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In this talk, we take an honest look at some of the hidden struggles that homeschool parents face—not in curriculum or scheduling, but in judgment and expectations. Many families start homeschooling with great hopes, but lose their way because of mistakes in how they view their children, their progress, and even themselves. We’ll explore issues such as: Wanting children to love learning when we ourselves may not. Expecting fruits and results at the wrong times. Comparing our children unfairly to peers who live very different lives. Losing hope when challenges or setbacks arise. Setting conflicting or unrealistic goals. Using high … Continue

Three young men scoffed at an old blind man who taught that a snowy mountain was made long ago, out of nothing, by a supernatural being. The first said, “Nonsense. The mountain is ice.” He dug through the snow and found a layer of ice, and triumphantly declared the old man refuted. The second said, “You are wrong. The mountain is dirt.” He dug beneath the ice and found soil, and in his turn boasted that he had proven the old man wrong. The third said, “You are both deceived. The mountain is stone.” He dug still deeper until he … Continue

In the Classical Liberal Arts Academy, we assess student work by using a combination of assessment methods.  Lessons include online quizzes, which test students’ knowledge of lesson content.  Lessons also include written assessments, which allow students to develop and demonstrate their understanding of lesson concepts and writing skills. All written assessments are reviewed and graded by an AI program that I developed for the CLAA, which is built right into the CLAA Study Center. I analyzed my own grading method, broke it down into ten criteria and then programed our assignment system to use my instructions and criteria to automatically … Continue

The Catholic tradition has long expressed the harmony of grace and nature in the simple yet profound phrase: gratia perficit naturam—grace perfects nature. This principle, drawn from the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas and rooted in the wisdom of the Fathers, explains not only the relationship between God and man but also the proper understanding of human study, labor, and growth. It reminds us that man’s natural powers are real, good, and ordered to truth, yet also limited and insufficient for attaining his supernatural end. God does not despise the natural capacities He has given to man but calls man … Continue

In modern education, enormous amounts of time, energy, and money are expended on things that have little to do with real learning. Parents and students alike are constantly busy, but their busyness does not translate into measurable progress. At the heart of the problem is a failure to distinguish between activities that “feel” like schoolwork and those that actually demonstrate mastery of knowledge and skills. True academic progress depends on significant academic tasks—assignments, quizzes, and exams that develop ability and reveal measurable results. Everything else, no matter how time-consuming or emotionally charged, contributes little to nothing toward actual education. The … Continue

Introduction: Setting the Scene and Topic So today is August 17, 2025 and this is William Michael of the Classical Liberal Arts Academy. As you can probably hear from my background, I’m out for a walk today. So today’s talk will be presented in the form of a walk talk. And I just ask you to bear with the circumstances of a walk talk, which means I’m usually not providing any kind of prepared talk, and there may be distractions in the background. What I’d like to talk about is an important topic, one that I was reminded of by … Continue

Dear parents, Many homeschool programs place the full burden of teaching on parents. They send books and “lesson plans,” and parents are left to do the work of teachers—preparing and delivering lessons, grading assignments, and keeping academic records. In some cases, they even ask parents to pay extra for grading services. This is not only costly, but also stressful, and the success of the program ends up depending entirely on the parent’s time, skill, and energy. The Classical Liberal Arts Academy works differently. We have already done the work that teachers need to do. Our courses are fully developed and … Continue

Are you paying thousands for homeschool curriculum… but still doing all the work yourself? You’re not alone. Many parents are shocked to discover that expensive homeschool programs drain family finances, limit extracurricular opportunities, and consume their entire family life—without even delivering a high-quality education. In this video, we’ll break down: Why modern homeschool programs are so expensive (and often overrated) How high costs affect your family’s budget, activities, and culture Why spending more doesn’t mean getting a better education How the Classical Liberal Arts Academy gives your family the highest quality education at a fraction of the cost