CW Completed Curriculum: What will it look like?

[Patty in WA]

Greetings, O Amazing Ones:

I beg your pardon if this is posted somewhere already but I have spent a few minutes looking for it and can't find it, if it is posted.

What is the plan for the levels and content of the completed CW course of study?

I will start the list as I know it and hope to see it filled out.

Aesop: fable. A&B
Homer: _____, A&B
Diogenese: chreia, A&B

After this, I am lost. I would like to know what to expect from CW.

Thanks!

[Carolyn]

Here's the short list of what we have, and have planned:

Level 1 CW Aesop - Fable
Level 2 CW Homer - Narrative
Level 3 CW Diogenes - Maxim and Chreia
Level 4 CW Herodotus - Confirmation/Refutation
Level 5 CW Plutarch - Encomium/invective/commonplace
Level 6 CW Demosthenes - Thesis/Law

And as enrichment CW Poetry for Beginners, CW Intermediate Poetry, CW Advanced Poetry and CW Shakespeare (Description and Speech-in-Character)

The fleshed out version with workbooks and guides listed is at home.att.net/~mikejaqua/whichbookstobuy.html

Carolyn

[Sunny]

Carolyn says:

Level 3 CW Diogenes - Maxim and Chreia
Level 4 CW Herodotus - Confirmation/Refutation
Level 5 CW Plutarch - Encomium/invective/commonplace
Level 6 CW Demosthenes - Thesis/Law
***
I see that Diogenes is broken out on the schedule as two years:
Maxim and Chreia.

Does this mean that the other inventions that you show for the levels 4,5,6 also will be broken down into these years or parts?
Confirmation
Refutation
Encomium
Invective
thesis
law
??
The expanded schedule at the link does not show these as such, but I'm wondering if we can expect that to change?

Also, Beginning Poetry is broken into A and B. Will Intermediate and Advanced also be halved into A & B?

[Carolyn]

You know, I'm not sure. That's what I get for being on the editing end of things rather than the creative end, I suppose.

I'll be sure to have Lene answer this question when she gets back with us.

Carolyn

[Patty in WA]

Thank you! This is a huge help. I assume this will constitute a complete writing program. No need to respond if my assumption is correct.

[Lene Mahler Jaqua]

Hi all,

I was out with a kid since Aug 28th, first in surgery and recovery, then back home, and then back in the hospital for a week for infectious complication, but we're home now, and I have a minute before playing nurse here, since he is sleeping right now... AND doing better, I might add

Yes, the series Carolyn outlined is complete, and as far as book titles OR how we break down each year, THAT will stay the same.

In the first two years of CW, we thought that Aesop would be one year and Homer likewise. We had pretty much planned to do one progymnasma per year (bunching together Maxim/ Chreia, Confirmation/Refutation, and Praise/Blame), but when we dug into the material, we realized that Maxim was a junior high book and up, and that the narrative foundation needed for this whole approach required more than just 2 years. I apologize for that initial change of plans. We DO have to confess, that in many ways we learn as we move along some of these materials, more so in the beginning, but even now...

( ;D ** on the side** I want to add here that I have had this chip on my shoulder about proper narrative foundations for years. It's crucial to developing a good writer. While in the hospital, a friend brought me C. S. Lewis "On Stories", a collection of essays of his that I had never seen. It is a wonderful collection, where he explains the essentials of "the story", how children and adults relate to narratives, and also the larger role of narratives in moral and in some way also spiritual formation of character. -- It is a short easy read that I *highly* recommend for CW moms to understand more fully where we're headed, and what our reasons are for how we do things. ;D)

But I can assure you that the outline that is set for the finish line will not change in years or titles. We have planned 4 -5 day weeks with 32 - 36 weeks per school year all the way through at this time. We have even divided them into historical periods, starting in 8th grade, with ancients in 9th, Middle Ages in 10th, Renaissance/Reformation in 11th, and ancients again in 12th. This will allow some moms to integrate history studies more closely.

I hope that helps a little. If not, please write back, and I will be more specific.

Lene

[Carolyn]

Oh dear ... our hosting's word checker has struck again in Patty's post. From the software that brings you the great works of Charles Thingens (the guy who wrote David Copperfield), we now have disagreeumption.

I know what you meant, Patty. The spelling a$$umption may make it past the software... or it may not.

Carolyn

[Angela]

I realize that nothing can be set in stone regarding future projects.... but....

Any idea of a time line for the completion of future books?

Level 3 CW Diogenes - Maxim and Chreia
Level 4 CW Herodotus - Confirmation/Refutation
Level 5 CW Plutarch - Encomium/invective/commonplace
Level 6 CW Demosthenes - Thesis/Law

I realize that Diogenes - Maxim is complete (and looks great! I'm already looking forward to when my children can use it). I'm hoping that my children will be able to use all of the planned books that are listed above, especially through Herodotus since I read elsewhere that Herodotus would be a solid base for a K-12 education.

Thanks for any information that might be available!

[Lene Mahler Jaqua]

The time line is roughly a book per year.

We just finished CW Diogenes: Chreia. It is being proofed and then the beta version will be available afte Christmas. The "full" version will not be available until Kathy does the Student Guide work for it. That means you can use it and go linearly through the book from start to finish, but without the schedule, the memory work tables, answer keys and other helpful hints from Kathy.

Currently, we are working on CW Herodotus. The time line is to have a beta version out by the fall, since I have a student of my own who needs this. The "full" version will be out, again, when Kathy integrates this work with her student guide work. After CW Herodotus, we are going to work on Advanced Poetry, again because I have a student who needs it. The projected date is Jan 2008, but it's still iffy.

We plan to put out Plutarch by Fall 2008, and Demosthenes by Fall 2009 along with the CW Shakespeare done by 2010.

But those dates are tentative. I would think anyone who is in Aesop or Homer or who starts Diogenes in the fall should have every chance of completing the program. Those who are already in Diogenes should be able t o use the beta versions and get through.

Our plan is to publish early beta versions of everything (by email request only). That way a mom who has an advanced student can use all the materials and give us feedback. The beta versions would be at or near cost (plus S & H).

Does that answer your question?

Lene

[Angela]

Beautifully! Thank you so much - you answered my question perfectly. My son will start Homer this fall, and I wondered if all of the books would be available for him.

Your books are wonderful - kuddos to you and the team.

[Heather]

First, thank you for all your hard work and dedication. This is an amazing program. We've gone from tears over writing to tears of pride.

Without meaning to pressure, I wanted run my curriculum plan by you and ask if this is reasonable (and if the books will be out in time). I know it looks like I'm an OCD planner--mea culpa.

School Year Book
2007/08 Homer A/Intro to Poetry A
2008/09 Homer B/ Intro to Poetry B
2009/10 Diogenes Maxim/ Intermediate Poetry
2010/11 Diogenes Chreia/ Intermediate Poetry
2011/12 Herodotus/ Shakespeare
2012/13 Plutarch/Shakespeare
2013/14 Demosthenes A/ Advanced Poetry

Thanks again!

[Heather]

Whoops! I should quit obsessing and read the whole trail of posts. You answered my question last month. So sorry. But thank you again for doing this. I can't tell you how much this program has meant to my youngest. I recommend this program to everyone I can.