Homeschool

This will be our fourth year of CC’s Essentials class, two as participants and two with me tutoring. I have finally figured out my preferred way to organize my Classical Conversations Essentials binder. Exciting stuff, I know, but once it’s done, it feels so good to be organized! Or maybe I’m just weird!

I’ll elaborate…

First, you need few supplies to put your Classical Conversations Essentials Parent and student binders together. Amazon has almost all of what you need.

Supplies:

• 2 Binders–I prefer these from Case It because they are sturdy and you’ll be in Essentials for 3 years (or 11 if you’re me:/ and you want it to last)
• 24 tab dividers—get 2 sets
• 3 mil laminating pouches (unless you have Office Depot or another place laminate these for you)
• 1 pack of dividers with 5 tabs (you’ll only use 4)
• copies from the Gear section of the EEL guide (make single sided copies of pgs. 400-433; pg. 396; pg 450 then make double sided copies of pgs 435/436; 437/438; and 61/62)
• Extra copies of the blank Charts A, C, E, F, H, I and L
• 3 hole punch
• shop ticket holders (you only need about 7, so maybe try to split these with someone else), you can also find these at Dollar Tree

Okay, so you’re probably thinking that this seems overly complicated. It really isn’t and remember that this is a one and done kind of thing! You get these binders made and you’re good for 3 (or more years!) So, let’s get started with the parent essentials binder!

Parent Essentials Binder

Your EEL guide has four sections. You will use one of the regular tab dividers for each of these sections. The first is the Expedition. This is important info and helps you understand what you’re about to learn and study, so definitely read it at least once.

The second section is called the Itinerary. This is your where your weekly lessons are. You’ll want to read each lesson before class so you have an idea of what your tutor is talking about. Well, in theory, it would be helpful. Did I always do it my first year? It depended on the week! This is where you will put the 24 tab dividers to separate the weeks to make them easy to find.

The third section is called the Gear. This contains the grammar charts, weekly sentences, task sheet, etc. This is the section that you will photocopy for your student’s binder (instructions above on which pages to copy)

The final section is called the Excursion. This has spelling lists and other things that honestly, I’ve never used. We do a different spelling curriculum so I rarely access this section.

Here is what it looks like when its all complete.

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Student Essentials Binder

For the student binder, laminate all those copies you made (or you could use page protectors…they just stick out and cover the numbered dividers which bother me, but you do you!) Then, cut the excess lamination away so the pages fit within the dividers instead of blocking the numbers (this is why I don’t like page protectors, they cover up the numbers of your dividers). Then, hole punch them. At the top of each chart, it will tell you which week that chart is used. Example, Chart A and Chart B are used in week 1. So, put your 24 dividers in the binder. Insert Charts A and B (the filled in one and blank one) behind the #1 divider. Repeat. Not all weeks will have charts.

In the front of the binder, place the abbreviation sheet, weekly sentences, example analytical task sheet, and the blank analytical task sheet (these are the sheets you made double sided copies of). Your student will want to have easy access to these.

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Shop ticket holders are my best discovery yet for Essentials! Dry erase markers wipe away clean and leave NO trace! They’re infinitely better than writing on pages that have been laminated or on page protectors! I laminate the pages for the student’s binder to make them last for 3 years, not so my student can write on them. I make extra copies of blank charts A, C, E, F, H, I and L and keep them in shop ticket holders permanently for them to pull out and copy! This way, nothing has to be removed from their binder for it to get lost or forgotten. This makes copying charts so easy! You can even use it for the analytical task sheet starting week 3!

I hope this makes sense and helps you put together your Classical Conversations Essentials binder. Essentials can seem overwhelming those first few weeks, and being organized always helps me make sense of things better or at least stress out a little less! Hang in there those first few weeks! After week 3, the pace slows down and it gets manageable and I daresay even fun!

Leave a comment and let me know if you have any questions or other ideas.