This third and final product completes my review of Memoria Press materials. You can read my review of Christian Studies here,, and my review of Latina Christiana here.. We have a strong leaning towards classical methods in our homeschool, with emphasis on four year history rotations, critical thinking, and Latin as foundational. Memoria Press materials mesh well with our educational philosophy. I received both the teacher's guide and the student guide with the actual book (Famous Men of Rome) for review. You may recognize the former publisher as Greenleaf Press (Greenleaf Guides); Memoria now publishes these materials.
What is Famous Men of Rome? The book itself is a collection of stories, just as the title implies. The student reads a selection from the main text, and then completes the material in the student book. Sections in the student book include Facts To Know, Vocabulary Words, Comprehension Questions, Mapwork and occasionally other activities. Comprehensive Reviews are inlcuded at the end of each section. The complete set is $39.95.
What I like: I really love this traditional treatment of material every child should know, the fact that my children can complete the material independently, and the fact that I have not needed to crack open the teacher's guide to teach this material. My daughter completed the first in this series (Classical Studies is the series by Memoria Press, Daulaire's Greek Myths is the first book) two full years ago (2007-2008) and I am amazed at how much information she retained just by working through the material on her own at 8 years old. She knows so much more about Greek Myths then I do!
What I don't like: I have a love/hate relationship with the schoolish style of the material, but I find it to provide a nice balance for my spontaneous tendency. If you don't really want your child to be doing any seatwork, you are not going to like Memoria Press material. The only hands-on aspect is the mapwork.
My Bottom Line: We are using Famous Men of Rome in school this year with our ten year old, and will likely complete the last in the series as well (Famous Men of Greece.)
The bottom line is; We try not to insist on parent-led learning or gravitate toward child-led learning. We try instead to focus on God-led learning and ask for His input and perspective on every aspect of our home school. That way, when others fuss about what Dan and I are doing and make me second guess our decisions -- I can go back to our decision process and find God's fingerprints, reminding me that this is His way.
