Start a Homeschool Co-op with Help -- Four Catholic Alternatives to Classical Conversations

Catholic homeschooling families across the U.S. are coming together to create Catholic alternatives to Classical Conversations! Here is an overview of four programs now available. We believe you will find the persons involved in each program very helpful and encouraging as you try to start a homeschool co-op of your own.

1. SCHOLA ROSA: HOME & CO-OP CURRICULUM: This an exciting new resource that The Rolling Acres School is proud to offer in agreement with Classically Catholic Memory!  It is a Catholic, classical, Charlotte Mason inspired program that is easily accessed online, providing materials for English/Poetry, Religion/Catechism, Science, Art, Music, History, Virtue-Training, Latin/Greek and including a special Schola Rosa Edition of Classically Catholic Memory Work and CDs.  In addition to lesson plans for all Schola Rosa subjects, the online suite includes worksheets, group activity/ field trip plans, digital books, audio readings, links to resources, maps, and more.  There is also a “Co-op Manager’s Manual” with directions, how-to videos, and sample forms to aid a prospective co-op in getting up and running.  As the title implies, there are materials for the entire week—for the home and the co-op day.  The program covers Pre-K through 12th Grade and includes a comprehensive, weekly curriculum for all subjects.

CLICK HERE FOR SCHOLA ROSA INTRODUCTORY VIDEO!

 

2. Classically Catholic Memory is a four year Catholic, classical memory work program that provides challenging and inspiring memory work material in eight subjects: Religion, which covers Catechism and Scripture; Latin, which includes both prayers and hymns ranging from the Pater Noster to the Tantum Ergo and the Salve Regina; History, which is comprised of chronological and challenging short paragraphs about important historical topics, events, and persons; Science, which covers Life Science: Animal Life, Earth Science/Astronomy, Chemistry/Physics, and Plant Life; Math, which includes skip-counting, formulas, and conversions; Timeline, which consists of 144 events tracing history from Creation through John Paul II; Geography, which fully covers political and geographic features of 6 continents; and Great Words, which covers age-appropriate classic poetry and important historical documents and speeches.

The memory work in Classically Catholic Memory is quite challenging, orderly, and chronological. CCM is meant to be fully usable by individual families at home, as well as in a co-op setting. To that end, we provide the following high-quality materials for each year: a Student Text (in full color with classic art work); a Teacher Text (which includes the Student Text, plus teaching notes for all subjects); a set of five laminated maps (in full color with a sheet of sticker labels for all geographic features); and an audio CD set (on which the memory work is presented both by week and by subject, with the history sentences sung to familiar tunes to facilitate memorization). The same set of 144 Timeline Cards is used during each year.

Because the cost of the CCM program is only for the materials, the CCM program is very affordable. Please see our website at www.ccmemory.com or contact us at info@ccmemory.com for more information.— Mission Statement provided by David and Donna Freidenfeld, Founders

3. Aquinas Learning aims to be a classical education mentoring program which guides students toward wisdom and virtue. Students meet once a week for a class day with their mentors and peers and, using materials and on-line support we provide, students continue studying the curriculum with their parents and siblings at home.By studying the liberal arts and discussing the great ideas of Western civilization, in full communion with the Catholic Church, the students will develop a taste and love for what is true, good, and beautiful and the skills of thinking, writing, reading, speaking, and listening through:

• Good books with Socratic discussions
• Core subject discussions (Catechism, History, Science, and Civics)
• Memory practice (Latin, Grammar, Timeline, and Geography)
• Fine arts studies (music and art appreciation, chants, and art projects
• Oral presentations – elocution, listening and note-taking skills
• Language Arts – IEW, Grammar, Diagramming, Copy Work, Spelling, Handwriting

The students will form a habit of mind, that of being inquisitive, perceptive, ordered, and contemplative which will lead to moral and intellectual virtue, right reason applied to right action following God’s will for them. — Mission Statement provided by Rosario Reilly

4. Catholic Schoolhouse is a homeschool program that gives homeschool families the opportunity to enrich their homeschool by coming together once a week in a classroom environment. All children at all ages have a place — studying similar topics, just at their level. CSH introduces these key concepts in an organized three-year cycle. Additionally, CSH provides an in-depth science and art project each week that simplify at-home prep-work and activities.The comment that I most often hear from participants in our local program is how nice it is to belong to a well organized group. The director ensures cohesiveness, each tutor knows her job, and families can simply participate or work in the program as they desire. Catholic Schoolhouse has really met the needs of my family. With its academic nature, my children learn classroom etiquette, gain a peer group, and are exposed to topics that either re-enforce what we have previously covered or introduce new ideas. As my oldest is now in fifth grade, I am reminded by how important it is to have exposure to a concept in more than one setting.” — Megan, Co-founder