What are the pros and cons of a homeschool classical education?

Question

I am a homeschool mom and I am considering starting my kids in Classical Conversations. I was wondering if you think this approach works as well as it appears? Boys 9,6,4

Answer 1

There are CC groups forming in our area.  While I believe in the classical model of education, I think CC goes a bit too far.  I don't want my kids to be memorizers - I want them to *learn*.  One thing CC does is to have kids memorize the entire Ecclesiates book of the bible.  That is a bit extreme if you ask me.

They also follow a bit of Thomas Jefferson Education methods - of which I oppose for various reasons.

I don't want to make my kids a bunch of automotrons.  :-)  The CC method is just not a good fit for us at all.

ADDED:  Azathoh is speaking of a classical education in *general* - not about the CC "movement".

Answer 2

That completely depends on your kids and how you go about it.

Here's my general understanding of the pros and cons of classical education:

Pros:

It usually produces very literate, logical thinkers

It's good for training the mind

It makes memorization easier later in life

Cons:

It doesn't jive with everyone's personality. Personally, I would have loved classical education, but my sister -much more of a wild spirit, very athletic and artsy- would have hated it.

Some people may find it overly restrictive.

As with all curriculum choices, it comes down to the temperaments of your children.

There are ways to get many of the benefits of classical education if your sons -or one, or two of them- don't have bookish personalities.

I'm a nerdy reader, and I was exposed to a lot of good literature really early, because my parents left good books on low shelves. An artistic or even athletic approach to classical education could end up working better for your boys; don't limit yourself to thinking that bookwork is the only way to do it.