The art of writing well focuses on three questions; do you know what they are? If you feel somewhat unequal to the task of teaching writing to your children, or if you just want some fresh ideas, tune into this week’s Everyday Educator Podcast “More Than Pen and Paper.” Lisa Bailey and Stephanie Meter give pointers on how to harness the Five Common Topics to ask key questions that will lead you and your students toward better writing, more open dialogue, and a truly hospitable exchange of ideas!
Whether you are a reader yourself or a parent eager to raise readers, you’ll love listening in as three lifelong readers discuss why children should read, what children should read, and how children should read. Join Jennifer Courtney, Stephanie Meter, and Lisa Bailey as they explore how parents can raise readers by using good questions to initiate conversations about what we are reading at home. You’ll go away equipped to ask good questions about a book even if you haven’t read it yourself! As a bonus, listen in to discover the hidden benefit of reading.
Let’s be honest: even after we make the decision to homeschool we have questions! “How do I know what to teach?” “How important are grades and assessments?” “What else should I be teaching?” In this episode based on chapter 3 of The Question, host Lisa Bailey and guests Marc Hays and Leslie Hubbard share insights on these and other frequently asked questions. Listen in as they ruminate on the point of education, the place of technology, and how classical education teaches self-control.
What do “rest” and “wrestling” have in common? How can one actually lead to the other? Find out on the latest Everyday Educator Podcast as Lisa Bailey, Marc Hays, and Leslie Hubbard talk about integration, reconciliation, harmony, and enjoying the journey with your middle school children. You’ll find encouragement and some good insight on asking the right questions as you learn alongside your kids.
Have you ever considered the purpose of education? Are you still formulating your goals for educating your children at home? Join Jennifer Courtney, Marc Hays, and Lisa Bailey as they think through the arts of the trivium and prepare to spend several weeks delving into the Art of Dialectic. This new series, based on the book The Question, will help you think through the philosophical and practical purposes for classically educating your children at home; you’ll gain valuable insight on how the Five Common Topics of Dialectic make wrestling with big ideas easier.
A tool that could produce better readers would be worth its weight in gold to many of us! Happily, just such a tool is waiting for us all: Active Reader Questions! Whether you want to become a more discerning reader, raise a more intentional thinker, or enjoy deep conversations about what you read with your family, this tool is a wonder. Join Lisa Bailey, Marc Hays and Stephanie Meter as they explore how asking questions (of ourselves and others) leads to richer reading.
Are you still on the fence about writing in your books, even after Practicum? Join Lisa Bailey, Marc Hays, and Stephanie Meter as they reveal how “marking the text” made reading Animal Farm a different experience this time around. You’ll gain some practical tips on methods of marking, and discover how marking your books leads to conversation: with the book, with the author, with yourself, and with others! (This is the second episode in a series using Animal Farm to illustrate the tools good readers use.)
How do you start a conversation about a book or story? Wouldn’t it be great if there was a tool that could ensure you remember all the important details, identify the key plot points, connect the aspects of the story, AND help you have a better conversation about what you’ve read? Good news: a story sequence chart can do just that! Listen in as Marc Hays and Stephanie Meter help host Lisa Bailey discover the vital aspects of George Orwell’s Animal Farm by following a story sequence chart. These readers and thinkers introduce the story in this first of three episodes demonstrating how to use the three tools learned during Practicum 2020 to talk about literature.
Edging closer to the start of the a new academic year are you filled with excitement, anticipation, or…nerves?! Join veteran homeschoolers Lisa Bailey and Jennifer Courtney for a conversation about what they wished they had known at the outset of their journeys. They’ll discuss the value of habits, relationships, and “pressing on”, and offer a suggestion for where to seek security and rest when the journey is challenging.
Are you still wrestling with your decision about homeschooling for this fall? Sometimes it can seem like you don’t know what you don’t know! Join veteran homeschoolers Jennifer Courtney and Lisa Bailey as they share the questions they wish they had known to ask, and the answers they found along the way. Homeschooling, it turns out, is about much more than academics!!
Families looking for a buffet of resources to enliven their homeschool journey are loving two new e-zines from Classical Conversations! The Sandbox and Onward have recently debuted to rave reviews, and a sneak peek inside these two resources reveals blessings for busy families practicing the arts of learning at home. Listen in as Kelli Wilt gives us the scoop on what we’ll find inside, how we’ll use them at home, and where we’ll go to get more issues.
How does a classical, Christian education lead to virtue? Can you even TEACH virtue?! As you ponder the home-centered education you are designing for your family, consider the place that Truth holds. Join Lisa Bailey, Melisa Weaver, and Stephanie Meter for a thoughtful conversation about “soul cultivation”, the “little t’s and Big T”, and how to embark on a homeschool journey that is not wandering!
What are the benefits to children when parents keep learning? How can we hope to give our children a better education at home than the one we received? Glean some keen insights and some reproducible ideas from Leigh Bortins, Jennifer Courtney, and Amy Jones as they think on these things in this episode of the “We Believe” series.
Have you ever wondered why “community” is emphasized by classical, Christian educators? At CC, we believe we were created for community--to support one another, teach one another, encourage one another--to do life together! Listen in as Michele Earles and Eva Zaldumbide share what learning in community has taught their families, and discover how “community” goes beyond in-person in the COVID-19 era. You might be surprised!
How does what you believe impact what you do? At Classical Conversations, we understand that what we believe drives what we do, educationally! Join us for this first episode of a new series, “We Believe…So We…”, and think with us about the purpose of education. Listen in as homeschooling parents Kristi Dye and Tim Knotts share how their beliefs about the purposes of education directs both their choices of what and how to teach at home and their motivations to be lifelong learners. What do classical educators DO because of their beliefs?
Looking for some more “organic” ways to seize the teachable moments with your children? In this second episode on “as-you-go-discipleship”, guest Jill Philbrick shares some key principles and some practical examples for parents seeking winsome ways to talk about spiritual matters with our kids. Be sure you stick around for the blessing at the end! And, don’t miss the “As You Go-Discipleship for Families” devotional offerings on CC Connected later this summer.
Wondering why your efforts at family devotion time fall flat? Maybe you need a new perspective! In Part 1 of this series, veteran homeschool mom Jill Philbrick shares her struggles with “devotions” and how she has discovered a more winsome way to share Biblical truth with her children.
Practicum-at-home: cause for mourning or reason to celebrate? The answer might surprise you! While we all miss our community and the exhilaration of being together, Cultivating the Conversation: The Art of Exposition is surprisingly adaptable to our “new normal”. Listen in as four Practicum Speakers share how the content of this year’s Practicum (teaching reading!) meets the needs of all families, while the On Demand format means more folks than ever can be part of the conversation! Discover conversational tools to excavate truth and find inviting ways to engage with others about hope and life!
You’ve come to the last stop on the educational journey, senior year of high school! Is Challenge IV right for your family? Listen in as Brittany Lewis and Lisa Bailey, veteran homeschoolers and CC directors, describe this crown jewel of the Challenge program. They’ll discuss the skills sharpened and the subjects used in the sharpening! You will find discover how Challenge IV prepares students for life not just academics, developing the moral imagination needed to identify virtue and live it out. You’ll hear about leadership education and how the pace of this last year of high school is designed as a “gift of contemplation” for students, encouraging them to become deeper thinkers, truer friends, and better citizens. Parents will find their role as mentors and cheerleaders as the homeschool journey draws to a satisfying end.
As your student moves into the latter years of high school, you might have some questions about the Challenge program. Listen in as Karin Carpenter and Lisa Bailey reveal the gems to be mined in the Challenge III year! You will hear how the study of Latin, algebra, American history and Shakespeare are winsomely pursued, and how community day provides chances for each student to help and be helped as they stretch the learning muscles. You’ll discover how community day conversations give students the chance to love their neighbors more naturally, as they practice sharing ideas together.
What have you heard about Challenge II? If you want the real scoop, listen in as Tonya Rozelle and Lisa Bailey describe this transformational year of high school. You’ll hear how the theme of choices is realized in each strand of study, and how this intentional focus helps you raise deep thinkers who revel in changing their world. Parents, find out how to balance your involvement with your student’s independence, and be encouraged by what your student will gain through this year of discussion.
In this episode, Daniel Shirley, homeschool graduate and Challenge IV tutor, talks with long time homeschooling moms and CC leaders: Amanda Butler, Academic Director, and Heather Shirley, Academic Officer, about new training opportunities for licensed directors and tutors. If you liked what you heard about how CC trains homeschooling parents, consider becoming a CC tutor. Visit classicalconversations.com and click on “contact a local leader” to learn more about starting a CC homeschool community in your area.
Wondering what’s so great about Challenge I as your child enters the high school years? Listen in as Lisa Bailey and Julie Dickens reveal the blessings of this program for students and families. Get the answers to key questions such as “Is Challenge enough to prepare my student?” and “How involved should parents expect to be?” You’ll be excited to hear what students learn, and how that changes them!
Those of you looking toward Challenge B for the fall will want to listen in as Stephanie Meter and Lisa Bailey discuss the details of this program. You will hear how the “Ownership” theme of Challenge A naturally leads to the “Discipline” of Challenge B. You will get a practical sense of how students continue to hone the skills of learning they’ve been cultivating. And, you’ll discover the biggest surpriseof Challenge B! Listen in and discover the richness…
Wondering what to expect as you and your student move into the Challenge years? Join Lisa Bailey and Angela Oxford as they discuss the beauties and benefits of Challenge A. You’ll gain some great insights on this “year of firsts” and hear from experienced parents how to navigate this new part of your journey, both academically and relationally.