Can you become a Classical Conversations Director, even if you’ve never taught beyond your own children? The answer is yes—and the benefits reach far beyond what you might imagine.

When you become a CC Director, you step into a role that catalyzes your personal spiritual growth, transforms your family’s understanding of classical education, and blesses your entire community in tangible ways. But for many homeschool moms, the question isn’t whether they should pursue homeschool leadership, but whether they’re truly qualified.

If you’ve ever wondered whether Classical Conversations needs your gifts, the story of Morgan Taylor, one mom who asked the same question, relates to you. Read on to discover how a willing heart makes a lasting impact.

The Decision to Become a CC Director

We had been an official part of a Classical Conversations community for less than a year. My children were thriving, and I was realizing that a classical education meant more than memorization, pounding Latin, and reading boring books.

My oldest was ready to move to a Challenge program, so I started visiting Challenge classes at other campuses and loved what I saw. Since I wanted our entire family to remain at the same campus, I realized that I might need to be the one to start a Challenge program at our campus. After praying, I decided to step into what seemed like an impossible opportunity placed before me.

Learn more about Challenge A

How the Classical Conversations Director Role Changed My Faith

Becoming a Challenge director was a God-ordained decision for me and our family. As I look back on my first year of directing, the growth it spurred in my faith, my family, and my community has offered ample confirmation of my decision to become a Challenge tutor and director.

One of the most important areas of my life that showed tremendous growth after becoming a director was my faith. As I stepped into uncharted territory for our family and community, I had to trust in God’s provision in new ways for strength, wisdom, and the growth of the Challenge program.

Discipleship Through CC Training

I also became part of a larger Classical Conversations community whose mission, “To know God and to make Him known,” extends not just to the families participating in the programs but to every director and every person who works with CC. After each in-person and online training, I would come away better equipped for my role as tutor and director, mainly because I was truly strengthened in the Word of God. I do not know of another organization whose mission to serve God translates into such a consistent and strong discipleship program for all those involved.

Finally, through our community days, as I in turn discipled the students in my class, my faith continued to grow as I watched the Holy Spirit move and work. God used becoming a director to challenge, grow, and strengthen my faith.

Discover the blessings of Challenge B

How Homeschool Leadership Transformed Our Family

Beyond the spiritual growth, God used becoming a director as a profound blessing for my family. Becoming immersed in the Challenge program moved me into a richer understanding of what a classical education is truly about.

Before I became a CC Director, I understood the vocabulary and had a surface-level understanding of what composed a classical education, but it is easy for the grammar of a classical education to fit in with a modern paradigm of education. By practicing, learning, and questioning with my own child and the students in my class, I began to grasp how mastering the tools of learning is different than just studying a subject.

Practical Changes at Home

As I deepened my understanding, that depth changed what our learning looked like at home in concrete, practical ways. Our dinner conversations shifted from “What did you learn today?” to “What question did that raise for you?” When my younger children encountered a problem, instead of rushing to solve it, we started asking, “What do we know? What do we need to find out? Where might we look?” These weren’t just academic shifts—they were changes in how we thought together as a family.

For the first time, I had the confidence and desire to homeschool through high school. Without becoming a CC Director, I don’t know that I would have moved into a dialectical understanding of classical education or would have had the courage to continue pioneering our education in the high school years.

My prayer would be for all Challenge parents to have the chance to direct a Challenge program at least once because of the understanding and growth it brings to a family. Because of directing, I have a true understanding of what a classical education means, and our family is being changed through implementing a true classical education in our home.

Explore the impacts of Challenge I

The Community Impact of Mom-Led Homeschooling

Becoming a director changed our community since we had Challenge for the first time on our campus. Personally, I was blessed by the students in our class and by walking alongside the other parents and encouraging them as I learned the Challenge program. I had the chance to serve our community in a deeper way than ever before, and I now have a greater commitment to the community that God has called us to.

Ripple Effects Across All Grade Levels

The ripple effects extended beyond our Challenge community. Parents with younger students began catching the vision of what a classical education looks like in the dialectic and rhetoric stages, making education in the grammar stage more meaningful. A Foundations mom told me she finally understood why we memorize—not just what we memorize. What families in our community are doing in Foundations and Essentials is beginning to carry more weight and have greater value.

As those families move up, I am thrilled to see how God will continue to grow the Challenge program. Becoming a CC Director helped me to serve and bless our community in greater ways than before.

Understand the benefits of Challenge II

Am I Qualified to Direct CC? Addressing Your Doubts

Now let’s be honest. You may be thinking what has been shared sounds wonderful, but you don’t have the knowledge, time, or skill to become a Director. It’s just too intimidating.

You Don’t Need to Be the Expert

Do you love learning? Then your love of learning, your desire to redeem your own education, and your willingness to engage is all the expertise that is needed. You are not supposed to be the expert. Coming in as an expert will actually be detrimental to teaching your students the tools of learning. When you become a CC Director, you are the example of the lead learner in the class of students and in your home.

The training that Classical Conversations provides is incredible and inspiring. Through Parent Practicums, you’ll receive hands-on preparation in the same content your students will encounter. Online resources and practitioner support mean you’re never alone in the process. Yes, time and sacrifice are involved—expect to invest about 8-10 hours per week during the school year—but the time I invested has been returned to me in a myriad of ways. My family, my faith, and my community have been blessed by my investment and my willingness to be a lead learner.

See the difference in Challenge III

God Equips Those He Calls

You may also be thinking that there are other parents more qualified. You are not sure if there is enough interest in your community. If God is calling you, He will equip you and provide what you need. Remember, the parents are still the teachers. Your job as the tutor is to hold space for your students each week, to love them, and to ask good questions.

If you are teaching your child at home, you are qualified to be a tutor. Becoming a tutor is the best way to become more qualified at home and in your community. If God is providing you the opportunity, do not step away because of fear or doubt. You are qualified by your willingness to serve.

Experience the joy of Challenge IV

Christian Leadership Homeschooling: Answering God’s Call

Becoming a CC Director changed my life. My faith, my family, and my community all grew and were blessed because I accepted the opportunity God placed in front of me. You, your family, and your community will be blessed and become more fruitful if you are willing to step out and answer God’s call when it comes.

God places us in communities not only to provide for us, but also to help meet the needs of others. How is God calling you to serve your community? You might be surprised by the provision and plan He has in store for you and your family when you step out in faith.

Ready to explore what it means to become a CC Director? Learn how you can take the next step in serving your community. Contact your local Support Representative to begin the conversation and read more through these resources:

• My Experience Directing: Overwhelmed Homeschool Parent to Licensed Director
• CC Catalog: Licensed Directors Make a Difference
• Finding Meaningful Work as a CC Director

The post Me, A Director? Why You’re More Qualified Than You Think appeared first on Classical Conversations.

A small Classical Conversations community offers priceless benefits your family simply can’t find in larger programs: deeper relationships, more individualized attention from Tutors, and leadership opportunities that help every child flourish.

I know what you’re thinking—won’t my children miss out with fewer students in their classes? Won’t they need more peers to stay motivated or develop strong presentation skills? I understand that concern because I’ve been there, weighing whether a smaller community could truly meet my family’s needs.

After eleven years with Classical Conversations, and having experienced both a large forty-family community and an intimate twelve-family program, Tamatha Davis discovered something surprising: her sons thrived in ways she never anticipated when they moved to their smaller community. In fact, the close-knit environment didn’t limit their experience, but enriched it in ways that transformed their entire family’s homeschool journey.

Read on as Tamatha shares what she learned about the benefits, blessings, and beauty of choosing a smaller Classical Conversations community.

How to Find the Right Classical Conversations Community

I am a veteran Classical Conversations mom for over 11 years, and I have loved my homeschooling journey! Deciding to homeschool my children was, in fact, one of the best decisions I have ever made.

However, a year ago, I experienced our most difficult year of homeschooling because I decided to travel to a community that was forty-five minutes from my home for the Challenge program.

Don’t get me wrong! My two boys needed Challenge, and my local community was unable to meet the needs of my family that year. I am thankful for the strong academics that my sons received, and they flourished in their respective Challenge programs. I am thankful for the Directors who tutored them and the other families that were involved in the programs. So why was it my most difficult year?

Two words—too big!

What Size Classical Conversations Community Is Best?

Yes, it is true. That particular community was too big for me. I know it was the perfect fit for some, but I didn’t realize that it had been too big for me until I moved back to a smaller community closer to home, where I stepped up to direct the Challenge program that my boys needed.

At the larger community, I had known something was different, but couldn’t quite put my finger on it. In retrospect, I realized that the sense of disconnectedness I had felt was not because I looked different than the other moms and not because I didn’t live on a farm or have preschoolers like many of them did; it was because the community felt too large for me to develop the circle of close-knit relationships I was used to.

Explore 111 Awesome Homeschool Group Activities to Connect with Community

The Benefits of a Small Community

There are priceless benefits available as part of a smaller Classical Conversations community! From a practical standpoint, when there are fewer people, you get to spend more time with each one. Whether the Director is talking to a mom at lunch or a Tutor is playing review games with her students, less is often more.

The Director will be able to provide each family, especially those new to the program, with the individualized attention they need. Sometimes it is good for new Directors to start small, allowing them to grow into their new role. They can spend the first year or two “working out the kinks” and building a strong foundation for the families that the Lord will send their way.

The Advantage of a Low Student-to-Tutor Ratio

Families in smaller communities often get to know each other even better. In communities with over twenty-four families, some weeks you will have to have two Foundations family presentations. In contrast, in communities with twelve or fewer families, each family can present twice.

Educators recognize that a smaller class size typically results in more focused attention on each student. Colleges advertise their student-to-teacher ratio. The low student-to-tutor ratio was one of the priceless benefits that we enjoyed in our smaller community.

Listen to our curriculum team discuss The Blessings of a Small Community on the Everyday Educator podcast.

The Blessings of a Small Homeschool Community

There are countless blessings to enjoy as part of a smaller Classical Conversations community!

Zechariah 4:10 says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (NLT).

In every noble pursuit that I’ve ever undertaken, some sweet soul has always come along with this verse. When our family started a business, someone quoted this verse. When we moved across the state to plant a church, someone shared this verse with us. Ironically, I find myself quoting this verse to new Directors! However, God’s word is true.

The Ability to Step Up in Community

It is okay to find just two or three families that are willing to walk alongside you for that first year. God has great plans and purposes in allowing that community to be planted. It is for His purposes and His glory alone. It is a blessing to be involved in a small, close-knit Classical Conversations community that feels more like a family. Developing friendships with all the moms and all the children is the norm in a smaller community.

Sometimes, smaller communities cause moms and children who would otherwise sit back and let someone else take charge to step into leadership roles. In a smaller community, everyone contributes, and that is truly a blessing!

Discover 8 Reasons to Direct a Community

The Beauty of Close-Knit Relationships

There is a surpassing beauty that you will witness as part of a smaller Classical Conversations community.

It was beautiful when a student from the abecedarian class ran up to me each community day, gave me a big hug, and said, “Hello, Mrs. Tamatha!” even though I didn’t have any students in her class.

It was beautiful when she gave me a plastic necklace as a gift, which I joyfully wore every week for the rest of the year, just for her.

It was beautiful when my autistic son’s Essentials class was small enough for him to read his Essentials paper every single week.

It was beautiful because before Classical Conversations, he barely spoke above a whisper, and now we both get to witness his improvement on a weekly basis.

It was beautiful when my smart, articulate, but somewhat shy teen needed to take on a leadership role in his Challenge class of five students.

It was beautiful because I knew that in a class of ten or twelve, he could easily hide out and never become the leader that he was destined to be.

Learn about Special Needs in Homeschool Community: How CC Communities Support Every Learner

Starting a Classical Conversations Community in Your Neighborhood

I empathize with those of you who are driving long distances to a community. I will admit that sometimes it is unavoidable, as it was in my case, and, honestly, I would do it again if I had to. However, maybe for some of you, this is your call to action. Are you being called to leadership within Classical Conversations? Have you ever thought about starting something small in your neighborhood? Do you know two or three families that are willing to walk alongside you?

If you are willing, perhaps you will get to enjoy the benefits, blessings, and beauty of a smaller Classical Conversations community this coming year!

Find a Community Near You

Looking for more inspiration on the blessings of community? Check out these testimonies:

• For I am Persuaded: The Need for Community
• Faith, Family, and Community: The Testimony of Walker Purchase
• How to Start Homeschooling Midyear in a New Community

The post The Benefits, Blessings, and Beauty of a Smaller Classical Conversations Community appeared first on Classical Conversations.

‘Memory Master’ is an honor bestowed on a Foundations student who has mastered all of the memory work from the current year. To receive this honor, a student must recite all the information from history, geography, English grammar, Latin, math, and science first to their parents, then to another adult, then to their Foundations Tutor, and finally to their community’s Licensed Director.

What It Means to Be a Memory Master

At Classical Conversations^®, we define ‘mastery’ of information as having committed that information to long-term memory. This is different from cramming for a single test and then immediately forgetting that knowledge. We do not focus on test scores, but instead on what is really in a student’s head to stay for the long term.

In this post, we’ll tackle some common questions about pursuing the title of Memory Master and then cover several practical tips to help your Foundations student achieve that goal.

What Do Memory Masters Need to Memorize?

The amount of information we ask Foundations students wishing to strive toward the title of Memory Master is lengthy. In total, a Memory Master should recite:

• the entire timeline of 160 events from creation to modern times;
• 24 sentences about history;
• 24 science questions and answers;
• multiplication tables through the 15s plus squares and cubes, conversions, and math laws;
• continents, countries, states, capitals, and physical features from around the world;
• 24 definitions or lists from English grammar;
• Latin vocabulary lists, conjugations, declensions, and John 1:1–7 in Latin;
• and the 46 U.S. presidents.

Some of the information, like the history timeline and math facts, is repeated every year in Foundations. Other subject areas, such as history, geography, science, Latin, and English, rotate their focus on a three-year cycle. Cycle 1 explores ancient world history and related geography, biology and earth science, and Latin noun declensions. Cycle 2 highlights medieval world history and related geography; ecology, astronomy, and physical science; and Latin verb conjugations. Cycle 3 introduces U.S. history and geography, anatomy and chemistry, Latin vocabulary lists, and John 1:1-7 in Latin.

To read more about what’s covered in each of the three cycles, visit the Foundations program webpage.

What Ages Can Students Participate in Memory Master?

We recommend all students ages 11 and 12 years old strive to achieve Memory Master. If your student is around these ages but is in their first year of Foundations, it’s still doable for them to achieve Memory Master if you and your student are motivated, although it will take much effort, practice, and patience.

Many Classical Conversations families encourage their students to participate in Memory Master during their final three years in Foundations—generally speaking, the years when the students are also in the Essentials program—so that they will have mastered the information from all three cycles before graduating to Challenge A.

What About Younger Students?

Perhaps surprisingly, many six year olds in Foundations have been known to be entirely capable of reciting all the memory work confidently. If your student is 10 years old or younger and is motivated to memorize the entire year’s worth of information, don’t hold them back!

If you and your student are willing to put in the time and effort, it is certainly possible for them to participate in Memory Master and there is definitely no rule against it. After all, with Classical Conversations, you remain your child’s first teacher. Whatever works to best educate your child, do it. Your Tutor or Director won’t stand in your way!

What Is National Memory Master?

Students who receive the title of Memory Master are then invited to compete in the National Memory Master competition. This is an opportunity for Memory Masters to compete with their peers from Classical Conversations communities around the nation for a grand prize of $10,000.

The 2025 National Memory Master competition took place prior to our National Conference events in Southern Pines, NC, on May 16. In the video below, Evangelene, the 2025 national champion, and her parents describe their journey as they all worked together to help Evangelene succeed.

If your student is interested in competing in our National Memory Master competition next year, consider reading our blog post Why Our Families Love National Memory Master.

10 Tips for Helping Your Child Become a Memory Master

Leigh Bortins, founder of Classical Conversations, has a simple formula for committing information to long-term memory—repetition over time.

If you and your student have been reciting new memory work three times a day as soon as it is introduced while also reviewing all the past memory work starting with week one, your student will probably already have mastered most of the year’s information. Just add a little more repetition over a little more time, and the end result will be mastery.

Here are a few practical tips to secure the repetition your student needs and to make the journey toward Memory Master all the more effective, fun, and rewarding.

1. Use the Foundations Memory Work Apps

Did you know that there is a Classical Conversations app for the three Foundations cycles? Available on iPhones and iPads, the CC Lite app adds the fun of a touch screen and the ability to take your memory practice wherever you learn, whether on a long road trip or at your local park. Another helpful resource is CC Connected where you can create a Personal Playlist curated to exactly what works for your student’s needs.

Download the CC Lite app on iOS and log in to CC Connected to access the Personal Playlist feature.

2. Make a Rebus for Tricky Dates or Lists

A rebus is a picture, image, or puzzle that represents words. Using this technique, your student can create silly pictures that remind them of the words or the sounds of the words. For example, a rebus for “Neil Armstrong” might be a drawing of a nail, an arm, and a really strong man.

3. Make a Memory Route

Flash cards are a common yet effective way to incorporate memory repetition. But there is no reason why your family can’t get more creative and combine flash cards with an interactive game.

For example, one Classical Conversations family made enormous flash cards on construction paper and taped them in a route around the house. The students would journey along this “memory route,” practicing the memory work at each flash card. When they recited it later in front of judges, the students could mentally revisit each stop along their memory route, helping them to recall the memory item from that location.

4. Call Out the Questions at Bedtime

Several research studies have found that studying information immediately before a good night’s sleep can significantly improve memory retention. So, why not harness the power of this finding to better help your child achieve Memory Master? Right before bedtime, ask some of the memory work questions and have your child recite the answers back to you. Obviously, you don’t want to overwhelm your child right before bed, so just stick to just a few simple questions.

5. Design Colorful Memory Posters

Leigh Bortins, the founder of Classical Conversations, once taped Latin charts to the bathroom mirror so her boys could study while they brushed their teeth. In a similar way, your child can create colorful, attention-grabbing posters of the memory work and place them around the house so that they are consistently reminded of those memory items.

6. Invent Songs, Chants, and Hand Motions

While we have our own songs at Classical Conversations to help your child memorize Foundations information, there’s no one stopping your family from writing your own songs! Inventing hand motions to go along with your song will also reinforce the information for your student.

7. Recite While Active

A fun way to practice memory work while also getting in some exercise is to incorporate your memorization practice into physical activities, like jumping on the trampoline, swinging, or throwing a frisbee or football. As any parent of a little learner knows, they need to move! So, why not learn while moving?

8. Reward Milestones for Each Subject Mastered

Set milestones for the memory work in each subject with rewards so that your student will stay motivated. These rewards can be anything — going out for ice cream or dinner, spending more time outside or playing video or board games, or watching a movie. Also, make sure to keep track of the milestones reached so that you and your student can see their progress on the journey toward Memory Master.

9. Occasionally Borrow Time From Other Subjects

Some weeks may require more time doing memorization practice than other weeks. For example, the week right before Memory Master testing starts, you might choose to do one math lesson and spend the majority of the day on memory work, taking breaks to read or play outside. The Foundations program only lasts 24 weeks, so your family has plenty of time to resume other studies after the last week if needed.

10. Make a Mini-Memory Master Goal

This is similar to the tip about rewarding milestones. Especially if this is your first year in Classical Conversations, you may need to focus more of your time on reading and writing needs rather than memory work. So, just choose one or two subjects as a mini-Memory Master goal, and reward your student when that goal is reached.

Becoming a Memory Master Is Worth the Hard Work!

Throughout their journey to become a Memory Master, your student will learn to work hard, to memorize a lot of information using different methods, and to experience the well-earned reward of achieving a difficult goal. What’s more, they will firmly cement all the information into their long-term memory to draw upon throughout the Challenge levels, whether in writing a research paper, engaging in conversation during a seminar, or delivering a presentation or debate. Working to become a Memory Master is a great gift you can give your child and the time you spend working together will bring you closer together, too.

Whether your student is participating in Memory Master or not, reach out to your community’s Licensed Director to see when you can visit and observe the participants reciting their memory work to the judges. This is truly a joy to watch and is a true testament to the effectiveness of the classical model of education!

Learn more about the connection between Memory Master and classical education in this article: National Memory Master: Witnessing the Fruit of Classical Education

Don’t miss out on all the benefits of your CC Connected membership resources: How to Get the Most Out of CC Connected: A Beginner’s Guide

Not yet a Classical Conversations member and interested in our community-based approach to homeschooling? We’d love to hear from you! To learn more about us, click here.

The post How to Become a Memory Master appeared first on Classical Conversations.

An Excellence in Education event allows the community to share the blessings of classical, Christian education with legislators, civic leaders, clergy, grandparents, and neighbors.

To say Classical Conversations students accomplish a lot over the course of their education is an understatement. From memorizing the Timeline Song in the Foundations program to participating in Mock Trial and writing a senior thesis in Challenge, students put in hard work and dedication to see these projects through, developing lifelong skills along the way.

What is Excellence in Education?

While modern experts encourage cramming more content into a multiple-choice test, Classical Conversations shifts the focus of education back to the timeless trivium of skills for learning. By teaching students how to learn, we escape the modern-day trap that Dorothy Sayers warned of, where students “learn everything, except the art of learning.”

For a truly excellent education, students must be prepared for conversations that carry eternal significance about humanity and divinity, so that they can consider choices and consequences, accept discipline and duty, and pursue a life balanced by prayer and action.

Classical Conversations communities around the world are living out this learning legacy. Whether you’re a parent, Tutor, or Director, and you’re proud of what your student and their peers are accomplishing this year, consider hosting an Excellence in Education event with your local community!

What Is an Excellence in Education Event?

An Excellence in Education event is a one-day occasion where Classical Conversations members invite church, political, and business leaders from the larger community to see the effort and accomplishments of students in the Foundations, Essentials, and Challenge programs. Ultimately, these events are designed to demonstrate the power of a classical, Christ-centered education.

Typically, parents and Directors organize these optional events to begin around 11:30 in the morning and last half an hour in total, encouraging attendees to fellowship during a provided lunch.

Classical, Christian Education: A Brief Overview

What Projects Should Students Present?

What should your student present during an Excellence in Education event? While your student is welcome to present any of their projects or learnings, here is an idea of what students in each program often present:

• Foundations children often present memory work from any or all subjects (e.g., sing the Timeline Song!).
• Essentials students can showcase their Faces of History projects.
• Challenge A students can present their Science Fair experiments or demonstrations and results.
• Challenge B students often deliver speeches from or discuss their learnings from participating in Mock Trial.
• Challenge I students can deliver the Declaration of Independence or excerpts from the Constitution.
• Challenge II students often present art grants.
• Challenge III students can recite poetry or Shakespeare.
• Challenge IV students can deliver or quote from their senior theses.

Basically, the possibilities are endless! A great rule of thumb is to let your students present the projects they are most passionate about.

When to Host an Excellence in Education Event

Generally, communities participating in an Excellence in Education event host it around Constitution Day in September, Veterans Day in November, or Presidents’ Day in February.

Who Should You Invite?

You’re welcome to invite anyone and everyone to your Excellence in Education event. However, these events are intended to demonstrate the power of a classical, Christ-centered education to leaders in your hometown, whether church staff, local politicians, business owners, and other community leaders.

Since this event serves to spread the word that a classical approach to education rooted in a Christ-centered worldview is a successful method of education, you can even invite local media outlets to cover your event if you are really bold!

Top 3 Homeschool Questions Answered by Leigh Bortins

How to Plan an Excellence in Education Event

Want to host an Excellence in Education event with your local community? Talk to your Licensed Director today to begin planning. Directors can access an Excellence in Education event guide on CC Connected. Get other parents involved and divide the costs and organizational tasks among yourselves.

After you confirm the basic logistics like when and where to meet, post about your event on social media, send out flyers or invitations, and share during your church announcements to encourage leaders in your hometown to attend. And, of course, be sure to share photos and videos of your event with us on Facebook or Instagram!

The post Host an Excellence in Education Event! appeared first on Classical Conversations.

There are different types of partners for just about everything.

I’m sure we can all think back to a time when we’ve partnered with a friend to start a bible study, pursue a new health goal, or maybe even launch a new business venture.

Whatever the scenario, we found ourselves wanting to do something new (and possibly challenging) with another person who was motivated, committed, and willing to team up with us on that journey.

Homeschooling with Classical Conversations is no different.

During your time with CC, you’ll have opportunities to partner with your student’s Tutor to create a dynamic relationship where you, your student, and the Tutor can stay steadfast in pursuing a Christ-centered classical education that cultivates wisdom and virtue.

Partnership Is a Journey

We believe education is the responsibility of the family, with support from fellow believers.

The Tutor

Our wonderful Classical Conversations Tutors are lead learners and conversation facilitators who model a love of learning for us as parents as well as our students each week.

They spend time each week preparing for community day, where they will lead us as we seek out God’s truth, goodness, and beauty in our educational endeavors.

Tutors partner with the parents by equipping us to lead our students in the work at home in preparation for community day. They point us toward all the wonderful resources provided by CC and provide encouragement and practical tips during those times when we feel overwhelmed.

In the Foundations and Essentials programs, Tutors model wonder, curiosity, and learning through play and repetition each week with our students.

In the Challenge program, Tutors dive headfirst into conversations driven by all of the hard work done at home by the students and drawing their attention to the theme and virtue of the year through the strands.

Our Tutors provide invaluable support. Not only do they equip and encourage parents, but they also partner with us and our students on the educational journey.

Partnership Is a Commitment

We believe God trusts parents with their children, and so should we.

The Parent

Parents, we are the primary teachers and leaders of our children’s educational journeys.

God has entrusted you specifically with your particular child because you know your child best.

However, that doesn’t mean we have to travel alone. During our CC years, we have the privilege to partner with Tutors who encourage and equip us along this path.

But what do we, as parents, owe our students and Tutors in this partnership?

Make sure your child is prepared each week for community day. Keep lines of communication open. Asking questions for clarity. Offer to fill the needs that are sure to arise. These are just a few ways you can strengthen the bond with your Tutor.

Meanwhile, you can stoke your student’s love of learning by creating a classical atmosphere at home. Act as a sounding board as your child shares ideas and forms their own opinion. Guide your student in meaningful conversations as they wrestle through tough concepts. Hold your child accountable by checking their work.

Partnership is a commitment. As parents, we must continuously uphold our end of the relationship. In that way, we can focus on the precious responsibilities God has entrusted to us.

Read: “A Parent’s Homeschool Journey”

Partnership Is Preparation

We believe classical education prepares us to accept the responsibility of Christian freedom.

The Student

Our students are not only walking out their educational path but also their Christian one.

At home, each week, the students partner with their parents and prepare for Christian freedom by cultivating the skills of attention, and eventually, they take complete ownership of their own work. Students display partnership through obedience, honoring their parent’s God-given role in their lives and allowing their parents to prayerfully lead them along their academic and Christian walk.

With the Tutors, the students practice respect and diligence as they prepare themselves fully to participate in community day each week. They bring their best efforts to community so that the entire group can benefit from one another.

Under the guidance of their parent and Tutor, the student has a safe place to experience the consequences of their choices as they prepare for their Christian freedoms.

Read: “The Benefits of Homeschooling: A Graduate’s Perspective”

Partnership Is Communication

We believe the accountability of community both sharpens and humbles its members. Communication is key:

• For any partnership to work, all parties must agree to be open, honest, and vulnerable.
• Setting clear expectations of each person’s role and responsibility from the beginning will help us avoid confusion and unmet expectations later down the road.
• Giving space for someone to lovingly point out when you are slipping in your role without offense will only help us assess the reality of our choices and enable us to reset and refocus.
• Allowing people to see who we really are (our strengths, weaknesses, virtues, and vices) creates a closeness and understanding of how best to support one another.

A Word of Thanks

Each year with Classical Conversations, I become more and more thankful for the relationship with my students and their Tutor.

Thankful that we are all committed to pursuing a Christ-centered education together.

Thankful that we have each other to lean on when one of us feels overwhelmed or lost.

Thankful that God has provided me with partners on this journey.

Recommended Resource: The Peace Maker by Ken Sande

Ken Sande guides readers toward biblical and practical resolutions in relationships like the parent, student, and Tutor partnership.

The post Partnership: Parent, Student, and Tutor appeared first on Classical Conversations.

For many homeschool dads—especially those stepping into the role of stay-at-home parent—the search for a meaningful alternative to public school can feel overwhelming. You want your kids grounded in truth, surrounded by godly families, and shaped by something more lasting than test scores and deadlines.

Maybe you’ve felt the pull to do more than just support your wife in homeschooling, though that role is vital and praiseworthy. Maybe you’ve wondered: Can I lead too?

Phil Rosenberger, a stay-at-home dad and Director in his Classical Conversations community, asked the same questions. His story offers insight, encouragement, and a powerful reminder: when dads step into the rhythm of home education and embrace their role as disciples and learners alongside their children, entire families are transformed.

In a culture hungry for strong, present fathers, we need more men who are willing to walk the road of classical education at home. If you’re a father exploring homeschool alternatives or searching for a Christian homeschool community, read on to learn from Phil’s journey.

“I Will Never Homeschool” — How God Changed My Heart

“I will never homeschool my children,” I once said. This may be surprising, as I myself received a homeschool education. Shortly after my first child was born, I became a stay-at-home dad and started realizing the significance of my role in the family. Everyone’s journey is different, but becoming a parent is what really shaped me into an adult.

Fast forward five years, and now, I would rather lay down my own life than hand over my children to the government’s version of education. God knew what He was doing. Just a couple of days after discovering Classical Conversations existed, my wife and I prayed, acted in faith, and committed to homeschooling. We did not know the destination, but we trusted the journey.

From Stay-at-Home Dad to Family Discipler

When my family joined CC, we knew almost nothing about the curriculum, the classical method, or even what a day in a CC community looked like. At the time, none of those things mattered. When we chose to homeschool our kids, we chose to share this journey with families we could trust, families we wanted our kids around. We desired to be shoulder to shoulder with families who acknowledged God as the North Star and center of everything.

Why We Joined Classical Conversations

THE FIRST YEAR IN CLASSICAL CONVERSATIONS WAS BEAUTIFULLY OVERWHELMING.

We quickly fell in love with and memorized “The Timeline Song.” My son started practicing weekly presentations. I tapped into my Director and Local Representative’s knowledge and started glimpsing the vision of what we were building. The aptly named Foundations program lays the groundwork for all future conversations. This grammar is fundamental to life, not just CC! I am increasingly aware of this as I slowly redeem my own education.

Only recently could I confidently describe something else with words. Like most modern students, I was traditionally taught with subject-based textbooks. Like many children, I would force myself to finish my assignments just to be free to play. I learned to memorize content simply to pass a test. In short, I came to see my education as an annoyance that came between me and what I really wanted to do. I was falling into the trap of prioritizing the destination over the journey.

Understand the difference between Classical and Modern Education

Relearning How to Learn: Why Grades Aren’t the Goal

THE LOVE OF LEARNING IS NEVER WORTH SACRIFICING FOR GOOD GRADES. 

A child’s natural state is one of curiosity and play. They want to learn. They are like little sponges, soaking up everything around them. The practice of the classical method is more than memorizing Latin or practicing math equations. We do those things, of course, but not merely for their own sake. The real goal is to use such content to model how to learn. In this way, we prioritize the journey before the destination. If students master the art of learning, they can apply its skills for life.

Listen to find out how Dads are Lead Learners Too

Leading by Example: Taking on Homeschool Leadership

In our second year, I committed to leadership as my local community’s Foundations and Essentials Director. More recently, I took on the role of Local Representative for our area. As a child, I often went to work with my father and witnessed his strong work ethic. Classical Conversations provides me with a similar opportunity to model leadership, organization, and communication skills for my kids. It’s how I invest in our community. Although I am aware it isn’t necessary, I feel more validated as a stay-at-home dad.

Homeschooling as a Father: Stewardship, Freedom, and Faith

As a stay-at-home homeschool dad, I see myself as a temporary steward of God’s children. It is the honor of a lifetime. Homeschooling gives us the freedom to treat the world as our classroom. Being a father allows me to integrate a moral message into any situation. Homeschooling, community, and the classical method are all part of our journey. I can’t wait to see how it shapes us!

Find a Community Near You

Read more encouragement for fathers:

• For Dads: What is Classical Conversations?
• A Homeschool Dad’s Perspective on Classical Conversations
• Homeschool and Classical Education Resources for Dads

The post Why More Dads Are Choosing Classical Conversations to Homeschool Their Kids appeared first on Classical Conversations.

The Mission of a Good Dad

What makes a good father in today’s busy world? Being a dad means more than providing financially—it’s about being present in the moments that truly matter. Many of us grew up with hardworking fathers who missed opportunities to fully engage in our daily lives, and we now find ourselves wanting more for our own children.

Aaron Hebbard, a former CC dad, understands this struggle personally. Though his father loved his children deeply, his demanding schedule meant he witnessed his children’s lives more than participated in them. It wasn’t until becoming a homeschool dad that Aaron discovered the profound impact of being fully present.

Whether you’re a homeschool dad looking to deepen your involvement or simply seeking to be more intentional with your family time, read on to learn how small, consistent choices to engage, learn, and grow alongside your children can make all the difference.

Provide for Your Family: A Core Responsibility of a Godly Father

“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV)

As fathers, we tend to spend most of our day working.  We do so in order to provide food, clothing, and shelter for our loved ones.  Of course, there are some exceptions.  For example, some men work from home, while others are unable to work due to health.  Still, others find themselves stay-at-home dads while the mother works out of the home.

However, in general, the father of a homeschooling family works outside of the home while the mother takes care of the home and educates their children. Fathers can become complacent in this arrangement. They go to work for eight to ten hours a day and find that Mother does a superb job of caring for the home and raising up godly children. That mothers do this is to be commended and celebrated. Indeed, it is not my intention to undo or change this.  Rather, it is my intention to call fathers to a deeper awareness of the awesomeness of this task and to call attention to their part in it.

Children love their parents; this is not to be denied. Children learn from their parents; this, too, is not denied. Children learn more from their parents’ actions than they do from their words; this is fearful.

Lead by Example: Children Learn from What We Do

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned.” Titus 2:7-8 (NIV)

I grew up in a home with a father who loved his wife and children. He worked very hard to provide for his family. In fact, as a truck driver, he was gone Monday morning through Saturday morning driving a truck, only to return home for shortened weekends.  When he was home, he was tired and preferred to spend his brief time home relaxing and enjoying a sports match on the television.

He didn’t ignore us; He would have conversations with us as the weekend passed.  However, he didn’t “live” life with us.  He didn’t learn with us.  He didn’t experience the world with us.  He wasn’t a bad father by any means, but in watching him, I learned that providing for my family meant that I needed to work hard to earn money and then use that money to provide.  It didn’t require much more than that.  For a long time, that is how I lived my adult life.

A year and a half ago, my father passed away from brain cancer. Reflecting on my father during his last days on this earth and then again afterward, I realized how much he loved us and how hard he worked as a result of that love.  I cannot find fault in how much he loved us. The sad thing is, I’m not sure he knew to do anything more than that.

Because they love us, children can be very forgiving of our faults, and this is a mercy God shows us. But, if we have it in our ability and power to love and raise them wholly and completely, should we not do so?

What does this look like? If it is more than just food on the table, clothes on the back, and a roof over the head, what is it? It is what I alluded to above; it is the living, learning, and experiencing of life and God’s world with them.

Balancing Work and Family: Practical Tips for Busy Fathers

“He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents…” Malachi 4:6 (NIV) 

For the working father, finding balance can be challenging. Here are some practical ways to be more present:

1. Create sacred family times – Establish certain meals, evenings, or weekend times that are protected from work interruptions
2. Leverage technology wisely – Use flexible work arrangements when possible to be physically present for important moments
3. Involve children in your world – Let your children understand and be a part of your job, your hobbies, and your spiritual life
4. Practice active listening – When with your children, put away distractions and fully engage

Being a father is a holy calling. If you’re seeking how to be a good father or how to be a better dad, start by being present. A good dad isn’t perfect—but he is purposeful.

Explore God’s Creation Together

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

My family has a friend who might be called an amateur astronomer.  She loves to go out at night to locate and identify the stars and constellations. Recently, she came over to our home and showed us how to do the same. (This is a perfect activity for Challenge B students studying astronomers!)

Because we live in a rural part of North Carolina, the night sky is very dark, the innumerable stars are bright and plentiful. I am able to go out with my children on a clear night and enjoy the stars with them. Together, we can identify the North Star, the two Dippers, Orion’s Belt, and various other stars. We are now able to locate and identify these stars and constellations together—allowing us to learn about and be awed by God’s handiwork as a family.

Read about How to Celebrate a Family Culture of Learning.

Teach Hospitality and Love Through Play

“Be devoted to one another in love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Practice hospitality.”  Romans 12:10, 13a (NIV)

My daughter is growing past the stage of imaginary tea parties. But there was a time, not too long ago, that she would invite Daddy to her bedroom for some tea. I would enter the room to find a small cardboard box covered with a pillowcase, plastic toy dishware, a toy teapot filled with water, and bite-sized chocolate bars. That is what I saw with my eyes.

When I looked into the same room with her eyes, I saw a magnificent table spread with the most beautiful tea set and a mouth-watering afternoon snack accompanied by an extravagant and exotic tea. And all of this was prepared and set before me by the most beautiful princess-host any guest has ever laid eyes on. I would take my seat and enjoy the hospitality my wonderful daughter was showing to me.

I hope that my daughter will continue to grow into a godly young lady who is affectionate to the saints of God and hospitable towards them.  More importantly, I hope that she is more so because she was able to practice with her daddy and see how much joy he received from her service of love.

What’s more, having read a book like Protocol Matters by Sandra Boswell, I wish I could have those tea parties again and be a proper guest, following the polite manners we wish to see in a host and in guests. A tea party with Daddy is the perfect opportunity to pass that knowledge on.

From tea parties to Challenge II Protocol, practicing proper etiquette is a blessing.

Foster a Love for Learning: Nurturing the Mind and Spirit

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  Matthew 22:37 (NIV)

A friend once stopped by my home to pick up some things he was planning to borrow. Upon leaving, he noticed my three children (at the time ages 13, 10, and 8) seated on our sofa, each reading a book. He playfully joked that they were bookworms and left. He was right; they are bookworms—but this is not a bad thing.

They are bookworms, however, not because we don’t own a television (we own two); nor is it because we don’t own game consoles (we own two), nor is it because we force them to read in order to earn television or game time (we don’t).

It is because, at least partly, they want to be like mom and dad. Mom reads to them throughout the day, and Dad reads to them or with them in the evenings. Not a week goes without several evenings spent together with me reading a book to them or sitting beside them reading my own book while they read theirs. Furthermore, our home is filled with books. I do not know how many, but I could guess it numbers around 1,000. Our children will grow up wanting to love God with all of their minds because they grew up with a mom and dad who love God with all of their minds.

Live, Learn, and Serve Together as a Family

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV)

You don’t have to have an elaborate plan to spiritually shepherd your children’s hearts in meaningful ways. Here are 4 simple ideas, dads, you can start this week to strengthen your family relationship:

• Cook a meal together and bring it to a neighbor
• Memorize a Bible verse as a family
• Pray out loud for others as a team
• Build something in the garage while talking about God

Celebrate how Dads are Lead Learners, Too!

Invite Them into Everyday Discipleship

“One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4 (NIV)

These are just a few random examples of how we fathers can live, learn, and experience life and God’s creation with our families. No two dads have to do it exactly alike, but every dad should do it.

Go online or grab a book, and look up the names of the trees and plants in your neighborhood.  Then, take the kids on an after-dinner hike and teach them to name them. Or, volunteer at a soup kitchen with them and teach them to give a cup of cold water to the poor (Mt 10:42).

Whatever you do, no matter how simple or how daring, dare to live, learn, and experience life with your little ones. This intentionality creates a foundation of security, identity, and faith that shapes generations to come. By embracing our call to be fully present fathers, we follow the ultimate example of our Heavenly Father, who is ever-present, engaging, and invested in relationship with His children.

Need More Inspiration? Be encouraged with these resources for fathers:

• For Dads: 20 Ways to Support Your Wife in Your Home School
• Dad the Dragon Slayer: Encouragement for Homeschool Dads
• Dads as Transformers

The post How to Be a Good Father: Living, Learning, and Leading appeared first on Classical Conversations.

As the mom of two Classical Conversations graduates, I never thought we would ever reach the day of graduation! I started homeschooling them at 7 and 10 on a wing and a prayer.

Where on earth did that saying “a wing and a prayer” even come from? According to Grammarist, “On a wing and a prayer describes doing something difficult or dangerous while relying on divine help or luck.” This phrase came from a fighter pilot in World War II who petitioned his crew to pray as they were coming in for a rough landing. Later, John Wayne would coin the phrase, “She’s coming in on one wing and a prayer!” in the 1942 movie The Flying Tigers. Coincidentally, today my now 21-year-old son is a pilot!

As I dug deeper, I discovered in that 1943 Harold Adamson and Jimmy McHugh wrote a song called “Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer.” The lyrics are simple yet powerful:

Comin’ in on a wing and a prayer

With our full crew on board

And our trust in the Lord

We’re comin’ in on a wing and a prayer

How many parents have you encountered that would describe their homeschooling journey as “on a wing and a prayer”? When it is time to land that plane on graduation day, where and how do you plan to land?

Attend the 2025 National Commencement!

Attend our 2025 National Commencement for your graduate to celebrate with other Classical Conversations students and parents around the nation who—just like I did—desire for our homeschool journey to go out with a bang!

The Classical Conversations National Commencement is a formal graduation ceremony designed to celebrate and affirm not only the hard work and perseverance of graduates, but of their parents, too! This upcoming year in 2025, National Commencement is a two-part event, with a graduation celebration and rehearsal on Friday, May 16, where graduates get to meet and fellowship with each other before the official ceremony in the morning and afternoon of Saturday, May 17.

At the official ceremony on Saturday, Leigh Bortins, founder of Classical Conversations, will address and commend graduates and parents for their hard work and perseverance throughout their years of homeschooling. Each family will have the opportunity to present their diploma to their graduate and take a photo with Leigh and Robert Bortins, CEO of Classical Conversations.

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to join us in Southern Pines, North Carolina, from May 16th-17th! Let’s celebrate together with you and your graduating student, land that plane, and go out with a bang!

What Parents of Graduates Have to Say

Sandy Spence, a homeschooling parent of a Classical Conversations graduate, said the following about attending our 2021 National Commencement:

The National Commencement experience went way beyond my expectations! I loved having everything wrapped up in one package: decorations, cake, gifts, college representatives, high-quality cap and gown, and personalized diploma. Even though we didn’t know everyone, we were all on the same journey. We felt like honored guests! One of my favorite parts was hearing from the student speakers. My daughter is graduating next year, and we will not miss it. It brought high school graduation to a higher level. Make it a priority for your family to be part of this!

Read what another parent, Rachel Thompson, and her graduate, Wyatt, had to say about 2023 National Commencement: “National Commencement: A Time to Commemorate and Celebrate.”

Register Now!

We hope to celebrate with you and your graduate this spring at our 2025 National Commencement! Registration is now open..

The post National Commencement 2025: Go Out With a Bang! appeared first on Classical Conversations.

Since its legalization in South Africa in 1996, homeschooling has experienced a resurgence, offering families a powerful alternative to public education. In this evolving landscape, one mother’s search for a meaningful education for her children led her down an extraordinary path. Chantelle Miles, a South African parent of ten, shares her journey from initial skepticism about homeschooling to becoming a passionate advocate for classical Christian education. Her story bridges continents, challenging cultural expectations and redefining what it means to educate in the 21st century.

Join us for Chantelle’s inspiring narrative, which not only changed the course of her family’s life but also introduced a new educational paradigm to her community. This blog post offers valuable insights for parents worldwide who are considering their educational options and seeking to instill a love for learning in their children. Discover how embracing the unknown can lead to unexpected treasures in both teaching and personal growth.

The Unexpected Journey: From Germany to Homeschooling

Boarding a flight to Europe, headed for Germany, I had no idea where I was going!

Once I saw the map on the inflight entertainment system, I noticed the little plane travelling to Munich in the south of Germany. I was heading to an unfamiliar destination. Albeit a very common one. The country, nestled between Italy, Austria, and France, was merely a vague figure in the primary school history books I had never read. The business of wars, the people involved and the places affected went right over my head.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference. —Robert Frost.

When the road veers off the main track, do you turn off, or do you stay where it’s familiar?

Confronting Educational Doubts: A Mother’s Dilemma

The homeschool journey began with a nagging question: “What reasons would I give my firstborn child when she came home from school, and some kids were doing the things we didn’t want her to do?” If she were anything like me, my explanations would be insufficient. I needed more than a rule; I needed the why, and time was running out—she was set to start first grade. My bankruptcy was not just in the lack of understanding and knowledge but, more importantly, in grasping my purpose.

Why do we do what we do? What do I believe about the world and our place in it?

The unknown was beckoning in answer to many anxious prayers. One day, while driving to work, I heard a woman speaking on Focus on the Family about homeschooling. This was as foreign to me as the idea of having soup for breakfast; it had simply never occurred to me. I had never met anyone who homeschooled; I felt like an unreached people group.

Analysis Paralysis!

If we homeschool, how will we teach our children, and what will we teach them? I am intelligent and love learning, but my experience abroad testified against me. As soon as I started considering the possibility, every conceivable reminder of my inadequacies came to mind, confirming that it wasn’t an option for someone like me. Only trained teachers were qualified to educate our children.

Public school felt like being lost in a crowd, unsure of the direction we were headed, pressured to perform, and trapped on a never-ending hamster wheel. I had a loving family, attended a thriving church, and was in a great school—the best in our city. Yet, as we closed that chapter and headed into the next, I was, as far as preparation goes, unprepared, unqualified, and unequipped. My education had the depth of a puddle!

I could only expect a similar outcome using the same ingredients as were used with me.

Discovering Classical Conversations: A New Educational Frontier

I was introduced to Classical Conversations by a missionary friend from the States.

She had a whiteboard with subject segments written on it in her sitting room: Latin, Science, History, Geography, English, and Math. She spoke of a community she wanted to start and how everyone used the same curriculum. This fascinated me. I didn’t need more; I had been battling the implementation of home education despite my enthusiasm for it.

She brought the gospel to areas in our country, but to me, she also carried something else. Her culture is different from mine. I recognized it much later, after reading about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims. In the US, there is an inborn sense of freedom, a challenge to tyranny, and an openness to self-determination and inalienable rights. We had lived under a totalitarian regime for many years; apartheid ended when I was getting ready for middle school. We did not challenge authority, nor did we doubt the experts. I’m not saying that as a people we are compliant and docile, but we are certainly not as free to consider alternatives as our friends in the States are—more like the elephant held with twine.

Even so, the hope within spurred me on. I wanted the golden goose: a love for learning, a passion for freedom, and a commitment to the pursuit of truth for my children. Determined to see a different outcome for them, I began exploring this strange concept of home education, wholly unprepared for the personal benefits that awaited me.

We tried a couple of programs, from boxed curricula filled with rich literature and checkboxes to more eclectic approaches involving lap books and unit studies. My poor mother-in-law, trained as a special needs educator and passionate about children thriving, must have prayed nonstop for her offspring to survive their mother’s experiments.

The opportunity to start a Classical Conversations community in South Africa was at hand, and we leapt at it.

The Classical Christian Curriculum: Wisdom from the Past

A classical Christian curriculum offers wisdom from our elders!

I have ten children, and whenever I try something new, from sourdough to soap making, I imagine my forebears enduring too much fluff in addition to merely staying alive, which becomes my guardrail against becoming overly delicate or pernickety.

When I realised how simple yet profound this education system is, I was convinced of its value. Stick in the sand is a saving grace. Suddenly, I could offer a robust education to all my children without losing some along the way. This method trained my mind in simplicity and efficiency. I have always prioritised relationships over other aims, but learning how to utilise this method has truly equipped me to have the best of both worlds.

Building Community: The Power of Collaborative Learning

Community is the ground in which character and love are cultivated.

When we homeschool alone, we can still do a fine job, but it is life-giving to do it with others. We trade with others because they possess something of value that we don’t. God made us unique, with varied gifts, especially not to all be alike.

This diversity enriches us and provides for us. People can be messy—parents and their progeny alike—and nothing is quite as inhospitable as a mother guarding her own. It creates the perfect terrain for cultivating love. We need each other, both to encourage and to settle ruffled feathers. I’ve had my fair share of those. In the economics reader; I saw the theory put into practice. In each individual He hand-picked for me, I was being equipped, if I chose to receive the good with the bad. We were made for fellowship and to share; God’s economy is brilliant.

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

Discovering new things, making connections, and growing in my understanding has become an unexpected personal treasure. Where learning was a chore during my youth, it is now an adventure. Like Vespucci venturing into uncharted seas, it is a delight to discover new horizons, to embrace failure, and persevere in trying again.

My dad always said, “Darling, you don’t know what you don’t know.”

When we started a family, we didn’t realise it would lead us to take responsibility for the education of our children. We didn’t understand we would serve the Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul, and in doing so, He would reward us with communion with each other and with Himself in the discovery of all He has made. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honour of kings is to search out a matter (Prov. 25:2); in seeking to know God and make Him known, I have travelled another route, and it has made all the difference.

The post From Homeschool Hesitation to Classical Education: A South African Mother’s Journey appeared first on Classical Conversations.

If you are thinking about starting your homeschool journey, it can seem like a lonely endeavor. Making the switch from traditional public or private school to home education is a big transition, but reclaiming family-centered learning doesn’t have to be in isolation.

Homeschooling is better with a friend. At Classical Conversations, you are connected to a local community of fellow families, all walking the homeschool journey together.

Shifting perspective is often the first step when wrestling with the decision to start homeschooling. But once the decision is made, finding community can be sparked by serendipitous conversations in the grocery check-out line or at a birthday party. We look back at our homeschool journey’s path, and we see God leading those life-changing chance interactions.

Take a look at Classical Conversations dad and CFO Rex Elliot’s homeschool journey from a mainstream educational mindset to a family culture of innocent individual learning.

Is There An Alternative To Traditional Education?

“‘Get off my lawn!’ reflects how middle-aged people often feel about the younger generation. The younger crowd disrupts the carefully manicured achievements of a lifetime. They also seem to grab the fruits of that hard work before they’re fully ready.”

As people grow older, they begin to wonder why their parents’ generation refuses to step aside. This hesitation creates a crucial moment. It’s a chance for the younger generation to learn what was never taught and restore the natural cycle of life. But society is nearing a point where this transition may not happen smoothly, leading to new and unexpected challenges, especially in education.

Parents of preschool and school-age children can reconstitute their own family culture by homeschooling their children through high school. Most parents today have mistakenly accepted that the only option to educate young people is through a modern public or private school.

The recent growth of homeschooling has only begun to question that premise, and the degradation of social norms promoted in modern schools has only added fuel to the fire.

The Typical Traditional Education Model

My two oldest children began their elementary education in a parochial school in Massachusetts after I was relocated to Boston by my former employer. The school was filled with well-meaning teachers who shared our faith and values.

For five years of pre-K – 3^rd-grade experiences, I felt that they were receiving a reasonable education, and my daughter’s behavior challenges, as well as my son’s lackluster math scores, could be attributed to their genetic deficiencies likely passed on from my side of the biological collision that spawned them.

It did not occur to me that any learning environment with a student-teacher ratio of 18:1 would be problematic for almost any child.

Sparking the Homeschool Journey

After I decided to semi-retire following years of frustration with a corporate culture that did not align with my family values, I moved the family south to be closer to friends and relatives.

Like many American parents, we placed the children into the local public school without hesitation. In fact, we selected our new neighborhood in the north Atlanta suburbs primarily because of the ratings that the schools there had received. They were an A+ school, but it didn’t take long to figure out that the devil had literally beaten us to Georgia and issued his own report card.

In an initial review of a single section of a 3^rd grade Social Studies textbook on the topic of American Colonialism, I found almost a dozen examples where European immigrants were characterized as white opportunists who only came to the Americas to dominate the native population and exploit the land and its resources.

Meanwhile, the natives were described repeatedly as peaceable people who lived at one with nature and only wished to be left alone.  Since this was occurring only six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the children began the semester at home with personalized iPads.

From the machine, I was alarmed by the sound of my son’s teacher’s elevated-pitched rebuke of him slouching in his chair while staring at Pandora’s version of Brady Bunch boxes. I began to pay more attention to the content distributed through the state-issued screens.

George Orwell would have been undisturbed to find Bill Gates explaining the benefits of online learning, Anthony Fauci instructing kids how to protect their teachers from disease with masks and social distancing, and Bill Nye summarizing the dangers of climate change. I, however, was a bit surprised and not amused.

Providing A Homeschool Community

I was 90% there already, but a little research into the Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum the school was planning to roll out later in the year completed the task of pushing my family out of the modern school nest. But where would we go? Public school was out of the question. The Parochial schools did not have enough places for both children in their assigned grades for the spring semester.

On All Hallow’s Eve of 2020, God would provide the answer. As I enjoyed the Covid modified Trick-or-Treat festivities throughout our new neighborhood with my impending truancy-problem children, my far more sociable wife welcomed the other Covid shut-ins by giving them all much-appreciated candy, mostly my favorite chocolates, in anticipation of extra inventory.

One such wayward group belonged to a beautiful family that lived just half a street away. As it turns out, they shared some common history with my wife, and their lengthy conversation turned to schooling. They were a Classical Conversations family, as the Holy Spirit would have it. With no other viable options immediately in front of us and only dread and despair behind us, we desperately waded into the homeschool ocean.

Homeschool Dads Can Lead

Since I had stepped away from a corporate career—another worthwhile story for another day—and my wife had a complete lack of knowledge or experience with homeschooling and considerable skepticism, I became a homeschooling dad for our children in their first CC Community.

My own ignorance was astounding, so much so that I taught that first semester having only stepped into one Community Day with the family. I was able to muddle through using the e-zines and my own ingenuity. Luckily, my wife attended every Community Day with the children and, after seeing how it was supposed to be done, offered to take over that fall. All were grateful.

Classical Conversations Communities Equip Families

What I witnessed with my immigrant wife, whose first language was not English nor home culture even within Western Civilization, still has me transfixed. I grew to love her even more as I watched her innate organizational skills and personal drive to succeed in building a thriving education environment.

She was successful in large part because of the support she received from the CC community, our neighbor, and our new friend. They not only gave her tools for her newfound teaching career, but they also gave her a social outlet and network of co-collaborators in this incredible parent-led educational journey.

Most importantly, I saw my children regain their innocence and grow into the unique individuals God had designed them to be. We have avoided at least some of past generations’ errors regarding our children’s education and are building a family culture of our own choosing. As a dad, I can only say, “Thank you.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Classical Conversations believe?

Classical Conversations emphasizes that all subjects are deeply interconnected, with God as the ultimate author and creator of each one. As we explore each subject, we gain a deeper understanding of God’s nature, and in turn, knowing more about God enriches our understanding of every subject being taught.

What curriculum does Classical Conversations use?

Classical Conversations Foundations curriculum, grounded in memorization, equips parents and tutors to guide children in building a solid grasp of essential subjects such as history, science, English, geography, math, and Latin, all presented through a Christian lens.

Challenge programs offer a curated curriculum in the six strands of grammar, reasoning, research, logic, debate, and exposition.

Why homeschool with Classical Conversations?

Homeschooling with Classical Conversations connects you to a supportive network of families who grow and learn alongside one another. It provides parents with the resources and encouragement they need to nurture unique, engaged students who embrace learning throughout their lives.

Final Thoughts: The Homeschool Journey

The decision to create family-centered learning in your home is usually marked by tiny realizations and perspective shifts over time. Reclaiming your family’s values at the heart of learning is a blessing that will have ripple effects for generations.

Are you looking to connect with like-minded families along your homeschool journey who are focused on classical Christian education? Find out more about Classical Conversations and join an Information Meeting near you.

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The word classical always painted a picture of classical music in my head—Mozart, to be specific—because in high school, I was part of the choir and sang classical songs, and this was the only encounter that I had ever had with the word. When I began to question what education should look like for my young family, my husband and I attended a homeschooling conference: the East African Community of Homeschoolers (EACH) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Coincidentally, or rather God-incidentally (as God would have it), this particular conference had Greg Stockton from Classical Conversations, USA, as a guest speaker, and he spoke of the timeline song and played it for us—and we were hooked by this new approach that felt familiar.

Ancient Paths

This is what I have come to learn about the old new way: although it is new, it is also familiar because it resonates with the foundational paths that God already built into existence.

Jeremiah 6:16 says, “Ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” I believe that by questioning education and praying about the right fit for our family, we were asking God for the good way and for rest, and He led us to the ancient paths.

He who is the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9) led us to find this new old way.

How Do We Start?

Our joy in learning about homeschooling and hearing about Classical Conversations from a parent who had seen the rewards of this resource was quickly clouded by the next hurdle, which was figuring out how to start.

Now, this was in 2012. We lived in Nairobi, Kenya, and Classical Conversations, at that time, had not set up support or infrastructure in Africa. All the materials and books were only available in the U.S., and beyond the timeline song, everything else felt daunting. Latin was a strange concept; so were memory work and the grammar terminology for our four-year-old son.

And so, after Greg went back to the U.S., we thought we would forget the impact of that encounter. But like the memory of an unforgettable, delicious meal or the excitement of discovering a hidden treasure, we just could not shake off that encounter.

We found the timeline song on YouTube (it is no longer there) and would begin every morning with this song in our home. This simple start of a song was itself memory work.

That is how to start learning in the old new way. This is my encouragement to anyone who does not know where or how to start: begin with the simplicity of memory work.

I then sent several emails to Greg, who was gracious enough to respond and set up a Zoom call, walk me through the classical model, and show me how to access CC Connected. I was alone, yet not alone. This online platform was my next step in how to start.

Just like a baby learning to walk, I did not need all the answers, I just needed the next step, and this online resource center made a world of difference in my homeschool journey because I received resources, equipping, and information, and got connected with other CC families several miles away.

Find a Community Near You

Journeying Together

There’s an African proverb: If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk together.

If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk together.

This has been proven true in my homeschooling journey. As I learnt more about CC and embarked on this journey, like the woman in the parable who found the lost coin (Luke 15:8–10), I could not keep this to myself and shared it with close friends around me. They seemed to resonate with this joy, and we started meeting once a week in my home.

We had no idea what we were doing and for how long we will do it, but we did it together, and this enabled us to go far, to keep at it, to grow together, to watch our children develop public speaking skills, learn the phases of the moon, identify classical music in cartoons, point out art by Rembrandt or Monet, point out when the moon is gibbous, and classify plants and clouds.

This growing community gave us the courage to finish our first cycle of twenty-four weeks. We weren’t perfect. We missed several details and forgot a lot of the structure, but because we were together, we became family. We held each other accountable and grew in courage to try another cycle.

As our children grew, we grew in numbers and in programs, and we found that we were a bit better at Foundations and willing to attempt Essentials and then Challenge.

Finishing Strong

Looking back at the unplanned journey, I can say that it is indeed true that God has a plan for our good and prosperity.

This small community that commenced with me and my four-year-old son has now multiplied into three communities across the country, with over fifty children and twenty families learning classically. We used the tools of learning and applied the concept as lead learners to create an African and Kenyan timeline, history sentences, and geographic locations, which were published on CC Connected with the amazing support of CC and our Local Representative and AR.

We have graduated our first CC high school graduates who have been accepted into universities here in Kenya, and this is a big feat not just for CC but for all homeschoolers in Kenya. The ancient path, with a solid foundation, based on the truth of God’s word, plus the journey with like-hearted families, fueled by the encouragement of a great support system, prayers, and the Holy Spirit, has enabled us—who would have felt far removed, unqualified, and unreachable, all the way in Nairobi, Kenya—to finish strong.

Only by His Grace.

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