Having a high school senior, I was very interested in the Fitting Words Classical Rhetoric curriculum by Roman Roads Media. Regardless of what career path a person is taking, the ability to speak and listen intelligently cannot be taken too lightly.
The complete set includes all the pieces that are necessary to teach the course yourself, the text, the workbook, answer key and exam packet. However, it also includes the DVD Video Course, by the author, which adds in-depth teaching going beyond what is included in the text, just as if in a typical classroom setting with an excellent teacher. * I don't know if this is typical, or if it was just a perk for reviewers, but our complete course came in a spacious Roman Roads Media tote bag!
So, a word about the materials from a strictly material point of view. As you can see in the photo of what we actually received, the workbook is spiral bound, which sets it apart from the Answer Key (softcover) and the Text (hardcover). Believe it or not, this was something my son appreciated and pointed out to me, as it made it much easier to reach for the appropriate book. The spiral bound was also a benefit to him as it lay flat while he was writing, and could be opened double page or a single page for more compact workspaces. Sometimes little details make a big difference in the usability of a product, even if they aren't directly related to the content. ;)
The Lessons in the textbook contain
- The main text of the lesson ~ (which is fairly conversational in tone) often includes excerpts from famous works when they are discussed.
- Sidebars when key concepts and Famous Orators are introduced~ Serve to highlight and emphasize important points in the text
- Thinking Deeper Questions ~ Are good discussion topics
- Developing Memory Exercises ~ Suggestions for memory work for each lesson. These aren't mammoth undertakings but instead more brief, good to keep the brain exercising it's memory muscles.
- Reading Further suggestions ~ Just what it says...
- Notes citing sources quoted
My son started out just reading the text and going through the exercises on his own due to summer and less inside access to the DVD player. When we sat down to check out the Video Course, however, he was very impressed. The author/speaker is very easy to listen to, and although he does go through the lessons from the text, there are many aside comments that offer more in-depth information. Middlest also said that the video makes one slow down and doesn't allow one to skim over material, rather helping one to take it all in more easily. 
A little more information about video Lesson. It is set up so that there are two "Chapters" for each lesson. The first part is the "lecture" style portion mentioned above. I didn't actually time it, but I think they run close to 20 minutes. The other is the "lesson application." I believe those run close to 10-15 minutes. The author/instructor spends a couple of minutes introducing and discussing a figure of speech (These are covered as a group in Lesson 27, but I appreciate the "preview" given in the video course). I will also mention that many of these are figures of speech that I recognize, but couldn't have named. There are often excerpts of famous contemporary speeches modeling the figure of speech. The next part goes over the Thinking Deeper questions from the text. It then moves directly to the Exercises in the workbook. He gives some suggestions and clarifies what is being looked for in the questions in the workbook.We haven't had time to get to Lesson 12 yet, but here's an example of the Application Video:
The video also includes Exam Reviews that cover the information that will be on the exam. This is extremely helpful and is similar to a "study guide" for your student as they prepare for their exams.
The curriculum suggests that the student set aside a notebook as a Commonplace book.
Which brings me to another thing that is unique to the video course: the introduction to Commonplace topics like Public Speaking in Lesson 3 with this example quote: "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something."- Plato.
Fans of the Classical Approach should be delighted with this curriculum. Those who are more eclectic and dabble in many approaches... you should also be impressed, as were we. This is a solid curriculum that should be enjoyed by the student and homeschool parent/teacher alike.
Not So Nutty Nitty Gritty
- Company: Roman Roads Media
- Product: Fitting Words Classical Rhetoric (complete program)
- Ages: High School
- Price: $204
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Blessings~
#hsreviews #RomanRoadsMedia #FittingWords #Classical #Rhetoric
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