Cathy Duffy Reviews home > Phonics / Reading/ Literature > Encouraging Thoughtful Christians to be World Changers series

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Encouraging Thoughtful Christians to be World Changers series

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group Author: Dr. James P. Stobaugh Review last updated: 2009 This is one of my 100 Top Picks!

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See the complete review in 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum.

Dr. Stobaugh's series is for high school literature courses and a whole lot more. These are composition, vocabulary, critical thinking, and worldview courses for which literature is the vehicle of study. There are five courses, so the author suggests beginning with Skills for Literary Analysis in eighth grade to be able to complete all five. The courses are:

Skills for Literary Analysis
American Literature
British Literature
World Literature
Skills for Rhetoric

Skills for Rhetoric differs from the other courses in that it focuses on writing and speaking skills rather than literature. My description pertains primarily to the literature courses.

Each course has students read a number of short stories and essays in addition to a number of entire books. The selection of readings has somewhat of a classical flavor, including works such as Plato's Republic, Faust by Goethe, and Oedipus Rex as well as books like Screwtape Letters, Anne of Green Gables, War and Peace. Shorter readings include poems, short stories, essays, and excerpts from larger works.

I mentioned previously that these are also worldview courses, so there are readings from Scripture, Church Fathers, as well as "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God." The viewpoint is nondenominational.

Teacher editions are absolutely essential. They include DVDs with a sample lesson and introductions with background for each lesson. The teacher edition books include summaries and suggested answers for student questions (mostly essay) plus tests.

These are challenging courses requiring students to read about 200 pages per week. Even if your students can't manage that pace, I would still recommend tackling these courses and skipping some of the lessons.

Parental/teacher involvement is necessary. Students need to discuss some of the questions, receive feedback on the written essays, and present speeches. Because of this, having two or more students work through each course together is best.

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