The Latin-Centered Curriculum

Hello,

I bought the book THE LATIN CENTERED CURRICULUM last summer. The part that I found the most interesting was the Progymnasmata. I have an 8th grader who is a very reluctant writer. She is a highly advanced reader but she just will not write and has a very low confidence in her writing ability. I don't know how to help her and the Progymnasmata seems like the medicine for her ailments.

I have thouroughly looked into the two suggested programs suggested in the book. Very recently Classical Writing has come out with an accelerated level that gets older beginners through the beginner levels and onto higher levels faster. I am very much interested in this program except that it includes lots of other stuff besides writing like grammar and spelling, etc..I feel as if she really needs to focus on the writing and learning the progymnasmata and I'm afraid this extra stuff will take up lots of time and crowd out the part she needs the most. I am also concerned that if/when she catches up, they won't have come out with the upper levels yet.

The Classical Composition looks promising, as it seems to focus on just the writing. The samples looked kind of vague, though, and I am not sure exactly how much in the way of teacher's helps are included. For example, the samples say to have the children outline the passage. It doesn't say if detailed instruction on how to teach the child to accurately write the outline are included or not. I have an email in to them inquiring but haven't heard back yet. I am concerned that this program might be too vague and for more experienced teachers who know how to do everything and need more of a bare-bones guide. I need more than that.

I am also interested in the Frank D'Angelo book and it says in Mr. Campbell's book that it can be used as a textbook for older kids. Again, I don't know how user-friendly this is. Does anyone know if it really can be used as a stand-alone or if it needs a supplementary program such as those above?

Unfortunately, we have recently found ourselves in a financial rut. The two programs recommended will cost us hundreds of dollars, because my child needs to start from the beginning and do everything in short order so she can catch up to where she should be at her age. The D'Angelo book I have found used online for more or less 50 dollars, which isn't cheap for one book, but it would be great if that was all I needed to teach her the whole thing, beginning to end.

I also have a rising 3rd grader and, again, I don't know which to use with him, either. I don't think I'll start him until next year or even the next after that. I am going to start him on Prima Latina and the Greek Alphabeterion as soon as we can afford those. The Classical Writing, again, includes grammar instruction. I am wondering with the Latin and then the Greek....how much grammar do the kids need? It seems as if it can get awful redundant after awhile.

One major problem as a homeschooling parent is buying curriculum that didn't work for one reason or another because I didn't know what it exactly was until I bought it. Until now, it wasn't that big of a deal, I'd just toss it or sell it and get something else. At this point, whichever route we take HAS to be what we need, because we simply cannot afford to turn around and replace it with something else.

I thank anyone who can help me sort out these options. I know lots of times it is just "personal preference" but I really need help because I don't know enough about each program or book to make an informed choice.

Thank you,
Kelli