
3. Learning to deal with difficult personalities improved my social skills and taught me to thrive in the community.
No matter the time, place, or state, every community will always have “that person.” The person who mocks your mistakes, refuses to follow directions, and is overall just a pain to be around. Part of living in a community is learning to love others well, even when it is difficult. The art of disagreeing well is a formidable foundation for Socratic dialogue in Challenge II and allowed me to better connect with my peers, making me more fully human.
4. Presentations aided me with public speaking skills.
As someone who loves theater, debate, and performance, I can attest to the phenomenal experience and confidence Foundations presentations instilled in me. I am shy and soft-spoken, especially around people with whom I am unfamiliar. While such traits cultivated grounded listening skills, it unfortunately translated to weak eye contact and fidgety gestures when speaking. By routinely performing in front of other peers and parents, I was eventually inoculated against the anxiecty that public speaking often brings. This skill has been of immense value in the high school years, particularly in the cornerstone projects such as Science Fair, Mock Trial, Team Policy Debate, and Dramatic Interpretations.
5. Purposeful categorizing improved my dialectic skills and provided the understanding necessary to ask better questions.
One of the many joys of the bare bones Foundations curriculum is that it divides the subject matter into categories, which, when I was in my grammar stage of learning, helped me to process information efficiently. Not only did proper categorization improve my neural development, but it also actively equipped me with a broad range of topics that assisted me in forming better questions. Forming suitable questions is the basis of the dialectic learning stage, which I practiced regularly while homeschooling through high school using the 5 Common Topics and 5 Canons of Rhetoric.
6. Mimicry of great art and artists cultivated a love for the beautiful in my soul.
The heart of a culture is captured and reflected in its marvelous art and artists. By cultivating the wonder of creation in Foundations, I learned how to summon, channel, and sharpen my creativity throughout the high school homeschool years. Furthermore, by exposing myself to a variety of different styles and techniques of art, a deep love of the divinely beautiful was cultivated in my heart, a passion that has served me faithfully in my chosen profession.
7. Skip counting and math memorization aids me in mathematics.
It’s no secret there remains significant enmity between the maths and me (see above re: artist’s heart). However, skip counting and memorizing math facts and formulas assisted me tremendously by giving me a categorical knowledge of the relationships between numerical values—saving time and a tremendous amount of frustration.
8. Being in the community helps me appreciate gift sets that may differ from mine.
As a creative who struggles to appreciate the finer points of the mathematical realm, a major stumbling block in my relational journey was learning to love, respect, and cherish people with different strengths than myself; however, being in a community-oriented program was very helpful in expanding my understanding of my own gift set and allowing the strengths of my peers to compensate for my weaknesses.
9. Practical parental involvement nurtures relationships with children.
If a well of memory is the greatest gift of the Foundations program, a solid, unbreakable bond with my parents is a close second. What differentiates Foundations, and the whole of Classical Conversations, from other curriculums is the intense emphasis on active parental involvement. Because of their devotion to me and my education, my relationship with my parents is arguably among the healthiest of my peer group compared to my friends who studied independently or chose a detached learning method (i.e., public or private school).
10. The simplicity of the curriculum cultivates a lifelong love of learning.
Academically, the Foundations program is very flexible, which provided my parents with the time and brain space to form core memories with me before the discipline of daily living presided over my schedule. This further strengthened my bond with my parents and made for a significantly breezier childhood and an overall healthier family dynamic. Additionally, careful attention to each developmental stage cultivated an approachable learning environment where a mutual dedication to truth, beauty, and goodness could be sought out, acquired, and nourished.
Preparing for Life’s One Constant
If there is one constant in the game of life, it is change. Throughout my time in Foundations and Challenge, I lived in four different houses in two states, gained and lost a dozen friendships, loved and lost several family members, worked many jobs, and traveled to places most have only dreamed of setting foot. Through all the ebbs and flows of an unbelievable life, there was always the constant reassurance of community day and the joy of wonder that comes with discovery.
I will always be grateful for the skills the Foundations program endowed me with from an early age, skills that served me well as I homeschooled through high school, and the value of which is immeasurable to me!
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