Every November, we pause to count our blessings and cultivate grateful hearts. This month’s hub gathers resources to help families practice gratitude as a foundational virtue in classical, Christian education.

A Season of Thanksgiving

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” —2 Corinthians 2:14, ESV

In this season of thanksgiving, we reflect on the gifts that make classical, Christian homeschooling possible and the people who bring it to life.

• Above all, we are grateful to the Lord, the source of every good gift. We thank Him for the privilege of pursuing our mission: to know God and to make Him known.
• Families: We are grateful for you and the diligence it takes to steward your children’s education with intention and grace.
• Leaders: We are grateful for Directors, Tutors, Area, Local, and Book Representatives, and all the faithful servants who strengthen Classical Conversations communities every week.
• Community: We are grateful for the friendships forged, the burdens shared, and the joy of learning together in local communities across the country.
• Freedom: We are grateful for the liberty to homeschool, to gather, and to pursue a classical, Christian education without hindrance.
• Resources: We are grateful for the tools that support your journey—from curriculum to CC Connected to the new CC Member Advantage designed to serve you better.

Member Benefits

Gratitude Journal: As our hearts and minds turn to the bountiful blessings of Thanksgiving, help your students practice gratitude in many different ways. Check out “Cultivating Grateful Hearts: 27 Gratitude Activities for Families,” which includes a 14-page Gratitude Journal offering Scripture, thoughtful questions, and prompts to encourage joyful reflection on how God is at work in our lives.

Making Room and Marking Down!

It’s the CC Cyber Week Warehouse Sale. We are clearing our shelves, and it’s time to stock up with deep discounts. Get up to 75% off select items November 24–December 4. Mark your calendar and make a list to save big on CC resources!

Classical Parents—Thanksgiving Resources

Online Resources

• “Reasons to be Thankful for Homeschooling This Thanksgiving“
• “6 Fun Thanksgiving Homeschool Activities“
• “The Truth About Thanksgiving“
• “Over the River and Through the Woods—Thanksgiving“
• “Giving Thanks“

Classical Skills

The art of dialectic transforms memorized knowledge into understanding through thoughtful questioning. Students practice the Five Common Topics (Definition, Comparison, Relationship, Circumstance, and Testimony) to process what they’ve learned through grammar. These conversation skills help young minds move from “what is it?” to “how does it connect?”, unlocking the critical thinking that classical education cultivates.

Dialectic emphasizes asking good questions over providing perfect explanations, letting curiosity lead the way. It’s not about winning arguments—it’s about training minds to think logically and evaluate ideas with wisdom.

Watch for these dialectic skills to emerge during community discussions, trusting that each thoughtful question strengthens your student’s ability to reason well.

Classical Learning Cohort

As a member of the Classical Learning Cohort, you will have a mentor to encourage and challenge you, a gathering of inspiring CC friends to learn alongside you, and a place for you to practice classical arts and skills.

Spring 2026 registration is now open!

Upcoming Events

2026 Caribbean Cruise: Join us aboard the CC Family Cruise and celebrate your graduate at sea while enjoying family fellowship and destinations.

The post Gratitude in Classical Education: November Highlights for CC Parents appeared first on Classical Conversations.

If you’re a parent looking for ways to move beyond rote memorization and spark real curiosity, introducing art integration into your studies will make an impact. Many homeschool families are looking for creative, lasting ways to help their students love learning—not just study facts for a test.

As a veteran homeschool mom and art educator, Courtney Sanford discovered that blending art with academic subjects transforms how students engage with history, science, language, and even math. In this post, she shares how a simple tool—the blank book—can bring subjects to life through notebooking and reignite the joy of discovery in your homeschool.

When A’s Don’t Mean Understanding

A study from a top university revealed something I had long suspected: short-term learning doesn’t stick. Students who earned As on their final exams were given the same tests just one month after graduation. They all failed. Why? Because they had crammed the information to pass the test, and promptly forgot it.[1]

This confirmed what I had observed in my own education and again while homeschooling my children: cramming doesn’t cultivate lasting knowledge.

From Curiosity to Cramming—and Back Again

In our early homeschool years, my children thrived on real books and wonder-filled exploration. But when high school approached, I followed what I thought was the “right” path and bought a traditional science textbook with study questions and weekly tests.

Almost instantly, our learning rhythm changed. The questions were no longer genuine. They were guesses—an attempt to predict what might be on the test. We spent hours every week going through study guides and test-taking… and the spark was gone.

A Better Way: Inspired by Bowditch and Da Vinci

Everything changed when I discovered how Nathaniel Bowditch, an indentured servant in the 1700s, taught himself Latin, algebra, calculus, and astronomy. Without formal schooling, he used a private library, asked good questions, and kept notes in blank books. He eventually authored The American Practical Navigator, a cornerstone of navigation for over 150 years.

Leonardo da Vinci did the same. He filled pages with questions, sketches, and observations on subjects such as botany, anatomy, mechanics, flight, architecture, and more.

Their blank books were living records of learning. I wondered—could this notebooking method work in our homeschool?

Dive into Discovering Great Artists

Using Blank Books in High School Science

I decided to try. I had already bought the expensive science textbook, but added something better: a blank book.

Here’s how it worked:

• My high schooler would read a section of the text.
• He summarized it in his own words in the blank book.
• He redrew diagrams and illustrations, naturally integrating art into science.
• If something wasn’t clear, he looked it up or watched videos to deepen his understanding.

To my surprise, summarizing was harder, but much more rewarding. He had to slow down, ask questions, and truly understand the material before writing. And he loved choosing colors and styles for his diagrams.

Every few weeks, we’d sit together and he’d share what he learned, walking me through his summaries and drawings. I didn’t need a test—his explanations showed deep retention and understanding.

The love of learning returned.

Bringing Art Integration into Every Subject

If Bowditch and Da Vinci used this notebooking method in every subject, why couldn’t we?

I began using blank books throughout our homeschool, and now I integrate them into every subject at my online art school, too.

For example:

• In history, we draw and paint scenes that create a visual timeline in memory.
  • A red poppy for WWI, remembering Georgia O’Keeffe’s brother.
  • A recreation of Picasso’s Guernica, reflecting on the Spanish Civil War.
• In science, students sketch biological structures and label watercolor plant studies, complementing the Challenge A Research strand.
• In poetry and literature, we illustrate key scenes or emotions.
• In Latin, students pair vocabulary and translation with classical-inspired artwork.
• In geography, we use pastels, clay, and maps to make the world tactile.

By combining art and academic content in a blank book, students engage their senses and retain far more.

How do you use the five senses in the Habit of Attending?

Learning Through Wonder, Not Worksheets

As our classes have grown, I’ve had the joy of collaborating with other artist-educators:

• A history major teaches history and art to Foundations-age students.
• An English and art major teaches poetry through visual expression.
• A Latin-loving friend leads an arts-integrated Latin course.
• A nature artist teaches biology through watercolor.

New this year: classes on world religions with art and design, and geography through pastel landscapes and 3D clay animals.

To make these experiences even richer, I’m compiling class materials into beautiful books. These books allow families to enjoy the art outside of class and help busy homeschool moms easily integrate art with other subjects.

Ready to Learn Like Leonardo?

If you’re curious about bringing this creative, cross-disciplinary art integration into your home, visit:
www.delightfulartco.com

You’ll find arts-integrated blank book classes for students ages 6 through high school and even adults. Whether your child loves science, history, nature, or literature, there’s a class that will inspire curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning.

We’d be delighted to learn alongside you.

[1] Leslie Hart, as cited in Gelb, Michael J., “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci.” (Page 65.)

The post Learn Like Leonardo: Art Integration Through Notebooking appeared first on Classical Conversations.

Memorizing Latin vocabulary can be fun and engaging when you pair Classical Conversations’ Latin flashcards with active, playful games.

Many homeschool families wonder how to make Latin come alive for young children, who are full of energy and need to move and play. Classical Conversations has developed a classical Christian Latin curriculum designed specifically for homeschool families, complete with beautifully crafted Latin flashcards and games that integrate with Foundations memory work and prepare students for the Challenge grammar strand.

When children jump, draw, and sing their way through Latin words, they’re building classical Latin vocabulary through the skill of Memorization. Here are 10 fun games, developed by Kathy Donegia, the curriculum developer for the Grammar strand at Classical Conversations Multimedia, that are sure to be a hit around your kitchen table.

Fun Latin Learning: From Stairs to Success

Years ago, when my son was full of energy, we lived in a house with a split staircase—5 carpeted steps up to a landing and 7 steps up to the second story. I didn’t dare let him play on the 7 steps, but the 5, well, they were fair game! They became our memory work stairs for history facts, math facts, or anything that required active engagement to learn.

My eager young learner would bound up the steps to reach the first memory work card, flip a card, shout the answer, then jump down to the soft carpet below. Another answer, another jump, again and again, until he reached the landing, then slid down, triumphant. He loved it, and it helped him learn. It was play, not work.

That’s the secret to beginning a journey learning Latin, something that has a reputation for being “serious” and “academic.” However, Latin vocabulary can be wonderfully playful for young children. When you bring out the Latin flashcard games, some creativity, and lean into the natural tendencies of children, learning vocabulary can be fun!

Read Why Learn Latin? The Top 3 Reasons It’s Worth It

Homeschool Latin Activities for Young Learners

Latin Nouns: “Mater is cooking dinner!”

Nouns are a great starting point for young Latin learners because they are concrete things. Children love naming things, even in another language. While Latin is an inflected language (meaning the forms of the words change depending on how they are used in a sentence), for now, just use the vocabulary words as you see them on the flashcards.

Simple examples:

• Mater (Mother) is cooking dinner.
• Agricola (the farmer) plowed his field.
• Equus (the horse) jumped the fence.

Here are some engaging Latin flashcard games that make learning nouns fun and memorable using the Latin Nouns and Pronouns Flashcards set.

Pictionary

Grab a stack of Latin nouns and a piece of paper.

How to play:

• One player picks a card and sketches the noun on paper without using any words
• The others guess the Latin word, not the English one!
• For example, someone might draw a house, and another shout “domus!” (house, home)

Tip: Be sure to choose nouns that are concrete, like window, daughter, star, or cave. The abstract nouns would be difficult to draw. How would you draw fides (faith)? Or vita (life)?

Go Fish

This one is a favorite among children because they love snagging the “fish.”

What you’ll need:

• A paperclip on each flashcard
• A magnet tied to a string and taped to a ruler or stick (your “fishing pole”)

How to play:

• Spread the “fish” (cards) on the floor
• The parent or older sibling calls out a word: “Find terra!”
• The child fishes for the correct card by attaching the magnet to the correct word
• When she catches it, she shouts the word aloud and its English translation for everyone to hear: “I caught terra—earth, land!”

For those Latin scholars out there, yes, you could argue that terra should be terram, accusative case for the direct object. But that’s beyond the scope of fun games for young children. For now, we’re simply linking the English word to the Latin word.

Switcheroo

Challenge your child to use a Latin noun in a sentence, then switch nouns. The sillier, the better!

Examples:

• Mater (Mother) is cooking dinner. > Frater (brother) is cooking dinner. > Bestia (the beast) is cooking dinner. Oh my! What is the beast cooking!
• Equus (the horse) jumped the fence. > Bestia (the beast) jumped the fence. > Esca (the food) jumped the fence. What? Did you see the zucchini jumping the fence? How silly!

The goal in noun games is not translation, but immersion by naming things and playing with words.

Discover Tips for Teaching Latin

Latin Verbs: Action Words for Active Kids

If nouns are about naming, verbs are about doing—and that makes them perfect for active children who need to move. The Latin Verbs and Conjunctions Flashcards set includes verbs like amō (I love), orō (I pray), portō (I carry), and dō (I give).

The great thing about these verbs is that they are already in a form ending in “o” that means “I” am doing something. It’s perfect for acting out! Here are three games that bring verbs to life.

Charades

This game is fun for the whole family.

How to play:

• Shuffle verb cards and allow one person to draw a card and pantomime the action
• The other players try to guess the action by naming the Latin word

What crazy antics might ensue?

• Someone racing around the room? Curro! I run!
• Someone cupping their hand to their ear? Audio! I hear!
• Someone flapping their arms like a bird? Volo! I fly!

Linking physical movement with language strengthens recall and creates fun family memories.

Act it Out!

Flip charades around for a simple activity that is great for getting the wiggles out. Read a Latin verb aloud and have your child shout it out while doing it.

Action ideas:

• Curro! I run! The child runs around the room or the yard.
• Ambulo! I walk! Let’s slow down a little and walk around the room.
• Canto! I sing! Sing one of the Latin memory work songs or the timeline song.
• Adoro! I worship! Open folded hands as if reading the Bible at church.

Try ending with Lego! I read! Then, sit together for a Kings of Rome story.

Latin Larry

Latin Larry is a fun twist on the old hangman game and is a perfect quieter activity.

How to play:

• Start a sketch of Larry by drawing a stick-figure on scrap paper or a whiteboard
• Present a Latin verb flashcard to the child
• If he can give the English meaning, he gets to add clothing or accessories to Larry
• If the child misses the word, have Larry lose something

Creative possibilities:

• Will Larry get his sword and shield today? Whom will he defend?
• Does Larry love his new shield—Amo! (I love!)
• Oops! You dropped your sandals, Larry! Can you curro (run) in your bare feet?

The child’s imagination is the only limit to Larry’s treasures and what he does with them.

Listen to Latin and Other Lessons on the Everyday Educator podcast

Memory Games for Classical Education

Latin Flash Card Games for All Levels

Once your child knows a few nouns and verbs, more challenging games help their vocabulary grow. Combine nouns, verbs, and other parts of speech for more practice. The Latin Adjectives, Adverbs, and Prepositions Flashcards set provides a variety of words to learn.

Beat the Clock

This fast-paced review game is exciting as your child tries to beat her last score.

How to play:

• Place a stack of flashcards on the table and set a timer for one minute
• How many flashcards can she complete before the time ends?
• Award one point per correct answer
• Can she beat yesterday’s score?

Add competition: Have siblings compete against each other with their own set of flashcards. How many of the Challenge student’s flashcards can he do in one minute? How many Foundations Latin flashcards can the younger children do in one minute?

Having each child work through only the cards that they have studied makes the competition equitable for older and younger students to play together. I once did something similar with a summer reading contest, logging pages per week for prizes, where each child chose books at or slightly below their own personal reading level.

Sock Toss

This is a more competitive game that siblings can play together.

How to play:

• Spread the cards out on the floor with the Latin words facing up
• The children take turns tossing a rolled-up sock or bean bag
• Wherever it lands, they must read the word and give the translation
• If they get it right, they get a point and go again
• If they miss, it’s the next person’s turn

Pro tip: You can make this game approachable for different ages by creating zones. An older sibling must toss to the more advanced words farther away. The youngest sibling can choose a word in any zone.

Slap Game

This game is similar to the sock toss, but cards are spread out on a table, English side up.

How to play:

• Call out a Latin word, and the child must slap the card with the correct translation
• Because the “caller” needs to know which Latin words to say, having an older sibling lead this game is a great review for him
• He needs to know the Latin word for each English word he sees on the table in order to call it out for his younger sibling to slap

Conclusion: Make Latin Fun, Make it Stick

Thinking back to those review days on the shorter staircase with my son, I realize how much the lively climbing and jumping helped him focus and memorize. The process of learning felt like playing, not like work.

With Latin, the joy of translating will come later along with charts and grammar rules. For now, make Latin a game. Let your child move, draw, slap, and sing while using Latin words. The Classical Conversations pre-printed flashcards plus a few creative activities make it enjoyable to keep Latin alive in your home.

So, grab your Latin flashcards. Grab a sock. Grab a magnet on a string. And let’s make Latin fun, one jump, laugh, and “Canto!” at a time.

The post 10 Latin Flashcard Games That Make Homeschool Memory Work Fun appeared first on Classical Conversations.

The secret to successfully homeschooling your elementary-aged student lies in embracing this season as an opportunity to restore your own education while cultivating a family atmosphere that treasures learning together.

Homeschool hacks elementary families need to focus on are building relationships and wonder rather than checking boxes, creating a foundation that will serve your children for years to come.

Over the years, many families have asked us how to homeschool their elementary-school children from ages 3 to 8. This is a rich time for parents to dive into the parent resources at classicalconversationsbooks.com while establishing the rhythms and routines that make home education flourish.

Building Your Family’s Learning Atmosphere

The heart of elementary homeschool success begins with atmosphere. You’ll want to create a gentle rhythm of praying, playing, reading, working, and serving together each day.

This might look like filling your home with books and good music, enjoying both indoor and outdoor play, or curling up together with great stories. As your children grow, they can learn to contribute through simple chores around the house and join you in serving others—whether that’s running errands for an elderly neighbor, helping cook a meal for a new mom, or babysitting for friends.

Daily prayer becomes a natural part of this rhythm, and you’ll be amazed at how eagerly little ones contribute to the family prayer list. They notice needs you might miss and offer heartfelt requests that remind us all to see our community through God’s eyes.

For inspiration, read Echo in Celebration by Leigh Bortins

Essential Homeschool Tips and Tricks for Elementary Students

As your children are ready for more structured lessons, remember to keep it short and simple as you lay the groundwork for future studies. Here are proven resources that work beautifully with young learners:

Starting with Scribblers at Home

Scribblers at Home: Recipes from Lifelong Learners provides the perfect framework for families with four-to eight-year-olds. This flexible curriculum offers activities tailored to different learning styles while encouraging parents to grow in their own education alongside their children.

Key benefits include:

• Family rhythm of daily praying, playing, reading, exploring, and serving
• Activities that scale to include older siblings
• Charts showing the big picture of skill development
• Accommodation for all learning modalities
• Gentle reminders that play is childhood’s work
• Permission to build relationships as the foundation of education

Teaching Reading with Confidence

Do you need help teaching your child to read? Grab a few friends and head to the park. While the children are playing, read and discuss The Writing Road to Reading together.

For beginning readers needing phonogram practice, dive into the American Language series. The charming stories and pictures provide extensive practice with letter combinations and sounds. When your child finishes a reader, the whole family can celebrate this amazing accomplishment!

.

Developing Strong Writing Skills

For beginning writers needing handwriting practice with meaningful content, check out our PreScripts books.

Your littles can learn Scripture, math terms, and important events from history while practicing cursive writing. These books include delightful drawing lessons, too!

. .

Exploring Geography Together

As you read, are you curious about where places are located on the map? Check out the Trivium at the Table placemats for geography. Draw around countries with a dry erase marker or call out locations and have your children place a small snack on them. Then they get to eat their correct answers!

Discovering God’s Creation Through Science

The Copper Lodge Library Uncle Paul series provides wonderful nature exploration for families to celebrate God’s creation through observation:

• Exploring Insects with Uncle Paul – This first volume helps families discover the wonders of insects while Uncle Paul tells stories to his nephews and nieces about the natural world.
• Exploring the Heavens with Uncle Paul – The second volume takes families outside to explore the wonders above while learning about weather, birds, and celestial bodies.
• Exploring the Ocean with Uncle Paul – The final volume invites families to discover marine life and water ecosystems through engaging stories.

Each book accompanies the Scribblers at Home curriculum, guiding parents and children into early science exploration and discovery. While the first and best way to study nature is to go outside, these readers stimulate curiosity about God’s amazing creation.

For hands-on observation, take your Nature Sketch Journal outside. Bring colored pencils or crayons and draw a picture of an earthworm, robin, or frog. Older students can use the lined paper to write sentences recording their discoveries, while parents can write down younger children’s finds.

. .

Elementary Homeschool Routine: Creating Structure That Works

Practical Organization Tips

Based on wisdom from seasoned homeschool families, here are the top organizational strategies that create peaceful learning environments:

Storage Solutions:

• Designate a shelf for each child and at least one for mom’s resources
• Use attractive bins for memory work items, art supplies, and math manipulatives
• Keep large, clear organizing tubs with lids for science and art materials in closets
• Invest in three-ring binders for each child’s subjects to contain copywork and artwork

Learning Spaces:

• Hang shower board on the walls as affordable whiteboards
• Use adhesive cork squares with decorative borders for bulletin boards
• Keep a basket on the school table with pencils, pens, and markers
• Designate a reading spot with a laundry basket for library books 

Daily Management:

• Use large dry-erase calendars to allow everyone access to the family activities
• Create laminated planning sheets for each child with general daily tasks
• Remember that routines serve you, not rule you—flexibility is key

Organizing Your Homeschool Room on the Everyday Educator podcast

Homeschool Organization for Kids: Building Sustainable Rhythms

The most effective elementary homeschool routine focuses on relationships and rhythm rather than rigid schedules. Don’t lose sight of these foundational principles:

Keep the Long View in Mind: Remember you’re raising humans for heaven, not Harvard. A perfect schedule is just one small part of what God is orchestrating in your child’s life.

First Things First: Identify your family’s highest priorities. In many families, this means:

1. Relationship with God
2. Family relationships
3. Character development
4. Academic growth
5. Service to others

Body, Mind, and Soul: Effective routines consider the whole person. Schedules don’t work when children are hungry, tired, or struggling with behavior. Address physical and spiritual needs before diving into academics.

Maintain Your Mission: Consider what kind of person you hope your child will be in twenty years. Let this vision guide your daily rhythms and choices.

From Overwhelmed to Organized: Finding Peace in Your Homeschool Schedule

Making the Most of This Precious Season

This is such a rich time in your child’s life—enjoy it together! The elementary years provide a unique window for:

• Building strong family bonds
• Fostering natural curiosity
• Establishing learning rhythms
• Creating joyful memories around discovery

Remember that your role as teacher-parent during these years is less about delivering perfect lessons and more about cultivating an atmosphere where learning feels natural, exciting, and deeply connected to your family’s values and faith.

Key Takeaways for Elementary Homeschool Success

Essential Homeschool Strategies:

• Focus on building family atmosphere and relationships as the foundation for all learning.
• Use flexible, age-appropriate curricula like Scribblers at Home that accommodate different learning styles and family rhythms.
• Integrate practical life skills, character development, and academic learning through daily praying, playing, reading, and serving routines.
• Remember that effective organization and routines should serve your family rather than create additional stress. The ultimate goal is to raise children who love learning and know their Creator.

As you implement these homeschool hacks for elementary students, consider the tremendous value of connecting with other families on the same journey. Having a supportive community provides both connection and gentle accountability during these foundational years—something that can make all the difference in your homeschool success.

If you’re looking for a community that shares these values and approaches to elementary education, we’d love to have you explore what Classical Conversations offers to families just like yours.

Find a Community

Looking for more resources to help your homeschool journey? Check out these:

• The Five Core Habits of Grammar: How to Dress for Lifelong Learning
• Homeschool Room Ideas: Practical, Fun, and Focused on Learning
• 5 Keys to Finding a Homeschool Routine

The post Homeschool Hacks for Elementary: 30+ Ideas to Simplify Your Day appeared first on Classical Conversations.

As you settle into college, many of the skills you develop will come as you learn by doing.

However, you can take a few practical “common sense” steps right now to prepare for college and build your confidence before you arrive on campus.

College Communication Skills: Stay on Top of Your Email

As a college student, chances are, you’ll get dozens of emails every week, from event reminders and enrollment information to updates from professors. In fact, emails aren’t just a college thing—so making this a habit now will benefit your whole adult life. Yet, specifically in college, staying on top of your inbox will help you be organized and make sure you don’t miss important meetings, activities, events, or homework assignments.

Navigating all the communication may seem intimidating at first, but you will feel so much more in control from the start if you take charge right now. You can begin by going through your personal inbox and deleting and unsubscribing from irrelevant emails. Commit to checking your email every day to build the habit. Your life as a student will feel much less cluttered when you stay on top of communication.

How Homeschool Can Prepare Students for College

Time Management Skills: Use a Calendar to Stay Organized

Time management is vital for ordering your life as a college student. But you don’t need to wait until you’re juggling a full course load to start practicing time management! You can start right now by building a routine for yourself.

• Turn in your homework on time.
• If you have a job, be punctual for your shifts.
• Utilize a planning system or digital calendar to organize your tasks and even send you reminders. This helps you avoid forgetting anything and makes it easier to visualize when to get things done.
• Consider designating time just for studying or homework.
• Set boundaries as part of your time management strategy.
• Make space for your top priorities to provide more clarity for the rest of your schedule.

Beginning these habits now makes it easier for you to adjust to whatever life looks like in college.

How to Pick a College that Prepares for Life and Faith

Social Skills: Initiating and Maintaining Relationships in College

You will encounter hundreds of new faces in college, which provides countless opportunities for new friendships. However, for many, the process of making friends feels overwhelming and intimidating. By becoming more comfortable initiating and maintaining friendships right now, you can become more prepared for social life as a college student.

Be the person who extends an invitation and get comfortable reaching out to others. You don’t have to become close with every person you meet, but the practice of initiating meet-ups and following up with people will serve you well as you begin to make friends in college.

This vital life skill will also assist you as you engage with professors and build a network of professional relationships. Even if it takes you outside your comfort zone, your confidence and courage will cause you to stand out.

How to Prepare for Adulthood: 6 Crucial Tips

Practical Life Skills: Chores and Responsibilities Every Student Should Know

One of the best ways we can love the people around us, specifically a roommate, is by keeping our space and belongings clean. Now is an excellent time to make sure you feel confident doing certain chores on your own.

Learn how to do laundry, wash dishes, and clean a bathroom. You’ll feel more competent and reap the benefits of having a livable, clean space. It can also be helpful to know some basic car maintenance, such as checking your oil or putting air in your tires. Consider getting your tires rotated and oil changed before you leave for school so you won’t have to think about it while you’re away.

CC Plus: College Credit for Homeschoolers

Healthy Habits: Building a Strong Foundation for College Success

In college, it becomes easy to live life on autopilot. The busyness of a hectic schedule can make it challenging to eat well (not skipping meals!), sleep, and exercise. However, these habits are important for a well-rounded and effective life.

While certain seasons do require sacrifices, sometimes those sacrifices are less necessary than we think. Make an effort to know yourself–what makes you feel rested and what values you want to prioritize.

Identifying and addressing stressors is a huge asset when life gets busy and overwhelming.

You may find that spending a little time going for a walk or quietly enjoying a cup of coffee is a worthwhile investment. And don’t forget to prioritize time in God’s Word! Time spent with Him is never wasted.

Words of Wisdom for Challenge Students on Everyday Educators

Skills Learned Before College Pay Off

Developing these skills will help you feel more prepared when you begin life as a college student. Now is an excellent time to begin treating and respecting yourself like the adult you are! It’s possible to have a measure of control over your life, so take advantage of it. There’s always plenty of grace along the way as you figure things out.

If you are interested in learning more about Covenant College, a Christian liberal arts college located amidst the rolling hills of Georgia and Tennessee in Lookout Mountain, GA, visit their website covenant.edu.

Looking for more ways to prepare for college? Check out these resources:

• Your College Visit Strategy: Before, During, and After Campus
• 9 Remarkable Books Christian College Students Need to Read
• 5 Ways Homeschooled High Schoolers Can Prepare For Their Calling

The post Top 5 Common Sense Skills Every Student Should Learn Before College appeared first on Classical Conversations.

One of the most important milestones of your child’s education is learning how to read. Unfortunately, another increasingly common mile marker seems to be when your child ceases to read—usually immediately upon graduation, when it’s no longer required—replacing reading’s role in leisure and lifelong learning by the attention-grabbing gremlins of our screens.

In the battle of books vs screens, books are fighting an uphill battle against our dopamine-driven addictions. Screens have flashing lights and colors and sounds to grab our attention, and they require nothing from us once they have it—no long attention span, no deep focus, no critical thinking. As much as we may love books, admit it. This is not a fair fight.

If we want our children to be lifelong learners, and if we believe books to be a vital source of that self-education, then it’s a bleak thought to imagine that our children’s literary exploration will end as soon as no one is forcing their hand.

So how do we get kids to love reading—raising bibliophiles that look to the classics for wisdom instead of the internet for entertainment?

Three Steps to Interest Your Child in Reading

Why This Battle for How to Get Kids to Love Reading?

Before I begin, I need to first answer the question of “why this battle?” Parenting already comes with plenty of opportunities for conflict; why should helping kids love reading be where you stand your ground?

Besides the simple fact that literacy is key to participating fully in society, reading provides the added benefits of deep focus, cultural literacy, and empathy.

• Deep focus: because one must give sustained attention to a book to learn from it. The book does not demand our attention the way devices do; we must give our attention, just like we need to give our attention in deep work, prayer, and relationships.
• Cultural literacy: because our Western culture was formed by those who came before, those whose words have been deemed important enough to record but may be forgotten if we neglect to read them.
• Empathy: because reading takes one out of his narrow worldview and gives access to the world outside of himself, both geographically and chronologically.

Learning to Read: A Bibliophile’s First Steps

When teaching your children to read, keep the end in mind. Teaching your children to read is a time to plant deep roots so that their love of reading will be far-reaching and long-standing.

Read aloud—and don’t stop

You’ve probably heard about the reading aloud benefits when children are young. But the key is not to stop reading aloud to them! Here are some ways to make family reading time meaningful:

• Take on long chapter books above their reading level to keep it interesting for you. They don’t have to understand all the details to enjoy quality time with Mom and Dad!
• Ask questions to keep them engaged like “What happened last time we read the book?” “What do you think is going to happen next?” “What does this scene smell/sound/taste/feel like?” Have them use all their senses to enter fully into the story.
  • If they’re having trouble answering these questions, model it for them. E.g., “Last time, Goldilocks was about to eat the bear’s porridge. I think she is going to split them all out! What do you think she’ll do?” Don’t be afraid to guess the wrong thing; it teaches your young readers it’s okay not to know! Curiosity is the name of the game.

The Magic of Reading Aloud

Balance Reading with Play

If you’re reading before bed, your kids might just want to sleep. Great! But if you’re reading during the day (which I highly encourage), you might have some antsy kids on your hands.

• Keep their hands moving with Play-Doh, Legos, or fidget toys.
• Have them act out the stories! It’s a great way to keep them interested in the story and get their energy out.
• Take breaks when needed. Remember, you’re trying to teach them to love reading, not to resent it.

Books, Books, and More Books

In sight is in mind, and you want books to be constantly on their minds!

• Have bookshelves in all rooms of the house, not just the living room.
• Keep a basket of books by their bedside (and yours!). Bedtime is a great time to build a habit of winding down with books. And if they see you do the same, that means a lot!
• Keep books in the car for long (or even short) trips. If motion sickness is an issue, audiobooks are your best friend to keep the whole family engaged together in the car.
• Give books as gifts to create the association of books with something exciting, not just something for school. And give beautiful books so they come to love not just the content but the physicality of books—the look, the feel, the smell—which cannot be replaced by technology. (Check out our book lists at the end!)

The Deep Connection of Reading

Make a nook

If you build it, they will come—if you make reading a special activity with a special space, they will seek it out.

• Make the space comfy with a blanket nest and lots of pillows.
• Leave enough space for you to join them there! Reading together in that space will make it feel even more special.
• Fill it with books at their reading level so it’s comfortable and accessible.
• But plant some beautiful, harder books there, too, so they have something to look forward to and to strive for! Children are often more capable than we—or they—think. Give them a goal, and they’ll often rise to the challenge.
• Keep it screen-free. This is a sacred space for reading, and in the battle between high-stimulation screens and low-stimulation reading, screens will always win. So don’t let the battle happen!

Homeschool Room Ideas: Practical, Fun, and Focused on Learning

Consider the Reading Level

Meet your readers where they are. Always pushing them will only breed resentment. Remember, we’re cultivating a love of reading here, not just a skill. Plus, children learn at different paces. You don’t need to be stressed by the expectations set by others. As long as they learn eventually, the timeline really doesn’t matter.

• Use Lexiles to find their reading level. A Lexile is a measure assigned to students when they take standardized exams. You can match your child’s Lexile measure to a book’s Lexile measure to find reads right at their level! The Lexile Hub has thousands of books listed by Lexile measure. Note: These books are not vetted, so do your own research before giving them to your kids! The staff at CLT put together our own CLT Book List with beautiful and appropriate classics for 2nd-12th grade reading levels.
• Have “easy reads” to fall back on when your child becomes frustrated. We want to encourage the love of reading, not make it feel like a chore.
• Incentivize your “lazy” readers to read more challenging books by offering to buy them the next books if they start tackling a hard series.

Keeping Them Reading: Charting the Bibliophile’s Course

Teaching your children to read is only half the battle, and in many ways, it’s the easier half. As our kids grow and mature, their interests and loves naturally diverge from ours and become their own. But they aren’t all on their own just yet. It’s still the parents’ responsibility to guide and cultivate this growth towards healthy loves and away from the mindless entertainment that the world offers.

So how do we encourage reading in our teenagers, once we’re no longer the only voice telling them how to spend their work and leisure?

Read aloud—I mean it!

It can be surprising how much of what makes our young ones avid readers stays relevant for keeping our teenagers reading. It doesn’t matter how old they get—the companionship fostered by reading aloud is an evergreen good.

• Get the whole family involved. Your teen may no longer want to sit on your lap while you read The Chronicles of Narnia, but if the whole family comes together to listen, he can get all the satisfaction of hearing the adventures of Reepacheep while maintaining his “coolness.” If other adults are just as engaged as the kiddos, he’ll see that these are stories worth listening to.
• Rotate who reads. It’s still good to read aloud to your teens, but have them take on some of the responsibility, too. Have your teen read aloud to their younger siblings (which has the added benefit of freeing up some of your time) or even to the whole family. Make reading aloud a sign of maturity that your kids can grow into.
• Let them pick the book. As wonderful as Narnia is for all ages, your teen may want to try something new. As long as it’s age-appropriate for all the listeners, encourage your teen to find something they’re interested in and share it with the family.

Everyday Educator podcast: Reading…Together

Make Time for Family Reading, and Make It Special.

Reading has to be more than just another school subject. Work the habit of reading (because it is a habit that you have to build like any other) into your daily lives, far beyond just school assignments.

• Go everywhere with a book. Bring them in the car for long road trips or short errands to the grocery store. Have them in your purse to read while waiting at the dentist. Bring them on walks so in case you run into a friend, your kids can read instead of looking at screens or incessantly tugging on your sleeve.
• Talk about books. You can tell what’s important to someone by what they talk about. If you want reading to be a staple of your family’s culture, you have to set the example. Share a great quote you read at family dinner. Ask your teen what the latest plot update is in her novel. Make book recommendations to your teens based on your interests and theirs.
• Read independently, together. Connection through reading can happen outside of read-aloud time. If you need some quiet time, invite your kids in to read their own books beside you on the couch. Or better yet, if you see your teen reading, ask if you can join, not disturbing her space, but supporting her and joining her as a peer.
• Go on reading dates. You can make anything extra special by adding ice cream. So do that with reading! Bring your books to an ice cream shop, a cafe, a park, or pick out some new book at a bookstore and curl up on the couches to dive in together.

Dig Deeper

• Learn about the authors. Make the books real by learning about the real people that wrote them. Do the authors’ lives sound similar or different from the things they write about? What might that mean for the story? These kinds of questions can reveal otherwise unexplored depths in the books.
• Encourage re-reading. Reading a book is like having a conversation with the author. While friendships may be formed after just one conversation, it wouldn’t be a very good friendship if you left it to just that one conversation. Whether they love a book or are utterly confused by it (and those two things coincide more than you’d think), encourage them to revisit it and become better acquainted with it.
• Practice textual analysis. It may seem over your head, especially if you haven’t formally studied literature, but anyone can practice textual analysis. I can’t dive into a “how-to” here, but there are so many resources for this! Textual analysis is like the algebra of literature—it’s a more advanced skill, but your high schooler can take it on, especially with the help of a tutor, an online class, or even YouTube videos. Many times it’s the challenge of digging deeper than kindles the life-long love of literature.

The Rhythms of Reading: Preschool to Post-School

Be Flexible

Probably the best and worst part about watching your kids grow up is seeing how very different they are from you. Their interests will divert from yours in some very big ways, which is a growing pain, but a necessary one.

• Let them explore genres. While some books are objectively better than others, it is wonderful to let your teens explore their interests in the safety of the home. If there’s a book they want to read that you’re not quite sure about, read it together and have a discussion about the themes and values, what is good and what may be misguided.
• Balance entertainment with content. Just like there are picky eaters, there are picky readers. Sometimes your teen just wants to read “chicken nuggets” books instead of “beef stew” books. While we can battle this out, like for picky eaters, at some point, the priority just becomes making sure they eat! The same goes for reading. You can still introduce and encourage those “beef stew” books using the tips above, and with any luck, your teen will develop a taste for them!
• Fall back on audiobooks. If your child has trouble with sitting and reading—whether it’s dyslexia or ADHD or just simply high energy—work with it! If they would rather listen to an audiobook while climbing a tree, so be it. Being active is good, too, and not every child will be a “blanket and tea” reader.

The Copper Lodge Library Classics-Perfect for Families

Remember the goal: The Bibliophile’s Finish Line

Among all the tips above, don’t lose sight of the goal! You want to raise a bibliophile, someone who loves books and will always return to them for inspiration, education, and leisure. When we’re fostering a love of something, it cannot be forced. The best we can do is to love it ourselves and share that love with our children—it’s up to them to carry that torch into the rest of their lives.

Classic Learning Test exists to reconnect knowledge and virtue through meaningful assessments and connections to seekers of goodness, truth, and beauty.

CC members: Login to your CC Connected account to access 25% off any CLT exam! You can find CC-specific resources on CLT’s CC landing page.
Non-CC members: Be sure to check out CLT’s main website at CLTexam.com.

Need some great Read-Aloud book lists? Here are our favorites!

• 10 Great Read-Alouds for the Homeschool Family
• Our Favorite Read-Alouds for Every Level
• The Best Christmas Read-Alouds for Every Student
• Your Definitive Summer Reading Guide

The post How to Get Kids to Love Reading: Raising Bibliophiles in a Screen World appeared first on Classical Conversations.

The 15 classical skills are the Five Core Habits of Grammar, Five Common Topics of Dialectic, and Five Canons of Rhetoric, which teach students how to learn anything for life.

Most homeschool parents feel overwhelmed when they encounter terms like “trivium” or “dialectic” in classical education materials, wondering if these ancient methods could possibly work for their modern children. The challenge runs deeper than unfamiliar vocabulary—today’s educational system teaches isolated facts without developing thinking skills, leaving students unprepared for lifelong learning.

Dorothy Sayers warned, students “learn everything, except the art of learning.”

Yet for over a millennium, these 15 classical skills equipped brilliant minds like Augustine, Aquinas, and countless medieval scholars to master any subject they encountered. Classical Conversations has organized these time-tested learning principles into fifteen practical skills that any parent can understand and implement, transforming education from memorizing facts to mastering the art of learning itself.

Students who develop these Classical Conversations skills of learning become confident thinkers who can tackle complex problems systematically, ask thoughtful questions, and communicate their discoveries with clarity—not just during their school years, but throughout their entire lives.

Why Classical Education Skills Matter for Homeschool Families

Modern education often resembles a factory assembly line—students move through predetermined stations, collecting isolated facts without learning how to connect them meaningfully. Dorothy Sayers observed this crisis decades ago in her influential speech “The Lost Tools of Learning,” noting that students “learn everything, except the art of learning.”

The 15 classical skills offer a different path. Rather than stuffing children’s minds with disconnected information, these skills teach students how to learn anything. Whether your child encounters advanced mathematics, foreign languages, or complex theological concepts later in life, these classical skills of learning provide the framework for mastery.

Understanding the Trivium: Grammar, Dialectic, and Rhetoric Arts

The trivium forms the backbone of classical education, organizing learning into three progressive arts that align with how children naturally develop. Each art encompasses five specific skills, creating our comprehensive set of 15 classical skills.

Grammar Arts: Building Strong Foundations

Grammar, in classical terms, extends far beyond sentence structure. It encompasses the fundamental vocabulary and facts of any subject—the building blocks that make advanced learning possible. You cannot discuss photosynthesis without understanding chlorophyll, just as you cannot appreciate Shakespeare without grasping basic poetic devices.

The five skills within the grammar arts teach students:

1. Naming – Developing Vocabulary Through Interaction

Every field of knowledge has its own language. In music, we distinguish between quarter notes and half notes. In geography, we differentiate mountains from hills. Naming develops the ability to identify and use accurate terminology—the foundation of all learning.

2. Attending – Differentiating Details Through Sensory Focus

In our distraction-filled world, the ability to attend deeply to one thing becomes precious. This skill trains students to notice details, compare similarities and differences, and maintain concentration on the task at hand.

3. Memorizing – Retaining Knowledge Through Repetition

Memory isn’t old-fashioned—it’s fundamental. Students who memorize poetry develop linguistic intuition. Those who commit mathematical facts to memory free their minds for higher-level problem solving. This skill builds the mental warehouse from which all future learning draws.

4. Expressing – Demonstrating Ideas Through Activity

When people gain new knowledge, they are bursting to share it with others. Expressing is the activity of making something–a song, painting, sculpture, etc.–to share their knowledge with others.

5. Storytelling – Recounting Events Through Narration

Humans are storytelling creatures. This skill develops the ability to organize information into compelling narratives, making knowledge memorable and meaningful for both speaker and listener.

Learn more about The Five Core Habits of Grammar

Dialectic Arts: Developing Critical Thinking Skills

As children mature, they naturally begin questioning what they’ve learned. The dialectic arts channel this curiosity into systematic thinking skills. Rather than accepting information passively, students learn to evaluate, analyze, and reason through complex ideas.

The Five Common Topics: Classical Education Skills for Analysis

These five skills guide students through a thorough examination of any topic:

1. Definition – Exploring What Something Is

Before discussing anything meaningfully, we must define our terms. This skill teaches students to seek clear meanings and recognize when vague language obscures understanding.

2. Comparison – Exploring Similarities, Then Differences

Learning accelerates when students connect new information to familiar concepts. This skill develops the ability to identify similarities and differences, creating bridges between known and unknown territory.

3. Relationship – Exploring Connections with Respect to Time

Nothing exists in isolation. This skill helps students trace connections, understand consequences, and recognize the intricate relationships between the Creator and the His creation.

4. Circumstance – Exploring Possibilities and Limitations

Understanding when and where something occurs often proves as important as understanding what occurs. This skill develops sensitivity to historical, cultural, and situational factors that shape meaning.

5. Testimony – Exploring Credible Sources

In an information-saturated age, the ability to evaluate sources becomes crucial. This skill teaches students to weigh evidence, consider credibility, and distinguish reliable testimony from mere opinion.

Discover Practical Application for the Five Common Topics of Dialectic

Rhetoric Arts: Practicing Persuasive Communication

The rhetoric arts complete the classical education journey by teaching students to communicate their discoveries persuasively and beautifully. These classical skills of learning transform students from passive recipients of information into active contributors to human knowledge and discourse.

The Five Canons: Ancient Skills for Modern Communication

1. Memory – Recalling Experiences

Students should search their memory and draw on past knowledge and experiences as they prepare to write an essay or a speech. They explore what they know before moving to invention, where they invent new ideas by researching.

2. Invention – Exploring Ideas

Where do good ideas come from? This skill teaches students to systematically explore topics using the dialectic arts, generating fresh insights and original perspectives.

3. Arrangement – Organizing Thoughts

Random thoughts don’t persuade anyone. This skill develops the ability to organize ideas logically, creating clear pathways for readers and listeners to follow.

4. Elocution – Choosing a Style

Different occasions call for different approaches. This skill teaches students to match their communication style to their purpose, whether writing a formal essay or delivering a casual presentation.

5. Delivery – Presenting Artifacts

The best ideas fail without effective delivery. This skill encompasses voice, gesture, timing, and all the elements that transform good content into memorable communication.

Curious to learn more about the Five Canons of Rhetoric?

Implementing Classical Education Skills for Homeschool Success

Many parents feel intimidated by these concepts, wondering if they possess the expertise to guide their children through such sophisticated learning. Here’s the encouraging truth: you don’t need to be an expert in every subject to teach these skills effectively.

Starting with Grammar Arts in Daily Life

Begin by incorporating naming and attending into everyday activities. When cooking dinner, have your child name ingredients and attend to measurements. During nature walks, practice naming plants and animals while attending to seasonal changes. These simple practices build foundational skills naturally.

Developing Dialectic Arts Through Conversation

Family discussions provide perfect opportunities for dialectic practice. When your child makes a claim, gently guide them through the five common topics: “Can you define what you mean? How does this compare to what we discussed yesterday? What might cause that result?”

Encouraging Rhetoric Arts Through Presentation

Create low-pressure opportunities for your children to practice the rhetorical arts. Family devotions, show-and-tell presentations, or explaining a hobby to grandparents all develop these crucial communication skills.

The Lifelong Impact of Classical Learning Skills

These 15 classical skills extend far beyond academic success. Students who master these abilities become adults who think clearly, communicate effectively, and continue learning throughout their lives. They confidently approach new challenges, knowing they possess reliable methods for understanding and mastering unfamiliar territory.

Consider the mother who uses dialectic skills to analyze competing grocery options, or the businessman who employs rhetorical arts to present proposals persuasively. These classical skills of learning prepare students not just for tests, but for life.

Embracing the Journey with Confidence

Perhaps you’re reading this and feeling overwhelmed by the scope of classical education. Remember: these skills develop gradually over years, not weeks. Your role as a homeschool parent isn’t to be perfect, but to be faithful—faithful to provide rich experiences, ask thoughtful questions, and model lifelong learning.

The trivium arts have guided human learning for centuries because they align with how God designed our minds to work. Grammar builds knowledge, dialectic develops understanding, and rhetoric enables wisdom to flow out in service to others.

Your homeschool journey may feel challenging some days, but you’re not walking this path alone. Classical Conversations provides community, resources, and encouragement as you guide your children toward wisdom and spiritual maturity.

Your homeschool journey is cultivating a legacy?

Moving Forward with Purpose

The 15 classical skills offer more than educational methodology—they provide a vision for human flourishing. When children learn to think clearly, reason carefully, and communicate beautifully, they’re equipped to serve God and their neighbors with excellence.

These classical education skills for homeschool families represent an investment in your child’s future that compounds year after year. Start where you are, use what you have, and trust the process. The trivium arts have shaped great minds throughout history, and they’re ready to shape your child’s mind as well.

Develop your Classical Skills of Learning with these resources:

• Simple Homeschooling: Focusing on the Art of Grammar
• Rest in the Midst of Wrestling (The Five Common Topics of Dialectic)
• Defining Rhetoric

The post Mastering the 15 Classical Skills: A Parent’s Guide to the Trivium appeared first on Classical Conversations.

Using the classical skills of learning, you can help your children find God in art through appreciation, imitation, and reflection. Read on to discover how.

Teaching art in your homeschool is about more than crayons and craft time. It’s an invitation to slow down, to see beauty, and to discover the fingerprints of God in creation and creativity. But many parents wonder how to find God in art—how to help their children not only observe fine art but also respond to it with wonder and worship.

In this article, homeschool mom and Classical Conversations Director Emily Martin shares how attending, imitating, and reflecting can shape the way we experience art. With practical ideas and spiritual insight, she invites families to see art as more than a subject—it’s a path to knowing God more deeply through truth, goodness, and beauty.

Christian Art Education Begins with the Creator

When my children were toddlers, they would sit in the bathroom with me while I was getting ready for the day. They would reach their little hands up to the counter, find my makeup brushes, and pretend to put on makeup.

Other times, I would find them at the piano playing their made-up songs until their hearts were content and my ears were full. Almost daily, they would pull up a chair and cook with my husband and me while we made meals together.

Be Imitators of God

It is said that the sincerest form of flattery is imitation. But more than flattery, imitation is the natural way students learn from their parents and Tutors. As children of God, we should be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1).  We may think about imitating God through our actions, character, and love, but another unique human imitation of God is the appreciation and creation of art.

In the beginning, God created the world. He created the insects, birds, fish, mammals, and humans. God created the sunsets, trees, flowers, and oceans. Everything our eyes and ears can behold comes from the Creator of the universe.

As humans, we are uniquely equipped to appreciate God’s creation, unlike the animals that inhabit our planet. We are set apart as children of God to not only appreciate God’s gift to us, but to be able to replicate it. We can replicate creation and imitate God through our works of art.

Read how to Cultivate the Habit of Attending

Faith and Art in the Homeschool: A Natural Union

Art can be appreciated, replicated, and studied in many different ways. Some of the ways we see this in Classical Conversations are through attending to artwork, creating art, and studying art history. Through it all, we see God and learn how to imitate Him through our studies.

Fine arts, such as sketches, paintings, or sculptures, are visually appreciated. They are compared to Performing arts, such as music, dance, and theater.

I usually think of large and beautiful paintings when I hear the term, fine arts. How often do we see paintings of stunning landscapes, sunsets, or flowers?  The artist took the time to attend to and appreciate his surroundings, which enabled him to replicate what he saw. He was able to imitate God with every choice of color and every brush stroke.

Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (NIV)

God created an abundance of rich and beautiful colors within the sky. We can gaze at the colors of our vast world to see God in them.

Classical Art Study in a Christian Framework

From Foundations to Challenge, we instill in our children the importance of fine art. At a young age, students are introduced to great artists such as Rembrandt, Degas, Michelangelo, and Van Gogh. When our students imitate these famous artists, they see how God blessed each with a unique talent. God gave the artists the special gift of appreciating the world around them and replicating His creation for the enjoyment of others.

As our children engage in art, they can view God’s creation through the lens of the artist, enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of how God spoke to that artist. When our students attend to art, they can travel to parts of the world they haven’t seen before to get a glimpse of unknown places, but project the vastness of creation.

Foundations students may take in a desert landscape by Georgia O’Keeffe in Cycle 3 or survey a quaint countryside by Claud Monet in Cycle 2. Attending to art is so much more than looking at a picture; it is an opportunity to show our students the greatness of creation through picturesque works of art and the hands of those who imitate Him.

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Imitate the masters with Discovering Great Artists

Christian Worldview Art: Seeing the World Through God’s Eyes

Beyond attending to works of art,  Foundations students are allowed to mimic the painting style of a famous artist. We teach our students to study beautiful paintings and sculptures to see God and imitate Him in the creation of fine art.

When we encourage them to practice science through sketching a leaf, they can see the fine details in the leaf. They can appreciate that God didn’t just create the tree but also created the minute details that make up even the tiniest of leaves.

Through the expression of art, our students see that the world is composed of thousands of colors, tones, patterns, and shapes. When our students sketch, draw, or paint, they observe that God didn’t put this world together haphazardly, but with detail, order, and immense beauty.

When our students are the artists, we as parents have the amazing opportunity to see the world as our children see it; to discover what is important to them. God not only created the world around us but also created our children to be imitators of Him. Through their brushstrokes and color palette, they imitate their heavenly Father and the masterpiece He made for them.

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Learn new drawing techniques with Drawing with Children

Spiritual Formation Through Art History and Technique

As student mature and enter the Challenge years, their understanding of the world around them deepens. The skill of attending to art transitions to replicating it and, finally, studying the intricacies of the work and its importance in the art community.

Challenge students, specifically in Challenge II, discuss patterns, color choices, composition, and historical context. Many of these paintings record critical stages of church history and give us a greater insight into our past; some even depict scenes from the Bible.

When students study these great works, it provides an opportunity for a conversation about the significance of that particular story and how we can see God in it. Without the fine arts, we would have little to no knowledge of what the world looked like hundreds or thousands of years ago. We would have little information about the role of Christianity in the homes and the lives of the common man.

God worked through the artists to send His message into the world every time an artist painted a cross, depicted Jesus, or told a story from the Bible. These artists imitated God by telling His story through their art.

Dive deep into fine art with Marvelous to Behold

Practical Application: How to Teach Art with Purpose at Home

How can homeschool parents nurture spiritual formation through art in simple and meaningful ways? Here are six ways to practice finding God in art:

1. Teach Your Child to Attend to Artwork

• Choose a classic painting, sculpture, or nature scene and spend time quietly observing it together.
• Ask: What do you notice first? What stands out? What feelings does it stir?
• Guide them to see how the artist might be reflecting God’s creation or truth.

2. Encourage Creative Imitation with Meaning

• Have your child imitate part of a masterwork or create something from nature.
• While they work, talk about how their creation mirrors the creativity of God.
• Affirm the value of their perspective and how it reflects God’s image in them.

3. Integrate Art History with a Biblical Lens

• Explore the lives of artists who told spiritual stories through their work.
• Study the cultural and religious context of iconic paintings.
• Invite discussions about worldview: What truths or values does this piece reflect? How does it point to or contrast with Scripture?

In all these practices, art becomes not only a tool for expression but a pathway to discipleship.

Reflecting Christ Through Creativity

Just as our children imitate us, we should imitate God. God created beauty to send His love into the world. We can create beautiful works that also reflect God’s love into the world. Why should we, in Classical Conversations, study the arts? We study the arts to imitate Christ. When we imitate Christ, our Love for Him is reflected in our works and points others to Him.

Want to inspire your homeschool discussions to point to God? Check out these resources to refocus:

• Finding God in Shakespeare
• Catechesis Wheel
• Christian Curriculum: God’s Word and God’s World

The post Sacred Creativity in Classical Education: Finding God in Art appeared first on Classical Conversations.

It’s 7:47 AM on CC community day morning. You’re standing in your kitchen, coffee growing cold, staring at the collection of bags, books, and mysterious items scattered across your counter. Your Foundations student is missing one shoe, your Challenge student can’t find her Latin notebook, and you just realized you forgot to pack lunch—again. Sound familiar?

Every Classical Conversations parent has experienced that sinking feeling of wondering, “Did I pack everything I need for community day?” After surveying dozens of seasoned CC moms, we’ve discovered the secret: it’s not about packing perfectly—it’s about packing smartly.

Keep reading because this guide will help you transform community day chaos into confident preparation, with a few chuckles thrown in. Because when “Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them” (Psalm 111:2), shouldn’t our preparation reflect that same intentional delight?

What is Community Day?

Classical Conversations community day brings families together once a week, typically at a local church, where students collectively practice the classical skills of learning.

Foundations students encounter seven new pieces of grammar while developing presentation skills and exploring science activities and fine arts.

Essentials students, ages 9-12, focus on English grammar, mental math, and writing skills during afternoon sessions.

Challenge programs serve middle and high school students through six strands of learning, creating space for deep, meaningful conversations about topics they’ve wrestled with the previous week at home.

Community day serves as more than academic enrichment—it’s where students and parents build relationships, receive encouragement, and foster accountability in learning together. For many students, it becomes the highlight of their week. Yet getting everyone out the door with all the necessary bags, supplies, and snacks can feel like orchestrating a small military operation.

How to Prepare for CC Community Day?

Pack the night before. This single strategy will save your sanity and your morning. Set up everything by the door: curriculum, supplies, lunches, and that mysterious bag of presentation props.

Have the kids carry their own stuff. Age-appropriate responsibility builds character and lightens your load. A five-year-old can manage his own small backpack; a Challenge student can handle her entire academic arsenal.

Keep it simple, sweetie (K.I.S.S.). As we say in Classical Conversations, keep it “stick in the sand” simple. Don’t overthink it—focus on the essentials first, then add extras as needed.

The Craziest Thing in My CC Bag

We asked fellow CC moms to share their most unexpected discoveries, and their responses had us laughing in solidarity:

“Unfortunately, I recently found a banana…from practicum…a month ago.”

“I’m a Challenge A Director. I keep spray deodorant in my bag.” (Wisdom learned from experience!)

“A squeaky rubber chicken.”

“Chopsticks.”

“A beard and wig for acting out the new grammar history sentences.”

“Part of a dissected crayfish—thankfully in a Ziploc bag, but still.” (IYKYK Cycle 1 Science!)

These discoveries remind us that community day brings delightful unpredictability. Embrace the chaos and pack accordingly.

The Necessities

Supplies

• Foundations/Essentials Curriculum (the obvious essential that’s surprisingly easy to forget)
• Blank notebook, journal, or Post-it Notes for capturing those “aha” moments or the tune the Tutor used for the History sentence
• Pens, pencils, and highlighters (pack extras—they disappear like socks in the dryer)
• Dry-erase markers for interactive activities
• Bible for devotions
• Someone’s presentation materials (because there’s always someone who needs backup supplies)

Food

• Lunches for each family member
• Water bottles (hydration prevents afternoon meltdowns)
• Utensils (especially if you’re packing anything requiring more than fingers)
• Strategic snacks:
  • Protein options for sustained energy: nuts, cheese and meats, yogurt, or trail mix
  • Healthy choices to fuel learning: fresh fruits and vegetables, muffins, applesauce, or fig bars
  • Complex combinations: hummus and veggies, crackers with cheese
  • Gum or mints for post-lunch freshness
  • Granola bars for emergency hunger strikes
  • A sweet treat that’s definitely not bribery

Infant Essentials

• Diapers (always pack one more than you think you’ll need)
• Wipes (useful for far more than diaper changes)
• Sippy cup with preferred beverage

For Tutors

• Polyhedral dice or playing cards for math games
• Fly swatters for review games (surprisingly effective learning tools)
• Note cards, extra paper, and Post-its for spontaneous activities
• Candy, stickers, or small rewards for motivation
• Game pawns, beans, or chocolate chips for geography games
• Stopwatch and dance party button for timed activities
• Painter’s tape for floor games and activities
• Sharpies for quick signage
• Class mascot for building community spirit

The Extras

These items separate surviving community day from thriving through it:

Beverages: Coffee or tea in a quality tumbler, kombucha, sparkling water, electrolyte drinks, or that essential Diet Dr. Pepper for afternoon energy.

Comfort Items: Chocolate (non-negotiable for many moms), ChapStick, and a cozy sweater for unpredictable church temperatures.

Health and Wellness: Advil, cough drops, tissues, first aid kit, band-aids, hand sanitizer, and essential oils (peppermint works wonders for focus and headaches).

Practical Solutions: Change of clothes or shoes for muddy days or sweaty lunch play, and earplugs for tin whistle time (you know why).

Which Bag to Choose?

Tote bags offer easy access and spacious storage with extra pockets perfect for water bottles and sippy cups.

Backpacks distribute weight evenly and keep hands free for managing children and doors.

Wagons work brilliantly for families with multiple children or extensive supplies—practical and surprisingly popular among seasoned CC families.

Choose based on your family size, physical needs, and personal preference. There’s no wrong answer, only what works for your situation.

Why Go to CC Community Day?

Connection

We crave meaningful relationships for our children and ourselves. Community day connects families who share your passion for home education and a Christ-centered worldview. These aren’t just educational partnerships—they become genuine friendships.

“The moms in my community are some of my best friends, and we all cheer each other on! We help each other out and pray for one another. We truly do life together. I can’t imagine this journey without them!” —Kristin, CC mom

Encouragement

CC families develop special bonds forged through shared commitment and common purpose. These become the people who celebrate your victories and offer shoulders to cry on during difficult seasons. We’re all doing our best, through God’s grace, to faithfully guide our children to know God and make Him known.

“I can’t imagine how we could’ve survived this long (homeschooling 11 years) without my community’s support.” —Regan, CC mom

Accountability

Community day provides learning and growth opportunities for students and parents alike. As lead learners, we observe tutors modeling classical education in action. This is your time to watch, take notes, and ask questions about implementing classical methods at home.

“I definitely needed direction for my homeschool, and CC helped me focus on what is important. I truly have a map laid out, and I love being able to see the end results in the upcoming graduates on campus.” —Katie, CC mom

Community Day: Prepare to bless and be blessed

The truth about community day preparation isn’t found in perfect packing lists or flawless organization—it’s discovered in approaching each Tuesday with a good sense of humor and a heap of grace. Whether your bag contains the essentials or harbors a month-old banana, you’re embarking on something beautiful: the classical tradition of learning in community, where iron sharpens iron and hearts are shaped alongside minds.

Your preparation matters, but your presence matters more. Every carefully packed snack, every forgotten item, and every moment of chaos becomes part of the larger story God is writing through your family’s classical education journey.

Ready to experience the joy of learning in community? Find a Classical Conversations community near you and discover how community day mornings can transform from survival mode into some of your family’s most treasured memories.

Want to learn more about community? Listen to these episodes from Everyday Educator:

• Sharing Your Community
• We Believe So We Build Community
• Blessings of a Small Community

The post Pack Like a Pro: The Ultimate CC Community Day Survival Guide appeared first on Classical Conversations.

Are you looking to homeschool your child? That’s great! Before you start, however, there are a few things to know about homeschooling, from researching your state’s homeschool requirements to understanding that you really are capable of homeschooling your child.

What to Know About Homeschooling

Here are just ten things to know about homeschooling before you start. We wish you and your family all the best on your journey!

1. You Are Already Homeschooling!

Did you teach your child how to talk? How to tie their shoes? How to ride a bike? Congrats, you are officially a homeschool parent.

“Wait a minute,” you might say. “That’s not at all the same thing as teaching my child upper-level math and science!”

But why not? Sure, these subjects or others might seem daunting, but with the right curriculum and weekly support from other homeschool parents in community, you can teach your child anything—just like you taught them to tie their shoes.

By teaching your child subjects like math, science, history, and English, you are simply continuing the education you have already begun giving them.

You’re Their First Teacher.

Be Their Best Teacher.

2. Research Your State Requirements

Since laws regarding homeschooling vary by state, what homeschoolers must do to succeed can get confusing. Some states are highly selective in their standards; others are more relaxed. It’s important to be aware of your state’s homeschooling requirements so that you don’t run into any issues down the road.

To learn about your state’s rules, visit HSLDA’s Homeschool Laws by State, which conveniently breaks down each state’s requirements with an interactive map.

3. Although Difficult, Homeschooling Is Doable

Homeschooling is a voyage, but that doesn’t mean it will always be smooth sailing. Expect obstacles along the way. There will be moments you doubt yourself and think there is no way to succeed in this endeavor.

Classical Conversations^® helps make the homeschool journey doable by equipping parents with resources, an easy-to-follow curriculum, and support from a local community. But no matter what program your family chooses, you will still encounter life’s storms—so be prepared.

Trust God. Trust your instincts. Trust your friends’ guidance. Trust the homeschool process. Trust your curriculum. And before you know it, you’ll soon be at your journey’s end, having successfully prepared your student not just for college and a career but for all areas of life.

Read: “What to Do When Homeschooling is Hard”

4. Home School is not Lone School

How can your child possibly thrive socially without being in traditional school?

There are many options out there for homeschoolers to socialize while learning, from homeschool co-ops to our own Classical Conversations Christian communities, where local families meet one day a week to learn together and do life together. This provides guidance and accountability for our parents and allows our students to socialize with each other, often leading to friendships that extend beyond our weekly Community Day.

And, of course, there are always sports teams, art and fitness classes, book clubs, scouting organizations, and youth groups that your child can join to boost their social skills.

Read: “Homeschool Extracurricular Activities”

5. Not All Homeschooling Is Schooling at Home

Although your home will likely be your learning HQ, homeschooling doesn’t have to take place there all the time.

In fact, there are many opportunities to study subjects you are already learning outside of the home. For example, you can study earth science at a local park, history at your state museum, and math during a grocery shopping trip. Although books are powerful resources, remember to train your children to learn from all aspects of life.

So don’t be afraid to take advantage of the wonderful flexibility of all the “field trips” available to homeschooling!

Read: “48 Best Homeschool Field Trip Ideas”

6. You Own the Decisions

If you choose to homeschool, this means you are in charge of your child’s education—no one else. This might seem overwhelming, but it can also be liberating, equipped with a trusted curriculum and the guidance of other homeschool parents.

Is a certain textbook not working for your family? Switch it out for something else. Does your child need more time to grasp a concept? Spend more time and attention when needed. Don’t want to teach math that way? There are other options.

One of the great joys of homeschooling is that it allows you to tailor your child’s education to best suit your family’s needs, goals, and values.

7. Rushing Your Child’s Learning Won’t Help

One of the limitations of traditional schooling is that many students end up moving on to the next grade level before they are ready. Fortunately, homeschooling allows children to learn at their own pace. Conveyor belts work well for assembly of products. They don’t work well for children. So try not to fret if your child isn’t understanding a certain math concept or isn’t able to memorize dates on the historical timeline “as quickly as other children” or “as is typical for their age.” With just a little more patience, often a switch will go off in their brains, and they’ll suddenly understand whatever it was they were previously struggling to learn.

Read: The Hurried Child

8. You Might Not Get It All Done Every Day

Homeschool parents never lack for things to do. For instance, sometimes a science lesson leads to a multi-hour investigation of all living things in the backyard. As a new homeschool parent, be prepared for days you don’t finish everything you planned. There will be times you have to carry subjects over to the next day, or maybe even the day after that.

Of course, you don’t want to put everything off to the next day, but don’t feel guilty if you didn’t have time to read English Epic Poetry or work through The Math Map. You can get to these tomorrow. Now, if you find yourself repeatedly struggling to stay on track day after day, consult a fellow homeschool parent in your local community for advice, or see if your curriculum provides a day-by-day schedule for the academic year.

9. You’ll Reclaim Your Own Education

At Classical Conversations, we often say that parents reclaim their own education when they homeschool their children. Obviously, the focus of homeschooling is to teach your child, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn right along with them! Whether it’s a less familiar subject or one you majored in at college, you’ll certainly relearn forgotten bits of information and discover completely new ones. This makes homeschooling even more rewarding, as both you and your child participate as students together.

Earn Your Master of Arts in Classical Education with CC Plus

10. You Can Homeschool Your Child

God trust parents with their children, and so should we.

For many parents considering homeschooling, the final obstacle to becoming their child’s best teacher is the fear that they aren’t qualified. If you can relate, know that you are enough. All you need are a few tools under your belt for the journey ahead—tools like a proven educational method, a curriculum that suits your family, helpful resources, and accountability from other homeschool parents.

Whether you choose to homeschool with Classical Conversations or not, these are tools every homeschool parent needs. And with them, you can homeschool your child.

You’ve Got This, We’ve Got You

There’s More to Know About Homeschooling

For parents completely new to the world of homeschooling, there is a lot to figure out before even getting started on the journey. Among many other decisions you need to make as a new homeschool parent is choosing the right homeschool program for your family. If you’re interested in learning more about Classical Conversations and our unique community-based homeschool programs, please click here. We’d love to hear from you!

May God bless your family’s homeschooling journey!

The post What to Know About Homeschooling: 10 Tips to Get Started appeared first on Classical Conversations.

A skilled tailor doesn’t discard a beautiful garment simply because it doesn’t fit perfectly off the rack. Instead, they make thoughtful adjustments to suit the individual wearing it. In much the same way, tailoring homeschool lessons allows parents to thoughtfully adjust a well-formed curriculum to fit the unique mind and soul of their student without compromising its beauty or purpose.

Many homeschool parents—especially those guiding their students through the Challenge years—struggle to balance following the guide with the realities of their child’s learning pace and needs. At Classical Conversations, we believe parents are the best equipped to discern how to make those adjustments with wisdom and love.

This article will help you explore how tailoring homeschool curriculum can lead to greater joy, confidence, and growth while still pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty.

Tailoring a Garment

In brief, when a garment is sent to a tailor, it is to adjust an article of clothing by taking it in or letting it out to fit a particular person. The garment, such as a wedding dress, is already beautiful as displayed on the hanger or on the mannequin, but how many people are shaped exactly like a mannequin? Not too many—hence the fact that tailoring a wedding dress is as common as purchasing one.

Because no two human bodies are the same, a tailor must be present to measure the client and later to fit the garment to ensure that the finished product is appropriate for that particular person. A bride does not send her sister to get fitted for her own wedding dress; she must be there in person so the dress ends up fitting her instead of someone else.

Tailoring an Education: Customizing Homeschool Curriculum

The tailoring metaphor relates clothing to homeschool education by illustrating how a formal education can be adjusted to fit a particular child. Like individual bodies have unique characteristics, individual minds and souls have distinctive characteristics.

As surely as a beautiful dress is not made any less beautiful by taking it in or letting it out, a beautiful syllabus is not made ugly, or worse, by tailoring it to meet the needs of a particular student.

Does this mean that there is therefore no use for a syllabus? Of course not. When considering a dress, it is generally designed to fit a human being. For example, even a non-tailored wedding gown is designed to fit a woman—not a tree, or a chair, or a chimpanzee. All women have a bust, a waist, and hips.

In the same way, a good curriculum is designed to fit a human person, not an animal or a machine. The curriculum and the syllabus are general patterns for the human student as much as a bridal gown’s pattern is for a human woman. And like a dress, the course requirements from a particular syllabus must be taken in or let out accordingly.

Read How to Customize Your Homeschool Education

What Tailoring Is Not: Homeschool Lessons Without Compromised Standards

Recognizing that the Challenge guide does not fit—whether quantitatively or qualitatively— every need of your particular student is not the same thing as conforming an education to the whims and desires of your child. A classical and Christian education is founded on the principle that a proper, human education should conform its students to a standard outside of themselves.

Both teacher and student are under an ideal greater than themselves. As C. S. Lewis put it in The Abolition of Man, teachers in older systems “handed on what they had received: they initiated the young neophyte into the mystery of humanity which over-arched him and them alike. It was but old birds teaching young birds to fly.” The ultimate goals of wisdom, virtue, goodness, truth, and beauty are non-negotiable.

Balancing Rigor and Flexibility

If, for example, your Challenge A student routinely spends two to three hours per day on his Latin studies, and this concerns or frustrates you, there is a difference between the decision to tailor the number of exercises he performs per day and the decision to cut Latin out of his routine altogether.

In this instance, the tailoring is a quantitative tailoring—a little less, or more, to balance the hours in a day. The idea that a parent should remove Latin studies from the curriculum altogether because the student doesn’t like it is not tailoring; it is butchering.

Even in performing a quantitative tailoring, we, as parent-teachers, must be attentive to the quality of the time the student spends in performing the exercises or readings. Is it the complexity of the lessons leading to three hours of Latin per day, or is it the attitude or work ethic of the student? If a student’s lousy attitude results in fewer requirements, the student will learn very quickly how to do less Latin per day.

Practical Tips for Recognizing What Tailoring Is Not

1. Check Your Motives.
   Are you adjusting to support growth—or just to avoid conflict?
2. Don’t Confuse Dislike with Difficulty.
   A student’s resistance doesn’t mean the subject isn’t worthwhile.
3. Watch for Attitude-Based Adjustments.
   Lowering expectations due to poor behavior teaches the wrong lesson.
4. Be Careful What You Cut.
   Reducing assignments can help; removing whole subjects usually harms.
5. Evaluate Time Honestly.
   Is the workload truly too much—or is focus the real issue?
6. Keep the Standard in Sight.
   Tailoring helps students reach the goal, not escape it.

Read how to Tailor with Academic Integrity

What Tailoring Is: Personalized Learning in Homeschool

Tailoring is always keeping your student, as an individual person, before your eyes. Tailoring is remembering that no author, curriculum provider, tutor, teacher, administrator, senator, or president knows or loves your child like you do. They are not supposed to.

Tailoring is paying attention, not only to the attitudes that bubble to the surface, but also to the circumstances under which those bubbles pop. In what ways are we contributing to our child’s frustrations? Have we set clear expectations? Are those expectations reasonable as well as clear? Are we helping them think through their frustrations? Their doubts? Their fears?

Tailoring is recognizing when the gap between what your child knows and what they need to learn has become the size of the Grand Canyon—when they can no longer step across. They need goals they can accomplish, gaps they can step across. And they need a long series of these gaps from birth to graduation to the adult years beyond. We cannot force ourselves or our kids to leap across the Grand Canyon of knowledge. The step must be one that a human being can make.

Tailoring is not giving up on excellence. Tailoring is loving your neighbor as you love yourself. It is not giving up on your child. Quite to the contrary, tailoring is loving your child as you love yourself.

 Practical Tips for Tailoring at Home

1. Adjust the Load, Not the Goal.
   Lighten assignments when needed, but keep the ultimate objective intact.
2. Watch Your Child Closely.
   Pay attention to how they learn best—when they’re engaged, and when they’re overwhelmed.
3. Adapt to Current Circumstances.
   Illness, family changes, or seasons of stress may call for short-term adjustments.
4. Break Big Tasks into Smaller Steps.
   Help your student succeed by creating manageable bridges across learning gaps.
5. Set Clear, Reasonable Expectations.
   Communicate goals with love and clarity—and revise when wisdom calls for it.
6. Focus on Formation, Not Just Completion.
   Choose adjustments that help shape your child’s character and understanding, not just check a box.

Listen: Stop Blaming the Textbook

Key Takeaways on Tailoring Homeschool Lessons

• Tailoring homeschool lessons means thoughtfully adapting the curriculum to fit your child’s unique learning needs without lowering standards.
• Balance rigorous academics with your child’s pace and circumstances.
• Wise tailoring respects the goals of seeking truth, goodness, and beauty while meeting your students where they are.
• As a parent, your insight is key to customizing homeschool curriculum for your Challenge-level student’s growth.

The Right Fit for Growth

You don’t have to choose between academic excellence and your child’s well-being. With love, wisdom, and a willingness to adjust, you can homeschool your child well—right where they are. Learn how the Challenge programs support both parents and students in growing toward wisdom and virtue.

Learn More About Challenge

C.S. Lewis. The Abolition of Man. New York, Harper One, 1944.

The post Tailoring for Growth: Homeschool Lessons to Meet Your Child Where They Are appeared first on Classical Conversations.

By Leigh Bortins Only

The Battle for Home Education

I’m Leigh Bortins, founder and visionary of Classical Conversations. Since my family started homeschooling, I have worked to re-humanize education from the dehumanizing effects of technology.

As we face the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in education, I believe it’s important to share the journey that has shaped my convictions on humanity’s interaction with technology in this information age.

A Legacy of Defending Homeschool Freedom

In 1984, I worked with Washington state homeschool organizations, including Dr. Michael Farris’s Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), which originated in Washington, when our family lived there. When we moved to North Carolina, I worked with NC Senator Ham Horton, who helped parents lobby state legislators to remove compulsory education laws that impeded parents who wanted to resume the proper authority in the family.

I helped lead our county’s homeschool organization to develop not only a private homeschool sports league but also co-ops and field trips. Through the local homeschool organizations, along with HSLDA, I was able to help families whose children were put in foster care and whose parents were jailed or fined for homeschooling. It’s very scary when a woman in a suit shows up at your door with a police officer. The compulsory model of government schools does not expect parents to lead their families.

Embracing Face-to-Face Educational Learning

The government funds a factory model that fails to develop children appropriately, treating them like machines to be optimized for efficiency. Educating children inherently requires ‘wasted’ resources.  Learning more closely follows a sine curve. It’s not linear. And no child can learn just because the boss (teacher) has a quota. Factories do all they can to eliminate waste and disorder under the constant threat of punishment for missed quotas (test scores).

I have also fought the use of online education for children. Did you know that insurance cost reduction is a major reason for online education? Working face-to-face with children is apparently dangerous. But the Scriptures tell us that a student will be like their teacher, and I don’t believe that children are plastic boxes that house wires and motherboards.

I encourage Classical Conversations parents to use a minimal amount of online education with their children. As convenient as online education can be for adults, it conditions all of us to ignore the incarnate. Our children have five senses and bodies that move. Online education only trains two senses, sight and hearing, and doesn’t foster appropriate activity, hence one reason for our obesity crisis. We need to taste and see that the Lord is good, not snack in front of a video course.

What does Stick in the Sand Mean?

Protecting Parental Authority from Government Overreach

As my son, Robert, joined CC as the CEO, we have spent much time and money fighting lawfare that dehumanizes parents. These legal battles are against laws that seek to limit the gig economy, inherently limit opportunities for part-time income, a major source of financial support for parents juggling busy families. These economic restrictions also limit the independence of the entrepreneur and stifle the natural energy and innovation of families.

We have been fined, but have fought and always won, in county and state investigations into CC operations. And of course, we incurred a considerable legal expense because my family helps people homeschool in Russia. We were subpoenaed by the FBI investigating our role in Russian collusion.  Isn’t it amazing to think that this family, who just wants to help fathers and mothers return to their natural roles as educational leaders, has had the privilege to stand against so much prosecution as we keep Satan from persecuting the family.

This is why we continue to fight against any form of federal, state, or local government manipulation of fiat dollars, tax credits, and regulations in the name of social engineering. We all know the damage welfare has done to the family. We know the damage government grants have done to private, Christian colleges shackled to ‘woke’ hiring standards because they were motivated by financial incentives.

The Hidden Cost of Government Funding

Somehow, many conservatives ignore the parallels in K-12 education as they bribe parents for votes.  Even if government dollars spent on education were proven to be very effective, I would still be against it because it would train my husband and me to maintain the illusion that the government can educate our children to know God and to make Him known. By taking the funds, we would have to comply with the government’s standards.

Of course, public education has declined because it is funded by the wrong source. If I expect the government to provide for my children, what is my husband’s role? The government is usurping his God-given responsibility. That responsibility is natural and right, not something to be avoided or offloaded onto the government.

Homeschool vs. Public School

Facing the Next Frontier: Artificial Intelligence and Education

I hope this history of our family’s battles demonstrates the breadth of challenges we have overcome in our desire to educate our children at home and with humans.  I hope it inspires trust so I can recruit you as we battle the new ways AI will dehumanize the family’s most important role – teaching their children.

Each year, over 50,000 Classical Conversations families consider how the classical conversations of history affect their children’s views on culture, faith, technology, and more. I am interested in AI because, as the founder of Classical Conversations, I am responsible for curating curriculum for families across the globe. AI is rapidly changing the educational environment.

Leading Through Change

My degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan (1983), my launch of The Math Map – a K-12 Classical math curriculum (2024), and my pursuit of the sciences through the Quadrivium provide the foundation for my lifelong interest in new technologies.

As an early blockchain student and Bitcoin adopter, I started a bi-monthly luncheon to discuss decentralized finance among local business leaders, and of course, CC has a percentage of Bitcoin in our corporate treasury.

Every month, I lead eight hours of online conversations with business leaders to discuss AI’s effect on education. I am researching the impact of AI on the broader educational landscape with my son, Robert, and Classical Conversations’ IT department of 20 employees trains our 150 employees and 1000s of contractors to use AI well. Our work in education, business, politics, legislation, and science has prepared us to consider AI’s philosophical and practical consequences on tutors, parents, and children.

Christians at the AI Frontier

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Defined

AI stands for artificial intelligence.  AI systems are programmed to sound competent and conversational, which makes them just seem to be intelligent, hence the word artificial. The word ‘intelligence’ comes from its ability to gather, analyze, and summarize far more information far more quickly than ever.

The AI era exists because of a series of technological advancements converging at the same time. 5G, blockchain, computing power, efficient electricity, and abundant energy all have converged in time and space to support AI.

4 Types of Artificial Intelligence

Even though it can do much more, general artificial intelligence (AI) is used much like a glorified Google search.  General AI is trained by scraping the general information on the internet. Large language models like ChatGPT, Claude, CO-pilot, and thousands more scrape the internet based on specific algorithms in order to do a better job than previous search engines.

Narrow AI (NAI) is currently the most useful form of AI and has the most success. NAIs are trained by very specific, often professionally verified, and commonly used information.  Narrow AI is making extraordinary advances in medicine, law, and navigation because the training content is highly vetted by people who want to use narrow AI. These experts already have good questions to ask AI and can be less fooled if an error is made.

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is the most controversial because advocates claim it will be as general as current AI, with the expertise of narrow AI. This is where the controversies lie—will AGI become so advanced that it can gain consciousness and take over mankind? Note that the general use of AI is not the same as Artificial General Intelligence. And the technologies that support AI are not quite ready to become AGI, let alone Super Artificial intelligence (SAI), where robots and humans will merge.

Should Students Use AI for Education?

Both general AI and NAI do something new – they can not only help you write better queries and more quickly research, but they can also summarize the research for you.  Previously, educators rightly worried about academic laziness by using encyclopedias, textbooks, and Wikipedia rather than original source documents and verified authors. At least with these tools, the student had to produce their own artifact. With AI, the student doesn’t have to work at all to produce a written or illustrated work.  This is why I believe AI is not just another tool; it’s a new paradigm.

Questions about AI’s Effects on Humans

Thoreau was wrong when he said, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” I believe the mass of men are led to lives of quiet desperation.

It’s my responsibility as a Christian to lead others to a holy life inspired by God. I believe the parents who have worked hard to recover classical education have the wisdom to be inspired rather than made desperate by new technologies. Classically minded families have been pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty for decades. We are equipped to ask questions and to be ready with an answer for our hope, even as AI diminishes our neighbors’ ability to think.

Applying Classical Learning to New AI Technology

If I had lifted the garage door on Bill Gates in 1975 as he developed DOS (Disk Operating System), I would not have known what to do with his invention and would have had no idea of the implications of personal computers. Now, as I lift the door on AI, blockchain, Bitcoin, Web 3, Nvidia, peer-to-peer energy trading, and more, I am without excuse.

Fifty years of classical studies have taught me to ask questions while researching innovations and praying over their theological ramifications.  I want to think deeply and discuss the impacts of AI and new technology with other parents.

Open Questions on the Future and Use of AI in Our Culture

1. Practical Impacts of AI on Daily Life and Education

• How will AI create significant problems?
• How will AI solve significant problems?
• How is AI contributing to the loss of intellectual property rights?
• How will parents embrace their natural responsibilities when robots become integrated into the home?
  • What boundaries will be established when robots are funnier than dad, teach math better than mom, pick up the toy dropped from the toddler’s highchair over and over, play games with brother, and discuss books with sister anytime and anywhere we ask without complaint, while offering to get us an iced tea?
• What will Christian educators do when a 13-year-old is dropped off at school by Waymo (autonomous driving vehicle) with his educational assistant robot because the child’s parents want it trained by the educator?
  • How will your human-based programs compete when parents think that is normal?
• What will happen when you schedule an interview with a potential new teacher, and they send their administrative AI assistant?
• How will we assess students?
  • It is possible to memorize the main parts of a text or piece of literature, but what will be expected when the entire large language model is the curriculum?
• How do China’s social credits differ from school transcripts or KPIs (key performance indicators)?

2. Questions of Human Skill and Development

• What natural inclinations, like navigation, will become underdeveloped?
• Should we compare human abilities to a faster car or a better runner?
• Do we want to raise children who are only outliners, creators, editors, or presenters, or should they be adept at all parts of the thinking process?
• Do we want to raise children who value convenience and instant gratification over work and wrestling with an issue?
• Can we tell the difference between tools that are appropriately efficient for competent employees but inappropriate for students?

3. Relationships and Social Dynamics in an AI World

• Who will be our children’s companions? Our companions?
  • I already find myself talking to my car, my robot vacuum, and my robot mower. How many of you are trained to talk to Alexa?
• How many of our children esteem the cell phone over their siblings?
  • How many of us diminish our humanity by being on the cell phone when people are in the room? And cell phones don’t even do laundry!

4. Knowledge, Information, and Intellectual Formation

• What’s the difference between knowledge, data, and information?
• Who is the authority behind an AI response?
  • Will our children know about authors? Will they fall in love with people who help us think?
• Will our children know that machines summarize average, aggregated, and sometimes accurate information (my name for AI), but only humans can be unaverage?

5. Existential, Theological, and Philosophical Concerns

• Will something that is no more human than a toaster be allowed to run our lives? Will we blindly follow the robot like we do the GPS?
• How will we respond to people who embrace the Singularity: the expectation that, since all of creation is just energy, humans and robots will become one?
• How will we share the hope of Jesus Christ to those who believe death is a physical condition that man can overcome?
• Do we believe C.S. Lewis is correct, and that the hideous strength of some men having power over all men will lead to the abolition of man?
• What power will you hold over AI?
• What power will AI hold over you?

The Classical Conversations Approach to AI and Classical Education

Because of these questions and our responsibility to constantly remind people that God became a man, the Classical Conversations tagline on our catalog of “Homeschool with a Friend” will be changing to “Homeschool with Humans.” While AI is here to stay and cannot be ignored, relationships with other humans made in the image of God nurture and nourish our souls in ways that no computer or program can ever do.

In Part Two of this article, I will let AI describe CC’s philosophy on using AI in the Parent-Tutor-Student relationship.

In Part Three, I will return with my advice on how to use AI appropriately within the parent-tutor-student relationship.

Learn even more about AI and education from Leigh’s discussion at Judson College:

The post Who’s Really Thinking? AI and the Future of Education- Part One appeared first on Classical Conversations.