Classical Conversations communities only meet 24 weeks (7th-12th grade meet for 30 weeks) during the school year. Since we take a LONG winter break and are usually done with our year by early to mid-April, many people ask what we do the rest of the school year and over the summer.
This is one of the things I love about CC! Because our Foundations/Essentials classes (k-6th grade) only meet for 24 weeks, it gives me plenty of time to explore as a family. So what do I mean by that? Well, many people use this time to venture off on field trips and educational vacations. Â We certainly do that too. However, if you are like me, then it doesn’t matter what PLAN you might have, there will always be times that you didn’t get it all done. Right? It’s not just me is it??
Since I use CC as my full curriculum, each week’s memory work becomes my study guide for our week. During the school year, I don’t stress out when things get in the way of our school week. I just pick up the next week and continue on. Over the year I usually end up with a few weeks (maybe more) that we just didn’t really get to study. When I have a hectic week and just don’t get a chance to review our CC memory work, or I don’t get a chance to study the topics for the week, then I make a mental note to come back to it later.
I used to try to “catch up” by doing 2 weeks at once or trying to work on the weekend or something, but that doesn’t really work anyway. And why do I want to study something in a hurry anyway? Just to say we did it??
Usually I don’t have to worry about the memory work getting memorized. Between the review time at our CC Community and the use of my Memory Work System Cards it’s easy to make sure that it all gets memorized.
The extra weeks between semesters and the weeks during late spring and summer are great times to continue the study of weeks that we missed! Since our community ended in early April this year, we have about a month to go back and fill in any missing weeks (if we want) before the traditional “SUMMER” starts.
SUMMER
During summer I will be using my Memory Work System cards to review this year’s CC cycle (Cycle 1). There are SPECIAL cards specifically designed to help you review during the summer!
If you have been through other cycles with CC, you can review those just as easily too!! We will spend a few minutes each day reviewing our memory work (according the Memory Work System cards). Then we will dive into our BOOK BIN.
The Book Bin is what I use during the school year to hold the books that go along with the current weeks’ history and science topics.
During the summer, this Book Bin will change a bit! I have now replaced the books with a collection of books that represent the entire Cycle 1 (the cycle we just finished). There are various science and history topics in it.
After we spend time using the Memory Work System cards to review the actual memory work, we will then spend time picking out books to read. Since my kids are 8 and almost 12, most of this can be done independently. I want this time to be a time of self-discovery, self-learning, and enjoyment. Since the topics reflect the topics we’ve learned about, they should be able to work towards a more dialectic level of learning. I have a couple books that I will read out loud to them both as well. In this way, learning is still taking place, but at a more relaxed pace and without the “assignments” of notebooking or writing for each subject.
My kids (and I) like the idea of taking it easy during the summer, however, I want them to always be on the path of knowledge, understanding and wisdom!
P.S. We also do math through the summer. I just found that my kids “lose” their math skills if it’s not a constant thing in our week!
Need other ideas for Summer? Check out these posts by some great bloggers!
Summer Schedule
Wrapping Up Cycle 1– by Melody at Here We Go
Simple Summer Schedule – by Brandy Ferrell at Half a Hundred Acre Wood
Learning Year Round
Summer Read Alouds – Classical Conversations Articles