To know God and to make Him known

FAQ

Below you will find answers to many of the Frequently Asked Questions. Please go through them and if there is still something you need assistance with or want to know more, please contact us on our Contact Us page.

If you can meet up with a friend and do schooling together for a few hours, then you can form a community. All it takes is two (or more) families meeting together, and chances are, there are several families in your area looking to form a community. Contact us, and we’ll help you get started.

At Classical Conversations, we believe that the purpose of education is to know God and to make Him known. However, seeking to honour God also means pursuing excellence in education. Classical Conversations is growing fast, and is now in over 51 countries. Classical Conversations graduates in USA have achieved higher mean exam scores in every subject tested than the national average. Since an exam is designed to test the student’s knowledge, we are confident that any good education will equip the student to pass an exam. Classical Conversations has proven its academic excellence, yet our focus is not the exam, but the celebration of the love of learning, and a renewed appreciation of God’s splendour.

A student in South Africa can obtain an American Diploma as their school leaving certificate, which happens also to be recognized by universities world-wide. The great news is that USAf (Universities of South Africa) has informed the RSA homeschooling community that the American Diploma is now also accepted for direct admission to RSA universities (since 2021). It does nevertheless remain the responsibility of parents to contact the university departments of choice and check for specific admission requirements.

To obtain an American Diploma, your child will NOT have to write any additional exams, they will just have to complete the Challenge program to your and HomeLife Academy’s satisfaction. HomeLife Academy (HLA) is the umbrella group that helps homeschooling families around the world and in the U.S. to obtain their American Diplomas. Within CC South Africa, we currently have 16 students enrolled with HLA and working towards their American Diplomas.

To give an indication of the high standard of the Challenge program, an American Diploma requires a minimum of 22 credits (24 credits if university-bound). Challenge levels 1-4 provide a total of 29.5 credits. However, even students who turn 15 during their Challenge A or B year, can obtain enough credits to earn their American Diploma by the year they turn 18. They will just have fewer credits overall and will miss out on Challenge levels III and/or IV (which are considered college level studies in the U.S!)

What if there is no community near me?What about exams and university?Is my child too old to do Classical Conversations? Will he get left behind?

No and no! Classical Conversations has materials for toddlers all the way to graduation. Whatever the age or ability of your student, there is a program to suit them. For assistance in deciding where to enrol your child, please contact us.

Classical Conversations is not just for students! We want to equip parents to teach as well; in fact, parent-tutors are often referred to as “lead learners”. We believe that parents are the best people to educate their children, and we want to help them do it in the best possible way. This question also reveals truths about our own education — if the best education is to be found in school, as we are told, then why aren’t we, as graduates of that system, fully educated and confident enough to teach our children?

There are many compelling reasons to study Latin; just a few of them are Latin’s ability to force us to think differently, to better understand the English language, which is 50% derived from Latin, and even to perform better on standardised exams if and when they are required.

No parent wants their child to be unable to communicate well or to be uncomfortable in company. As parents, it is our greatest hope that we set our child up for success and confidence and to take their place in society. In a typical school setting a child spends all formative years in a class of thirty people his own age. As he moves up through the years, the one or two classes become five, six, seven or more. They become the ‘year group’. But when in life is this situation replicated, where one’s peers are entirely made up of a mass of people with the same birth year? Once we leave school, all environments call us to mix with all ages. School is the exception, not the rule.

In contrast, Classical Conversations communities are made up of people of all ages. Communities meet once a week for at least half the year. Every week, every student in Foundations gives and listens to presentations. Regular presentations continue through the secondary school years. At Classical Conversations, we welcome you as we strive to become more civilised, not merely socialised.

You’ve Got This, We’ve Got You.

Our wide selection of resources offers everything your family needs to fully participate in our programs.

PROGRAM SPECIFIC FAQS

CHALLENGE PROGRAMS