| We have homeschooled with St. Thomas
Aquinas Academy for six years, with one to four students (plus
babies and toddlers) in any given year, from pre-first through
seventh grade. STAA customizes the program to suit our individual
needs, with the flexibility to change as our life's circumstances
change. For instance, we have done block-style scheduling upon the
birth of a new baby; dedicated a particularly bleak February to
student-led illustrated compositions for science, history,
penmanship, and religion; and adapted math programs and facts drill
to suit a distractible, high-energy child. Hands-on activities and
living books add to our history and science courses, but they are
part of an overall plan, giving us the structure that Mom
appreciates. Our favorite subjects are the ones we can do as a
family: art and music appreciation, mapmaking and geography songs
(using the lovely maps from Berg's Geography: A Literature
Approach), science experiments, and reading aloud together. Our
advisor is an absolute gem, ever ready with sound advice about
academic instruction and, more importantly, about teaching each
particular child according to his strengths and weaknesses. The STAA
program is rigorous, yet flexible and manageable; we are confident
that our children are receiving a sound Catholic and classical
foundation in their studies. The only thing left for me to wish for
is for them to move to Ohio, near us! -- Michelle from Ohio (July
2006) |