Conversation....3

LET ME PREFACE THIS:  This is my opinion and my research.  Although the amounts may not be completely accurate, I get a sense of the money & time that is invested.

Some minor issues that I have with Classical Conversations, the business side of it….  

Here is MY take on the whole CC investment plan…. 

COST:  

If I were to join CC today, I would end up paying (for my 4 kids; not counting my foster kids):  $2150 in tuition, $225 in registration fees (NONREFUNDABLE), $200 in supply / lab fees, and $30+ facility fee.  That’s a total of $2,605.  But guess what?  That’s not counting books - CC and my other 'core' curriculum!  You already know about buying books and how much those cost – especially if you purchase them from the original publisher!  http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/1395/izjicnefn/

AND I have a mild problem with the reimbursement of the tutor/director.  Not that someone should not get paid for services, but it is like a multi-level marketing, perhaps?  Or in my ignorance I can see similarities.  The more students, the more $ to the tutor, more $ to the director, more $ to the regional manager, more $ to the state director, etc. (and what ever the titles may be...)  That is how my Mary Kay lady gets paid (and her superiors).  It is actually a great idea for the person who invented this…  AND, if you love the product, then sell, sell, sell it....

I home school another child and I get paid!  That is fair, right?  Yes, but I don’t request the parent, for whom I work, to find more and more children for me to homeschool and then give her a break financially for getting me more clients .

I couldn’t find an actual form that would determine the amount a director, tutor, etc. would make, but did find the following Forum Q&A post that stated (Italics are mine - for emphasis):

“I tutor Foundations. Each campus is set up the same, so this should apply for everyone's campus.  I know this thread is very old, but I wanted to throw the information out there for anyone else searching for answers too. Your tutor paycheck is dependent on the number of children at your campus, not in your classroom.  All the tutors at the campus receive the same monthly paycheck.

Each child signed up for CC pays tuition which is then divided between the campus director and the tutors. The director receives 40% of the total tuition collected, and the tutors at the campus split the remaining 60% equally between them. So if you had 10 students at your campus and two tutors, then your math would look something like this:

$325 x 10 students = $3,250

$3,250 x 60% = $1,950 / 2 tutors = $975 for the full year (6 payments total) or $162.50/month ... which as it happens is the monthly amount of tuition to have three students enrolled in CC  So as long as your campus average of students:tutor was 5:1, then you could have three of your own children enrolled and break even.

The director at this campus would earn 40% of $3,250 = $1,300 total or $216.67/month for six months.

See:    Reference to source     

Therefore:  20 students would bring in $6500; 40 kids would accumulate $13,000.  At 40 kids, the director would make (@ 40%) $5200/year.  I'm not bashing anyone for making money, but could this be the drive for more students, campuses, families, counties etc. to get involved in CC?  AND for Challenge A&B, the tuition goes up to $1100 or so....  With 10 students that would be $4400 for the director.  I know that is not a lot of money!  But, mom, it is your money.  I can say it is not money that I can give to someone else!  

Fees are better explained here-  CC costs explained plainly as well as on the CC website via a PDF.

SO, The registration fee is $50-75 which goes directly to CC the company.....  According to this post below, CC gets the registration fee.  If there are 67,000 students, then CC makes $3.1 million/year.  See this video for Classical Conversations that mentions the number of students enrolled per year.  Number of students in CC.

A view from a forum -

Hive Mind Worker Bee
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Posted 07 June 2009 - 08:28 PM

I'm not familiar w/multi-level company's, but I am familiar w/CC. Each family pays a registration fee, which is the only money "corporate" receives directly from the participating families. The rest remains on each campus, to pay for supplies, the host church/facility, and yes--the tutors and the director get paid from that, too. I think CC makes no bones about the fact that the tutors are trained, and that they want to encourage homeschool moms/dads to do something they love and make some money, too....

Whew….  It sounds so wonderful and is a nice concept!  But, again, not for me.  Do you know how many hours I could get a personal tutor, like a college student or high school student?  At $20/hour, I could employ one for 130 hours or 13 hours each month of school (assuming school is 10 months).

TIME (only if you decide to be a tutor - which I would, to offset costs):  

If I did tutor, then I would have to spend time away from my own 4 kids to prepare for class!  AND I know that I would be the kind of teacher that would want to be the ‘best’. 

That is how it was when I was a teacher at the local Christian School.  I studied my lessons, planned the activities, read up on my topics, and rehearsed the lesson.  (Much of which was on my own time - not a planning period.)  All the while my own children were doing their own homework, studying their spelling words, reading their own books, etc.  We were missing out on spending precious time together on the same material.  I wanted to be free from all that.  When I taught (and, granted, it was 5 days/week), I honestly enjoyed the praise from the other families – students and parents often thought I was a good teacher, and I can honestly say to you, “It felt good to have others give me edification in that role.” 

But my primary purpose has got to be at my home.  To be the wife, mom, teacher, daughter, sister, friend – all rolled into one person!  I want my primary responsibility to give me any praise (Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her - Prov 31:28.), to be proud of me, to want to spend time with ME.  AND, I want to have the time to spend with them….THEY are my biggest investment!  I gave up my teaching job to home educate --- my kids and I could go to the library, go on field trips, read books, meet up with other like-minded families, etc. with no time constraints.  See a Similar blog post here.

I totally love my support / co-op groups and what these groups provide in the way of enrichment opportunities!  That is the perfect balance in home education and enhancing opportunities / socialization for ME. They schedule field trips, provide fun outings, plan co-ops (that I often feel led to teach – but can always take a break when needed and be a 'hall-monitor'), and, most importantly, they give other moms encouragement!  AND, that is my main objective - to encourage moms that you CAN home educate -at home.

In concluding today’s convo, remember it is not the educational program itself that creates success, it is the loving parent absorbed with giving a rich learning environment to their child.  Don’t let anyone say they have all the answers when it comes to homeschooling.  There are a million ways to home educate.  I don’t like a one-size-fits-most choice; that philosophy is what they are attempting in the public school system – whether intentional or not.  My child does not need to be in a factory setting, but in a flower garden setting – where their particular interests can blossom into genius.  So I’m going to create an environment for enthusiasm and interest in learning in my own home.

Also see the following links for more objective views or from those who have actually attended (or not) CC:

Nurturing Learning Blog

Simply Charlotte Mason Forum

Well Trained Mind Q & A forum FYI

Another WTM Q & A Forum

THESE ARE MY PERSONAL OPINIONS.  I'm an 'educational consultant' who will choose to assist families in choosing cost-effective, quality educational materials and programs.  If you can afford this program, then I will direct you to it!  If not, then please know:  you can do a terrific job at home without the program.  Your kids can memorize, present, speak publicly, and stay on task.