Homeschool : From Waldorf to Classical

For the majority of our homeschooling journey, we have been eclectic in our approach to learning. We often just pulled our favorite parts and left the rest on the cutting room floor. I have read much on various educational methodologies, each of their benefits and how each one came about. The methods we pulled from the most will come as no surprise to those that have followed our journey or ever purchased our Lamp + Light Homeschool or Salt and Light Homeschool curriculum. 

We have enjoyed incorporating, in no particular order, Waldorf, Charlotte Mason and Classical. 

However, while writing the high school curriculum - that I still have yet to release - I wrote it with a heavily classical approach. Within the past few years I have steered more into classical with my own children. While we loved the one room schoolhouse for much of our homeschooling, we have been separating out a bit more when it comes to how we are operating currently. Definitely made more doable with daily lesson plans done for me. 

When the curriculum post for 2024-2025 was written, I was coming off of social media and still wanting to use my waldorf materials that we have loved in the past. I was also being budget conscience and wanting to just use up what we have - which I do advocate for doing - unless you have good reason not to. 

I have good reason not to. 

Our eldest graduated early in 2022 and I wish instead we had just done another year of homeschooling. She's not at all struggling in college and has made The Dean's List. As a mom, I am very excited for her future and so pleased with how well she has done. She is thriving! I just also regret some things academically - like graduating her early just because she had completed what was required to get into college early. We could have done so much more to educate that have nothing to do with meeting arbitrary benchmarks. 

I have gone far deeper into classical liberal arts education as I have come to truly value the whole method. This blog is NOT a blog of disclaimers, so use whatever you want with your family. This post is for anyone that is interested in moving from a more freeform homeschool or eclectic style to a classical liberal arts education or just curious about what another homeschool family is using.

Firmly believing in teaching the whole child, that hasn't changed at all, just the tools to achieve that same goal. Our faith being the most important "subject" we study, has not changed. If anything, we are even more traditional in our Catholic faith. What I am not doing and do not at all ascribe to : Child Led Learning. To some degree, I used to believe this was a good approach, but watching the state of society has changed my belief here. What do they say about the best of intentions? ... 

We have used materials from Memoria Press over the years and this year we will be using MANY of their offerings. Other curricula we will be utilizing in part, that leans or advertises classical education are : St. Jerome's Library and Our Lady of Victory. Now let us get into it! 

UPDATE : We did a soft start to our school year to trial out homeschool connections and some of our Memoria Press courses to make sure everyone was in the right level and understood what was required of them. We are good to go!

Preschool - Ocean 

• St. Jerome's Preschool Curriculum : I already had one of the books, so I only purchased what I needed and I only ordered one of the coloring books. These lessons take about 10-15 minutes per day.  
• Wondergarten : I got the Autumn program and intend to get the Winter and Spring one to complete the collection when they are released. This is for ages 3-7 and we plan to use it for a few years and likely also with grandchildren in the future. I also ordered the September supply kit and some of each of the kits : art supply kit [only what we didn't already own], the baking supply kit, and the home supply kit. I am VERY excited about this program as I've been following her account for a few years now. The last three supply kits are not required, you can use what you have, and the September supply kit is for ease of use but you can also source locally. These lessons are short, so far but we don't start it until September. I'll update after we complete Autumn.

Kindergarten - Zephyr

• St. Jerome's Kindergarten Curriculum : Again, I already had a few of these items and then completely omitted the music part because we listen to Gregorian chant. 
• Wondergarten : I only duplicated some items in the kits so that there was enough for both boys to use at the same time since I will be teaching them together. 

Seventh/Eight Grade - Everett 

• Memoria Press Seventh Grade Package : We contacted customer service for a customized package, so I'll list what subjects we are doing below. We omitted the spelling option since we have one and the changes they made for us are in blue. Anything not in blue is a selection that can be made from the drop down menu customization. Everett will be doing a bonus senior year in High School since we have specific goals we want to reach. For faith we will be doing a Eucharistic consecration using this book together as a family as well as the Lives of the Saints linked below. I bought that specific copy to have an heirloom quality copy to hand down to our children & grandchildren. 

Latin & Greek : Henle Latin First Year - Part I [with Streaming], Greek Alphabet 

Classical Studies : Famous Men of Greece, Horatius at the Bridge

Christian Studies : Story of Christianity and Lives of the Saints 

Math : Memoria Pre-Algebra [with Streaming] excited to try this Memoria Press math & Math Skills Drill Sheets 

Science : Exploring the World of Astronomy 

Writing : Classical Composition I & II : Fable and Narrative [with Streaming] 

American/Modern Studies : Geography I  

Grammar : English Grammar Recitation IV with Grammar Recitation Handbook and Core Skills Language Arts Book 7, Cursive Handwriting Guide 

Literature : Seventh Grade Literature Pack : Anne of Green Gables, The Trojan War, The Bronze Bow, The Hobbit. Poetry for the Grammar Stage. Added On : The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. We are doing this one for fun and deeper faith discussion so we will answer all workbook questions orally. 

 

Twelfth Grade - Brie

• Brie is a senior, but will also be doing a bonus year the following school year [also known as a Super Senior Year]. We are using a mix of supplies this year but next year will be almost exclusively Memoria Press. I'm going to list her courses and just put in brackets where the resource or curricula is from. Homeschool Connections is an online, video based curriculum that is Catholic. They have tons of course offerings and even offer live classes.
• Some of the classes below she is taking first semester and others for second semester, and I did not show which is which below, this is just the year as a total. I spent two days total laying out the first six weeks of the school year using all the lesson plan daily guides. Next year will be easier since it'll be almost all in one customized Memoria Press guide. It will take Brie about 4-5 hours of classwork per day with breaks and pacing. 

Religion : The Story of the Church [TAN Books], Blue Collar Apologetics [Homeschool Connections], The Lives of the Saints [linked above under Everett], some books on Modesty and Womanhood [St. Jerome's Library], and Eucharistic Consecration. 

Modern Studies : Christ and the Americas with Workbook 

Classical Studies : Famous Men of Greece [with Everett] 

Writing & Spelling : Simplified Writing 9-1 through 9-4 [Homeschool Connections], Phonetic Zoo A/B [IEW, just continuing from last year]

Math : Denison Algebra II [Denison and we decided to do the regular track one] and Math Drills [Memoria Press]

Science : Chemistry and Physics, & Cells and Systems [with workbook, video and audio both sets are from TAN Books] 

Latin & Greek : Henle Latin First Year - Part I, Greek Alphabet [both from Memoria Press]

Logic & Rhetoric : Traditional Logic I & Traditional Logic II [Memoria Press]

Fine Arts & Electives : American Sign Language I [Homeschool Connections], Meet the Maestros of Classical Music [Homeschool Connections] 

Literature : 

• Jane Eyre [Memoria Press Literature Guides]
• Pride and Prejudice [Memoria Press Literature Guides]
• Christmas with Dickens [Homeschool Connections : short course for Nov/Dec]
• Poetry that we own [Harp & Laurel Wreath]
• The Book of the Ancient Greeks [Memoria Press]
• Famous Men of Modern Times [Memoria Press] 
• The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy [using kindle version and audible]
• Tales From Shakespeare [amazon]
• A bunch more but they're on the shelf and I don't feel like going to go get them right now. It'll be in the next post about Mapping Brie's Super Senior Year. 

Mama's Classical Education

• Yes, I will be doing courses as well, mostly along with my children but I will list my reading material for this year so far. How do I have time for all this with homeschooling and homemaking? I took a long hard look in the mirror and I found that I had more than enough time to do some work each day due to my new lack of social media usage. What a time sucking activity that did not at all help my life or education. Not to mention wrecked my mental health...

• Latin - Henle Latin First Year : Part I.  I am following along with the kids' course with Memoria Press. We have the streaming videos and I have my own textbook to learn it well. 
• Greek - Also using the Greek Alphabet book to begin my Greek studies along with Brie and Everett.
• Traditional Logic I & II - I am going to watch the streaming videos that Brie has with her course from Memoria Press. 
• Sign Language - Just need to refresh mine as I was taught sign language at age five in my public school. I still remember much of it, but since Brie is taking it she'll have someone to practice with. 
• Literature - All the literature the kids are reading above because I am reading with them so we can have proper discussions. 
• The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien
• Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
• The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
• Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene

• Additional Reading Material 
• How to Read a Book : The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer Adler
• Climbing Parnassus : A New Apologia for Greek and Latin by Tracy Lee Simmons
• Common Sense 101 : Lessons from Chesterton by Dale Ahlquist
• We and Our Children : How to Make a Catholic Home by Mary Reed Newland
• Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto
• The Great Tradition : Classic Readings on What It Means to Be an Educated Human Being by Richard M. Gamble
• A Defense of Classical Education by R. W. Livingstone
• A Defense of Latin and Classical Education : Saving Western Civilization one Student at a Time by A Collection of Authors and edited by Cheryl Lowe.