Re: Veritas Press vs. Well Trained Mind...(long) (Classical Sources Message Board)

Re: Veritas Press vs. Well Trained Mind...(long)
Author: carol in ct	October 19, 1999 at 11:07:59
in reply to: Veritas Press vs. Well Trained Mind...* posted by Cindy E on October 19, 1999 at 07:03:49*

I have read WTM and am familiar with the Veritas Press
catalog but have never used any of their programs,
particularly the history cards and teachers manuals for
history (as far as I know, this is the only "program"
materials that they offer; the rest is just recommended
sources) and I'm familiar with their free curriculum guide.
I have ordered a la carte from their catalog.

In thinking about the differences between the two, I think the main difference is that WTM offers homeschoolers a very doable scheme for implementing a classical approach to education. The notebook plan that the authors lay out and the suggestions for manipulating the material are practical and detailed enough that one can actually put them to use without too many questions. For example, check out the history plan throughout the 3 stages and see the progression of analysis and thought that the student is to perform; the same happens with science; which by the way, is different from Veritas Press, which offers no science suggestions until 7th grade or so.
Veritas gives no detailed plan of working with the information in the various areas; they mainly recommend curriculum programs. The curriculum guide gives an outline of goals for each academic area at each grade level but, I think, leaves one with more questions than answers as far as how one implements the curriculum at home.

In my opinion, Veritas Press, through their catalog,
presents classical education from a very specific religious
viewpoint, and in the resources that they choose, they
leave a distinct impression that the main thrust of
classical education is drill (see their description of
Saxon math; Shurley Grammar) and chanting (see again
Shurley Grammar; Sing, Spell, Read, and Write, etc.). WTM
does not specifically incorporate a religious agenda,
although one is implied, which, I think, allows for a
greater comfort level for those whose religious convictions
may not be the same as, for instance, Veritas Press, but
who are interested in a classical approach. WTM also
incorporates the drill, memory work portion of the grammar
stage within the general scheme but doesn't give it undue
emphasis and actually does not suggest any resources that
involve chants and songs.

I think that WTM offers a much more developed plan and
resources for the logic and rhetoric stages than does
Veritas Press. In fact, I think that in the Veritas Press
catalog, the logic stage seems barely present; it seems to
merge with the rhetoric--for example, this year Veritas
offers omnibus collections for various historical periods
that includes history, literature, theology. These readings
begin in the 7th grade with a focus on the ancient world
and the students read a rather advanced list of ancient
works. This seemed odd to me since the last time the
student would've been exposed to ancient history in this
scheme was second and third grade. What a jump!

These are a few thoughts on the differences between the
two; I'm sure there are more. Hope this helps.

Carol in CT

Follow Ups

NEED DEFFINITION AND ORIGINATION OF WORD VERITAS AMY 07:19:57 8/20/2000 (0)
Re: Veritas Press Shirlene in VA 22:07:00 7/13/2000 (1)
- Re: Veritas Press cindy 22:51:10 8/30/2000 (0)
Re: Veritas Press vs. Well Trained Mind...(long) Kathy M. 19:01:43 1/14/2000 (0)
Re: Veritas Press vs. Well Trained Mind...(long) Patti 17:20:56 10/20/1999 (0)
Thanks Carol! This is just what I wanted to know! Cindy 12:46:24 10/19/1999 (0)

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> I have read WTM and am familiar with the Veritas Press > catalog but have never used any of their programs, > particularly the history cards and teachers manuals for > history (as far as I know, this is the only "program" > materials that they offer; the rest is just recommended > sources) and I'm familiar with their free curriculum guide. > I have ordered a la carte from their catalog. > > In thinking about the differences between the two, I think the main difference is that WTM offers homeschoolers a very doable scheme for implementing a classical approach to education. The notebook plan that the authors lay out and the suggestions for manipulating the material are practical and detailed enough that one can actually put them to use without too many questions. For example, check out the history plan throughout the 3 stages and see the progression of analysis and thought that the student is to perform; the same happens with science; which by the way, is different from Veritas Press, which offers no science suggestions until 7th grade or so. > Veritas gives no detailed plan of working with the information in the various areas; they mainly recommend curriculum programs. The curriculum guide gives an outline of goals for each academic area at each grade level but, I think, leaves one with more questions than answers as far as how one implements the curriculum at home. > > In my opinion, Veritas Press, through their catalog, > presents classical education from a very specific religious > viewpoint, and in the resources that they choose, they > leave a distinct impression that the main thrust of > classical education is drill (see their description of > Saxon math; Shurley Grammar) and chanting (see again > Shurley Grammar; Sing, Spell, Read, and Write, etc.). WTM > does not specifically incorporate a religious agenda, > although one is implied, which, I think, allows for a > greater comfort level for those whose religious convictions > may not be the same as, for instance, Veritas Press, but > who are interested in a classical approach. WTM also > incorporates the drill, memory work portion of the grammar > stage within the general scheme but doesn't give it undue > emphasis and actually does not suggest any resources that > involve chants and songs. > > I think that WTM offers a much more developed plan and > resources for the logic and rhetoric stages than does > Veritas Press. In fact, I think that in the Veritas Press > catalog, the logic stage seems barely present; it seems to > merge with the rhetoric--for example, this year Veritas > offers omnibus collections for various historical periods > that includes history, literature, theology. These readings > begin in the 7th grade with a focus on the ancient world > and the students read a rather advanced list of ancient > works. This seemed odd to me since the last time the > student would've been exposed to ancient history in this > scheme was second and third grade. What a jump! > > These are a few thoughts on the differences between the > two; I'm sure there are more. Hope this helps. > > Carol in CT
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