Just When You Think You Have it All Figured Out

So, I really knew what direction we were going to take with our curriculum. I had finally decided that I was going to pull together resources to develop our own Charlotte Mason-style course of study. Two kids close in age equals easy-peasy to homeschool, so no problem at all. Ahem.

So now since we are expecting number three I am feeling the need to simplify. Which got me looking at some things that I had not before. Now I am finding that the Latin Centered Curriculum (LCC) is very intriguing to me for a number of reasons. And since a fear of teaching Latin and Greek was one of those things which had previously held me back from giving this classical approach a second look, I was most happy to stumble upon Classical Liberal Arts Academy (CLA).

The idea of using CLA for everything and just enrolling the kids in the academy has a certain appeal. My fear is that the one-method approach to learning that all of CLA’s classes seem to take would be tedious – especially for a younger child. Even though they must do it and be diligent about it, I also want my kids to love learning. BUT I could see participating in the CLA Extern program for their Grammar classes (which cover Latin, Greek, and classical Grammar) and then using LCC to flesh out the remainder of our curriculum, teaching the other subjects in ways that would appeal to multiple learning styles. (Yes, I am thinking out loud.) Later we can use CLA for Logic and Rhetoric and all of those other classes vital to a classical education that I really should be taking myself instead of teaching. (Ah yes, CLA does have classes for parents too…)

I have ordered LCC and can’t wait to read it. It has been compared favorably to and as compatible with the Charlotte Mason approach on a couple of different message boards I read. It does cover fewer subject with greater depth than does the typical CM course of study. Honestly, that is very appealing.

What a great journey this homeschool research is. Fun stuff. (Or it will be until my carefully crafted plans fail to work for one of my three kids, and I have to punt. HA!) I will keep you posted on what I discover.