What is Logic exactly? Logic is the science and art of reasoning well. Now that you know what it means, lets consider why your child should take this course that teaches your child how to do just that. :) If your child is naturally good at math, she will probably do well in Logic, they are similar. But as Logic is not only a science, but an art, those who are good with words, and concocting arguments will also do well, and improve their thinking abilities. Some people catch on naturally to this course, and for others it is a struggle. It is for the later that I'm needed.
If your child is with the Classical Conversations program, he will take it in Challenge B (what I took last year). In Challenge B it moves at an incredibly fast pace, doing Introductory the first semester and Intermediate the second. Each being designed to take a year, more than one student got confused, and ended up auditing the class.
The books we use build upon themselves and quickly. What happened to some was they got confused on one little thing or two around chapter 8, and kept getting more and more confused, and farther and farther behind. This is what happened to one of my friends. When I started tutoring him we were around chapter 20, and we had to go back to where he first got confused and work our way up to where the rest of the class was. It took some work, and a lot of clarification, but eventually he caught up.
One of the ways that logic is very similar to math is, it doesn't seem to have a usefulness in the moment. I know that I often thought, how is doing this math problem going to actually help me, it's not even real! But you know what? Math has given me the skills to solve actual PROBLEMS, that aren't just in a math book. Logic is similar, it gives you the skills to think and solve real problems. To know how to spot a fallacy, and how to confront an argument. How to stand up for what you believe in a well-reasoned way. How to be able to truly know what you're talking about, and act like it. For others to be able to "track" with you, and not get lost. Also to see the connections between types of statements and if someone's contradicting themselves. Aren't these skills that anyone should know?
I recommend this course for middle schoolers or high schoolers. If you are with CC, I can be a supplemental tutor, but don't wait till your child is drowning! If they are having the slightest hint of a problem, get them help, cause a little slip up at the beginning can mess up the rest of course.
You don't have to be part of Classical Conversations to get this or take this course, this is simply a place you could get it and a great description, also you can read a sample of the books at these sites:
Introductory Logic: http://www.classicalconversationsbooks.com/inlo.html
Intermediate Logic: http://www.classicalconversationsbooks.com/inloforchprh.html
