Program Overview
The Aquinas Learning Program is a Catholic, classical, scholastic, and integrated curriculum for homeschooling families from PK - 12th grade.
QUICK OVERVIEW
How does it work?
Families REGISTER for access to 28-week or 30-week courses based on their children’s ages (level): Schola Parva (PreK-K), Schola Prima I (Gr. 1-3), Schola Prima II (Gr. 4-6), Schola Alta I (Gr. 7-9), Schola Alta II (Gr. 10-12). If you plan to join a center, there are additional tuition fees to ENROLL at the center. Since they are independently-owned and operated, you will have to contact the center for further details about “enrolling” at their center.
The curriculum gives parents a “curriculum overview for the year” as well as a “WAG” (week-at-a-glance) broken down by weekly study. If you join a center, you meet with your community to introduce concepts on “center day,” and follow it up with four days at home.
We teach three areas: SKILLS, CONTENT, & VIRTUE. Skills are taught individually to each student (Math, Reading, Writing, Latin…etc.) CONTENT categories consist of any knowledge, facts, and ideas that can be taught to a group of children/students of various ages - together (Catechism, History, Science, Art Appreciation, Story telling, etc.), and virtue is taught explicitly (e.g. virtue of the week, saints of the week) as well as within other lessons.
Lessons for the Parva/Prima week are comprised of Memory Works Subjects (Catechism, History, Science, Latin/Greek, Timeline in History, Civics, and Geography), Oral Presentations, Literature discussions, Language Arts studies (penmanship, copy work, Primary Arts of Language, IEW Composition, Grammar), Philosophy discussions, Fine Arts (Visual and Musical), Science explorations, and Centers of exploration. Again, the curriculum is already mapped out for the year.
Schola Alta (upper school) study several courses that will lead them to be ready for college and beyond: Catechism/Apologetics, History in Chronology, Literature & Composition using LTW (Lost Tools of Writing program), Latin (a full course of Latin Grammar studies), and Reasoning (including Material & Formal Logic, Rhetoric, and Philosophy). We have various STEAM classes that centers can offer on a separate day (check with your local director for a list of STEAM classes).
Our curriculum is accessed through a COURSE SITE (Moodle-based), and it is organized by level/course and by week of study.
In the Parva-Prima I level, there is no homework to turn in, just a follow up to teach the course further from home, if and when time allows. In Prima II, they have minimal homework in the Literature and Composition subjects as well as their Math homework. Skills are often best practiced on a daily basis too.
In the Schola Alta level, the student is turning into an independent worker, guided at first by parents in the SA I level, and allowed to become fully independent with minimal checks in the SA II level. In the SA levels, the student is expected to do home study work prior to meeting with teachers to discuss and explore further connections. They have about 3-4 hours of home study work to do per day.
CATHOLIC
The ultimate goal is to fulfill our purpose. God made us to know, love, and serve Him in this life, so that we can be happy with Him for eternity in the next.
”The glory of God is man fully alive.” - St. Ireneus
CLASSICAL
BEHOLD, WONDER, CONTEMPLATE and DO.
The classical approach is passing on culture, tradition, and truths transmitted by generations that came before us. The CONTENT is based on Philippians 4:6-9 (true, good, and beautiful), and the APPROACH is Aristotelean & Thomistic.
COMMUNITY
Whether you are using Aquinas Learning at Home independently or at a homeschool center licensed to use the Aquinas Learning Program, we are all connected to the Aquinas Learning Community at large. God made us to be in community in preparation for our communion with Him. Joy is seeking Truth with a friend.