Top 5 Reasons to do Classical Conversations Challenge
Top 5 Reasons:
Classical Conversations Challenge
Two of my children are still young at age 8 & 10 and will start this fall in the Foundations level of Classical Conversations. My husband and I are a combination of planners and spontaneous, also known as A and B types. We look ahead and want as clear a path as possible to steer our homeschooling ship with a certain amount of flexibility.
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In taking a look at our present homeschooling preferences and thinking about the path to stay on, my husband and I are set on letting our children keep going in the Foundations and Essentials paths until they reach the Challenge years.
With that said, we also do have a teenager who is going into challenge A this fall. So in preparation for it, I began to plan. I put together two lists of resources to use-
Read: CC Cycle 3 Book List
Read: CC Cycle 3 Games & Movie List
Then I started researching a bit more on how do I even prepare my younger two for Foundations. Even more scary to me, how did I prepare my teenager for Challenge.
In this post, I will share only our top 5 reasons why we want our kids to do Classical Conversations Challenge. The reasons are not listed in order of importance.
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1. Challenge is Classical
We didn’t know this at the beginning of our homeschooling journey, but the more we are immersed in it, the more we realized that Classical education is perfect for us. It is the perfect mix of freedom and rigidity as well as the perfect mix of life experiences and book learning.
Classical education has been “out there” for millennia and it is proven to work above most other methods of education. We have been doing this at home and we are completely satisfied with the progress and results we are experiencing. Knowing that Challenge is the end result of our children’s education is encouraging because of it being successfully Classical.
2. Challenge is Impressive
When you attend Challenge mock classes during a Parent Practicum I think you would be very impressed with what you see. Is it the teacher teaching that is so impressive? Nope! In fact, it wasn’t a teacher teaching at all, but rather students pulling their knowledge on topics out and sharing with the group. It was quite inspiring and I would just love to be a fly on the wall during these conversations.
It is fun to think about rhetoric, mock trials and the high-level conversations they have in class. The great thing about watching videos of some Challenge classes is how all students participate and have a say in their learning. It is a great time to exchange ideas and grow together with peers. I mean, these kids know their stuff! The words “team work” and “problem-solving” come to mind when I think of Challenge.
3. Challenge is Christian
Above all, it is very important to my husband and myself that our children are educated in Christian values and everything they learn about, be it Evolution or types of government, that they are all taught through a Christian filter. This doesn’t mean that we will be blinded to the realities of our world’s current state and status quo.
Instead, we want them to have a firm foundation on their Christian values and beliefs to be able to judge for themselves, using God’s Word as the balance, what is to be followed and what is to be disposed of. I appreciate how Challenge doesn’t shy away from the hard or controversial topics, but rather encourages them to come out in a safe and Christian environment.
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4. Challenge is Well-Rounded
There are many subjects covered in the Challenge curriculum. From Logic and Latin, to Grammar and Debate, Challenge students receive a thorough and complete education with this program. I also appreciate the fact that the Challenge meetings are one day a week for a number of hours and the rest of the week is up to students and parents to work it out together at home.
As I stated, Classical education, including challenge, is rigorous, but at the same time, it is flexible. It teaches students to set goals and to plan their week’s assignments. It teaches them to pace themselves and to complete assignments in a timely manner. And since the work at home is set up by them, there is still flexibility and freedom for Challenge students to pursue their passions.
5. Challenge is Redeeming my Education
Ok, let’s face it: I want my kids to do Challenge because I WANT TO DO CHALLENGE! Ha! There, I’ve said it! I received a great level of education growing up, but it wasn’t Classical education, which is a method of education that I believe is superior to other methods. Challenge will be my opportunity to go through this education at a deeper and more thorough level and I love it.
Also, teaching my children to be lifelong learners is done best by leading by example. Doing the Challenge years with my children will be a great opportunity to redeem my own education, to be involved in what they are learning (even though at that point their education is mostly independent) and to provide great point for deeper and relevant conversations at the dinner table.
I can honestly say that I cannot wait! In the next three weeks we begin our time with Classical Conversations, including the Challenge years! I truly believe that the next several years will be a great blessing to our children’s education and growth in knowledge, understanding and wisdom as well as a blessing to our family in general because we will all grow from it!
***Tanya Wright from The Natural Homeschool and a CC Tutor helped contribute to this post**
In Awe,
