Classic Learning Test - An ACT / SAT Alternative

I am excited to share with you today a guest post from Alex Merritt at Classic Learning Test.  This post is not sponsored in any way, I just wanted to help them get the word out about a new college entrance test that was created with classical educators and students in mind!

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Classical educators are often faced with a dilemma once their children and students reach their high school years and begin looking toward college admissions. Although great care is taken every step of the way to ensure that their children have received an education perfected around their needs and values, they find that they must familiarize themselves with the content of the SAT and ACT exams.

For generations, the ACT and SAT have been the gateways of higher education in the United States. Because of this, the education of many students incorporates standardized testing content which may be incongruent, or even antagonistic, to the rest of their curriculum. As students reach their final years of schooling before entering college, they are often swamped with test prep books and notecards in an attempt to “learn” the SAT.

As the SAT has been rewritten to reflect the Common Core Standards present in the public education system, classical educators are forced to navigate the tension of teaching to the test, rather than that which is most valuable. Put simply, the SAT has become a reflection not of what a student has learned, but how well they can adapt themselves to a rigid exam incongruous to their educational background.

Classic Learning Initiatives (CLI), located in Annapolis, MD, has recognized this problem and has developed an exam called the Classic Learning Test (CLT) with classical education in mind. Unlike the SAT, the CLT is rooted in classical education, featuring works by authors dating back to Plato and Aristotle. Also, unlike the SAT, which purports to be “values-neutral” (an endorsement of relativism), the CLT is committed to the timeless truths which have shaped much of the Western intellectual tradition.

The texts featured on the CLT are among some of the most enduring and influential of the last two millennia. Further, studying for the CLT looks much different from studying for the SAT or ACT. Rather than learning pointless test taking tricks, studying for the CLT involves full immersion with the best of the classical tradition.

The Classic Learning Test contains passages and references to classic authors and great thinkers around the world.

Does this sound like the kind of college entrance test you would like your child to take? 

Connect with the Classic Learning Initiatives to learn more:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter

Conversational Latin? Yes, with Mango Languages!

I was provided with this program to review and was compensated for my time.  All opinions are my own!

We are classical homeschoolers over here, and I know many of you are too.  That means that many of us are teaching Latin to our kids.  The biggest problem with learning Latin is that it is not very easy to get a feel for how the language sounds.  With other languages, you can watch a movie, visit the country it is spoken it, or even just hear it spoken in the grocery store, but with Latin being a dead language you can't do that.

When I heard about Mango Languages, I was excited because it is a program that teaches over 60 languages by having students listen to the spoken language and repeat it back.   At first, I figured that the dead languages wouldn't be a part of the program, but I was thrilled to find Latin, Greek, and even Hebrew!

Mango Languages for Homeschool

Mango Languages lets you be as hands on or hands off as you want to be.  Personally, I sat with my son each time he did a lesson because he is only 6 years old, but if you have older children they could easily do the program themselves, freeing you up from having to teach a subject!  My son really enjoyed doing each lesson, saying the words and combining them into sentences.

First, you pick your language.  Like I said, there are over 60 languages available and within each language there are even different course options and dialects to choose from.  I think that it is really neat that you don't have to stick to one language.  While it would be smart to focus on one, you are free to browse other languages.  What a neat way to familiarize yourself with what is out there.

Then you get started on your lesson!  Some courses have pre-tests and placement tests (Latin did not, but I think the more common languages do) to ensure you are doing the right lesson, and curriculum outlines for you, the parent.

Each lesson is guided by a voice that reads slides and instructs the student what to do.  I love how simple it is to follow.  At first I thought I was missing something because I didn't really need to navigate to start the second lesson, but then I realized that it just knew where I left off and took me right there.  It even keeps track of how many minutes you child has spent on their language lessons.  It's nice to see that, as visual proof that they have been working hard!

 

How Does Mango Help you Learn Another Language?

Mango Languages teaches in a really nice, no pressure, confidence building way.  For our Latin lessons, the speaker would read a sentence and we would try to read it back.  Then she would break apart each word or phrase and explain what it was and we would repeat it again.  Sometimes she would have us guess how to say something based on previous rules we had learned.  If we weren't sure, we would guess and then click the button to hear the right answer.  If we thought we knew it, but needed more time, we would just add time to the clock!  If we needed to hear a pronunciation again, no problem, just click the replay button.  It is completely your pace.

From time to time, a mini grammar lesson was interjected.  These were helpful and answered just the questions that were starting to come up in my mind.  There are also cultural incites, given at just the right moment.

In Latin, the word order in a sentence can often be mixed around.  That can make it confusing to figure out which word is which.  Mango solves this problem by color coding the words they show you.  If there is an English and a Latin sentence on the same screen, each word will be in a different color and the corresponding word in the other language will have the same color.  Neat!  Plus, if you hover over a word, it will show your the way to pronounce it and even give you the option to have it spoken.

I give it an A+ for being intuitive and easy to use.

Here is a little peek at how the lessons go.  My son was controlling the mouse, so forgive the slow navigation =)

Who should try Mango Languages?

Have I mentioned that you can try Mango Languages for free?!   You can also use discount code: HS5PM to get $5 off of your monthly rate.  Or if you are really lucky you can win a Kindle Fire with Mango already loaded onto it! (Enter the giveaway at the end of the post.)

So who should take advantage of these offers?

• Parents, Mango is perfect for you if you want to understand the language your child is studying on their own.  It is also the perfect way to familiarize yourself with a language that you plan on teaching your child.

•  Teenagers who want to study a language on their own, or maybe even try out a few!

•  Moms who want one subject to be taken off of their plate, or who just don't feel qualified to teach a foreign language.

• Younger students who want to hear what the fruit of their labor can accomplish and who want to be able to say sentences right away (not just random vocab).

• Families with multiple students who want to learn different languages.  Mango has it all in one place and you can register up to 6 kids in their homeschool program!

 

• Anyone who wants to learn ancient Greek or Hebrew in order to study the Bible more deeply.

• Classical homeschoolers who want to be able to hear the dead languages spoken and increase their ability to read original works.

• Anyone who is planning on traveling to a foreign country.  Mango has it all, including mini courses designed for specific purposes like medical terminology or food.

Definitely take advantage of the free trial or jump right in and use the discount code (HS5PM).  Mango Languages would make a great supplement to what you are already using, or would perfectly fill the language gap in your homeschool curriculum.

Keep up with Mango Language here:

Facebook --- Twitter --- Pinterest -- YouTube --- Instagram

Mango Languages Kindle Fire Giveaway

Entry-Form

The Finishing Level: Education Never Stops!

This post contains an affiliate link to the book that we are going through.

Welcome to another week of the Teaching the Trivium book club!  I am so excited to read and discuss this book along with you.  I loved the discussion last week and would love to hear from more of you!  Today we talk about how education continues even past the Rhetoric Stage. 

Chapter 15 -The Finishing Level: Ages Nineteen and Onward

This is (pretty much) the last chapter in the book.  Wow!  I can't believe that we made it through all 400+ pages!  Next week we will have a concluding discussion, so go ahead and read the conclusion and thumb through the Appendix.  Then we will resume in June for our next book (more on that in a later post!)

The trivium is more than a curriculum, it is a way of life.   (page 433)

That is so true!  Classical education is about creating a culture of learning, discussion, and contemplation.  The school years are just the preparation for a life filled with these things.  This chapter is all about life beyond their formal academic years.

In your mind, what are you preparing your child for?  What is the goal of your homeschooling?  Are you preparing your child for a good job?  To go to college? To be a productive citizen?  To be a light in the dark world?  To be ready for marriage?

I think that all these things have merit.  The Bluedorns argue that preparing your children for marriage should be the focus of the late teen years.  I think they have some good points.  If two people are self-focused, set on pursuing whatever dreams and goals they have, how are they going to transition into a life together?  Marriage is about serving one another, and each person has skills that they will need in order to do this.  We talked about this a bit last week, but it is worth bringing up again.  Readying a child for adulthood includes more than academics, and I think we have mixed up our priorities a bit lately.  I think we could see more solid families if children were purposely taught the skills they need to be husbands, wives, homemakers, fathers, etc.

Principles for Making Decisions and Setting Goals

The Bluedorns list twelve principles for making decisions and setting goals.  A few of them I found extra helpful and interesting.  I will comment on them here.  If you want to discuss any of the others, just bring them up in the comments!


Instill in your children the desire to listen to advice from their elders.

I think every child thinks they are wise.  Dare I say, the most wise?  I remember thinking this way.  Hey, I probably still think this way!  They made a good point of modeling this behavior for our children.  I don't think I would have thought of that!  Even as adults, we can practice respect and being teachable.


Accumulate Multigenerational Wisdom

I have to admit that I just don't typically think this way.  Do you?  I think my husband and I are more "family of God" focused than physical family focused.  Here is what the Bluedorns have to say.  I'm not saying it's wrong, it is just not how I've been taught to think.  What do you think?

The goal is for a family to accumulate wisdom for making decisions, and to pass that wisdom on to each succeeding generation.  (pg 435)

Don't work without clear goals.  Yes!


Learn to sort the necessities from the niceties.

I think this is so huge!  We are all so prone to think that we deserve things just because they are available, or because we see that others have them.  We really need to consciously practice contentment.  The Bluedorns also apply this principle to the things you choose to do: the must-dos, should-dos, and might-be-a-nice-idea-to-dos.


Limitations may be your greatest opportunities.

Wow, this is a good, but hard one.  It is so easy to get discouraged or resentful when things don't go our way.  They give the example of Joseph being sold to the Egyptians and then put in prison.  That would have been an easy time to become resentful.  Little did Joseph know that God was preparing him to be in just the right place and position to save his family from starvation (along with many other people!)  If we can teach our children to have this attitude, they will be well served.


A boy's goal is to develop a livelihood.

This is especially good to remember in these recent days.  We seem to be in a culture of boys who never want to grow up, let alone take responsibility for a family.  Parents, teach your boys to be hard workers and good providers!



A girl's goal is to be a homemaker.

I know these are fighting words in many circles, but they are so true.  Not saying anything about what else a girl does with her life, our daughters do need to learn to take care of their (future) homes.  Homemaking is looked down upon these days, so many people are reluctant to teach these skills.  That is too bad.  Moms, will you teach your daughters all you know about keeping a home?  If you feel like you are not adequately prepared, will you learn along with her?

I really liked this:

If we train up our daughters to live independently, then guess what?  That's how they're likely to live.  If they enter a marriage with an independent spirit, and without the skills to motherhood and homemaking, they guess what?  It is likely that their home will lack peace and harmony...On the other hand, if we prepare our daughters to marry - to have a submissive spirit, to care for others, and to rule their homes - then will we be surprised if they become loving wives and mothers with orderly and peaceful homes?    (pg. 438)

I know I could benefit from a little more order and peace!  What about you?  What do you desire for your daughters?  What do you desire for your sons?

What about college?

The next part of the chapter is all about college.  What are your thoughts about college these days?  Honestly, my opinion of college is getting lower and lower =)  The Bluedorns give lots of reasons why not going to college might be a better choice.  This post is already really long, so I'm not going to discuss all of them, but I would love to hear what you think!  Will you encourage your children to pursue college?

If we took a snapshot of the idea product of this (classical) education, what would he look like?  He knows how to learn from books.  He knows how to train his hands to perform a skill, and to train his mind to think.    (pg 445)

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Thanks for reading along this week!  Leave comments here on the blog post, or share about it on social media (#ClassicalMamasRead).  I'll be sharing too, so follow me on facebook, twitter, or google+ and we can chat about it there as well!  Don't forget, if you want to share your thoughts about Teaching the Trivium on your own blog, link it up below so we can all come and visit!

Next week we will be finishing up our discussion of Teaching the Trivium.  If you don't have your own copy, I still recommend getting your hands on a copy!  Check your library or order one soon.  Feel free to comment on any past book club posts, because I'm always happy to keep the conversation going!  Also, this is a 600+ page book, so I am only touching on certain points of each chapter.  There is so much great information that I am not covering, so if this discussion interests you, you are going to want to make sure to pick up your own copy so you can read more!

Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about Teaching the Trivium on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I think I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

 

10 Things To Do With Children Ages 16-18

This post contains an affiliate link to the book that we are going through.

Welcome to another week of the Teaching the Trivium book club!  I am so excited to read and discuss this book along with you.  I loved the discussion last week and would love to hear from more of you!  Today we talk about teaching children in the Rhetoric Stage. 

Today I'm writing you from Cincinnati, OH.  I am here for the Great Homeschool Convention!  My husband and I enjoyed the first day of sessions and are looking forward to a full day tomorrow.   

Chapter 14 - Ten Things To Do With Your Children Ages Sixteen Through Eighteen

I can't believe that we are nearing the end of this book!  Today we are talking about the rhetoric stage, and I believe that there are two more chapters after this one.

The Bluedorns talk about how this final stage of the trivium should really be comprised of two parts.  Of course there should be the education component, but there also needs to be an aspect of preparing our children for their adult life.  This chapter is broken down into the 10 things to do with children in the rhetoric stage and then three goals to have as far as preparation goes.

They say that in the rhetoric stage, you go from "coaching and correcting...to coaxing and directing."

A Suggested Course of Study

Like in the last stage, I do not have any expertise in the rhetoric stage, so I will run through the ten items and comment on things that I found interesting.


Family Worship 

• This should comprise of a systematic study of theology, plus personal devotion time.

Reading Aloud 

• Continue to read aloud, even to your older children.  Some books might be repeats of ones they heard when they were younger, but that's ok!

History and Literature 

• History should definitely be studied chronologically now.  It will look similar to in the last stage, but it should be more challenging material.

Rhetoric (Lots of great resources listed!)

1. Read everyday
2. Write everyday
3. Perform speeches or interpretive readings every month

Government, Economics, and Law


Languages

• "Unless the student plans on regular encounters with a modern foreign language, such as in missionary work, the study of ancient Latin and Greek will prove much more useful than the study of, for example, modern French, Spanish, or German."  (pg. 422)

Logic

• "The principles of logic apply to absolutely everything."  (pg. 422)

  
Mathematics

• Some students will want to go on to the higher maths, others will want to learn math that will help them in their future plans (computer science, accounting, etc.)

  

Science

• "The study of science will take the most diverse directions during the Wisdom {rhetoric} Level."  (pg 426)

Art and Music

• Formal lessons continued or art and music appreciation

Beyond Academics

I underlined a lot in this section =)  Some of you may not agree with the stereotypical gender roles it assumes, but honestly I love it.  I love how God created men and women with different strengths and abilities.  I believe that men and women are capable (generally speaking) of doing anything, but that doesn't mean that they are naturally good or gifted at certain things (or that they should do certain things).  I also think that the family is a crucial building block of the church and of society.  I don't want to dive deeper into that right now, but feel free to leave comments or questions below.

Here are some things I found interesting in this section:

• A parent's role will slowly change from instructor to counselor in the rhetoric stage.
• All children will study the same subjects, but they should approach the subjects differently (depending on their future goals).
• We need to be preparing our children for marriage.
• Modeling a good marriage is the first step of preparing our children for marriage.
• Boys must be mentored by their fathers to learn how to be the spiritual leader of their future families.
• Boys must prepare to support their future families (of course not everyone will marry, but the vast majority do).
• Girls must learn the basics of keeping a home and mothering.

I think that the art of 'family' is bring lost and I find that very sad.  Family just isn't prioritized any more and therefore, the skills needed to run every aspect of a family are not being passed down from mothers and fathers to daughters and sons.  My mother was wonderful and I learned many things from here, but looking back I wish that there was even more instruction and direction.  That being said, I don't know if I would have wanted it at that point =)

If we accomplish our goal of a good classical liberal arts education balanced with a good classical Hebrew education, then we will have produced some straight and sharp arrows for God's use.  (pg. 429)

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Do you have children in the rhetoric stage?

How have you prepared your children for their adult life?

How did your parents prepare you for your adult life?

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Thanks for reading along this week!  Leave comments here on the blog post, or share about it on social media (#ClassicalMamasRead).  I'll be sharing too, so follow me on facebook, twitter, or google+ and we can chat about it there as well!  Don't forget, if you want to share your thoughts about Teaching the Trivium on your own blog, link it up below so we can all come and visit!

Next week we will be talking about chapter fourteen of Teaching the Trivium.  If you haven't gotten your own copy yet, make sure you check your library or order one soon so you can be ready for next time!  Also, this is a 600+ page book, so I am only touching on certain points of each chapter.  There is so much great information that I am not covering, so if this discussion interests you, you are going to want to make sure to pick up your own copy so you can read more!

Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about Teaching the Trivium on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I think I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

 

The Study of Historical Literature - Teaching the Trivium Ch. 9

This post contains an affiliate link to the book that we are going through.

Welcome to another week of the Teaching the Trivium book club!  I am so excited to read and discuss this book along with you.  I loved the discussion last week and would love to hear from more of you!  Today we talk about studying historical literature.

Chapter 9 - An Application of Principles for the Study of Historical Literature

In chapter 8 we talked about things we need to consider when reading classic literature.  This week we are looking specifically at history and seeing how the principles we talked about last week apply to historical literature.  The Bluedorns provide us with an awesome timeline at the end of this chapter that synchronizes world events, Biblical literature, and secular literature.  This timeline is specifically for the period of the Ancient Greeks, but it serves as a great example of what can be done for any time period.

An Introduction to the Study of History

Before they get to the timeline, the Buledorns talk a little about history in general.

History is the teller of stories.  It is a narration of events in the order in which they occurred.   (pg. 243)

Historical Fact vs Historical Record

Even when we have primary sources, we do not necessarily have the facts of what happened in history.  I had never really thought about this before, but it makes sense that whoever is recording the event is telling it from their perspective and from their preconceived notions. 

They gave the example of watching a magic show.  The realty (historical fact) of what happened at a magic show will be very different than how an audience member recounts it (historical record). 

This is something good to remember when reading historical literature.


Primary vs Secondary Sources

Primary sources are records from people who actually witnessed an event.  Secondary sources are people who study primary sources (or even other secondary sources) and then share their own record.  Even though historical fact can be different than even a primary source, it is still considered to be more accurate than a secondary source.

The more times a story has been handled, ordinarily the less reliable it becomes, because interpretations and biases are usually attached with each handling.   (pg. 224-245)

I thought it was interesting what they said about ancient literature.  The true primary source records we have only go back so far.  For the early ancient civilizations, we don't have any primary sources (aside from the Bible), so we have to take the earliest secondary sources as our best account.  We call these principle sources (for example, Homer and the Trojan War).

A Literary Timeline (753-698 BC)

The last half of the chapter is a really neat literary timeline for the period of the Ancient Greeks.  Really, it is a chart showing what was going on in each area (Judah, Israel, Egypt, Assyria/Babylon/Persia, Greece, and Rome) for each year, and then what literature (broken down in to Biblical and secular) corresponds. If you are reading along and like this timeline, or if you are just following our discussion here and think this sounds interesting, you'll want to know that the Bluedorns have an entire book dedicated to a literary timeline of ancient history.  I have it and it is a wonderful resource!

Ancient History from Primary Sources, A Literary Timeline

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How do you choose what literature to read along with your history studies?

Do you have any favorite resources that help you decide?

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Thanks for reading along this week!  Leave comments here on the blog post, or share about it on social media (#ClassicalMamasRead).  I'll be sharing too, so follow me on facebook, twitter, or google+ and we can chat about it there as well!  Don't forget, if you want to share your thoughts about Teaching the Trivium on your own blog, link it up below so we can all come and visit!

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Next week we will be talking about chapter ten of Teaching the Trivium.  If you haven't gotten your own copy yet, make sure you check your library or order one soon so you can be ready for next time!  Also, this is a 600+ page book, so I am only touching on certain points of each chapter.  There is so much great information that I am not covering, so if this discussion interests you, you are going to want to make sure to pick up your own copy so you can read more!

Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about Teaching the Trivium on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I think I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

Teaching Rhetoric - Teaching the Trivium Ch. 7

This post contains an affiliate link to the book that we are going through.

Welcome to another week of the Teaching the Trivium book club!  I am so excited to read and discuss this book along with you.  I loved the discussion last week and would love to hear from more of you!  Today we talk about rhetoric.

Chapter 7 - Teaching Rhetoric

"Every subject has it's own rhetoric."  Rhetoric is the "creative expression of sound conclusions." (pg. 175) 

I really enjoyed this chapter because it brings everything together.  I am very narrow sighted, just beginning to teach my children the grammar of each subject.  This chapter helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel.  This is what we are striving for!

By the rhetoric stage, our children have learned the facts about the world around them.  They have thought about this information and drawn conclusions.  Now they must learn to express these conclusions clearly, persuasively, accurately, and interestingly.

Grammar is no goal, and Logic is no goal...if we have no output, then we have nothing.  pg. 176

Principles for Learning Rhetoric

While there are different formal programs for learning rhetoric, the Bluedorns say that practice is the best method for increasing your communication skills.  In fact, they said that no matter what curriculum you choose to use, it must include activities in public speaking.

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How do you facilitate the practice of rhetoric for your children? (Debate team, giving speeches, etc.)

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Next, the chapter goes on to talk about developing rhetoric skills in our children.  I thought this quote was very inspiring for me and I think it can be applied to any stage of the trivium.

Require enough to press him, but not to break him.  The younger years require patience and trust, yet firmness and steady pressure.  pg.179

Here are some ideas the Bluedorns give for preparing your child for their study of rhetoric (many more or listed in the book):

• Instill a love of learning in your child
• Fill your children's minds with good examples by having them do copywork, dictation, outlining, and narration
• Sharpen their minds and voices by having them do oral narrations, recitations, and interpretations
• Practice letter and journal writing
• Let them listen to live speeches, debates, etc.

The chapter ends again with suggestion of  how to teach rhetoric at each age range:

• Before age 10 - Build their vocabulary through reading to them and talking to them in challenging ways (including letting them listen to adult conversations like preaching, debates, etc.)
• Ages 10-12 - Focus on grammar and spelling.  Shift from recitation to interpretation of prose and poetry.
• Ages 13-15 - Teach them how to compose different types of papers and require regular writing projects from them.
• Ages 16-18 - Let them continue to increase their rhetoric knowledge and practice their skills is front of others.

Influencing the World with Rhetoric

I remember sitting in a basic college writing class and being startled at the inability of some of classmates to write cohesive sentences.   I am not a "let's go conquer the world!" type of girl, but if someone asks me a question, I want to be able to answer them well.  If I am presented with a problem, I want to be able to confidently and convincingly explain my proposed solution.

I strongly believe in the sovereignty of God, so my main goal is not to change the world or turn America into a Christian nation, but I want to do what is put before me to the best of my ability.  I want to be able to give an answer for what I believe in, and I want to encourage others to do what is right.  All of these things require basic rhetoric skills.

My point is that even if your goal for your children isn't to give speeches for the rest of their lives, convincing everyone they meet to change their mind about something, being eloquent, concise, and persuasive are skills that will be useful in everyday life.

  

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Do you have rhetoric age children in your home?

How do you foresee their training in rhetoric being a worthwhile study?

What resources do you use to teach rhetoric?

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Leave comments here on the blog post, or share about it on social media (#ClassicalMamasRead).  I'll be sharing too, so follow me on facebook, twitter, or google+ and we can chat about it there as well!  Don't forget, if you want to share your thoughts about Teaching the Trivium on your own blog, link it up below so we can all come and visit!

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Next week we will be talking about chapter eight of Teaching the Trivium.  If you haven't gotten your own copy yet, make sure you check your library or order one soon so you can be ready for next time!  Also, this is a 600+ page book, so I am only touching on certain points of each chapter.  There is so much great information that I am not covering, so if this discussion interests you, you are going to want to make sure to pick up your own copy so you can read more!

Classical Mamas Read Link-Up

Did you write about Teaching the Trivium on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I think I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

All Things Classical - On Pinterest

Come find hundreds of posts from many different blogs, all having to do with Classical Homeschooling.  These posts have been linked up to Trivium Tuesdays here at Living and Learning at Home.  If you have a post that you would like included link it up next Tuesday and I will add it.

These lists are slowly being transferred onto Pinterest boards.  If you are looking for a topic that you do not see below, please check my original All Things Classical Blog Post Index. 

Below you will find each of my Pinterest boards.  They cover all aspects of classical education.  You will find boards specific to the stages of the trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric) and then broken down by subject.  There are also boards covering broader subjects (like books lists and curriculum choices).  These boards will be every-growing, so check back often!

Please click on each title picture to take you to the Pinterest board so you can see all the great posts in that category!

Make sure to follow each board so you will be able to see when I add new posts!

Sponsor Spotlight: Classical Academic Press

Have you noticed the new button on my sidebar this month?  I'm so excited to announce that Classical Academic Press is my newest sponsor here at Living and Learning at Home!

I first learned about Classical Academic Press when I read a review at Teaching Stars about Song School Latin.  After reading that post, I knew that Song School Latin was something that I wanted to use with my children.  I got it a few months ago to review and my kids have LOVED it since the minute we started.  You can read my review at The Curriculum Choice.

I wanted to take today to share with you a little more about Classical Academic Press and what other great materials they offer.  From their website:

Our mission is to produce and supply the finest classical curricula to the market today.

We seek to produce classical curricula and media with a clear design and structure, incremental and systematic instruction, all with a touch of delight, creativity and flair.

Great Curricula at Classical Academic Press

Classical Academic Press offers more than just Latin (though you should definitely check out their complete line of Latin curriculum for grades 1-12).  Here are a few great products to give you a taste of what they have for you!  If something looks interesting to you, make sure to click over and look on the product page because there are sample chapters and other free resources to help you learn more!

Logic (grades 7 and up)

• The Art of Argument -  introduces students to the logical fallacies

• The Discovery of Deduction - explores the structure or reasoning

•  The Argument Builder - helps students to build a sound argument that is also persuasive. 

Writing and Rhetoric (grades 3 and up)

This is a new series that will teach your child how to write by imitating excellent, whole-story examples of literature.  Right now they have two books out, but it looks like this is going to be a 12 book series to take your child all the way to graduation!  This series looks really neat and I'm excited to use it with my son in a year or two.

Bible (grades 3 and up)

 This four part series teaches children the overarching story of the Bible.  I love that it teaches the Bible chronologically, which you could fit right in to your history studies (or just use it as a stand alone curriculum or or family Bible time).  Along with the great stories and learning about the covenant that God has made with his people, this curriculum come packed with:

• Passages to memorize
• Maps
• A Timeline
• Audio book of the stories

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I hope that this gives you a little taste of the great products you will find at Classical Academic Press.  I have been so happy with the products that I have used from them, and I know that you will be too!

Have you used any curriculum from Classical Academic Press?  Leave a comment, because I would love to hear what your favorites are!