William C. Michael

In this lesson, we study Aesop’s Fable of “The Two Frogs”. To complete the objectives of this lesson, complete the following tasks: Study the fable for mastery, being careful to learn all of the details of the fable. Study the lesson exposition below. Complete the lesson assessment. Lesson One hot summer, the lake in which two Frogs lived was completely dried up, and they were obliged to set off in search of water elsewhere. Coming to a deep and deliciously cool well, one of the Frogs proposed that they should jump in at once. “Wait a bit.” cried the other; … Continue

Recently a few of my children went to church to take tests that are part of their sacramental preparation programs. They have to memorize quite a bit of material–prayers, teachings of the Church, etc. When they came from from their testing, the topic of discussion was the surprise to see many of the kids cheating on their tests. Yes, cheating on their faith formation tests. Cheating is rampant throughout modern schools–and homeschools. To pretend this is a public school problem and not a Catholic homeschool program as well is to simply refuse to face reality. Many students are left unsupervised … Continue

When we look at the admission requirements of selective colleges and universities, we find a list of standard courses that constitute a modern “college prep” curriculum. Harvard University, for example, recommends the following: The study of English for four years: close and extensive reading of the classics of the world’s literature; four years of a single foreign language; the study of history for at least two years, and preferably three years: American history, European history, and one additional advanced history course; the study of mathematics for four years; the study of science for four years: physics, chemistry, and biology, and … Continue

Enjoy this BBC Radio recording of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, starring Paul Scofield (A Man for All Seasons).

In the Classical Liberal Arts Academy, we understand that students are being raised in many different circumstances. Some of our students enjoy nearly ideal conditions for classical Catholic studies, but most of them don’t. We are challenged to work together to help overcome the obstacles and allow all students to enjoy the same studies within their own unique circumstances. In response to a recent question from a parent facing difficult circumstances, I posted the following talk. God bless,William C. Michael, HeadmasterClassical Liberal Arts Academy

In the late 1800s, K-12 education became compulsory in the United States. Take a minute and let that sink in. Before the 1800s, K-12 education was not compulsory. Most children did not go to school, but remained with their parents and relatives, working in or around their homes. Some children were sent to trusted friends or relatives for apprenticeships or private education. They weren’t required to go to school–at all. In the late 1800s, this changed–and American culture changed. New, tax-funded “Public schools” were created to provide this compulsory education, and they were known to be anti-Catholic, largely influenced by … Continue