Opinions on Classical Conversations

Homeschooling Parents Share Their Experiences

Jul 17, 2009 Linda Hayase

Three home educators weigh the pros and cons of Classical Conversations, a Christian homeschool program based on the classical education model.

Christian homeschoolers are talking about Classical Conversations, the fast-growing program popping up in many cities across the nation. For some families, the weekly classes taught by paid tutors are an answer to prayer. Others discover it’s not a good fit for their homeschooling needs. Three home educators discuss their experiences with the program.

Academic Progress and Homeschooling Friends

Carrie House, an Oregon homeschooler, discovered Classical Conversations through a YouTube video featuring William Bortins, son of CC founder Leigh Bortins. In the video, Bortins recited a complete history timeline with 160 facts. House was impressed and decided to investigate further.

She was thrilled to learn about the program’s use of the Veritas Press timeline cards and the Institute for Excellence writing program, which she was already implementing with her four children. When House realized that the closest group was more than five hours away, she decided to become an official CC director and organize her own group in Salem. The group has since grown to 14 participating families.

The benefits, according to House, have been many. She believes that her children are being educated in a systematic way, and that they enjoy the history songs, science experiments, art and music lessons, and the friends they’ve made. Last year, her 5-year-old son memorized most of the fifty states and capitals. “At the age of five, that’s great!” she said. "I’ve really enjoyed being able to meet all sorts of homeschoolers with a wide variety of learning choices.”

Local Homeschool Group Not a Good Match

Lisa, a Virginia homeschooler who asked to remain anonymous, said she was initially drawn to Classical Conversations after hearing Leigh Bortins speak at a seminar. She was impressed by the claim that her children would gain a vast amount of knowledge through the program.

Lisa’s excitement led her to join a group an hour's drive away. She quickly dropped the program, however, after realizing that she could teach her children the same memory work at home in less time than the weekly class required.

She also felt uncomfortable with the local group's members. Lisa, a former Catholic who was not practicing any religion at the time, was told that she was allowed to join if she acknowledged that "the only way to salvation was through Jesus Christ, and not through good works.” She concluded, “I don't think I ever would have been comfortable in that group.” Classical Conversations openly promotes its Christian beliefs in its literature and website.

Although she discontinued the class, Lisa liked the Classical Conversations curriculum well enough to continue using it at home with her two children. “The primary benefits of the group are fellowship and accountability," she said. "If you don't have those needs, then I would recommend doing CC on your own.”

Scheduling Conflicts with Existing Homeschool Plans

Kentucky homeschooler Regena Mcconnell attended a meeting to learn about a new Classical Conversations group starting in her area. She was excited about the idea of children memorizing a large amount of material each year, and also liked the way CC incorporated logic work. The program's 3-year schedule for covering subjects, however, did not coincide with her existing homeschool plans. She said, “I was not willing to change my goals to fit a particular program. Setting my own course is part of why I homeschool.”

Mcconnell also didn't want to incur the expense of the Veritas Press cards which are an integral part of the program. She felt the cards' history information wasn't substantial enough to warrant the cost. Instead, she decided to use Andrew Campbell's book, Living Memory, to incorporate relevant memory work into her self-designed homeschool plans.

Mcconnell, who has 6th and 12th grade boys, voiced concerns that some educators believe simply memorizing facts equals a solid education. “Rote facts without understanding are a waste of time, in my opinion,” she said. “Memorization of lists of facts, without really studying the details surrounding those facts, is rather like being able to list the ingredients for a recipe, but failing to understand how to put it together and turn it into a final product.”

She cautioned, “Whenever you elect to begin CC, you must remember that the depth of learning will have to come from readings and further study you do at home regarding the topics of memorization.”

Choosing the Right Homeschool Program

The goal of CC memorization, agreed Director House, is to lay a foundation for other materials the families may be studying. "Each year there's a suggested reading book list for families to use, should they wish to expand on the CC [memory work]." She adds that at upper grade levels the program takes on a different format, with students tackling a full week's worth of assignments at home and discussions in the weekly classes.

House acknowledges the differing opinions on Classical Conversations. “I don’t believe there is any program that can encompass everyone,” she said. She recommends that families organize their own groups if cost is a factor, and advises, “Whether you do Classical Conversations or not, my suggestion would be to look for like-minded fellowship and accountability.”

Sources:

Carrie House was interviewed for this article on July 11, 13 & 16, 2009 via email.

Lisa [last name withheld on request] was interviewed for this article on July 11, 2009 via email.

Regena Mcconnell was interviewed for this article on July 8, 2009 via email.

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