************************

***UPDATED 7/11/15***
Despite promises to create a working situation for Director, who was grossly, mistreated, our Regional Manager did not come through for us. Our family is no longer going to provide support to CC through the enrollment of our children as long as our Support Manager and Area Manager remain in their positions taking no responsibility for the destruction of our community. For those looking for a comparable education for your children, I recommend exploring the memory work bodies by Claritas Academy or Catholic Schoolhouse.
*********************

When we decided to homeschool 5 years ago, we knew we wanted our kids to continue the classical education they had started in private school. A quick internet search showed that Classical Conversations (CC) was one of the only organized, national, homeschool organizations promoting classical education at home. As a bonus, it was an all-in-one curriculum base AND community AND there was one starting 20 minutes from our home that fall. After attending an information meeting, I was “in.”

Our first year started a little rocky due to poor leadership, but we chalked it up to the fact that most of us were newbies to CC and we just needed to find our stride. We ended up switching to a new community our second year which ended up feeling like home.

The next three years were a HUGE blessing. Our kids made friends. I made friends. I told everyone we knew to join. Many did. I was able to be a substitute Foundations tutor and tutor two years of Essentials. The more I learned about the theory behind CC’s curriculum, the more excited I became about my kids’ education. I also felt empowered to stick with homeschooling all the way through because CC has laid out such a comprehensive plan. CC was also a great fit for our non-typical kiddos. We have one who is just globally delayed and three who came to us as adolescents who had minimal education and little English.

Then events this spring revealed what I consider weaknesses in the organizational structure of CC leadership. Unfortunately, these weaknesses hurt many families and caused extreme amounts of stress and unrest. While I still think CC is probably the best classical curriculum out there for homeschoolers, there are organizational philosophies with which I disagree. I wish I had known to be cautious about these things before I jumped in wholeheartedly and brought dozens of families with me.

In the name of community, we’re letting our Foundations/Essentials kids go back as participants next year. I am no longer a contracted tutor and stopped the process of becoming a Challenge Director. I am praying for organizational change over the next year so we feel comfortable jumping back in with two feet.

Below I’m going to enumerate the concerns that I have already expressed to our Regional Manager. If you agree with me, I urge you to contact your Regional Manager (listed at the end) and have your voice be heard. If you are considering CC for your family, I don’t want to discourage you, but I want you to go in with your eyes more open than ours were when we started our journey.

1. Individuals put in leadership positions should be able to demonstrate previous CC and leadership experience OR the leadership training initiatives need to be more comprehensive and intense. All of the conflict we’ve encountered in CC thus far can come back to this principle. CC currently believes that anyone can be a Tutor, Director, or Manager. No experience in classical education, homeschooling, leadership necessary. They claim that their 3-day summer practicums are enough training plus a one-day business training for directors. While I appreciate their philosophy to empower parents and value simplicity (the famous “stick and sand” approach), they are not providing enough training to put such inexperienced individuals in leadership when families lives and children’s education is at stake. Additionally Directors and Managers should be able to show competency in managing and schooling their family well before ever being allowed to take time to step into a CC leadership role.
2. CC needs to decide to be a ministry OR business and stick with it. They’re a ministry when, in the name of discipleship, they want to keep unqualified people in leadership who have made grievous errors, but a business when they want to make more money or lord control over what families do. They’re a ministry when they claim they want to foster relationship and community with their materials but a business when they insist every child has to be a paying participant in one of their programs. I’ve consistently watched them identify with ministry or business as it suits them and as it’s convenient for them. An organization really needs to put priority over one or the other because you cannot put the needs of people first and still make the maximum amount of profit.
3. CC corporate needs to be accessible. It is almost impossible to find out who to talk to if you have a concern that your Director cannot address. You have to rely on that person pointing you upward. However, if you have a conflict with that person, you could have a really hard time getting her Manager’s name and contact information. Additionally, concerns funneled up the chain of command do not have the same gravity as when each family who has the same concern can have their voice heard. If corporate hears from one regional manager (who represents dozens of families) about a concern, it’s not always felt the same way as if all of those families were able to voice their concern individually.
4. They need to rethink their contracts. Why anyone would consent to a contract where CC has the power to end it at any time without any notice without any reason, but the Director must give 6 weeks’ notice is beyond me. They should also give Directors the ability to adjust minor policies to fit the needs of her community. There are so many considerations to take into account when dealing with families and so many cultural aspects across our country that differ from region to region. CC should stop trying to control every blessed detail and minute of every community.
5. Foster more community among Directors and Managers. Because everyone is paid on commission, I’ve seen too many decisions made on commission rather than on what’s best. I am part of a secular network marketing team where we all get paid on commission but you’d never know it. Everyone works together as a team and puts other people above themselves because that’s where the bar has been set by our leadership. In CC, where everyone is supposed to be “knowing God and making Him known,” I, instead, see women making decisions based on the bottom line.

If you agree with the above concerns, or have concerns of your own about how CC is structured or run, please make your voice heard so that together we can make CC a better place for our families.

Can you believe Week 24 is upon us?  The unseasonably warm weather and upcoming trip to Ethoipia has us all itching to be finished school for the year.  At the same time, I’m gearing up for next year, writing curriculum, reviewing curriculum, buying curriculum, and selling curriculum. 

History: Bill of Rights

For the younger kids, I really like this lesson plan that uses picture books to explore the first 10 Amendments.  A lot of the books seem to be out of print, but there are enough we found at the library to make due.  This simple game would make a good review.

For older kids, you may want to check out this plan or this plan.  They will also really enjoy this game.

Science: Solutions

This week we’ll learn how to make a saturated solution from Lesson 23 in Christian Kids Explore Chemistry.  If you’re not using this book, check out the Chapter 5 lessons here.

History: Preamble of the U.S. Constitution

Mia decided to be a History Memory Master which CC does not recognize on a national level but our community will recognize via parent-issued certificates at our end-of-year party.  With her and PJ both studying, we will have history-lite at our house the next two weeks while they spend extra time reviewing material.

• For older kids.
• For younger kids (with art crossover).  The Visual Thesaurus may help if your kids have brain block on drawing pictures.

I also found great hand motions and a visual. It’s a Word document, so you can right click on the link to save it.

The best book seems to be We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States.  We may also use the Schoolhouse Rock: America Rock song to memorize it instead of the CC version.

Science: Charles’ Gas Law

Basically, this law states that gas expands when it gets hotter and contracts as it gets cooler.

This is Lesson 21 in Christian Kids Explore Chemistry or you can get a similar activity here.

P.S.  I wish I had found www.middleschoolchemistry.com earlier.  I probably would have used it instead of Christian Kids Explore Chemistry .

History: September 11

While I came across plenty of lesson plans, I really like these.  They are divided by age group.

Science: Acids, Bases, Salts

These topics are covered well in Christian Kids Explore Chemistry.  For acids and bases we’ll go around finding some common ones in food and household products.  Then we’ll discover that a salt is formed when you mix and acid and a base.

History: Astronauts and the first moon landing

I feel like I’m in the minority, but I can’t get into lapbooks.  The funny thing is that I love crafts and scrapbooking.  I think I can’t get past the product enough to use the process.  I know they will just get trashed and that irks me.  Anyway, all that to say, I’m going to give it a whirl this week with this great lesson plan/lapbook.  I think Mia will love it so we may have to do more of them next year.

If you have older students or can’t get into the lapbook, check out this lesson plan or this one with a heavy writing focus.

On the other hand, if you have littles to occupy, check out this or this.

This audio of the moonlanding or this timeline may also be useful.

Science: Chemical Reactions

This is Lesson 15 in Christian Kids Explore Chemistry.  There is an excellent lesson and demonstration at MiddleSchoolChemistry.com.

History: Brown vs. Board of Ed (Civil Rights)

We will re-visit Civil Rights using this lesson plan.  PBS also has a great site to explore.  In the car, we’ll be catching up on stories from Week 13 that we didn’t get around to.  The resource/book list for Civil Rights can also be found back at Week 13.

Science: Formulas and Naming Compounds

I know the memory work has veered off to Origins but we’re sticking with Chemistry for our more in-depth science exploration.  This is the week for Lessons 13 and 14 in Christian Kids Explore Chemistry.  This subject matter can also be called nomenclature.

This site has many downloadable Word files.  We will do the Types_of_Food_Chemicals_Known_as_Nutrients as our health lesson this week.

There is also fun practice activity here.

History: NATO (and Communism and the Cold War)

Intro: From the NATO website.

We’ll probably follow this lesson plan. 

Other lesson plans:

• Based on primary documents (+)
• With an economic focus (+)
• Based on pop culture music of the time (+)
• More of a unit study

Interactive web material:

• Map
• More from the NATO website
• Timeline
• Map (from NATO website)
• PPT downloads from Mr. Donn

Science: Chemical Bonding (specifically ionic and covalent)

First we’ll start with an understanding of valence electrons using this PPT and this worksheet.

That will make this video make a lot more sense.

Chemical bonding is covered in Lessons 11 and 12 of Christian Kids Explore Chemistry.

History: Pearl Harbor

Like WWI, WWII is covered in Cycle 2 so we’ll focus on the U.S. event of Pearl Harbor and resulting Japanese Internment.

These are great lesson plans.

• http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/13/g35/legacy.html
• http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/18arizona/18arizona.htm
• http://teacher.scholastic.com/pearl/tguide.htm

There is a cool interactive timeline and map that we’ll use with PC2TV.

For older kids, check out this hour-by-hour account complete with discussion questions and writing prompts.

Science: Molecules

We’ll be doing Lesson 10 in Christian Kids Explore Chemistry which is on molecules. It includes a modeling activity using styrofoam balls.  You can find other ideas for household materials here (i.e., clay).  If you’re more into virtual, check out these.

History: President Wilson and WWI

Because another Cycle 2 covers WWI more thoroughly (at least in my head), I really wanted to focus on the American involvement rather than the entire War.

Intro: Videos on the Lusitania and German attacks on U.S. Navy boats.

• Lesson plan for older students (see Lesson Six)
• Article on last survivor
• Color countries involved (see map)
• Listen to lots of books on mp3.  The kids will be super-excited to listen to Kit: An American Girl (all the stories).

Science: Periodic Table

Intro: YouTube video.  WARNING:  He does say “crap” near the beginning.

• Lesson 9 from Christian Kids Explore Chemistry
• Periodic Table Game (We’ve already played this and it was great fun!)
• Tom Lehrer has a song that lists all of the elements alphabetically called “The Elements.“

History: Immigration

• ABC’s of Immigration Book (Appendix A and B)
• Map of cities with high immigrant population (Appendix E)
• Poem for memorization (Appendix E)
• Melting Pot Exercise (Lesson 1)
• Assessment here and here

Science: Atoms and their parts

Christian Kids Explore Chemistry Lessons 6 through 8

There are many ways to model atoms.  We’re going to do the cookie models on page 67.  Basically you bake a plain cookie and use 3 different candies (M&M’s suggested) to add protons, neutrons, and electrons.

On a side note: My favorite library book so far for explaining chemistry to kids is Basher Science: Chemistry: Getting a Big Reaction.