Monday, March 18, 2013

A is for Art of Poetry

This isn't a review, though the Schoolhouse Review Crew is currently reviewing Art of Poetry put out by Classical Academic Press.

We haven't used enough of it for me to write a solid review.  But as I thought about Marcy's Blogging Through the Alphabet link-up, I thought maybe I would try again... and Art of Poetry seemed like a good thing to talk about.

The Crew is reviewing Discovery of Deduction (which really thrills me!) and The Art of Poetry.

This is where I confess that the idea of teaching poetry to my children was one of those things that way back when could strike fear in my heart.  You know, when I had a kindergartner, and people would give me all of that "but what about..." garbage.  Most I could shrug off.  Actually, all of it, I could shrug off. 

They asked, "but what about the Prom?" and I laughed.  Seriously, who could even envision my cherubic 5 year old wanting to go to the Prom (I still can't quite picture that).  But if he does, it isn't like he can't go to one of the ones at the local schools.

They asked, "but what about Chemistry?" and I laughed some more.  Seriously, with as little chemistry as I learned, I couldn't do any worse than my schooling did.  And I knew that there were great helps available and I'd be fine.

They asked, "but what about Calculus?" and I laughed.  Seriously, that is what community college is for.  Or I'll learn it again, only I'll actually learn it this time.  But I knew that wouldn't be a problem.

What they didn't ask was, "but what about Lit analysis?  Or poetry?"  That's the question they should have asked me.  Because that one would have generated the deer in the headlights look they were hoping for.  But nobody asked me that.

Well, now I have an answer anyway.  We received this product, including the first DVD, and my 15-year-old son ASKED me if he got to use this.  "Um, yeah, sure," was my far-from-eloquent response.

He loves it.

The DVD is basically the author having a group discussion with a very small "class" of homeschool teens, and not only is my high school sophomore learning from it, but it is sucking in his 8th and 6th grade brothers.  So they are learning about poetry too.

And I don't have to do much of anything.

Okay, so I have a couple of discussions with them.  But the Art of Poetry is proving to be even easier to teach than I thought Chemistry or Calculus would be.

Who'd've thunk it?

Not me.

Go check some of the other "A is for..." posts... Algebra, Apples, Abbot & Costello... 

3 comments:

Jill said...

We are reviewing Art of Poetry. While it is a great program and my 11 year old son really likes it, I am sure he would get more out of it if he were older. We may have to do this one again in a couple years.

Debra said...

Jill -- I think it is going to be so much fun to read these reviews! Since I didn't have to write one, I've been far too hands-off with this. But hey, it is working for us. :)

Kym said...

We are doing this review too, and I feel the same as Jill. We will probably revisit this in a couple years when Kennady (now 11yo) is in high school.