Hi Everyone,
I know Shane is not in 7th grade yet, but it is wise to prepare myself before he gets to Challenge A. Both Carissa and Nathan completed Challenge A. Brian has been the parent that does Challenge with them. I have very little involvement with Carissa and Nathan studies. The Challenge program is from 7th-12th grade. We have been extremely pleased with the Challenge program. We have seen our children cry out in frustration because of how hard the program can be and we have seen them blossom because they pressed on through the difficulty. Just because something is hard does not mean you quit. We have seen exceptional growth spiritually and academically in Carissa and Nathan.
Parents know what their children are capable of doing. We just need to encourage our children to strive for excellence in all things. I mean in excellence in character too.
Challenge has a Christian world view, so all subjects stem from Christian thought. We are not only cultivating the mind but also the heart. What is the point of being intelligent without Christian character? To me it is meaningless. Children have to know who is the creator of all wisdom and knowledge and take responsibility for knowledge.
Here is a blog post from Home Grown Learners. Mary home-schools her children and is involved with Classical Conversations. If you are interested in what our kids have learned or what Shane will be learning, then read Mary's blog post. Read what she has to say about Challenge A here:
http://mthopeacademy.blogspot.com/2015/01/contemplation-conversation-and-ani.html
“Christian education is the cultivation of wisdom and
virtue by nourishing the soul on truth, goodness, and beauty by means of
the seven liberal arts and the four sciences so that, in Christ, the
student is enabled to better know, glorify, and enjoy God.” [CiRCE]
You are probably asking what are the seven liberal arts and four sciences. Well go here and find out.http://www.circeinstitute.org/resources-what-classical-education/definitions-terms
Here is an excerpt from Home Grown Learners post:
Challenge A can be a shock to a child's (and a parent's) system. I cleared our schedule of anything that wasn't absolutely necessary so we could focus on having a productive school year. I knew going in that this year was going to require a lot of ME, the parent.
The Challenge program is technically a drop-off program, but that doesn't mean you can CHECK OUT if you are the parent. You must stay involved, learn with your child, and be there to guide them through this year of maturation, increased independence, and a new found wealth of knowledge!
Confession:
In the spring of this past year (towards the end of Challenge A), my
husband and I had some moments where we wondered what it would be like
if Anna attended a private, Christian school. We even went so far as to
go to an open house at one school close to our home.The buildings were beautiful. The teachers no doubt were wonderful. The extracurricular activities were available and enticing.
When we arrived home I asked my husband
what he thought. His comment to me, "It all looked good, but I was just
so DISAPPOINTED in the curriculum. It seems so watered down compared to
Classical Conversations. I think Anna would be bored to tears if we sent
her here." I was relieved, because I couldn't have agreed more.
In this moment it was confirmed to me that
we are on the right path - a path that, God willing, we can stay on
until both of our children graduate.
Seventh grade is a pivotal year for
homeschoolers. Children are maturing, hormones are raging, and subjects
are getting difficult to teach.
PLEASE don't lose heart.
Classical Conversations is in the business of equipping us to educate
our children through high school. You have a community of support
(locally and nationally) to help you on your journey. It is SO worth it.
At the end of the day, you will know that your chief goal is to "Know God and Make Him Known" -- and isn't that the best gift we can give our children?
I hope you enjoy her blog post as much as I did. I am preparing myself for Challenge A. I want to be the best teacher/student for Shane and Jarrett.
~Tina
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