Overview of Challenge A

Here's a general article covering the Challenge A level in Classical Conversations. It has frequently asked questions listed at the end. The only fact in the article that has changed is the total amount of time spent per day. For 2016-2017, the recommended time spent is 1 hour per class for Latin, Math, Geography, Science, and Writing. For Rhetoric (It Couldn't Just Happen) the recommendation is 15 or 20 minutes per day. So the total time spent on school each day should be approximately 5 hours and 15 minutes. This will vary from day to day, but it's a good benchmark!
https://www.classicalconversations.com/classical/programs/challenge/challenge-a

Teaching discernment

So I just read an awesome article by Matt Bianco. He introduces the four types of stories. Every song, movie, book, or tv show will fall into one of these categories. I think it is especially apropos given what we are seeing happen all around us in our world today - even just in this past month! Let's teach our kids to be able to identify what they see and then to discern if it's the best choice of our time. Does it match up with our biblical worldview?

Four types of literature

Foundations Focus

Another great article! 

Letter to a New CC Mom

Posted by Brandy Ferrell on Tuesday, 17 February, 2015 in Articles, Classical Christian Education, Dialectic Stage (ages 12 to 14), Grammar Stage (ages 4 to 11)

What am I going to neglect and what am I going to pursue?

My last article left us with this probing question as we pondered Leigh Bortins’s words…

...And I see frustrated parents who have over-estimated their high school child’s elementary education, realize they have not prepared their child adequately at the grammar stage, and so lower their standards for their older child’s education just at the time the student is really ready to become a mature learner (Echo in Celebration, page 56).

So… how do I adequately prepare my children while they are in the grammar stage? What are the core skills to be established in elementary-aged children? And as we work towards establishing these skills, how do we inspire our children with a love of learning? For several years I have asked myself these questions as we have waded through the plethora of curriculum available, searching for that magic formula that will instill a love of learning in our children.

Simply stated, the core skills required for higher order learning include reading, writing, mathematics, and memory work. An important discovery I have made, however, is that each of these skills can be pursued in a way that inspires children to enjoy learning. In fact, my attitude about a subject has much more to do with inspiring my children than which curriculum we are using. The more appropriate question for me is how am I modeling a love of learning in my home? That question is much more convicting.

20 Tips for Students

So now that your student is entering the Challenge years...how are they going to finish all the work required of them? Here are 20 helpful tips and reminders for everybody to review before the year begins :)

1. Always eat breakfast.
2. Keep your books, pencils, flashcards, supplies all together so you don't waste time looking for things you need once you get started.
3. Avoid the black holes! facebook, pinterest, instagram, twitter, email, video games, internet surfing need to wait until your work for the day is finished.

time doesn't stand still

One of the most important things I've had to do as a Challenge parent is give my teenage daughter TIME. And it's not only time WITH her, but time FOR her to complete her work.