North Central Illinois

Michele and her husband Brian were struggling with accountability and curriculum needs after two years of homeschooling. A wise friend encouraged them to attend a Classical Conversations Practicum in 2009. After the first day of the practicum, Michele knew CC was the answer for her family. The Classical Model, combined with a Biblical Worldview was truly an answer to prayer! When she was approached at the end of the three-day event to become a trained Foundations Tutor, Michele jumped at the opportunity. Since then, Michele and Brian and their three children have enjoyed the rich blessings of Christian fellowship, a streamlined curriculum and the challenging learning opportunities that Classical Conversations provides.

As a Communications major, Michele never imagined her degree would be put to such a variety of uses! After a year as a Foundations Tutor, Michele made the transition to Challenge A Director. She loves hosting Information Meetings, and talking with parents about the many ways Classical Conversations has blessed her family. In 2010, she co-hosted a Three Day Practicum, working alongside an amazing Practicum Team to create a very successful event. Now in her second year as a Challenge A Director, Michele’s passion for sharing the Gospel with others is complemented by her passion for sharing the vision of Classical Conversations: to know God and to make Him known.

Cook & Dupage Counties 

Scott is the husband of 12 years to Jennifer, father to Eleanor (7), Liliana (5) and Nathaniel (3), and resides in the Northside of Chicago. With the helpful advice of a pre-school teacher with experience in classical Christian education, Jennifer and Scott jointly felt convicted to home educate each school-age child through Classical Conversations, and plan to continue through CC’s Challenge IV college prep program. Jennifer started a community 2 years ago, located at the The Moody Church in Chicago, which this year has 21 families and 31 students. Scott will be assisting new CC directors to establish new CC communities in Chicago. Scott’s education background includes public high school, Princeton University and the Kellogg School of Management; Jennifer graduated from parochial school, Albion College and Loyola University of Chicago.Scott currently holds a professional position in program development at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, assisting students, alumni and residents to pursue entrepreneurship and innovation. He is a guest lecturer on entrepreneurial leadership, L3Cs and international business. Previously he held positions in fundraising at the YMCA National Headquarters, business development at Proxicom, finance at Jones Lang LaSalle, and as an apprentice golf professional. He has co-founded 4 businesses, co-owned a franchise and advised several hundred entrepreneurs.   When asked why he loved CC, Scott replied, “Classical Conversations keeps our family focused on what matters, which is devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. In our home, 6-8 hours each school day, plus weekends and evenings on occasion, we are focusing on the Lord's work in several subjects like language arts, science, math, history. Life Monday through Saturday looks similar to Sunday; there is no dramatic difference between the exercise of faith in Sunday church from the exercise of faith in weekday schooling. By honoring the Lord with our time and attention, we prevent possible rifts in our faith, family and friends. It's all together.    Jesus prayed, "That they may be one, as we are One." CC helps our family to be one, and it helps our family to be one with other families who follow Jesus Christ. The subjects are one consistent pattern, each with their own details and manner of fitting together, yet also fitting together with other subjects. Latin and math and English and science and history all weave together in a coherence emanating from Jesus Christ. That we may know Him and that He is Truth, a person, not a concept. This is a living practice, not a objective practice.    The Latin root of the word "conversation" means "to associate with", "to turn" and "to live with". The fundamental practice of CC is conversation, and it means for all involved (parents and students) to live and turn together. Conversation occurs in vocalizing and writing words in a proper manner. We utilize the classic subjects in order to deepen the experience and practice of properly conversing, living together. For us and for other families this has been a wonderful gift and blessing. We have the conviction that no other education system, whether state-sponsored or institutional-private, can gift us this experience and growth in the likeness of Christ.”  

Angela Lockett - Southern Illinois

In 1998 when her eldest son was old enough to attend kindergarten, Angela and her husband Geoff began their homeschooling journey.  More than ten years and four children later, in a clear answer to prayer, Angela was introduced to Classical Conversations in 2009.  Within a few months, God brought together a group of families to start a new community.  “From the very beginning, our family has loved Classical Conversations!  Through Classical Conversations we are providing our children the tools to learn anything.”

“The Classical Conversations programs give us an academic road map, while our Classical Conversations community provides accountability and encouragement. It's exciting to see how much we are all learning, but it is even more exciting to experience joy that is multiplied because it is shared.” 

As a Speech Education major, Angela has always been a passionate communicator.  She is eager to share how through Classical Conversations we can learn right along with our children, redeeming their education as well as our own.  We are reminded in Ephesians 2:10 that, “We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Angela is excited to share the resources developed by Classical Conversations to help families prepare their children for whatever God calls them to do.  It is her desire to convince ordinary homeschooling families that they can provide an exceptional education to their children, an education that equips them to engage and change the world.

“Classical Conversations has reignited our enthusiasm for learning.  Our CC day is the most exciting day of the week.  I am classical education is not reserved for elites.  The classical approach is how we learn anything that we truly learn.  Using the classical tools of learning we giving our children the ability to learn anything.  Angela is eager to share how Classical Conversations has changed her life and the lives of her children.