1.
Briefly, what is the origin of your program?
Unsatisfied
with the homeschooling curricula available in
the 1990’s – which were all very
basic - we researched the various educational
methods and approaches, as well as educational
goals. Again and again we were drawn back to
the Great
Books movement – the return to the
classics – as the core element needing
restoration and recommended by the leading lights
for educational reform, including Mortimer J.
Adler, former editor of Encyclopaedia Britannica
and the Great Books of Western Civilization
(as well as 50+ other books). After meeting
with Dr. Adler, we concluded he was right, and,
with his encouragement, introduced the Great
Books movement to homeschoolers. We accepted
our first students in 2000 A.D.
2. Please explain your program.
Certainly.
We have assembled what we believe is the finest
educational curriculum available. Our high school
and college-level literature program –
the Great
Books Program – introduces students
to approximately 120 of the greatest works of
genius ever produced, in various fields. The
list
may be viewed elsewhere, but includes Homer,
Plato, Virgil, Genesis, Chaucer, Shakespeare,
Milton, Dickens, Dostoevsky, etc. In as sense,
there cannot be a better curriculum, at least
with respect to the materials used, by the common
opinion of the ages.
Such
great works cannot be understood, nor even easily
read, without adequate preparation. Hence we
developed our Good
Books Program of literature classics for
younger, elementary school readers. Likewise,
our language arts, history, art, writing, vocabulary
and other courses are all aimed and arranged
to prepare students for the best – the
great books.
As
the reader may see, the entire program, from
pre-school to the end, is organized for excellence
– to lead students to the very best –
in art, science, literature, history, etc. -
in graduated steps in all areas. Eight years
of experience (following 80 years of the Great
Books movement) have confirmed our views and
approach.
3.
Is there a place I may visit online for more
extensive information on the Great and Good
books, and your educational approach?
Yes.
Classical
Homeschooling online magazine has numerous
articles and essays discussing all of the above
in detail.
4.
How do we start?
Our
curriculum is all listed in the Academy
Bookstore, so simply visit any grade level,
or subject area (such as Math, Art, History),
and select the levels and materials you wish
to use.
5.
How do I know which level to use?
If
you are unsure, simply use our placement
tests online.
6.
How many subjects should we do at one time?
Other
programs typically offer only 5 or 6 subjects.
We have found that many parents want to cover
additional subjects, in other areas. We offer
12 subjects – too many to do at one time.
So,
most parents begin with 3 or 4 and then add
more until they are covering the areas they
wish. Many teach some of the subjects only one
day a week. Some focus on one subject at a time.
Whatever suits your time and circumstances is
best for you. We trust the judgment of parents,
and in validation of that view: homeschoolers
regularly outperform schooled students.
7.
What are the most important subjects?
That
is a matter of opinion of course, but we believe
literature, English language arts (such as phonics,
grammar, writing), math, art (and/or music),
history, and by 7th grade – science, are
all very important subjects.
Geography,
cartography, philosophy for children, a foreign
language, and dialectics (aka Socratic discussions)
are also important. None should be entirely
neglected. That is why some parents rotate weeks,
or do some subjects only one day a week, or
some over the summer, etc. There are all kinds
of options for home education.
8.
Are the Good Books in your elementary reading
program part of class time?
Only
until the students can read for themselves.
Before then, they are often read to the children
before bedtime. But once they can read, they
typically read in the evening by themselves.
No doubt this varies as well.
9.
What is the Socratic Discussion or Dialectics
you mentioned above?
Some
teaching is done by lectures (didactically),
other by conversation or discussion (dialectically).
Dialectics refers to the latter – discussion.
“Socratic” refers to the ancient
Greek philosopher – Socrates – who
loved to use conversations as his primary method
to teach and learn.
As
we all know, giving or attending a lecture is
a very different thing from participating in
a conversation. The skills involved are different.
Dialectics used to be taught in American schools,
but the only remnants left now are found in
the occasional debate class, or rarer still
– a logic class. The Academy has resurrected
Dialectics – per the advice of Dr. Adler
and others – as a weekly online discussion
class available for 3rd to 8th grade, and in
the high school Great Books Program. Students
from around the world discuss the books and
important ideas in the books they read, together,
in an often exhilarating experience of mutual
inquiry and friendly conversation, moderated
by our online faculty. There is much more about
this on our website.
10.
What is the difference between the online Socratic
Discussion and the online Great Books Program
discussions?
Grade
levels. Socratic Discussions are what we call
the 3rd-8th grade online class (meets every
two weeks online, for 30 minutes to 1 hour depending
on the grade level); Great Books Discussions
are the high school and college level online
discussions (meets weekly for two hours, September
through May). The readings for the Socratic
Discussion are short, pithy texts from the classics;
the readings for the Great Books Discussions
are the Great Books themselves.
11.
You mention science as important from 7th grade
one. What about before that?
The
natural sciences are learned analytically in
the traditional sequence of biology, chemistry
physics – usually in 10th-12th grades.
Texts have been prepared to prepare for those
years – in a simplified format for 7th-9th
grades – entitled Life, Earth and Physical
science. These are important subjects. However,
these texts all assume a certain level of experience
of the natural world. Students who do not actually
know what a butterfly does, who have not seen
turtles in water, blown seed stars off of dandelions,
made mud pies nor followed rabbits to their
holes, simply cannot do as well as students
that have. Texts have been created for 1st-6th
grade science – and we carry the very
best for parents who want them - but on examination,
parents will discover their contents are largely
attempts to replicate the experiences mentioned
above, and enjoyed by all children with enough
time to play in nature.
12.
When should foreign languages be taught?
The
earlier the better – and the easier. Studies
show that learning a foreign language is more
difficult after puberty. But better late than
never. We offer the classical languages –
Greek
and Latin – but any foreign language
is far better than none.
13.
Does the Academy have enrollment services?
To
build a stronger foundation for your child's
education, Great Books Academy offers registration
at any time of the year. We grade and record
all quarterly tests and book report forms for
enrolled students. We test on your schedule
- we have no deadlines you have meet. You may
send the tests to us at any time of the year.
Our graders have doctorates, but more importantly,
they homeschool their own children which offers
tremendous experience and insight for the homeschooling
parent and child.
Parents
have repeatedly told us that our Grading Services
have been invaluable for the insightful comments,
praise for work well done, suggestions for improvement
where needed, and the consistent cycle of testing
quarterly. Parents often need an outside source
for their children, especially as the children
get into their teen years, to help keep the
school year on track. Our grading services include
offering comments and suggestions on all papers
and tests sent to us. We grade all of the quarterly
tests for your student. We send the tests back
to you along with a report card. If you have
any questions about our grading service, please
email the registrar, Dr. Elisabeth Carmack,
at: GBAmailbox@aol.com - she will be happy to
answer your questions.
Is
it easy to register in Great Books Homeschool
Program. Please follow these two simple steps.
1.
Add the correct grade level(s) to your shopping
cart by clicking the grade(s) in which you
wish to register child(ren);
2.
After we receive your order, you will receive
a welcome letter and a request for the name
and age of your newly registered student(s).
Just reply with that information and we will
begin a transcript and individual academic
file for each registered student.
Registration
includes all of the following services and materials.
1.
Academy Lesson Plans and Books Report Forms
- for all courses taken during the course
of one year for one child. You may begin your
school year with us at any time of the year.
2.
Quarterly Tests for most courses (1-12th Grades)
3.
Membership in Britannica Encyclopaedia Online
4.
Membership in Britannica's Annals of American
History online
5.
Membership in Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary
Online
6.
Membership in Britannica’s Original
Sources
7.
Certificate of Completion (mailed upon request)
8.
Diploma if the student passes our requirements
for one.
14.
Does the Academy offer grading services?
Yes,
see the answer to question 13.
15.
Does the Academy provide transcripts?
We
do, if necessary. But home schooling is so well-established,
so widespread, that most colleges and universities
routinely accept home-made transcripts. They
also rely on testing such as SAT and ACT, which
is readily available to everyone. So except
in the unusual circumstance, there is no need
for an Academy transcript. There is a nominal
fee for preparation in that case. We have a
free, blank transcript form for home use.
However,
as the Great Books programs is recommended for
college
credit by the American Council on Education
(ACE) – and our students have already
received credit at several colleges –
we do subscribe to the ACE transcript service.
They prepare a transcript from the American
Council on education for the Great Books program.
You may wish to find out more about that if
you enroll in the Great Books Program.
16.
Are there any deadlines at the Academy?
No.
Except for the optional online discussion classes,
which obviously have to have regularly scheduled
times, there are no deadlines nor time limits
in this program. Again, this is home education
for home schoolers – not a school per
se. To impose deadlines is both unnecessary
and arbitrary. Some students complete a whole
year’s work in a class in a month –
others take two years in some. The parents are
the primary educators – after the students
themselves – not us.
17.
May I buy materials without enrolling in the
online class?
Yes.
Anyone may purchase our materials.
18.
May I purchase courses from different levels
for the same student?
Yes.
You may choose as many or as few courses as
you wish, from whatever grade levels you wish,
for any student.
19.
Do we have to use Academy materials exclusively
for our homeschooling?
No.
Again, parents are the primary educators. We
are here to aid them. While we believe our materials
are the finest available we understand that
in some circumstances parents may wish to continue
using some materials they already have or prefer
for some other reason.
20.
Do I have to buy the entire literature package
for each grade?
No.
You may buy each of the books, from any grade
levels, individually.
21.
The literature list seems advanced for the age
groups listed. Why is this?
The
listings are a rough guide for parents. Certainly,
in the younger grades, the parents will be doing
some, or most, of the reading. This is not only
acceptable but also beneficial for the students,
even for older students, as they learn how the
language should sound and also helps the student
learn to listen well. It is a good thing for
students [for all of us, in fact] occasionally
to read a book that is difficult and makes them
stretch intellectually. It is for this reason
that some of the books are listed
where they will be a challenge to the student.
Of course, not every book should be difficult
as this would be discouraging. In any case,
the parents know best what the student is capable
of and the choice of books is up to them.
22.
May I mix and match books from the different
grade levels of the good books literature list?
Yes.
You may choose whatever books you wish from
any grade level for any student. Remember, it
is home education – you are the Principal.
23.
What is your schedule for quarterly and semester
testing?
We
provide “quarterly” tests, but how
long you choose to take to complete a “quarter”
is up to you. One of the benefits of homeschooling
is the scheduling flexibility it offers. Our
Lesson Plans divide the courses into four sections
of approximately nine weeks each (36 weeks per
grade level). However, you are free to go through
the course material as quickly or as slowly
as you wish. We send the tests to you with the
Lesson Plans.
24.
How long per day does it take to homeschool
a student?
The
amount of time will, of course, vary from student
to student and family to family, but, on average,
homeschool students spend only about 2 to 3
hours a day studying and still surpass students
in schools. But if you wish your students to
excel in life, we believe it takes more time
than that to do well. But no precise number
is valid for all. Nevertheless, double that
time or even more would not be unreasonable.
It obviously depends on a number of factors:
available time; educational goals; grade level,
etc.
25.
When do you accept enrollments for the optional
online Great Books Discussion class?
All
year long. But online classes begin only in
the first week of September. Late students are
sometimes accepted, depending on circumstances
and education.
26.
May a student begin participating in the seminars
at any time?
Students
in 3rd through 8th grades may join an online
seminar group at any time, September through
May. The readings that provide the basis for
those discussions are not sequential - meaning
that knowledge of the previous readings is not
necessary for full participation in the current
discussions.
Because
the high school great books reading/seminar
program is a four-year course, with successive
readings building upon the knowledge and understanding
acquired during the previous readings and seminars,
all students start at the beginning of the freshman
(Ancient Greek) year. Once a seminar group is
started, new students go on a waiting list until
the next high school seminar group begins.
27.
How do you get the students together for the
online discussions?
The
discussions are conducted over the Internet,
with live audio, so the students participate
through their home computers (dial-up or broadband
– both work) using a simple $10 microphone
and speakers.
28.
Does my 3rd grader have to able to type to participate
in the optional Socratic discussions?
No.
The online class is "live" audio.
Using the software is simple. Even our youngest
students have no trouble with it.
29.
Do I have to buy any software or hardware for
the seminars?
The software is free. You will need speakers
and a microphone - or a headset. A headset can
be purchased for $10.00. The computer can be,
by current standards, old and slow. It should
be a minimum of 200 MHz with a minimum 28.8
BPS modem.
30.
Does the software work on a Mac?
Not
at present, though it did for one student –
so you can try it.
31.
I noticed that on the Academy "Course
Overview" some courses are listed as
"Principal Courses" and others as
"Additional or Enrichment Courses".
What is the difference? Should we do them all,
each year?
The
Academy allows parents to pick and choose whatever
courses they wish, from whatever levels they
wish. We believe this is a parental right, and
duty. But as many have requested our suggestions,
we separated the courses on the overview chart
into those we believe are more critical or important
(principal courses) than others (additional
or enrichment courses). We do not believe every
student should take every course we offer, all
the time nor every year. There is a give-and-take
in education, that is highly individualized,
which is why it is called a co-operative art
by Aristotle, like medicine and animal husbandry.
If a doctor gave all sick folks the same remedy
for every illness, many would die needlessly.
Likewise, if a farmer gave all animals the same
food, or the same quantity - many would needlessly
grow sick or die. Education too has a large
element that is best left to the parents who
know and love the individual student best.
It
is natural to love to learn. Most parents are
in the best position in the early years to cultivate
and nurture this desire. Schools can too easily
stifle this by one-size-fits-all approaches
to education, killing the innate desire to learn,
by forgetting that education is a co-operative
art. This is one great advantage homeschooling
offers. A loving, safe (emotionally and physically)
learning environment is another, in most cases.
Some students love math and blaze through four
or even five grade levels in one year, while
making little to no progress in, say, reading
or writing; for others it is the reverse. These
areas of interest tend to shift in time, so
that by the end of elementary school (with just
a little gentle pushing and prodding) all, or
nearly all, of the courses have been studied
through the 8th grade level. If not, there remains
time to make up for missed ground in the high
school period. We have had high school students
take 3rd or 4th grade English/grammar as they
simply have not studied or been taught this
in school, at least not adequately.
32.
What courses do you recommend a student complete
before applying to college or entering the world
of work?
We
recommend – but it is up to you as the
primary educator - completion of these high
school levels: math (4 years, ideally through
the introductory calculus, but certainly through
Algebra I, II and Geometry); 3 years of science:
high school level biology, chemistry and physics;
4 years of English Composition (Grammar for
Writing, grades 9-12 is fine); at least 2 years
of any foreign language (we recommend Latin
and Classical/Attic Greek) to acquire the ability
to read, write (and hopefully speak) any single
foreign language with reasonable (not perfect)
proficiency and fluency; and either the Great
Books individual reading course (the Ancient
Greeks through the Moderns, with Study Guides),
or, better, the 4-year, Great Books online discussion
groups (which incorporates four years of social
sciences); 2 years of Art (Art in Focus - our
6th-8th grade book is fine for this); Ethics;
and learning a musical instrument or our Enjoyment
of Music CDs.
The
foregoing assumes earlier completion of elementary
level (through 8th grade level) language arts
courses (such as English, writing, vocabulary,
our Good Books literature or similar), some
education in music and the arts, and, to a lesser
extent (perhaps 1 day per week on average) philosophy
for children, history, geography and cartography.
Students may take our free placement
tests to determine at what level(s) they
need to begin with our materials. It is not
unusual for students to be strong in one course
- such as math - and weak in another - such
as English. In that case, they may not need
to take any elementary level math with us, but
may need to begin English studies in a lower
grade level in order to catch up in that area.
Please
note that some states require various courses
we do not offer in order to qualify one for
a high school diploma from a public high or
charter school; some even require homeschoolers
to take certain courses we may not offer (such
as the history of that particular state or a
particular "social studies" course
[which is often, sadly, the modern replacement
for much of history]). Most colleges now accept
homeschool transcripts of high school completion,
even if certain state requirements are not included,
particularly if you are applying to an out-of-state
college. If you know which colleges you are
interested in attending, we suggest you contact
those college admissions offices years in advance
of application and find out exactly what will
be expected of you. This may necessitate adding
a course(s) to our curriculum which we do not
offer.
33.
What subjects does the Great Books program address?
The
Great Books largely re-integrate into one course
what was so laboriously divided (dis-integrated)
and taught separately in elementary grades.
Analysis and synthesis are both necessary in
a complete education. The Great Books run the
gamut of subjects from the language arts (literature,
vocabulary, English, composition) and science
(e.g., Copernicus, Einstein) to geography (Ptolemy),
philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle), cartography
and history (Herodotus, Thucydides), social
studies, and even math (Euclid, Nicomachus of
Gerasa). It is possible to break the Great Books
course down into some of these areas for separate
grades, if a state so requires.
34.
Is the program accredited, or does it need to
be?
Accreditation.
College
Credit.
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