Gentle and Classical Primer *DETAILED* REVIEW | How I Used This Curriculum | What You Need to Know

Are you interested in using Gentle + Classical Primer? Since we have recently completed this curriculum, I wanted to do a full, detailed review and walk you through some of my tips on how to implement the different elements of the program.
Find Gentle + Classical Primer right here (my affiliate link): shopgentleclassical.com/products/gentle-classical-primer-bundle-1?variant=39591456014492&aff=24
0:00 Intro
1:04 What is Gentle + Classical Primer?
2:50 Big Picture: Things You Should Know
8:42 Tips for Memory Statement Cards
10:07 Virtues
11:15 Catechism
12:14 Manners
13:00 Bible
14:07 Math
14:37 Wonder Tale
17:05 Nursery Rhymes
17:35 Poetry and Hymns
19:29 Art and Poetry
22:49 Kindergarten Morning Binder
WELCOME //
I'm Rachel, a mom of two and the oldest in a family of 8 kids. I'm a second-generation homeschooler who is passionate about education. I'm originally from Michigan, but am living overseas. My two young boys and teaching homeschool lessons to my youngest sisters keep me busy, but I make time for writing and for making KZbin videos, too! On this channel, you can expect videos featuring books and homeschool curriculum, homeschool tips for hard days, our journey raising bilingual kids, and vlogs about the intentional adventure that our homeschool lifestyle allows! Subscribe to join our family here:
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Expect two videos a week, uploaded at 7:30 a.m. EST on Mondays and Thursdays.
THE CURRICULUM I WRITE//
Our family creates printable homeschool curriculum. Find those resources right here: www.wheredyoulearnthat.com
WATCH MORE //
Get to Know the Seven In All Family: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5vRomCpobeqfpI
Limit Screen Time for Kids: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqOUdWOgnryEgq8
Raising Bilingual Kids (Without OPOL!) kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpPNYpaOeZlph7c
Strategies for Homeschooling Gifted Learners kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5DIkIatfM2Ib6s
My DIY Preschool Learning Binder kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZCbpailhNBrfJI
Classroom Management for Homeschoolers (Series) kzbin.info/aero/PLaT1u067-AH0712d_IlnxHo017z_SwObA
HOMESCHOOL RESOURCES //
Need a Printing Service for all the awesome homeschool resources you download? Use our affiliate link for Family Nest Printing: lddy.no/t747
Want to try All About Reading? This is my affiliate link: www.allaboutlearningpress.net/go.php?id=2242&url=7838
Want to try Beautiful Feet Books?
Here's my affiliate link: www.bfbooks.com/?tap_a=30494-e48ebf&tap_s=2872628-7aa216
EQUIPMENT //
Sony RX100: amzn.to/2KzbdFy
Intro Music Credit: www.bensound.com
FOLLOW //
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Facebook: seveninallfamily
For collabs and business inquiries, contact us at: seveninallfamily (at) gmail.com
DISCLOSURE //
Seven In All's videos are not intended for children. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase through any Amazon affiliate links in this description, our family earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.

[@yessicaflores235]

I love your videos!! Thank you. I was trying to get a better idea of this curriculum because I love their philosophy but when I see the KZbin videos from their channel I got a little confused 😅 but you are really good at explaining this curriculum and now I feel a lot more confident

[@SevenInAll]

Oh, I'm so glad this was helpful! I know it can be confusing, but once you get the hang of it, implementing Primer can be straightforward and simple. Let me know if you have any questions!

[@Lamamalou]

Hey Rachel just purchased G&C Primer for the upcoming year. I am a bilingual homeschooler (spanish/english) and was struggling on how to incorporate my love of CM and the Spanish Language. Love that you incororporate Spanish books (translations) where ever you can, that's what I'm planing to do, as well as discuss topics in Spanish. Thank you for all your thorough reviews! And if you can please do more bilingual content (resources, tips and tricks). So grateful for your channel.

[@SevenInAll]

That's a fantastic video idea--talking about strategies for bilingual homeschooling. Hope you guys have a blast using GC Primer!

[@JentheBeliever]

I'm so glad you make your videos after you've used the curriculum... so many videos are "I'm excited to use this this year" not as helpful :). Thank you!

[@SevenInAll]

That's true, the very excited unboxing videos and then...two months later, tossing out the curriculum because it didn't work. Happens to all of us, but for reviews, it's definitely most helpful to have the retrospective look back on the experience with the curriculum. :)

[@karifacer]

We love Gentle and Classical! Great review!

[@SevenInAll]

Thanks for watching!

[@dakotabebo2024]

Thank you so much for this. We have enjoyed Simply Classical by Memoria Press but are looking for more of a presbyterian/traditional Christian influence. This is wonderful!

[@SevenInAll]

It really has been a wonderful program that we've enjoyed dearly this year!

[@mirandadiers6090]

This was so helpful! Thank you!

[@SevenInAll]

I'm so glad! Thanks for watching!

[@daniellecarlisle7194]

Thanks for the tips. We are looking forward to starting Primer next year for Kindergarten. Question: Do you have a link to the binder that holds your art printables? Is that just a spiral binder of sheet protectors? I’ve never seen those before and that looks neat.

[@SevenInAll]

Yes, it's a wire spiral binder with sheet protectors...i bought it here at a local bookstore and I haven't seen them before internationally, so I'm sorry I can't point you in a specific direction! It did make flipping through different pieces of art really easy!

[@oluwatomifamade1453]

Thank you for this video! Did you focus on one thing per day or did you do everything everyday?

[@SevenInAll]

In general, I typically did most of the readings on Mondays, and would go over all the memory cards every school day, and we would review a reading or two or re-tell the story later in the week. I have a video where I talk through what a typical week looked like: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKWVgoJ4f52qobM

[@lindaresendiz7431]

Hi Rachel, I love all your videos and your teaching/learning approach for your children, not to mention the way your curriculum purely preschool looks! I wanted to ask what your recommendation was as I have a fluent Spanish speaker 4 year old at home whom I will start homeschooling soon! I have not introduced him to any curriculum since he doesn't speak any English, I like the idea of the unit studies but my question is would you recommend we start with the Spanish one or the English one?

[@SevenInAll]

I think it would very much depend on what your goals are in introducing preschool routines. I would also think about what language will be the main medium of education throughout his life: Spanish or English--and choose curriculum in preparation for that. If you want to continue with learning in Spanish, then Puramente Preescolar will continue that, and Aventuras del Abecedario when he's ready for alphabet mastery. If you want to begin introducing English, then you could use Purely Preschool--but you may want to 'bridge' between the languages by narrating some of the activities in Spanish and doing discussions of the storybooks in Spanish. I hope that's helpful! If there's no reason to introduce English yet (i.e. no school in English, no English-speaking friends to play with)...then English doesn't need to be introduced so early. But I do recommend introducing 2nd languages in early elementary, just because their young brains pick up language much earlier than our old brains do! :)

[@lindaresendiz7431]

Thank you so so much for replying to us. Blessings for your family💜

[@JentheBeliever]

@seveninall did you use preschool also, previous to primer? I'm wondering if I should purchase preschool for my little or just use primer when she's ready. Do you have a compare and contrast video?

[@SevenInAll]

Yes, I did use Preschool, and am currently using Preschool again with my little guy, here's my recap/review video of the first time I used it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2ecpKhmZ9aeZ80

[@BrandilineMelt]

👏👏👏

[@SevenInAll]

Thanks for watching!

[@rochellearthur1395]

How did you find this for a 4yo? I'm looking into this for my kid for next year, looks like I could put off the pre k sonlight for a year and do this in the preK year and then do the preK as her kindergarten year... It's so hard to pick as we live in a country that has SUPER expensive shipping from the US

[@SevenInAll]

Every kid is a little different--but for my 4 year old, it was perfect. Like I mentioned in the video-- for a few of the smaller aspects, like singing hymns and reading Robert Louis Stevenson poems, I just sang the hymns to them and played the poem songs instead of trying to have the boys recits the hymns/poems...because those were the two small elements that were a little bit more challenging, but other than that, the content and the Kindergarten binder were fantastic for him. Granted--he has a naturally 'bookish' temperament--absolutely loves listening to stories and responds very well to the memory statement cards and talking about them, reciting them. I did both Sonlight P and this this year (did I mention he's a bookish kid? Also my mom already owned 90+ percent of Sonlight P....so because of that unique circumstance it was a 'cheap' addition...that's an unusual situation)--if I had to choose just one, I'd choose G+C. I do appreciate the 'quantity' of books from Sonlight quite a bit, but I think G+C was overall a more memorable part of our year. And you have my deepest sympathy on the shipping prices! I understand that (and that's why my mom has held onto every homeschool book she's ever purchased in almost 20 years of overseas homeschool life...)

[@silverose1209]

I have the original Preschool level 2. Having a hard time seeing what the differences are. We did level 1 but never did level 2.

[@SevenInAll]

The main different between the original Preschool 2 and Primer is a slightly different graphic design...the name change was made primarily to reduce confusion. I think they changed some of the graphics on the memory cards too, possibly.

[@ErinCoxGentleClassical]

Yes! Rachel is exactly right. Minor tweaks aside from the name ❤

[@KadonColione]

What translation of the Bible does it use ? Where are the Catechism questions pulled from?

[@SevenInAll]

They don't use only one Bible translation for the verses--I think the most frequently used versions are ESV and NIV. The catechism questions line up with the lessons from the assigned book "The Ology" by Marty Machowski--although you don't read the whole book during Primer.

[@tatianap.589]

Did you use a separate curriculum for reading and math?

[@SevenInAll]

Yes, Primer is not intended to be a reading or math curriculum--this covers Bible, Catechism, Art, Music, Literature--mostly the "riches" of education. The Kindergarten Binder does give some practice with basic alphabet and math concepts, but the author recommends a separate phonics and math curriculum. I used All About Reading and Math with Confidence for those subjects.

[@elizabethlotus4214]

💪

[@SevenInAll]

Thanks for watching!

[@RockSimmer-gal4God]

I love the idea of not using everything!!! I love the discussion ideas!!! I love the idea of using a 2nd language version of the books!!! I love the idea of just exposing kids to the hymns!!! I love the idea of mapping out the art and music!!!

[@SevenInAll]

Thanks so much for watching! We had a great year!