Have you ever driven down an unfamiliar road, obediently following the carefully noted directions, to only have an anxious feeling twist knots into your gut? You are certain you have stayed the course, being diligent to only turn when instructed, but somehow the next turn seems to be further than you were anticipating. “Did I pass the road?” you wonder. “Is it still further?”
Often I receive messages in the Essentials inbox that seem more like SOS calls for help. Essentials travelers, who don’t feel quite confident that the road they are on is the right one, will ask with trepidation whether they have chosen the wrong route. They fear they have turned too soon or missed the instructions all together. They wonder, “Is Essentials enough? Will my child be ready for Challenge?” In answer to that nagging anxiousness, I will share a different kind of note I recently received. A former Essentials student has something valuable to share about the journey from Essentials to Challenge, and I think you’ll find it offers assurance that the right road is in fact a bridge; it is Essentials.
My friend, who delivered the neatly typed correspondence, whispered, “My son sees the value in the Essentials program and hopes this will lift your spirits.” Essentials families, may this equally encourage you on the Essentials route.
Essentials is Like a Crossroads
Have you ever wondered why Essentials is the bridge between Foundations and Challenge? It is an exciting, enlightening, exceptional, extraordinary and excellent way to give your child the classical learning experience. My name is Ty Seo. I am 13 years old and I have been going to CC for 8 years. In my first year of Essentials, I was nervous because I had never written a full paragraph on paper. First and foremost, I learned some vital life skills including: writing, grammar, arithmetic, public speaking in front of peers and a chance to interact with some fantastic people. Unequivocally, Essentials is an open door to so many possibilities.
Truly, my experience in Challenge A was spectacular. Everything I learned in Essentials with some help and encouragement from my magnificent mom (Rebecca Seo), guided me through the year. Let’s talk Latin. One of the most challenging subjects of the program is Latin. It starts out seemingly impossible until you remember all the memory work and charts from Essentials that build a bridge from your language to a foreign one. From grammar rules to sentence structures to quality adjectives, these helped make my Challenge A season one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Furthermore, it prepared me to write this article.
Unquestionably, Classical Conversations as a whole, really gives you a God-glorifying view of the world. Essentials is like a crossroads, linking the rails of Foundations memory work to the Challenge levels. After a student has memorized thousands of acts and facts of the universes, Essentials connects them to dig deeper and see God in all things. As a result, the Challenge student is equipped to explore God in Literature, Science, Math, Debate, Rhetoric, and even Latin. 1 Corinthians 10:31 proclaims, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” If you desire for your student to glorify God even in their education, then come aboard the journey with us and it will take you to amazing places!
