October 12, 2005 - Teaching the Classics - Product Review

   Do you get tired of buying a new study guide for each and

every piece of fiction?  I know, I sure do.  Do you avoid certain

classics because you can’t find a study guide for that book? 

I’ve been there, too! 

   I have just the answer for you – Teaching the Classics, by

Adam & Missy Andrews!  You can now buy one set of helps

for all the fiction your children will read in their homeschool. 

What a great deal!  Let me tell you about this fantastic source.

   Teaching the Classics begins with an explanation of why

your children should read literature.  Literature offers your

children an opportunity to broaden their perspective, beyond

their own experiences.  A broad perspective is necessary and

crucial to a strong education for your children.  Literature also

portrays pathos, tragedy and wonder in the human condition. 

Thus, literature is an end in itself, presenting the Great

Conversation about the good life.  The Good Conversation,

according to Mortimer Adler, is a discussion about the relationship

between human and divine.  We live in a God-filled world where

we see God’s truth, goodness and beauty.  As we understand

authors, poets and playwrights, we see God’s goodness in our

own world.

   This literature manual models the common elements of literature

(context, structure, style), uses children’s literature as the best

tool to recognize & evaluate elements (plot, context, settings,

character, theme) and shows how the Socratic method is the

best way to guide your students through literature. 

   Each of the story elements is explained in the manual, but I’m

sure the DVD goes into more detail.  For each element, a

children’s literature selection is given to analyze that element. 

At this point a chart and Socratic questions are provided for the

teacher.  After the children’s literature activity, further explanation

in analyzing adult literature is given.  Now, you should be able to

analyze any piece of literature for this element.  A visual chart

for each element and its relationship to the other elements is

provided.

   The Socratic method of questioning is explained & reviewed.

Why use the Socratic method? 

1,  It is the most immediately effective way to involve the student in

the learning process, as it avoids the lecture format.  If you are

like most of us, you do not remember much from the lectures

you had in high school and college lit classes.  The Socratic

method of teaching involves the student in a way that will help

him remember what he learned for years to come. 

2,  It allows parents & teachers to put instruction in literature

in the service of instruction in character.  Since the curriculum

does not tell you what to think, it allows you (the parent & teacher)

to guide and encourage conclusions – as it should be!  You can

carry on a discussion from YOUR worldview!  WOW!

3,   It allows you to focus on the essential element of education –

HOW TO THINK.  The Socratic method does not begin with answers,

but with questions.  Students are not told what to think (like the

conveyor belt method of government education), but develop powers

of observation, deduction and evaluation as they learn how to think.

4,  It encourages good reading!

The end of the manual includes sample curriculum for studying

literature, literature helps, sample daily lesson plans, and a list of

good books to read.  (Hey, I even found some new books to

read on this list.) 

A few thoughts and quotes about teaching literature and

encouraging reading with your kids. 

It is not necessary that a formal literature lesson happen every day. 

Should I say that again?  It is not necessary to have a formal

literature lesson every day.  Homeschool moms get so bogged

down in doing everything everyday.  That is an entirely different

article, but you should not stress out when you don’t have a

formal literature discussion everyday with your kids.  Formal

literature discussions should be mixed into the curriculum with

informal reading for pleasure!!! 

The teacher (usually mom) must READ the book she is discussing! 

What a concept!  Too often, teachers and parents want to use a

study guide to see them through the discussions.  I’ve been there,

done that.  I tried to discuss Pride & Prejudice with my oldest

daughter a few years ago without reading the book again.  I

spent as much time looking for study helps as I could have spent

actually reading the book.  Give your child a better education by

mentoring the importance of reading/literature by leading a

discussion based on YOUR observations, not the expert’s study guide. 

I know you can do it.  It really isn’t that hard and it just got a lot

easier with Teaching the Classics to help you through your literature. 

Besides, how can your kids learn from someone who hasn’t taken

the time to read the book.  I can say this because I read the books

my kids are reading.  The best way to learn is by mentoring, as

stated above.  You need to read the book, ask & answer pertinent

questions, and locate examples in the text to answer your questions. 

Thus, you will guide by example.  Your kids will become literary

interpreters on their own.  If I can do this, you can do it too!  Last

year I read the Iliad with my older kids and we talked about it twice

a week.  I found things that were important to me, but not found in

the study guides.  I would never have talked about those issues

had I not read the novel myself.

If you want to buy this manual/dvd set or read more about

Teaching the Classics, click here.  

STAY TUNED for a continuation of this review after I finish

watching the DVDs that model the Socratic method with literature.

Kerry

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Kerry Beck, owner of Curriculum Connection, has published books

on approaches to homeschooling and other homeschooling topics.

If you want to jump-start your homeschool, go to

www.CurriculumConnection.net to receive your fre.e report on the

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