1. The stages of a classical education--Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric--correspond with a child's development (e.g. The Grammar Stage takes advantage of a child's natural wonder and ability to memorize information and, basically, soak up information like a sponge.)
2. A classical education begins with a focus on language (i.e. reading, writing, grammar) and math. The public school system emphasizes reading but also puts, I believe, too much emphasis on other subjects like art and music in the early years (up to third grade). I can't help but wonder if Pilot's language skills would be much more improved today if the time spent going to art, music, and gym in his early years was, instead, spent on one-on-one time with the teacher developing those language skills.
3. A classical education teaches students to think critically, how to ask questions and find answers on their own, and how to recognize and refrain from using fallacies.
Our First Three Weeks
Well, we complete our first three weeks today and then the kids have a week to regroup themselves, enjoy some extracurricular activities, and maybe even study (ha!). The first week was fun because the kids were excited about having school at home. They really enjoyed coming to their desks in their pajamas. The second week was not so good. Attitudes were surfacing in rebellion to the fact that school is school no matter where it takes place. Work still has to be done. Rules still apply. That week I questioned my decision to homeschool, that's for sure! This week, however, has been much better. They already know what subjects to study and on what days. This predictability gives them control over their day.
Overall, the first three weeks have been kind of chaotic. I realized I required some extra materials like a teacher's manual for Storm Chaser's Grammar and paper! Of all things, paper. How did I manage to forget to buy paper? Luckily, stores have school supplies on sale now. Also, Pilot and I never spent time on Logic, we spent so much time adjusting to our new schedule and way of learning, and I just realized today that I need a Logic text (Doh!).
Reflections
Pilot and Storm Chaser on several different occassions made phone calls to their grandma to inform her of what they are learning. For example, they told her how they wrote their notes with "perfect" handwriting and that molecules move faster when they are hot.
Never, never, never has Pilot expressed pride in his schoolwork. I am amazed.
Also, Pilot woke up at 6:00 A.M. yesterday to complete his homework from the day before. I am even MORE amazed. :)
Lastly, I cannot forget Little One. Among many other things, she is learning the sounds of each letter in the alphabet and how to read color words. While working on that, she created a poster of primary and secondary colors.
So, what are your thoughts on the classical method of homeschooling? If you need more information, I recommend A Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer. They have a website as well: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/
I also recommend http://classical-homeschooling.org/
And http://www.gbt.org/text/sayers.html Here is the famous speech by Dorothy Sayers
Coming up next...Pros/Cons of the Curriculum We're Using this 2012-2013 School Year
