Online High School Literature: The Odyssey

Literature: Homer’s Odyssey: The Soul of Pre-Socratic Wisdom

Dr. Henry Russell's literature courses have proven to be very popular with both students and parents:

“I have never really been interested in literature, but Dr.Russel has really helped me appreciate it allot more.”

“I enjoyed the class! Dr. Russell is great!”

"Thank you so much for the opportunity for Catholic homeschooled students to be exposed to those Catholic teachers who have a knowledge and love for the Truth. Dr. Russell's class this morning (I was listening alongside my son) was beautiful music to my ears!"

For the Spring 2010 semester, Dr. Russell will be teaching Homer and Virgil, spending 7 weeks each on the Odyssey and the Aeneid. Today we'll feature Homer's Odyssey and tomorrow will be Virgil's Aeneid.

Click on the title below to register:

Literature: Homer’s Odyssey: The Soul of Pre-Socratic Wisdom

Session dates: Tuesdays, January 19 to March 2, 2010
Total sessions: 7
Starting time: 10:00 am, Eastern Standard Time (9:00 Central)
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Professor: Henry Russell, Ph.D.
Fee:
This course is regularly $140 for the entire 7 weeks.
Early registration discount: $25 off if registered by December 31, 2009

Course description:
It is easy, and incorrect, to remember Homer’s Odyssey as a voyage story of great and bizarre adventures. It is instead the quest to restore the broken family and restore relations with the God(s) which have been broken by human fault. The great wanderings fill only three to six books out of twenty-four. The other eighteen are devoted to the restoration of human order in the family and the kingdom. It takes Odysseus the same twelve chapters to get from the shore of his island Ithaka into full possession of his house in peace as it takes to get him home to Ithaka on his ten-year long quest. It is these beautiful chapters on human relations, as well as the wonders of Odysseus’ purgation through his quest, that make the epic a primary book of wisdom for all times and cultures.

Seven-class schedule:
Jan. 19 - Introduction to the Epics
Jan. 26 - Bks 1-4 The World Whose Fathers Have Been Absent
Feb. 2 - Bks. 5-8 The Glory of Marital Love amid Many Temptations
Feb. 9 - Bks. 9-12 Odysseus’ Tragic Flaw and Great Wanderings (Going down to the dead)
Feb. 16 - Bks.13-16 Finding Home as a Strange Land
Mar. 2 - Bks. 17-20 Restraint of Self and Testing of Others
Mar. 9 - Bks. 21-24 Justice and Restoration of the Family and Kingdom

Homework:
Dr. Russell will provide quizzes, essay topics, and a Midterm and Final Exam. Answer keys will be provided for parents to grade. Note: Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping or transcripts.

Course materials:
Robert Fitzgerald’s translation of the Odyssey. You are free to use any translation you like, but you should have one with line numbers or it will be almost impossible to follow along with frequent references to the author’s words.

Equipment requirements:
Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone. If you do not own a headset, you can find them for a reasonable price at Amazon.

Professor's biography:
Dr. Henry Russell is Headmaster of the St. Augustine's Homeschool Enrichment Program founded with his wife Crystal. The program began in Fall 2005 with 20 students in two living rooms and now tutors more than 70 students. He is also the President of the SS Peter and Paul Educational Foundation, dedicated to founding an orthodox Catholic Liberal Arts college in southeast Michigan.

A graduate of Princeton and South Caroline (M.S.), Dr. Russell completed his graduate work at Louisiana State University.

Formerly the Chairman of Ave Maria College's Department of Literature, he has also been a professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville and Wake Forest University. He is a founding faculty member of the St. Robert Southwell Creative Writing Workshop held in Mahwah, New Jersey.

Dr. Russell's works include The Catholic Shakespeare Audio Series. He was the Associate Editor of The Formalist from 1990-2004 and his writings have been published in various journals. He was honored to edit Dr. Alice von Hildebrand's groundbreaking volume, The Privilege of Being a Woman.

Literature: Homer’s Odyssey: The Soul of Pre-Socratic Wisdom

Meet University of St. Thomas

If you visit UST's website, you'll find a webpage deicated just for homeschoolers. I'm told they are a very homeschool-friendly university. Perhaps that is partly due to the fact that Dominic Aquila, UST vice president for Academic Affairs, and his wife, Diane, are the proud parents of 11 home-schooled children.(Read about their family.) Dr. Aquila will be joining us next week, along with Arthur Ortiz, to fill us all in on what we want to know about the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.

This webinar, like all of our webinars, will be a very interactive experience where you can ask all the questions you like of Dr. Aquila and Mr. Ortiz. I hope you all will be joining me at this informative event.

To register, simply click on the title below then scroll down to fill in the registration blanks.

Meet UST - The University of St. Thomas, Houston

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Time: 8:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (7:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour

About UST:
The excellence of University of St. Thomas’ programs continue to hinge on one-to-one engagement between faculty and students and the academic leadership of our faculty. Our students are well prepared to go out into the world to take their place as leaders of faith and character. We will continue to grow, to promote academic excellence, and to enhance our service to our community until we take our place among the best universities in the world.

So come and learn more about us!

Presenters' Biographies:
Arthur Ortiz is the Associate Director of Admissions for UST and has been in college admissions for 10 years. Arthur has given presentation at state and national higher education conferences regarding the value of recruiting home school students. A cradle Catholic, Arthur also oversees the Adult Catechism program at his parish - Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.

Dr. Dominic A. Aquila was named Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs on Dec. 1, 2008. He most recently served as Dean of Arts and Sciences from July, 2007 to the present. He brings to the University of St. Thomas 26 years of experience in public and private higher education. Among the institutions he has served are The Rochester Institute of Technology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Empire State College of the State University of New York, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ave Maria College and the University of Saint Francis (Fort Wayne, Indiana). Dr. Aquila took his Bachelors Degree in Music from The Juilliard School, the MBA from New York University, and his Doctorate in History from the University of Rochester and the University of South Africa. Before his career in higher education, Dr. Aquila performed as a percussionist with the New York City Opera, the American Ballet Theatre, the American Symphony Orchestra, the New York and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestras and a number of Broadway shows. He also managed the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Garth Fagan’s Dance Theatre. In June 2007 he received the Spes Nostra Award for service to Catholic Education from the National Association for Private and Independent Catholic Schools. Dr. Aquila and his wife, Diane, are parents of 11 children.

Meet UST - The University of St. Thomas, Houston

Meet University of Dallas

We are midway through Catholic College Month here at Homeschool Connections. Yay! We have been having a blast bringing America's best Catholic colleges to your living rooms. Next up is University of Dallas and I'm pretty excited about this one. I have a friend who has sent a number of her children to U of D and she can't rave enough about the university so I'm looking forward to learning more straight from their admissions officials.

To register for this free event, simply click on the webinar title below and scroll down to registration form. I look forward to seeing you all there!

University of Dallas: Preserving Western Tradition through Intellectually Rigorous Catholicism

Date: Monday, November 9, 2009
Time: 7:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (6:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

About U of D:
University of Dallas was founded to preserve the Western and Catholic Intellectual Traditions through an intense dialogue of faith and reason. Founders Donald and Louise Cowan nurtured a Great Books curriculum with rigorous inquiry becoming nationally recognized for its commitment to authentic liberal arts and highly ranked sciences and business. UD is true to Ex Corde Ecclesiae, informed by the Cistercians and Dominicans, and has a 40 year tradition of studying in Rome. One of a few with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter and the most NM Finalists per capita of any Catholic school for four years. Veritatem, Justitiam Diligite.

Presenter's Biography:
Drew Johnson is an alumnus (’08) of the University of Dallas with a B.A. in Psychology and concentrations in Theology and Spanish. Raised near Billings, Montana, he attended public and Catholic schools. He converted during high school and was active in UD’s campus ministry. Drew works with all homeschoolers and the Northern Great Plains and Rockies.

University of Dallas: Preserving Western Tradition through Intellectually Rigorous Catholicism

Spring 2010 Online Homeschool Classes

There are still a few more to be scheduled in the upcoming days, but here are most of our courses for the spring. Please note that there is an early registration discount until Jan. 1, 2010. Click on the title to learn the details or to register:

Government: Democracy, Government, and Citizenship
Theology 101: Social Ethics
Science: Blood In Sickness and In Health
History: Roots of the Revolt (1417-1560)
History: Age of the Religious Wars (1560-1648)
Marketing: Jesus and Main Street Marketing
Literature: Homer’s Odyssey: The Soul of Pre-Socratic Wisdom
Literature: Virgil’s Aeneid: The Founding of Nations in the Will of God
Philosophy: Fallacies and Paradoxes

TAC ... Again!

Thomas Aquinas College's meet and greet webinar went fantastic and we're going to do it again!

Please come join us and learn about one of the leaders of Catholic higher education:

Just click on the title below to register:

Thomas Aquinas College A sweeping tour of the greatest and most influential works of Western Civilization

Session date: Monday, October 26, 2009
Starting time: 8:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time
Cost: FREE
Duration: 1 hour
Presenters: Jon Daly and Greg Becher

Description:
Jon Daly, Director of Admission, will introduce the College’s program of genuine Catholic liberal education where “Great Books” replace textbooks and seminar discussions replace lectures. He will also explain how College faculty lead small seminar discussions on seminal works across the disciplines—science, math, language, music, literature, philosophy and theology—and address student life, alumni careers and questions which arise as the presentation pro ceeds!

Greg Becher, Director of Financial Aid, will also participate in the webinar and will introduce and explain the College’s generous and well-ranked financial aid program.

No college ranking system can offer the full measure of an institution, however, each can help to introduce aspects of an institution. Among others, Thomas Aquinas College has regularly earned high praise from many and varied sources including The Princeton Review (where it earned the “Best Value” ranking in both 2009 and 2010), U.S. News & World Report, the Cardinal Newman Society and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. You are invited to read these and other reviews on our website, www.thomasaquinas.edu.

Agenda:
"A sweeping tour of the greatest and most influential works of Western Civilization." (--National Review).

Please join us for a live presentation and discussion of Thomas Aquinas College’s unique program of Catholic liberal education. The College’s Admissions Director, Jon Daly will explain Thomas Aquinas College’s “great books” curriculum and Socratic teaching method, and provide information about student life outside the classrooms. Greg Becher, the College’s Financial Aid Director will describe the College’s generous and well-ranked financial aid program. Thomas Aquinas College is ranked by The Princeton Review as one of the "Top 50" academic programs in the country, and is one of only 13 schools in the country to be named to The Princeton Review’s "Financial Aid Honor Roll." It is truly a “best buy.” Students at Thomas Aquinas College engage firsthand a curriculum made up entirely of the “great books” — the seminal works upon which Western civilization is founded. The students discuss these great works in daily seminars led by members of the teaching faculty. These conversations encourage independence of thought in students and aid them in developing a capacity for critical judgment. Complementing this stimulating and rigorous intellectual life are ample opportunities for recreation. The College is bordered by the Los Padres National Forest — students are just minutes from hiking, camping, and myriad other outdoor recreational activities. The College also has basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts, and a baseball and soccer field. Intramural and pick-up games are daily events. The campus itself has a beautiful forested area with walking trails, ponds, and meadows to help students relax after classes. Outings to the many museums, plays, concerts, and baseball games in nearby Santa Barbara and Los Angeles are scheduled regularly, and the Pacific Ocean is only 25 minutes from the campus.

High School Marketing Online Course

Back in the day when I was in high school, Marketing was my very favorite class. It was probably one of the most useful too. Today, 30 years later, I still use lessons learned in that class. For this reason, I am absolutely thrilled to announce Homeschool Connections' first ever marketing course! Not only will you learn the fundamentals of marketing from a professional in the field, but you will learn Catholic social teaching that you can take into the workplace with you. This is sure to be a terrific course for Catholic high school students.

Marketing: Jesus and Main Street Marketing

Course Description
High school. This course will take an innovative look at how marketing has changed, what has remained the same, what works (and what does not), different marketing approaches, and keeping the Faith in marketing. Some of the most innovative marketing is not new but started thousands of years ago. Learn lessons from the past, as well as from one of the best leaders in marketing (Jesus).

Course Outline
Week One (January 14th): Self intro, class overview, “What is Marketing” discussion
Week Two (January 21st) - Marketing and brands
Week Three (January 28th) – Different marketing techniques (From Extreme Marketing to Blue Oceans)
Week Four (Feb 4th) – International & global marketing / Crossing of cultures
Week Five (Feb. 11th) – Marketing appeals and tactics. Promotions, interactive advertising formats, and new marketing models
Week Six (Feb. 18th) – Faith, Morals and Ethics in Marketing

This course will lay a core foundation for future and more advanced marketing courses.

Instructor's Biography
Derek Prentice is a graduate of Hope College with a B/A in Communications, Business and Art. An accomplished and integrity-driven professional with over 14 years of business success with Fortune 500 organizations and start-up companies, specializing in technology, automotive, powersports and consumer electronics.

Fee
This course is regularly $90 for the entire 6 weeks.
Early registration discount: $15 off if registered by December 31, 2009

Dates and Time
Thursdays beginning January 14 until February 18, 2010 at 12 noon Eastern. Classes are one hour long.

Homework
A basic questionnaire will be sent to students before the first class. There will be some reading and research assignments as well as a final project. The instructor will not assign a letter grade, only pass/fail. However, parents may assign a grade themselves. Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping.

Misc. Details
Mr. Prentice will be available between classes via email to take student's questions and inquiries.

If you have questions or comments, please email Maureen Wittmann at mwittlans@aol.com.
To learn about other courses, please visit our website: Homeschool Connections

Equipment requirements
Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone is recommended. If you do not own a headset, you can find them for a reasonable price at Amazon. A web cam is NOT required.

To register, go to: Marketing: Jesus and Main Street Marketing. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Register button and then follow the instructions. We take Visa and Master Card. If you prefer to pay by check, please don't hesitate to email me.

Meet Ave Maria University

Ave Maria University is on schedule for this Thursday. Join us to learn more about this orthodox Catholic university in beautiful Florida where they built a town around Ave Maria.

Please click on the title below to register:

Meet Ave Maria University

Session date: Thursday, October 29, 2009
Starting time: 7:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (6:00 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Cost: FREE
Presenter: Jason Fabaz

Description:
Come learn more about Ave Maria, a classical liberal arts university in the Catholic tradition in beautiful SW Florida. 10 priests on campus, 3 Daily Masses, daily Confessions, Perpetual Adoration Chapel, Traditional Latin Mass 3 days per week, avg. class size is 17 students, student/faculty ratio: 10:1 92% of faculty has Ph.D. or terminal degree. 10 majors in the classical liberal arts; 3 pre-profession programs: pre-med, pre-law & a certificate of business. 11 athletic teams competing in the NAIA. Over 35 student clubs & organizations.

From the presenter:
I’d love for you to come visit the campus, call or email anytime! Jason Fabaz Assistant Director of Admissions Ave Maria University 5050 Ave Maria Blvd. Ave Maria, FL 34142 239-280-2480 direct line 239-450-1440 cell phone 239-280-2559 fax 1-877-AVE-UNIV (283-8648) http://www.avemaria.edu/ jason.fabaz@avemaria.edu

Meet Wyoming Catholic

UPDATE: The webinar went fantastic! To view the recording of the event just go to Meet Wyoming Catholic College.

This is a busy week for Catholic College Month and I hope you're all up to it. You have the opportunity to meet three great Catholic colleges. Tonight is TAC, Thursday is Ave Maria, and sandwiched in between is Wyoming Catholic College.

If you've not yet heard of Wyoming Catholic, or just haven't explored deeply it as a possibility, I strongly encourage you to join us Wednesday evening. This is your opportunity to speak, listen, and learn.

Just click on the title below to register:

Wyoming Catholic College: Blazing New Trails in Catholic Higher Education

Session date: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Starting time: 8:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (7:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cost: FREE
Presenter: Mario Coccia

Description:
Learn about Wyoming Catholic College! Wyoming Catholic College is a four-year coeducational Catholic college whose primary educational objective is to offer a traditional liberal arts education that schools the whole person in all three dimensions—mind, body, and spirit. We accomplish this by immersing our students in the beauty of the outdoors, by introducing them to the wisdom of Western tradition and thought as found in the Great Books and Good Books of the past millennia, and by making the best of the Catholic spiritual heritage part of the rhythm of daily life in our close College community. Students graduate with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts.

This unique combination of educational spheres results in graduates who know there is truth and how to seek it, know how to think clearly and express their thoughts eloquently, know how to learn and expect to find delight in learning throughout their lives, and know how to attain a great measure of happiness by a moral life led in relationship with God.

Presenter's Biography:
After working many years in healthcare marketing in NY and NJ, Mario Coccia moved with my family to Austria to pursue advanced degrees in theology and was appointed Assistant Dean of that school. Mario joined WCC in 2007 and live in Wyoming with my wife and 5 children while completing a doctorate in theology.

Meet Thomas Aquinas College

Up next for Catholic College Month is Thomas Aquinas College in beautiful Southern California. If you are not familiar with TAC then you absolutely must make time and join us Monday evening for this free webinar. Gosh, I think all the smartest people I know are TAC grads. Plus, their whole pedagogical approach is Socratic discussion which I love. You read Great Books and then sit around and talk about them. That is my kind of place!

Just click on the title below to register:

Thomas Aquinas College A sweeping tour of the greatest and most influential works of Western Civilization

Session date: Monday, October 26, 2009
Starting time: 8:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time
Cost: FREE
Duration: 1 hour
Presenters: Jon Daly and Greg Becher

Description:
Jon Daly, Director of Admission, will introduce the College’s program of genuine Catholic liberal education where “Great Books” replace textbooks and seminar discussions replace lectures. He will also explain how College faculty lead small seminar discussions on seminal works across the disciplines—science, math, language, music, literature, philosophy and theology—and address student life, alumni careers and questions which arise as the presentation pro ceeds!

Greg Becher, Director of Financial Aid, will also participate in the webinar and will introduce and explain the College’s generous and well-ranked financial aid program.

No college ranking system can offer the full measure of an institution, however, each can help to introduce aspects of an institution. Among others, Thomas Aquinas College has regularly earned high praise from many and varied sources including The Princeton Review (where it earned the “Best Value” ranking in both 2009 and 2010), U.S. News & World Report, the Cardinal Newman Society and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. You are invited to read these and other reviews on our website, www.thomasaquinas.edu.

Agenda:
"A sweeping tour of the greatest and most influential works of Western Civilization." (--National Review).

Please join us for a live presentation and discussion of Thomas Aquinas College’s unique program of Catholic liberal education. The College’s Admissions Director, Jon Daly will explain Thomas Aquinas College’s “great books” curriculum and Socratic teaching method, and provide information about student life outside the classrooms. Greg Becher, the College’s Financial Aid Director will describe the College’s generous and well-ranked financial aid program. Thomas Aquinas College is ranked by The Princeton Review as one of the "Top 50" academic programs in the country, and is one of only 13 schools in the country to be named to The Princeton Review’s "Financial Aid Honor Roll." It is truly a “best buy.” Students at Thomas Aquinas College engage firsthand a curriculum made up entirely of the “great books” — the seminal works upon which Western civilization is founded. The students discuss these great works in daily seminars led by members of the teaching faculty. These conversations encourage independence of thought in students and aid them in developing a capacity for critical judgment. Complementing this stimulating and rigorous intellectual life are ample opportunities for recreation. The College is bordered by the Los Padres National Forest — students are just minutes from hiking, camping, and myriad other outdoor recreational activities. The College also has basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts, and a baseball and soccer field. Intramural and pick-up games are daily events. The campus itself has a beautiful forested area with walking trails, ponds, and meadows to help students relax after classes. Outings to the many museums, plays, concerts, and baseball games in nearby Santa Barbara and Los Angeles are scheduled regularly, and the Pacific Ocean is only 25 minutes from the campus.

Career Search Skills: Beacon of Light in a Dark Economy

I am very excited to announce our first adult course. If you could use a little help in a job search we are here to help. We've found a vibrant professional who knows the ins and outs of today's job market. If it's been more than just a few years since you've embarked on a job search then this course will be well worth the reasonable cost.

Please click on the title below to register:

Career Search Skills: Beacon of Light in a Dark Economy
Course Description:
Have you ever wondered "How in the world did that person get that job?" or "Wow, that is the best job in the world. I would have never thought that a person could get paid to do that!"

Find out how you can be that person. The mainstream media continues to tell us that the "Sky is Falling!" Well if you like to follow the "Pied Piper" and listen to the symphony of employment destruction ... be my guest. However, if you have the "No Guts, No Glory!" attitude, then read on and seriously consider attending the "Beacon of Light in a Dark Economy" career search course.

In this course you will learn about:

• Resumes / Electronic resumes
• Applications (90% are now online)
• Interview skills (How to become an expert at phone and face to face interviews)
• Online Job Boards such as Monster, Career Builder, Indeed and many others
• Social Media and how it can be used for and against you
• Reputation Management and Networking
• Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, etc.
• Questions potential employers like to ask
• Confrontational Interviewing and other types of interviews you may encounter
• Other Grassroots / DYI marketing yourself ideas
• Creating your own Unique Selling Proposition

Course Outline:

• Session 1 -- Overview of the current market and how has it changed
• Session 2 -- Commonsense and Mistakes that Kill
• Session 3 -- How to create a great marketing blitz – for yourself

Course Goal:
Obtaining victory in an employment world that is full of serpents and traps. This course will help you prepare for the challenge.

Fee: $45 for all three classes.

Presenter's Biography:
Derek Prentice is a graduate of Hope College with a B/A in Communications, Business and Art. An accomplished and integrity-driven professional with over 14 years of business success with Fortune 500 organizations and start-up companies, specializing in technology, automotive, power sports and consumer electronics.

Equipment Requirements:
Attendees are required to have high-speed internet. A headset with microphone is recommended but not required. (You can find them reasonably price at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002XIX0O/catholictreas-20.)

To check your connection with the online classes visit: http://www.webex.com/lp/jointest/.

If you have questions or comments, please leave a comment here or email Maureen Wittmann.

Click HERE to enroll.

Theology 101: Social Ethics: High School Online Course

This Spring '10 course is the third and last in our Theology 101 series. These courses can be taken together or independently. Whether or not you took the first two in the series, you'll benefit greatly from Social Ethics. Miss Ashour is an outstanding theologian and teacher. Most recently she has been employed by Ascension Press as a national speaker.

Course Description:
“…[B]y reason of their special vocation it belongs to the laity to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in the temporal affairs and directing them according to God’s will. …There they are called by God that, being led by the spirit to the Gospel, they may contribute to the sanctification of the world, as from within like leaven, by fulfilling their own particular duties” (Lumen Gentium 31). Such a statement undergirds the teaching of this course as we seek to know the proper role of the faithful Catholic in the secular sphere.

Course Goal:
Each student, comprehending his/her exalted role in society, will acknowledge and begin to live out his/her role as a Catholic in the world.

Course Outline:
Session 1: Dignitatis Humanae; “Reverse Clericalism” (Russell Shaw); the role of the laity (Gaudium et Spes); voting and political action; Just War Theory, capital punishment.

Session 2: “The fundamental option for the poor” (its correct and incorrect usage); Liberation Theology (and Pope Benedict’s critique); the fall of communism and its revival in other forms; private property, capitalism.

Session 3: The attack on the Church; media bias; Planned Parenthood, the ACLU and other organizations; the Catholic Moment Theory (Cardinal Stafford); the American Project.

Session 4: Vocations: The Universal Call to Holiness; the Priesthood, Marriage, and Religious Life; discernment (Fr. Michael Scanlon’s 5 C’s), public and person prayer, spirituality.

Fee:
This four-week course is regularly $75
Early registration discount is $15 until December 31, 2009

Dates and Time:
This is a nine-week course. Classes will begin Tuesday, January 12, 2010 and meet every Tuesday through February 2, 2010. The time will begin 1:00 PM Eastern Time and end at 2:00 PM.

Enrollment Period:
Enrollment is currently open.

Misc. Details:
All coursework will be provided by the instructor or available online for free. No homework will be given. However, Miss Ashour will provide optional homework with each of the classes so that parents can expand on her lectures and supply full academic credit for their student's work. (Note: Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.) Miss Ashour will be available via email in between classes to answer questions and take comments.

Equipment requirements:
Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone is recommended. If you do not own a headset, you can find them for a reasonable price at Amazon. A web cam is NOT required.

To register, go to: Social Ethics. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Register button and then follow the instructions. We take Visa and Master Card. If you prefer to pay by check, please don't hesitate to email me.

Literature: King Arthur: Online High School Course

The other fall 2009 class still open is Literature: King Arthur and Christ -- Heroism and Holiness with Henry Russell, Ph.D.

We've found Dr. Russell's literature courses to be especially helpful to Kolbe and Mother of Divine Grace families. We receive a good number of emails from students from these these great home study schools who are really happy to have a fun and interesting online course to supplement their studies. For example:

I've taken the Sir Gawain series and will be taking the Canterbury Tales and King Arthur ones as well. First of all, I want to let you know how much I enjoyed and got our of Sir Gawain. The lectures were a much better way to study the book than the approach I was going to use originally. I use Kolbe, and we have to read Sir Gawain for lit this year. [I planned to read] these stanzas, answer the questions on the literal level- what the Green Knight looked like, what Gawain had on the back of his shield, etc. No insights into the times, style, and parallels like Dr. Russell offered. It was way more interesting to read the book knowing all the additional information Dr. Russell gave us, and I'm sure I'll be able to pass the quarter exam without even studying because I remember more from the lectures simply because they're more interesting. :)

If you'd like to learn more about Dr. Russell's upcoming King Arthur course, here is all the information:

Course Description:
King Arthur attempts to build the City of God on earth, as we all must. His noble and sinful knights rise far above themselves under his Catholic kingdom’s rule of chivalry. Their fall is also our fall. In Lancelot we will see the crucial role that holiness must play in any heroism, and find that holiness--both personal and of the nation--is the purpose for which heroism is made. Most editions of this tale have been drastically whitewashed by their modernizers to make it a tale of merely cardinal virtues or generic Christian sentiment. Some have gone so far as to warp it into the service of paganism and witchcraft. Yet the greatest knight in the world sees Jesus and ends as a monk.

Third in the series: Medieval Lessons for Modern Catholics. Each course in the series can be taken alone or consecutively.

Professor's Biography:
Dr. Henry Russell is Headmaster of the St. Augustine's Homeschool Enrichment Program founded with his wife Crystal. The program began in Fall 2005 with 20 students in two living rooms and now tutors more than 70 students. He is also the President of the SS Peter and Paul Educational Foundation, dedicated to founding an orthodox Catholic Liberal Arts college in southeast Michigan.

A graduate of Princeton and South Caroline (M.S.), Dr. Russell completed his graduate work at Louisiana State University.

Formerly the Chairman of Ave Maria College's Department of Literature, he has also been a professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville and Wake Forest University. He is a founding faculty member of the St. Robert Southwell Creative Writing Workshop held in Mahwah, New Jersey.

Dr. Russell's works include The Catholic Shakespeare Audio Series. He was the Associate Editor of The Formalist from 1990-2004 and his writings have been published in various journals. He was honored to edit Dr. Alice von Hildebrand's groundbreaking volume, The Privilege of Being a Woman.

Price: $60

Dates and Time:
This is a nine-week course. Classes will begin Tuesday, November 3, 2009 and meet every Tuesday through November 24, 2009. The time will begin 10:00 AM Eastern Time and end at 11:15 AM.

Enrollment Period:
Enrollment is currently open.

Course Materials:
Dr. Russell will provide selections via e-mailed PDF files from Thomas Mallory’s English language, Morte D’Arthur. If you'd like to own it, you can check Amazon. Make sure not to use a volume by another author.

Homework:
No homework will be given. However, Dr. Russell will provide a quiz, answer key, and suggested essay topic with each of the four classes so that parents can expand on his lectures and supply full academic credit for their student's work. (Homeschool Connections does not keep transcripts.)

Equipment requirements:
Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone is recommended. If you do not own a headset, you can find them for a reasonable price at Amazon. A web cam is NOT required.

Online High School Theology Course: Catholic Spiritual Writers

Although we are scheduling spring courses there are still two fall class still open. One is Catholic Spiritual Writers and it starts November 5, 2009. Dr. Gotcher's classes are terrific for high school students as they are not only academically challenging but also spiritually uplifting. This course is a terrific opportunity for you to give your high school student credit for literature and theology as well help him or her grow in love with all things Catholic.

Course Title:
Catholic Spiritual Writers
(click on the hyperlink to register)

Course Description:
In this course we will look at the basic principles of Catholic spirituality as they are explained by some of the great spiritual writers, such as St. Augustine, St. Francis of Assisi, Thomas a Kempis, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis de Sales, and St. Therese of Lisieux. We will especially emphasize their application to the life of the young laity.

Homework
The assignment will be to pick one of the great spiritual classics, read the entire book over the six weeks of the course, and keep a journal of reflections as you read.

Fee:
Six-week course for $120.

Dates and Time:
Classes will begin Wednesday, November 4, 2009 and meet every Wednesday through December 16, 2009. The time will begin 8:00 PM Eastern (7:00 Central). The class is one hour 15 minutes.

Enrollment Period:
Enrollment is currently open and will close when the class is filled. (Maximum 15 students.)

Course Materials Needed by Students:
The text will be The Classics of Catholic Spirituality by Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P. (editor of the English language edition of Magnificat magazine). It is very inexpensive ($7). The rest of the texts from the great spiritual writers are available free online.

Equipment requirements:
Because this is a discussion course, students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with a microphone. If you do not own a headset, you can find them for a reasonable price at Amazon.

Course Access:
All Homeschool Connections courses are recorded and available to registered students for up to six months.

Professor's Biography:
Dr. Robert F. Gotcher most recently served as Associate Professor of Systematic Studies at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. He and his wife, Kathy, are raising their seven children in Franklin, Wisconsin. Dr. Gotcher has been actively involved in the home schooling of his children, especially in the junior high and high school years. He has taught Latin, literature, physics, astronomy, and religion to homeschooled students. He has a special devotion to the classical trivium of grammar, logic and rhetoric, especially as they pertain to the written arts.

Dr. Gotcher graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1981 with a B.A. in the Program of Liberal Studies. He received his M.A. in Theology of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul in 1991 and his Ph.D. from Marquette University in 2002. In his adult life he has done everything from volunteering with the poor in Appalachia, to religious education and youth ministry, to desktop publishing and computer related responsibilities at a law firm. At the seminary he taught introduction to theology, the doctrine of God, one and three, theological anthropology (creation, sin, redemption, grace, four last things), life principles, and human sexuality and has given public presentations on Vatican II, the encyclicals of the pope, social justice, life issues, human sexuality and the theology of the body. His publications focus on family issues, lay spirituality and issues related to the Second Vatican Council. He is involved in the secular Franciscan order, home schooling, and pro-life activities in the Milwaukee area and nationally.

Dr. Gotcher blogs at Heart, Mind & Strength, Classic Catholic and Love2Learn.

Click here to learn about other homeschool online classes.

High School Government Online Class

We're getting most of our spring classes scheduled this week. First up is our introductory government course. We're offering that again due to its popularity:

Course Description:
American government has been called the most radical experiment in self-governing in human history based on its unique system of democracy and citizen involvement. Learn how the fundamental elements of American government are supposed to work, how they actually work, and the role and responsibility each citizen has in our government and our future."

Instructor's Biography:
Ed Rivet has a B.S. in Pre-Law and Public Policy and a Master's in Public Administration both from Michigan State University. He served three years as a legislative aide in the Michigan House of Representatives. For 21 years Ed has served as the Right to Life of Michigan's Legislative Director. He has written and helped enact dozens of laws, including the nation's first complete ban on human cloning, and banning assisted suicide in the face of the assault on human life by Jack Kevorkian and Geoffrey Fieger. Ed was the director of the state of Michigan's largest all-volunteer citizen petition drive which also was the state's most accurate petition drive ever, 97.3% valid signatures. Ed has done countless media interviews, appearing in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, plus live interviews on CNN and Good Morning America.

Price: $135

Dates and Time:
This is a nine-week course. Classes will begin Friday, February 12, 2010 and meet every Friday through April 16, 2010 (No class on Good Friday). The time will begin 12:00 PM Eastern Time and end at 1:15 PM.

Enrollment Period:
Enrollment is currently open and will close on February 7, 2010. This will provide students time to learn about the educational software Moodle (free) and the instructor time to provide a syllabus and welcome letter.

Misc. Details:
All coursework will be provided by the instructor or available online for free. Homework and research projects will be given and graded. (Though Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping services.) Mr. Rivet will be available via email in between classes to answer questions and take comments.

Equipment requirements:
Students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with microphone is recommended. If you do not own a headset, you can find them for a reasonable price at Amazon. A web cam is NOT required.

Comments from Mr. Rivet's Past Students:

"The class was fantastic! I really enjoyed it!"

"Thanks for teaching this class ... I really enjoyed it and I felt like it gave me a better understanding of my government."

"I loved this class!"

"NICE JOB!!!!! I really enjoyed the class and I am thankful I did it. The course gave me a basic yet essential understanding of how our government works that I never had before. Thanks a bunch!"

To register, go to: Democracy, Government, and Citizenship. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Register button and then follow the instructions. We take Visa and Master Card. If you prefer to pay by check, please don't hesitate to email me.

I'll post the rest of the courses here on the blog over the next week as we get them together. Or you can check in at the Homeschool Connections website to see what's being scheduled.

Francican University Steubenville

Addendum: The live webinar with FUS went fantastic. You may watch the recording at Meet Franciscan University.

Catholic College Month is under way. The webinar on how to pay for college without breaking your bank account went great! It's never too early to start planning! If you'd like to view the recording just click on How to Pay for College.

Next up for Catholic College Month is Meet and Greet Franciscan University of Steubenville. This is a terrific opportunity to meet firsthand (electronically at least) FUS's key admissions officials:

Franciscan University of Steubenville Catholic? Absolutely! Typical? Not Even Close!

Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Time: 3:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00)
Duration: 1 hour
Presenters: Margaret Weber and Joel Recznik

Description: A Catholic liberal arts school, Franciscan University of Steubenville integrates strong academic programs and a lively faith environment, educating and forming men and women of hope to be a transforming presence in the Church and the world. This attractive combination draws over 2,400 students from all 50 states and 15 foreign countries. Students choose from over 40 undergraduate and 7 graduate programs, and a popular study abroad program in Austria. Faith households -- small groups of male or female students -- provide positive peer support, while confession, daily Mass, eucharistic adoration, and Festivals of Praise encourage students to pursue ongoing personal conversion in the power of the Holy Spirit. A Great Books Honors Program, NCAA Division III and intramural sports, Works of Mercy and Missions of Peace, and a Human Life Studies Minor are among the many additional opportunities found at Franciscan. Franciscan University is Academically Challenging and Passionately Catholic.

Presenters Biographies: Mrs. Margaret Weber has served Franciscan University of Steubenville in the Admissions Department for over 26 years. The last 18 years she has been the Director of Admissions. Margaret and her husband Gregory have two sons who are graduates of Franciscan University a daughter who is currently a junior.

Mr. Joel Recznik has served Franciscan University of Steubenville for 23 years, and the last 8 have been as VP for Enrollment. Joel and his wife Joan have 12 children and their three oldest are currently attending Franciscan University.

Seating for this event is limited so enroll soon!

Catholic College Month Update

We've scheduled a few more colleges and universities for Catholic College Month. This event is open to all families interested in Catholic higher education. It is also a tremendous opportunity to meet first hand (electronically, at least) with key admissions officials at some of the great Catholic universities and colleges in the country, and it's FREE!

Here is the schedule thus far:

• How to Pay for College Without Breaking the Bank October 5 @ 8:30 p.m. ET
  
• Meet Franciscan University on October 21 @ 3 p.m. ET
• Meet Wyoming Catholic College on October 28 @ 8:30 p.m. ET
• Ave Maria University on October 29 @ 8:00 p.m. ET
  
• Meet Christendom College on November 5 @ 8:30 p.m. ET
• Meet University of St. Thomas (Houston, TX) on November 10 @ 8:30 p.m. ET
• University of Dallas on November 9 @ 7:30 p.m. ET
  

Moral Theology: Online High School Course:

Theology 101: Christian Anthropology is going along splendidly. I can't believe how much I've learned alongside the students. Miss Ashour is a wonderful teacher. Christian Anthropology finishes up tomorrow and the next course in the Theology 101 series will begin October 13, 2009 -- Moral Theology. The third and final course in the series, Social Ethics, will begin in January. These courses can be taken independently of one another or together. All are recorded and will be made available to view on your own time in the upcoming months.

If you would like to enroll in Moral Theology here is all of the information:
Instructor's Biography
Having had 20 years of experience in the classroom, 3 years of experience working at St. Mary's Catholic Church at Texas A&M University as one of the Campus Ministers, and Master Degrees in Humanities and Theological Studies from the University of Dallas, Monica Ashour comes to us with a breadth and depth of vision that will solidify and electrify high school students. Orthodox, passionate, and pedogogically adept, Miss Ashour reaches youth especially in the areas of Christian Anthropology, Moral Theology, and Social Ethics. Her former students come to her often with gratitude in preparing them for the various experiences that they faced in college. Here is a direct quotation from one of her former students who was a junior at the time of writing:

Miss Ashour, I wanted to thank you for preparing me in class for Shakespeare in Italy. I got so much more out of Rome because of my education (you!) prepared me for the wealth of culture and religion it offers. All I have learned in your class about Catholicism and truth made The Vatican and the major basilicas come alive for me.
--Mary M.

Course Description
Every human person is called to the perfection of charity (cf. LG #40). This vocation has been revealed through Jesus Christ and can be accomplished only in and with Jesus Christ, whose Paschal Mystery is made present in the Church’s liturgy—the “great work in which God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified” (SC #7). To further man’s sanctification, the Second Vatican Council has asked that “. . . special care should be given to the perfecting of moral theology. Its scientific presentation should draw more fully on the teaching of Holy Scripture and should throw light upon the exalted vocation of the faithful in Christ and their obligation to bring forth fruit in charity for the life of the world” (OT #16).

Therefore, this course will attempt to focus upon the moral life, first of all, within the context of man’s vocation in Christ, the model of holiness, who took the form of a slave, emptied himself, and learned obedience through suffering; secondly, within the context of man’s natural endowments, his capacity for virtue; and finally, within the context of charity as the form of the virtues and the goal of all man’s strivings since “God is love” (1Jn 4:8).

Week-By-Week Outline:
Week 1:
Quick review of Christian Anthropology: Man made in God’s image and likeness (the 4-fold communion before the Fall: Trinitarian Theology (our goal: we are made for union and communion with God); Christian Anthropology based on Pope John Paul’s Theology of the Body, “the most suitable education about man;” freedom; Natural Law, secularist relativism; redemption and the Mass; grace and justification—Catholic and Protestant perspectives; drawn from and geared toward the Gift of Self of Jesus at Calvary participated in at Mass; the source of Revelation—Jesus, entrusted to us in Scripture & Tradition as guided by the Magisterium; infallibility; objective Truth and subjective experience; the danger of sentimentality; C.S. Lewis’ “Man and Rabbit” and “Weight of Glory” (Morality is not the essence of Christianity; abundant life in Christ is)

Week 2:
3 fonts of the moral act; “the acting person” (Pope John Paul), Mortal sin and venial sin; the radical and moderate Fundamental Option Theory related to the Protestant “once saved, always saved; Veritatis Splendor (Pope John Paul); salvation and sanctity; purgatory; indulgences; conscience—defined, formation of, and the 4 scenarios

Week 3:
Nominalism and William of Ockham’s influence on Moral Theology, leading to relativism ( which is what Pope Benedict says is the worst evil of today);the split of the Medieval Synthesis of faith and reason; Pope Benedict’s Regensburg address; proportionalism (from Veritatis Splendor and as commented on by Dr. Janet Smith); proportionalism’s wrong application to moral acts: contraception, abortion, euthanasia, pornography, and other intrinsically evil acts.

Week 4:
Virtue and vice; emotions’ proper role; Marriage and sexuality: The beauty behind the Church’s teaching regarding marriage and family life, related back to our telos, our goal of union and communion with Christ, the Bridegroom and His Bride, the Church who takes us to the Perichoresis, the inner exchange of life and love of the Blessed Trinity. Eschatology.

Goal:
Each student, challenged and emboldened to think deeply, will receive skills to meet the challenges of living “in the world but not of the world.”

Fee:
The regular price is $60.

Dates and Time:
This is a four-week course. Classes will begin Tuesday, October 13, 2009 and meet every Tuesday through November 3, 2009. The classes will begin 1:00 PM Eastern Time (noon Central) and are one hour long.

Enrollment Period:
Enrollment is currently open.

Misc. Details:
Miss Ashour will be available via email in between classes to answer questions and take comments. Recordings of the classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.

Equipment Requirements:
Students are required to have high-speed internet. A headset with microphone is required. You can find them reasonably price at Amazon. To check your connection with the online classes visit: http://www.webex.com/lp/jointest/.

Next in the series: Social Ethics

Catholic College Month: Your Chance to Give Us Your Input

I need your input. Remember a few days ago I mentioned Catholic College Month? Well, the response has been terrific. I've been notified by a large number of good Catholic colleges and universities over the past few days who would like to participate.

Here's how you can help: I need to know what topics and what colleges you want to hear about. Please take a couple of minutes to complete this survey: Catholic College Webinars. There are only four questions to complete, but I can't tell you how much that would help everyone involved in this ever growing project. Please tell all your friends!

Thank you!

Online Courses: Late Fall 2009 Enrollment

We are offering Fall 2009 courses that do not begin until October or November so that you may ease in the school year. These are all 4 to 6 week courses. Click on the links below to learn more or to register:

Oct. 6 to Oct. 27 - Literature: The Canterbury Tales
Oct. 13 to Nov. 3 - Moral Theology
Nov. 3 to Nov. 24 - Literature: King Arthur
Nov. 4 to Dec. 16 - Catholic Spiritual Writers

Catholic College Month

October is Catholic College Month at Homeschool Connections. We are in the midst of scheduling a number of free webinars on the topic of preparing for our children's college years.

On the calendar so far:

How to Pay for College Without Going Broke
http://tinyurl.com/affordcollege
Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, 8:30 PM Eastern
Presented by: Katherine O'Brien of Celtic College Consultants
http://www.celticcollegeconsultants.com/

Franciscan University of Steubenville Catholic? Absolutely! Typical? Not Even Close!
http://tinyurl.com/meetfus
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009, 3:00 PM Eastern
Presented by: Margaret Weber and Joel Recznik
http://franciscan.edu/

Wyoming Catholic College: Blazing New Trails in Catholic Higher Education
http://tinyurl.com/meetwyoming
Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 8:30 Eastern
Presented by: Mario Coccia
http://www.wyomingcatholiccollege.com/