When I began homeschooling, I read The Well-Trained Mind and found it's ideas of classical education very appealing. I attempted to follow this model for two years, but found that it didn't work for my oldest daughter. I had to step back and rethink how I was going to approach homeschooling if she and I were going to survive this journey! In that process, I found that I am more of a standards based homeschooler who loves textbooks, because they help keep me on track and hold me accountable. I have so many things going on in my head and in my life. Having textbooks help my children know what to do next and works for us because I have very little time to plan lessons. Not following a classical model of education means many things. One of them is that I don't intentionally teach my children latin or Greek. But, I am in a position with a local group now in which I advise several families who do follow the classical model. I like to be aware ...