Are you new to homeschooling? Or have you been in it for a while? I’ve found that, if you’ve even considered homeschooling, it’s likely that someone has told you about Classical Conversations.
This post is NOT an ad for CC. But if you’ve even just looked into CC, you know there is a lot of relationship between Saxon and Classical Conversations.
And you may have wondered, “Why?” If so, you’re not alone! A lot of folks come to me with the same question.
So let’s dive in to why CC might recommend it and carry it in their catalog.
Here are three ways I find Saxon and Classical Conversations work well together for many families.
The Classical model of education used by CC relies heavily on repeating information until it is well-memorized. This is the biggest link between Saxon and Classical Conversations.
Think back to the one-room schoolhouse where children are memorizing facts and drilling facts.
There is new information given. It is repeated. Then it is repeated again.
A new piece of information is given, and now both pieces are repeated. And this goes on, over and over again.
But it doesn’t stop there!
Over time, that information becomes ingrained in the brain and the student has easy access to it! With these “pegs” of basic information, students can then “hang” more knowledge onto those pegs. They grow their knowledge and use it as a basis for more complex skills as is developmentally appropriate.
Have you seen kids go from memorizing math facts in Saxon 2 to recalling them in the middle of complicated Algebra problems? If not–hang in there, you will! It’s the spiral-classical connection in action!
The CC curriculum works with young children’s natural ability to memorize as a foundation of learning. History, Grammar, Latin, Science–you name it, those kids are memorizing something about it!
Then there is review over time (and we are talking not just weeks or months, but even years here). That helps the information stick well.
With that in mind, the use of Saxon and Classical Conversations together makes perfect sense. The students are used to lots of review, which is what makes math stick (and why, to this teacher, Saxon is so effective).
Saxon and Classical Conversations both use the spiral method–CC just extends it to every subject!
In the upper level/Challenge years (think pre-Algebra and beyond), those memorized facts and concepts start to get utilized to make vital connections and engage with more complex concepts.
Community matters. Classical Conversations operates on that premise, and thousands of families thrive each year because of it. Local communities help hold parents and students accountable and provide academic and social support, too.
I would suggest that using the same curriculum as others encourages community, too!
I mean, isn’t it nice when your homeschool friends are experiencing similar joys in learning at the same time? Or when someone who has gone before can tell you what worked (or didn’t)?
If you are a part of my Facebook group, you’ve seen how community centered around a certain curriculum happens.
Have a question? Someone usually has the answer or can point you to it.
Need support? There’s someone who can empathize and help you out.
Have a success? In community, you can celebrate with others who truly get why it’s a big deal.
And that’s one reason I think Saxon and Classical Conversations are so closely intertwined. It’s just nice when you experience things in tandem with a group.
Like I said earlier, this is not an endorsement of CC. I simply want you to know why, when looking at their catalog or talking to people who participate in it, you hear “Saxon and Classical Conversations” mentioned together. It’s because they really do have a lot of similarities.
But not everyone finds it easy–and that’s one reason I’m so happy to be able to provide further support for families who choose Saxon–regardless of any other curriculum choices!
