Latin-Centered-Curriculum [Paperback]

Book Description

From Cicero to C. S. Lewis, from Thomas Aquinas to Thomas Jefferson, the great minds of the West have been formed by a classical curriculum centered on Latin and Greek. Now you can give your children a traditional classical education at home with The Latin-Centered Curriculum.
In a clear and readable introduction, author Andrew Campbell surveys the history of classical education from the ancient Greeks through the 20th-century neoclassical revival. He demonstrates the central position of Latin in the traditional course of study and outlines the many benefits of placing the classical languages at the heart of the curriculum. Then he shares with you the secret of a superior education: multum non multa not quantity, but quality.
With helpful charts and detailed explanations, The Latin-Centered Curriculum guides you step by step with book and curriculum recommendations for each school subject from K-12. It shows you how focusing a few core disciplines classical languages, mathematics, and composition can revolutionize your home school. Drawing on more than twenty years of teaching experience, Dr. Campbell shares his favorite teaching tips with you in this eminently practical and easy-to-read guide.
In this second edition you ll find
An expanded Great Books program for high school; New introductory chapters; Restructured subjects for easier state reporting; Updated recommendations for Latin, Greek, History, Science, and Religion; Detailed weekly schedules; Tips for large families; A self-education program for adults
The best education, Campbell points out, is simple but deep.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Memoria Press
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0838828418
• ISBN-13: 978-1930953710
• ASIN: 1930953712
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #824,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best Classical homeschooling resource, June 25, 2006

By 

Gloredhel (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Latin-Centered-Curriculum (Paperback)

This book is THE manual for why and how to implement a traditional, Latin-centered education in the homeschool. In a nutshell, a traditional Classical education is streamlined, focused on Latin and Greek, with fewer "subjects" than other methods, and built on a foundation of the principle of multum non multa, "not many but much". This means that traditional Classical is "simple but deep". Rather than attempting to shallowly cover a vast quantity of material, a few selections of the best are chosen, and are studied in great depth. Let's face it, many many good resources are available, so many that it can be overwhelming. Why not simply have your student(s) focus on those few that are The Best?

The bulk of the book is an outline of a K - 12 course of study based on this philosophy. The information is organized by subject area (e.g. Latin). Campbell gives a general overview of what you should hope to accomplish in each stage of the child's schooling: Primary (K - 2), Grammar (3 - 8), and Secondary (9 - 12). (e.g. "During the primary years, give your students a gentle introduction to Latin that emphasizes vocabulary words, phrases, and prayers. Plan to spend no more than 15-20 minutes a day on Lain at this stage.") Then, grade by grade, he recommends specific curricula and other resources to help you reach this goal.

The result is a book with tremendous appeal to old pros and newbies alike. If you were lucky enough to be Classically Educated yourself, and already know the ins and outs, this could still provide a very useful framework for giving your child a Classical Education. If you're new to the idea, this simple, straight-forward, concise guide will give you the reassurance and confidence that you can do this, and it won't be as hard as you might fear! If you are familiar with neo-Classical education, this streamlined approach may appeal to you for the way it can simplify your life while giving your child a truly great education.

Finally, as a non-Christian myself, I deeply appreciate the way this Christian author writes to a broad audience, and keeps an inclusive tone. Some Christian curricula are recommended, and a course of Bible study is outlined, but there is plenty of valuable information here for people of all faiths (including a note to non-Christian parents in the appendix about how to approach the Bible as literature).

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pared down, still intellectually challenging, August 20, 2006

By 

L. Beasley (Warrenton, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Latin-Centered-Curriculum (Paperback)

In The LCC, Campbell brings a much-needed perspective back to the table for those homeschoolers interested in a classical education for their kids. He presents what the term "classical education" used to mean; how it differs from the "neoclassical" approach popularized by Susan Wise Bauer, Douglas Wilson, the Bluedorns, etc.; and how homeschooling families can put such an approach into practice. It's a slim volume, highly readable and very practical. For the historical and theoretical background, he draws heavily from Simmons' Climbing Parnassus (highly recommended reading). For the scope and sequence section, he draws heavily from Highlands Latin School/Memoria Press.

The LCC is recommended for those interested in a more traditionally "classical"--as opposed to a "Great Books"--education. The emphasis, first and foremost, is on the classical languages, Latin and Greek. Campbell's mantra is that less is indeed more: Making these languages the central focus of study means that other "elective" courses of study--and even other really wonderful classics--should fall away or be reserved for independent reading. This is a freeing perspective for parents who look at the 20-30 great books their 7th grader is "supposed" to be reading and want to just throw up their hands.

Another interesting difference is that Campbell takes a multi-thread approach to history as opposed to strictly chronological. I'll leave it to the book to explain more fully, but in a nutshell, he has students doing English Studies, Classical Studies, Christian Studies, and Modern Studies simultaneously (though on different days and possibly in different weeks). Very different from The Well-Trained Mind or Veritas Press chronological, cyclical approach.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Answering a need in home education, June 26, 2006

By 

L. Joyce (FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Latin-Centered-Curriculum (Paperback)

Before discovering the Latin Centered Curriculum, I had become dissatisfied with our mode of homeschooling. I felt we were trying to cover too much, in too shallow a manner. Then I stumbled upon a sample chapter from LCC, and discovered the concept of "Multum Non Multa": not many things, but much. This approach of digging deeply into a few essential subjects answered the need I had perceived in our homeschool. Making Latin the center of our curriculum not only simplifies, but magnifies my childrens' educational experience. Author Andrew Campbell provides the methodology to follow, recommends materials to use, and suggests schedules to follow. I have no doubt his book will help to guide us to a new level of academic excellence. My only regret is that we didn't have the LCC when we started homeschooling 8 years ago!