Here at our house J, my 6 year old is in his first year of Classical Conversations.
Classical Conversations is based on the classical approach to learning combined with a biblical worldview. The classical model divides learning into three stages: 1) the grammar stage which is the introduction of memorizing facts, 2) the dialectic stage is where those facts are discovered through more in depth research, and 3) the rhetoric stage, the stage where you apply the facts and where you become a master of an area. Using these three methods of learning while combining a biblical worldview the parent and the student will be able to succeed in any subject.
The class meets once a week where a tutor (I myself am a tutor this year) will organize the class time into New Grammar, Presentations, Art, Science, and Grammar review. The class moves fast which is beneficial for young kids who have a hard time sitting or focusing. The tutors use music, rhythm, hand motions, and any other trick to help the memorizing of new matierial.
What are we memorizing? Each year you as the student and parent will memorize
- 160 events and people in chronological order
- 24 history sentences, including the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights
- 44 U.S. Presidents
- 120 locations and geographical features in North America, U.S.
- 24 science facts, including the first 12 elements of the periodic table and the parts of 8 body systems
- Latin rules and vocabulary, including the text of John 1:1-7 in Latin and English
- English grammar facts, including the principal parts of 11 irregular verbs
- Multiplication tables up to 15X15, common squares and cubes, as well as basic geometry formulas and unit conversions
That’s over 400 pieces of information!
Not to mention their exposure to drawing techniques, music theory, great artists, an introduction to the orchestra and classical composers, 12 science experiments, and 24 oral presentations.
This is just one Cycle of 3 that you move through each year, so this year we are cycle 3 (U.S. history emphasis), and the following years will be cycle 2, and cycle 1.I feel so blessed to have been introduced to the classical style of learning, and then to find a group of people to work with. I know that in the first 3 weeks of CC my son who is in the class, my daughter who is not but plays in the classroom, and me who facilitates it all are quicker and sharper in our memory and speech.
If there is only one day of class what do we do with the rest of our week? Each day we review our new grammar as quickly and efficiently as it is done in class which means it should only take about 30 minutes. Then we move on to our geography, learning the new states and capitals. I have purchased The Story of the World volumes 3 and 4 which have added stories and activities to our history sentences. NetFlix has a great program called Liberty’s Kids that we have started watching which gives the kids their history lesson in animation. Altogether it takes about an hour of our day to review for Classical Conversations.
If you are interested in learning more about CC or to find a local community near you, you can visit there sight at www.classicalconversations.com. I will periodically be writing about our CC journey here, and I hope you follow along.
