Why You Should Tutor Foundations

I am outgoing. I like talking. I don’t mind being in front of a group. All these things made me a natural fit to be a Classical Conversations FOUNDATIONS Tutor. If you have been asked to tutor and the answer is an immediate, YES, then good for you! However, for most tutors, it is not that easy. I wanted to share with you some of the Affirmatives and Negatives (you will understand when you get to Challenge) of tutoring. 

Affirmatives - 

1. You will receive training - Classical Conversations will train you in a 3 day summer practicum. After 20 years Classical Conversations has packaged up the best of the best, hashed out the bumps and created a streamlined way to equip you. A veteran tutor will take you through the material and answer all your questions. You will get to spend 3 days collaborating with other tutors about fun creative ideas.

2. You will understand the why behind the what. - When you dive into tutoring you will gain a greater understanding why Classical Conversations works the way it does. I remember my first year, when I wasn't a tutor, I thought my kids tutor was mean. She did not allow them to tell their long drawn out story about visiting Mt. Rainer when she was introducing it in Geography. Only after receiving training as a Foundations tutor did I understand all that has to happen in such a short time.

3. They will pay you - You won’t exactly be bringing home the bacon but yes Foundations tutors do get paid. For many this helps offset the cost of tuition or buying books. Classical Conversations understands that many families are single income household. Tutoring is meant to be a blessing. You will put in some extra effort and a bit of energy on your community day.

4. Watching gets boring - My 7th year in Classical Conversations due to some life events I ended up not tutoring at all. At the beginning of the year  I would plant myself in the back of my oldest kids class (the tutor didn’t need much help) sip my coffee, check my email (which you are not suppose to do) and enjoy a few quiet productive moments. When the opportunity to tutor came up at the semester, I jumped to do it. You are already committed to be in class on campus for the day so why not contribute and meet a need. I must acknowledge that helpful, quality, non-tutor parents are necessary in the classrooms and we tutors love them.

5. You do not have to be a gifted speaker or presenter - One of the key skills practiced in FOUNDATIONS is how to do a presentation. If you are nervous about talking in front of a group this is your opportunity to be a Lead Learner. If you have a shy child, who dislikes Presentation time, your example with encourage them. No one is asking for perfection, your audience is at max 8 kids under 12 years old. Parents watching can step up and tutor if they think they can do a better job. As Christians we always need to be prepared to share the Gospel. You will only grow in your ability to share Jesus with others.

6. You do not have to be extremely creative. - Classical Conversations philosophy is simplicity, also known as “the stick in the sand” method.” Get your class moving, shaking, chanting, singing, signing, picture drawing or whatever suit your style. There are an amazing amount of resources available to aid you if needed. CC Connected, Pinterest, Youtube and the list goes one. Beware of the time vortex that can suck you in. Keep your planning simple, guard your time, and don’t compare yourself with other tutors.

7. You get to know the kids and families in your class/community better - This is one of the greatest rewards. The purpose of Classical Conversations is community. Kids I tutored 5 years ago are some of my kids best friends. I know the kids and their parents better because we spent 24 weeks together. I know which kids are sassy and wild and which ones are sweet and well behaved. I know the hearts of the moms and how they parent and handle situations. Which as my kids become teenagers makes it so much easier to let me kids go hang out with friends.

8. Kids Teach You a Thing or Two - My daughters tutor for her 5th and 6th grade year would take notes during the kids presentation. At the end of the year she shared how much she had learned from the kids. Countries they had research, books they had read, She felt like it kept her current with bands, movies, TV shows, APPs and lingo of the younger generation. Her testimony was that being their tutor was an enriching experience for her.

Negatives-

1. Tutoring does require energy on your community day - You have to be awake and ready to lead a small band of excited students. But hey you are there anyway!

2. You have to attend a quarterly tutoring meeting with your fellow tutors and director. Usually, tutor meetings include fun discussions with like-minded tutors, chocolate, and a few hours away from your kids. So if that is not your thing you should strongly consider not tutoring.

3. You do have to prepare - My first year I spent about 3 hours preparing for each Foundations Community Day. It now takes me about 30 min. It's just a few minutes to preview what I am introducing and rounding up anything I want to bring to class. There are so many blogs and website to help with planning. Some tutor plan 6 weeks at a time, others a semester at a time. You can do what works for you. I promise it is very doable.

Classical Conversations K4-3rd Grade - Foundations

My youngest began Classical Conversations 3 days after his 4th birthday. A little K4 boy who could barely pronounce the words he was learning. It was so cute! Pausing for a tear of days gone by. If you have a child that will be in the Foundations program I would like to offer some words of wisdom from my perspective. I am heading into my 8th year in the Foundations program! (Yes, I still love the timeline!)

The focus for your child during their young years should be learning the memory work. It is enough! Your focus during your child’s young years is studying them. Learn how your child learns best. Discover your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and passions. Do not try to conform them to a curriculum or schedule. Mold them to love learning.

Do not enroll your child in a community day program before they reach the age of four. This is Classical Conversations recommendations and it is for a reason. It might be cute. You might feel the pressure to do “pre-school” but, there are so many great things to do to prepare your child for formal learning. Studies have shown that more free play and delayed formal learning is helpful for developing brains.

“Learning should breath life into us - ignite our imaginations and inspire us to share the ideas we learn with the people we love “ The Core pg 14 Leigh Bortins”

The Classical Conversations catalog will tell you the curriculum and supplies you need. So always check there as it might change after I write this article. The basis are; The Foundations Guide, Tin Whistle and a Trivium Table Map for the Cycle you are starting in the fall. Everything else is fun and fluff. Don’t get me wrong it is all helpful and I own most of it but it is not required. If I could only choose one additional resource it would be the Timeline cards and the App (Opps! I guess that is 2 things)

In addition to the Classical Conversations Memory work you are going to need to add 3 elements to your homeschool academic planning.

1. Math - CC Memory Memory work teaches 24 math pegs, but it is not a compressive math program. Pick one that works for you and enjoy!

2. Reading - CC will not teach your child to read. Teaching your child to read can be daunting, but there are dozens of excellent resources. A good program will teach you how to teach your child to read. Work with your child’s learning style and make it fun.

3. Books- You can purchase or use the library! Use this exploring age to read like crazy to your kids. Read aloud to them, listen to audiobooks, let them read at night till they fall asleep just READ READ READ! Read with variety: history, literature, geography, music, science, art, how to’s, fantasy, and humor. I made the mistake of burning my kids out on history and historical literature. (Don’t even ask them about the Pilgrims) Some moms go book list crazy and line books up with each weeks memory work. If you can do this great! However, when your kids are young this can be a tough schedule to follow. I recommend following the cycles. For example, in Cycle 3 US History, read all things related to that Cycle. If your child sparks an interest in a particular area, dive a little deeper. This is where you can cover history, science, art, health or any other subject you feel the need to teach. You do not have to have a formal curriculum for your child to be learning.

Two other common subjects at this age are Spelling and Handwriting.

1. Spelling might be covered in your reading program or you might need to plan that in an al-a-cart fashion. There is a stream of thought that it is not necessary to introduce a formal spelling program until 2nd-3rd grade. You have to make that call. I say focus on reading then spelling.

2. For Handwriting find a simple program with some workbooks to help your child learn to write. Handwriting is a necessary focus but integrate this into practicing memory work. Or copying a sentence from a book you are reading. We have shed way too many tears over handwriting.

Keep your schooling simple, organic, and natural. Focus on routine nor rigorous schedules. The floor and couch are great “desks.” Have fun! Go explore! Play! Bake! Build Forts! Let them be little!