I never learned this in school and selfishly want to start teaching this to my homeschooled children so I can learn with them. What age do you think is appropriate to start learning Latin? Also, do you have a specific program or book you recommend for teaching to younger children (4 and 6yo)?
I love this! Latin is a wonderful thing to teach your children. I think early exposure is great. However, given that Latin isn't a spoken language likely better to start after reading solidified. I haven't taught my kids latin but many people I trust like Lingua Latina and Visual Latin. You might also also Catherine Oliver as I know she taught her kids Latin too. Let me know if you need help reaching out to her and I'm happy to facilitate!
As a Classical Conversations mom, I’ve been thinking about this very thing. I came to the same conclusion. It pains me to say it because I love so much about CC, but I may be done after Essentials. “If you are teaching children Latin, you are by necessity NOT teaching them something else.” So true, and CC dedicates an insane amount of time to Latin in the upper grades. Maybe it will be right for my daughter, but I know it’s not for my son. Thanks for your thoughts on this topic!
I looked into CC and it looked like truly a wonderful program. I had the same issue though that there wasn't nearly enough flexibility for my personal family to do the extras we wanted. I've often wished there was a "CC lite" that we could pick and choose some of the classes. If your kids have done the foundational courses, they already have a stellar background. I'm glad you found the post of value. It's something I've spent a lot of time thinking on.
Excellent, balanced answer! Not that I'm any expert, Latin wasn't something public schools offered, way back when, at least until high school. I do wish I had gotten exposed to it, at least for a semester. But it would make better sense to start Latin instruction at an early age.
I did end up taking four years of French, plus a semester in college, which has proven completely worthless for conversing with French people, but has helped a lot in reading and vocabulary. So one of the major arguments against Latin, that it's a dead language, may not matter much, unless you replace it with Spanish, a language Americans actually do get frequent opportunities to practice.
An important point I think you're making, though it's subtle, is that there's a lot more to a classical education than just Latin. Emphasizing the trivium is without question worthwhile, because it's so important to be able to think and then communicate. Mathematics is also essential; the rest of the quadrivium perhaps less so.
In our homeschool we put a great emphasis on reading, writing, math, and just developing a curiosity to keep learning. There are many other valuable subjects for which, like Latin, a strong argument can be made for teaching. But I would agree, regarding these secondary subjects, that it is a matter of making tradeoffs based on the teacher's available time and the student's particular aptitude or needs. There are only so many hours in the day!
The "faith tradition" happens to intersect with THE basis for partitioning history. Whether you call it Anno Domini or CE, why do we date things this way? Does it matter?
Consider the success and educational utility of immersive colonial Williamsburg.
I never learned this in school and selfishly want to start teaching this to my homeschooled children so I can learn with them. What age do you think is appropriate to start learning Latin? Also, do you have a specific program or book you recommend for teaching to younger children (4 and 6yo)?
I love this! Latin is a wonderful thing to teach your children. I think early exposure is great. However, given that Latin isn't a spoken language likely better to start after reading solidified. I haven't taught my kids latin but many people I trust like Lingua Latina and Visual Latin. You might also also Catherine Oliver as I know she taught her kids Latin too. Let me know if you need help reaching out to her and I'm happy to facilitate!
As a Classical Conversations mom, I’ve been thinking about this very thing. I came to the same conclusion. It pains me to say it because I love so much about CC, but I may be done after Essentials. “If you are teaching children Latin, you are by necessity NOT teaching them something else.” So true, and CC dedicates an insane amount of time to Latin in the upper grades. Maybe it will be right for my daughter, but I know it’s not for my son. Thanks for your thoughts on this topic!
I looked into CC and it looked like truly a wonderful program. I had the same issue though that there wasn't nearly enough flexibility for my personal family to do the extras we wanted. I've often wished there was a "CC lite" that we could pick and choose some of the classes. If your kids have done the foundational courses, they already have a stellar background. I'm glad you found the post of value. It's something I've spent a lot of time thinking on.
Your time was well spent—I will share this with a couple other moms.
I would also join your afternoon history and science club in a heartbeat. Sounds absolutely lovely.
Excellent, balanced answer! Not that I'm any expert, Latin wasn't something public schools offered, way back when, at least until high school. I do wish I had gotten exposed to it, at least for a semester. But it would make better sense to start Latin instruction at an early age.
I did end up taking four years of French, plus a semester in college, which has proven completely worthless for conversing with French people, but has helped a lot in reading and vocabulary. So one of the major arguments against Latin, that it's a dead language, may not matter much, unless you replace it with Spanish, a language Americans actually do get frequent opportunities to practice.
An important point I think you're making, though it's subtle, is that there's a lot more to a classical education than just Latin. Emphasizing the trivium is without question worthwhile, because it's so important to be able to think and then communicate. Mathematics is also essential; the rest of the quadrivium perhaps less so.
In our homeschool we put a great emphasis on reading, writing, math, and just developing a curiosity to keep learning. There are many other valuable subjects for which, like Latin, a strong argument can be made for teaching. But I would agree, regarding these secondary subjects, that it is a matter of making tradeoffs based on the teacher's available time and the student's particular aptitude or needs. There are only so many hours in the day!
The "faith tradition" happens to intersect with THE basis for partitioning history. Whether you call it Anno Domini or CE, why do we date things this way? Does it matter?
Consider the success and educational utility of immersive colonial Williamsburg.