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THE ANGELICUM ACADEMY
WHATS NEW: FAQs
 The Angelicum Academy which was launched in August, 2000 A.D., is nearing the completion of its first academic year. Homeschoolers do not
all follow the traditional academic year, but many do, and we use it as a marker - grades, report cards and transcripts for all courses completed by May 31 will be mailed out in June.
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3 TA Elementary
Level Students
Therese, Mary and Christian
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We have heard from thousands of homeschooling families this year, and we are growing very rapidly and now adding
new students literally every day we are open. Our offices are open Monday-Friday, 9-4 CST. We have students across the country and in four
other countries and expect to add several more countries to that list this Fall. Inquiries have been received from as far away as Guam, Hungary, Argentina, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Germany, Puerto
Rico, Canada and Australia.
Our new web site - angelicum.net - is up, though not quite entirely completed. Our Angelicum Book
Store is posting scanned images of the covers, tables of contents and sample pages from every book in our curriculum. We are busy preparing book summaries to add as well. The web site will soon offer
a parent forum and a student forum, as well as a page for student assignments and essays on various
subjects, together with a forum to discuss the essay. A "News" bulletin board will contain the latest
developments, events and announcements from the Academy. You can now order books and enroll online.
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TA High School
Student
David Sanche Canada
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Our first online Socratic discussion groups will end next week. We are the
first and only homeschool program to offer that live-audio option to students. They begin in early September and end in late May each year.
Despite a few technical glitches, overall the discussion groups worked far better than we had hoped for a new program like this. The first high school
group will finish the year of the ancient Greeks (Freshman grade level) next week with oral exams online. Next year they will begin the ancient
Romans. Also next year, or perhaps the following, we hope that technology will allow us to add full-motion video to our live audio-discussions. At
present it is simply too choppy and distracting. But the live-audio works surprisingly well, since it requires minimal bandwidth.
Our staff keeps growing to meet your needs. We invite you to meet them
on our website. We have met some of our student and their parents around the country at homeschooling conventions we attend the most recent being
in Harrisburg, Indianapolis, and Memphis. Our website lists our convention appearances. Some of our TA students are pictured on this page.
We wish to express our gratitude for the support, enthusiasm and patience
with which the first year of our Catholic Great Books, classical homeschool program has been received. We look forward to another year of growth - helping more homeschooling families understand
and be enabled to find the best available materials for their classical homeschooling needs.
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TA student
Ashley Blokzyl
Attending Online Socratic Discussions on Homer's Iliad
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As many of you now know, we consider this program a service. We regard parents (not us) as the primary educators of their children.
They - not the government, not us - know best about their own children. We are here merely to help homeschooling parents and students, in any way we can, but principally through providing the
best materials available for their use, together with simple lesson plans, tests, grading, record keeping, advice, optional online discussion groups, Britannica online, and so on. Our standard answer
to parents who call with one or another request is, "yes". This surprises many, who seem to expect to find us rigid and bureaucratic
- perhaps because that is their experience in public schools. On the contrary, we try to be flexible in every way possible in order to encourage homeschooling and those families resolved to educate
their children well. God bless them. Again, thank you for the opportunity to be of service in this vital, classical, homeschooling movement.
Following are some frequently asked question about TA.
THE ANGELICUM ACADEMY FAQS
May I buy materials without enrolling?
Yes. Anyone may purchase our materials.
If enrolled, may I substitute courses from one grade for another?
Yes. Parents are the primary educators of their children. You may choose as many or as few
courses as you wish, from whatever grade levels you wish, for any student.
If I substitute with my own courses will I still get a grade from the Academy?
Yes. You need only to send us your child's quarterly grade and we will keep a record of that grade for
you. Our transcripts note whether grades are "parental" or "Academy" graded.
Is the Angelicum Catholic and obedient to the Magisterial of the Church?
Yes. Please see our statement of this in the article about us in the first issue of Classical
Homeschooling and on our website at www.angelicum.net.
Are the materials you use Catholic?
Yes and no. Obviously the religion course is Catholic, from Church-approved texts, which have been
used in Catholic schools for many years. Likewise, the Medieval history texts selected reflect the
Catholic world view. However, there is no "Catholic" math any more than there is Baptist math or
Muslim math. 2+2=4 in every culture and religion. This holds true for English, grammar, phonics,
handwriting, cartography, and geography. Any attempt to "Catholicize" these courses simply
confuses the material with irrelevant superficialities. In courses such as these - based on natural
truths - we have selected the best texts available with the most effective presentation of this material.
It is best for the parents to place them in a Catholic context to whatever extent deemed necessary.
This is largely true for ancient history in the elementary grades as well as for foreign languages, excepting some ecclesiastical Latin and Greek. Where is it needed, in the otherwise excellent
science texts selected, any departures from Catholic teaching are either omitted or noted for the parents in the Lesson Plans, together with the supplemental materials (such as Creation
Rediscovered). The music and art selected by the Angelicum Academy (particularly the supplemental materials) is influenced by Catholic culture, such as more extensive study of Gregorian chant,
classical music, and Medieval and Baroque poetry. To summarize, the materials are Catholic where it is appropriate and meaningful, and not where this is merely superficial and irrelevant (or even
nonsensical) regarding the material involved.
What are the benefits of enrolling in the Academy?
We offer many services to enrolled parents. We grade quarterly tests and book report forms and keep
permament school records. Parents are free to chose any of the courses from any grades for their
child. We provide you with daily lesson plans -- custom made for your child. We offer consultation throughout the year with trained staff who understand the courses we offer. We are the only
homeschool program to offer both the Good and Great Books of the Western world. We have optional
online Socratic discussions for enrolled or non-enrolled students. We are also the only homeschool to
offer a BA at the end of our four year Great Books program. Enrolled parents are free to contact (by
email, mail, fax or phone) the staff at any time of the year with questions, comments or need of help. If enrolled, you will also receive a free membership to Britannia online.
How will I know where to place my child in the Academy?
We offer a placement test, free of charge, for parents who do not know in which level to place their
children. It is up ultimately to the parents to chose what grade level(s) to place their children.
How do your lesson plans work?
We have daily lesson plans for every subject on our list. The lesson plans are kept simple so the
parents do not have to read needless information. Most of our courses come with a detailed teacher's manual to help the parents understand the lesson, if needed. Our lesson plans are also simple
enough to be used by even younger students, when the parent is too busy to sit down and explain the
lesson. If your student is enrolled and already has one of the books you will be using for your enrolled child, simply let us know and we will send you a set of lesson plans.
Your program seems advanced, how hard will it be for my child?
We often tell parents our program is as hard or as easy as you want it to be, since it is the parents
who chose the courses and levels they want for their children.
What is included in your Good Books Literature lesson plans?
The Good Books program comes with a 2-3 page cover sheet explaining the Good Books and offering
tips on questions to ask while reading the books. We also include a number of book reports for each
grade level (varying in difficulty from Nursery - 8th grade) for the student to fill out as a book is completed.
Do we have to use Academy materials exclusively for our homeschooling?
No. Again, parents are the primary educators. We are here to aid them. While we believe our
materials are the finest available we understand that in some circumstances parents may wish to continue using some materials they already have.
Do I have to buy the entire literature package for each grade?
No. You may buy each of the books, from any grade level, individually.
The literature list seems advanced for the age groups listed. Why is this?
The listings are a rough guide for parents. Certainly, in the younger grades, the parents will be doing
some, or most, of the reading. This is not only acceptable but also beneficial for the students, even
for older students, as they learn how the language "should" sound and also helps the student learn to
listen well. It is a good thing for students [for all of us, in fact] occasionally to read a book that is
difficult and makes them "stretch" intellectually. It is for this reason that some of the books are listed
where they will be a challenge to the student. Of course, not every book should be difficult as this would be discouraging. In any case, the parents know best what the student is capable of and the
choice of books is up to them.
May I mix and match books from the Academy?
Yes. You may chose whatever books you wish from any grade level for any student.
Do we send in our daily work to the Academy?
No. However, the quarterly and semester tests and book reports of enrolled students may be sent to us for evaluation and grading.
What is your schedule for quarterly and semester testing?
We test on your schedule, not ours. One of the benefits of homeschooling is the scheduling flexibility
it offers. Our Lesson Plans divide the courses into four sections of approximately nine weeks each
(36 weeks per grade level). However, you are free to go through the course material as quickly or as slowly as you wish. We send the tests to you with your lesson plans.
How long per day does it take to homeschool a student?
The amount of time will, of course, vary from student to student and family to family, but, on average,
homeschool students spend only about 2 to 2.5 hours a day studying, and still surpass students in schools.
What is your goal in education?
As Dr. Adler has written: "What is the ultimate goal toward which every part of schooling, or
education, is directed? It is wisdom.
Is the BA you offer a real BA?
Yes. We believe most colleges will accept the BA we give to students who have completed our four
year Great Books program because it will be worthy of their respect and acceptance, whereas many they now accept are not. Homeschooling itself initially faced this same challenge. Homeschoolers are
now actually being recruited by many universities.
Does my child have to take the BA test at the end of high school?
No. This is up to the parents and student to chose this option.
Are you accredited?
Yes. We are accredited through NILE (National Institute for Liberal Education). We will also be
seeking accreditation with the AALE (American Academy of Liberal Education) in due cause.
When do you accept enrollments?
Students are enrolling at all times of the year. Again, one of the benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility it affords.
Do you have a payment plan?
We accept credit cards, money orders and checks. We do not have a payment plan.
What if I get my books and I do not like them?
We have a 30 day book return policy. You will get a full refund, less a 10% restocking fee. Lesson
plans and enrollment in the Academy and online seminars are nonrefundable.
May a student participate in the seminars without enrolling in the Academy?
Yes. Students may be enrolled for seminar participation only. See the enrollment fee schedule for the cost of this option.
May a student begin participating in the seminars at any time?
Students in 3rd through 8th grades may join a seminar group at any time, September through May.
The readings that provide the basis for those discussions are not sequential - meaning that knowledge
of the previous readings is not necessary for full participation in the current discussions. Because the
high school great books reading program is a four-year course, with successive readings building upon
the knowledge and understanding acquired during the previous readings, all students initially start at
the beginning of the freshman year. Once a seminar group is started, new students go on a waiting list until the next high school seminar group begins.
When do the optional high school seminar groups begin?
They can begin whenever the current waiting list fills. So a new group may begin at almost any time of year.
If I enroll, do I have to participate in the online discussions?
No. This is an optional service. You are free to chose this option or not. Non-enrolled students may
also wish to participate in the online discussions.
I have a 10th grader, can I enroll her in the 10th grade discussions?
We can give your daughter a test to see if she is ready. If she is not, we will place her in the 9th
grade discussions and she can continue on with her 10th grade math and science, and whatever other
subject she would like to take. As a general rule, the Great Books readings build on each other. So it is best to start with the first year to get the most out of these great works.
How do you get the students together for the seminars?
The seminars are conducted over the Internet, with live-audio, so the students participate through their
computers using a simple microphone and speaker, at regularly scheduled times.
Does my 3rd grader have to be able to type to participate in the seminars?
No. The seminars are "live" audio. Using the software is simple. Even our youngest students have
no trouble with it.
Do I have to buy any software or hardware for the seminars?
The software is free. You will need speakers and a microphone - or a headset. A good headset can
be purchased for less than $20.00. The computer can be, by current standards, old and slow. It should be a minimum of 200 MHz with a minimum 28.8 BPS modem.
Does the software work on a Mac?
Not at present.
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