Where is the Well-Trained Mind website? (Classical Sources Message Board)

Where is the Well-Trained Mind website?
Author: Gina	August 25, 1999 at 21:02:36
in reply to: Re: Any reviews, comments, etc. about the new book, The Well Trained Mind?? nt* posted by Carol in CT on August 20, 1999 at 21:18:02*

> I have just finished reading The Well-Trained Mind and
> found it to be excellent. Following is an attempt to
> summarize various aspects:
>
> The book has a well-thought out, practical, systematic
> scheme for approaching the various academic areas. The
> authors recommend a notebook system that is just excellent.
> They recommend resources (some Christian, some not--the
> criteria is excellence, from the authors' point of view)
> but don't discuss a lot of options, so it's very focused.
> However, they also admit that the curriculum programs they
> propose aren't the only programs that produce a classical
> education--other curriculum can work just as well.
>
> The book is meant to apply to all homeschoolers who are
> interested in a classical education, so the tone is
> neutral. There isn't much discussion about a Christian
> world view--that is left up to the individual families,
> although there is a chapter in each stage of the trivium
> that deals with theology. You do learn, though, that they
> are Protestant Christians and one of the authors has a
> masters of divinity.
>
> The authors are a mother/daughter team--both are educators
> and both have homeschooled their children. They credit the
> Doug Wilson circle for help in understanding classical
> education and do a good job in synthesizing the ideas. The
> book's tone is much less lofty and strident than Wilson's
> books (at least that is how I find his books) but no less
> serious. It is definitely more helpful than the Veritas
> Press catalog (as far as laying out a course of study) and
> free curriculum guide and I would say a bit more involved
> than Laura Berquist's Designing Your Own Classical
> Curriculum.
>
> On the whole, the authors propose an intensive reading and
> writing program that encompasses all the subject areas
> (excluding math). There is extensive use of copying,
> dictation, and narration in the first four grades in
> literature, science and history. The dictation and
> narration practice begins to ease away in 5th grade when
> students are expected to compose and write summaries and
> outlines in these subject areas. The history studies are
> literature based and the science curriculum uses Usborne
> and DK books as well as experiment books. The Language Arts
> program is pretty traditional with the endorsement of the
> Abeka grammar program as the most comprehensive and
> workable program for homeschoolers. See the web site for
> the Well-Trained Mind to find out what the authors think
> about Shurley Grammar and other programs such as Winston
> Grammar.
>
> This book has answered alot of questions that I had about
> ce and its implementation and I intend to implement as much
> of their curriculum plan as I can (I hope my children
> cooperate!). I wish it had been around a couple of years
> ago--I would have made some different decisions about our
> homeschool program. It's a great read and a must for anyone
> serious about classical education.
>
> Carol in CT

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Re: Where is the Well-Trained Mind website? kerry 21:52:06 8/26/1999 (0)

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> > I have just finished reading The Well-Trained Mind and > > found it to be excellent. Following is an attempt to > > summarize various aspects: > > > > The book has a well-thought out, practical, systematic > > scheme for approaching the various academic areas. The > > authors recommend a notebook system that is just excellent. > > They recommend resources (some Christian, some not--the > > criteria is excellence, from the authors' point of view) > > but don't discuss a lot of options, so it's very focused. > > However, they also admit that the curriculum programs they > > propose aren't the only programs that produce a classical > > education--other curriculum can work just as well. > > > > The book is meant to apply to all homeschoolers who are > > interested in a classical education, so the tone is > > neutral. There isn't much discussion about a Christian > > world view--that is left up to the individual families, > > although there is a chapter in each stage of the trivium > > that deals with theology. You do learn, though, that they > > are Protestant Christians and one of the authors has a > > masters of divinity. > > > > The authors are a mother/daughter team--both are educators > > and both have homeschooled their children. They credit the > > Doug Wilson circle for help in understanding classical > > education and do a good job in synthesizing the ideas. The > > book's tone is much less lofty and strident than Wilson's > > books (at least that is how I find his books) but no less > > serious. It is definitely more helpful than the Veritas > > Press catalog (as far as laying out a course of study) and > > free curriculum guide and I would say a bit more involved > > than Laura Berquist's Designing Your Own Classical > > Curriculum. > > > > On the whole, the authors propose an intensive reading and > > writing program that encompasses all the subject areas > > (excluding math). There is extensive use of copying, > > dictation, and narration in the first four grades in > > literature, science and history. The dictation and > > narration practice begins to ease away in 5th grade when > > students are expected to compose and write summaries and > > outlines in these subject areas. The history studies are > > literature based and the science curriculum uses Usborne > > and DK books as well as experiment books. The Language Arts > > program is pretty traditional with the endorsement of the > > Abeka grammar program as the most comprehensive and > > workable program for homeschoolers. See the web site for > > the Well-Trained Mind to find out what the authors think > > about Shurley Grammar and other programs such as Winston > > Grammar. > > > > This book has answered alot of questions that I had about > > ce and its implementation and I intend to implement as much > > of their curriculum plan as I can (I hope my children > > cooperate!). I wish it had been around a couple of years > > ago--I would have made some different decisions about our > > homeschool program. It's a great read and a must for anyone > > serious about classical education. > > > > Carol in CT
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