Reviews
Ideas
Geography is a subject that "leaks into" almost every other subject. Every family should have a world map and/or a globe and refer to it frequently. Every time you read a story, learn about a new Saint, etc., have your children find where these people lived or these events took place. Similar to memorizing history dates, being familiar with where things happened helps to understand any given lesson much more fully.
Introduction
"How can it be a large career to tell other people's children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. I will pity Mrs. Jones for the hugeness of her task; I will never pity her for its smallness."
-- G.K. Chesterton in What's Wrong with the World
J.R.R. Tolkien on the Blessed Sacrament...
"Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament. . . . There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that." J.R.R. Tolkien in a letter to his son
Learning Latin,
like working through long division and playing chess, involves multi-level thinking that is very good for the development of the intellect. It also gives students a better understanding of language and grammar, develops their vocabulary and can be extremely beneficial in recognizing medical and scientific terminology (even a trip to the zoo can be an opportunity for students to appreciate their Latin skills as they recognize some of the scientific names for the animals). For Catholics too, Latin has special meaning as it is the official language of the Church. It is good thing for young Catholics to learn to love and begin to understand the wealth of beautiful hymns, chants and prayers that are part of our cultural and religious heritage.