Connect The Thoughts has increased my children's interest in their studies and has become my one of their favorite subjects.  It's rather amazing to hear a 12 year old discuss the Popul Vu as if knowledge of it were a matter of course.  Or to hear my children discussing amongst themselves the philosophy of non-violent resistance after studying Gandhi, with great understanding of it.

I feel that they can now look at something like today's news and see how history is essentially repeating itself in many ways.  This will serve them well in the future the ability to study and understand the varying viewpoints on this subject increases a child's awareness of and communication with their environment as the material is readily absorbed and easily applied to the world at large.

The entire purpose of an education should be application to the everyday world.  I feel that this program really forwards this concept and makes the subject of history into a living study since it incorporates all the other elements — Art, Science and Religion — necessary to really understand History and to connect it to life by having the data on the timeline of events on the past but taught in such a way as to truly become part of a child's education.

I have been going to private schools all my life.  About one year ago, before summer, I was four grades behind.  I knew I wasn't a moron.  I just needed something that I wasn't getting—a real education.  I was told I could catch up if I really tried.  I knew this to be true, but I had no intention to do so because I felt that I wasn't learning anything.  I had felt this was for about three years, yet I continued school because I "had to".  I wanted an education, sure, but I wasn't getting one.  So I stopped going to school the last couple of weeks, and I felt completely apathetic about education.  My future looked scarce, for any potential success.

During the summer I was hanging out with the wrong people.  I felt these were the only people whom I could have any reality with.

For a long time my parents had been telling me that if I go to school and study hard, I'd have a chance for a successful future.  My parents couldn't have been more right but what they didn't get is that I wanted an education and I did try, but I was set up to fail.  My parents thought I wasn't trying.  It's true I wasn't, but that's because I wasn't learning anything!

Summer ended and the new school year started.  I knew I needed an education, but I figured I'd just do my G.E.D. and work for my dad.  I felt that this life time, I wasn't going to get a real education.

One day, my mom told me that there was a curriculum that was amazing, and that it was a real answer to an education.  She said I had to do it.  I thought Ok, this is the last time I'm going to make any attempt for an education.  If I don't like this curriculum, I give up.

My dad and I went to check it out, and I thought it looked relatively simple.  I didn't really care whether or not I did it.  I just wanted my parents off my back.

After a couple of weeks I thought it was OK.  But the more I did it, the more it made me want to study, and the more I felt I had a future, a good one.  One thing I realized is that the more esoteric you make a subject, the more you find students unwilling to study it.  And that's just the opposite of the Connect The Thoughts Curriculum.  It's easy, and you learn a lot.  So subjects don't have to be complex for people to understand them.

I was actually winning in school.  Wow!  The last time I remember doing that was the 1st grade!

I was now confident in myself and I felt I could do anything if I really wanted to. When I would hang out with my old friends I could barely find any reality.  I think that knowing what I now know helped save my life.

I am now on the Pre-History Course, and I love it.  (Editor's Note- He's since completed that course with an "A" average on his tests, and is now moving rapidly through Early Civilizations.) I have never been so enthusiastic about learning! I think if anybody wants a real education, they should do this curriculum.

I think the Connect The Thoughts course was my favorite. I already loved history but now learning it this way, chronologically for one. (And I know it seems logically that's how you would learn it anyway, but really in all my other schools I have been to, you don't. It helps so much). Second, simply understanding how it relates to your everyday life is so interesting, so important for you to be able to relate to it to gain more understanding of it. This helps make it much easier and fun to learn.

My daughter has been studying the Connect The Thoughts curriculum for nearly 3 years. She is nearly done with the science courses and 2/3rds of the way through the history program. For me, this curriculum is a dream come true.

As a home schooling parent, it has become obvious to me that a good curriculum is the hub around which the successful home schooling program revolves. One can be a superb teacher and have an excellent relationship and great communication with a child, but with a weak curriculum, both parent and child soon become discouraged and frustrated. For the one and one-half years of home schooling we did prior to finding the Connect The Thoughts program, I was constantly searching for good books, materials and curricula. While there is a lot on the market, the majority of it, in my opinion, is poorly written, insufficiently researched or boring.

Connect The Thoughts is a home run. Not only has my daughter gained a basic college level understanding of the sciences including geology, oceanography, meteorology, biology, chemistry and physics and the entire time line of history, geography, government, religion, philosophy and art, but she can also think on her own, form her own conclusions and research any subject imaginable. She has become an independent student.

Additionally, the curriculum is so fascinating, our entire family is learning along with my daughter, including my 91 year-old mother-in-law, who lives with us and greatly enjoys the materials. She reads everything she can get her hands on. From Homer to Shakespeare and tidal waves to black holes, no stone is left unturned for Connect The Thoughts graduates who, I believe, will make a difference because they can understand problems and envision solutions. The Connect The Thoughts curriculum is making this world a better place.

My deepest appreciation to Steven Horwich for caring enough to research and author these amazing materials.

This was a terrific course, giving the student a sense of the immense amount of "history" before the dawn of man. This course should be done along with the CTT upper school science basics course. The lessons and exercises reinforce each other and prepare the student for more in-depth study. I like the author's approach to presenting history, in order, and love the exercises and supplemental materials. Recommended!

I never thought History was fun or easy. This course takes it apart, piece by piece in a way that the student can then put it all together in his or her mind to get the big picture. I'm studying (and learning) History right along with my kids now! It's fun!!!

We started Connect the Thoughts several years ago when CurrClick offered the Spelling course as the free Monday give-away. I was immediately impressed with the brilliance of the author, Steven Horwich, as he recommended exactly what we were already doing.

When we needed some Creative Writing assistance it was easy to turn to Connect the Thoughts for aid. My daughter, then 9, flat out refused to attempt any of the multiple creative writing aids we had purchased. All of the courses varied in price, cuteness, length, reviews, and recommendations. The only thing they had in common was my daughter’s resistance to anything they offered.

The Connect the Thoughts Creative Writing turned her around and did so quickly. She went from not wanting to put anything on paper to asking me how to write on the computer so she could save the book she planned to author. She became proud of her writing.

During her first Connect the Thoughts year our daughter entered and placed Third in the Georgia Public TV’s Reading Rainbow contest. She hasn’t stopped writing, yet. After reading the How to Do Connect the Thoughts Course, my daughter decided she wanted to try a few of their offerings.

We started with Manners, Science and History. She became excited about learning in a way that we had not seen before. Giving her control over how fast and how in-depth she studied changed everything for her. She started notebooks for her courses and would study a subject for hours spending time at our local library and at the home computer. She would have discussions with her friends about the things she was studying and seek their opinions. She would chat, daily, with her father and I about things she had learned.

We are a Connect the Thoughts family, now. We use Saxon for Math and Grammar and Connect the Thoughts for everything else. I converted my loyalties after hearing my daughter quote Connect the Thoughts during a play date. We had just finished the Information, Right or Wrong course. The course is one of the best and I believe it should be required for all students. It is a course that teaches students to think. I don’t know of any other course like it. The course suggests to the students that they get the proof of information given to them. My daughter was discussing something with a playmate and when they could not agree on the facts of the matter she asked, “Where is your proof?” I was so proud of her. She has since become comfortable enough to ask the same question of her father and me. I am still proud of her. The question tasks me on occasion because I am forced to think, rather than mime my answers.

The Upper School courses are as well done as the Lower School courses. Steven Horwich is more than fair in his pricing of the various courses. The courses include free web sites for required movies, suggested books that can be found in most libraries, experiments the students can do (almost on their own) and hints and instructions for the parents/teachers. My daughter has friends who are public schooled and home schooled. All her friends have made positive comments on her course notebooks. One of her public schooled friend asks every visit to see what is new in the science notebook. She says my daughter “gets to learn so much more” than she ever learns.

Our family will be staying with Connect the Thoughts through Upper School. I am sure our daughter will take the lessons, so beautifully presented, with her on her life’s course. “Where is the Proof?” is part of our daughter now and we know it will serve her well. Some people never learn to ask that question. Because of Steven Horwich our daughter learned to ask the question before she had a real need to ask it. Her father and I will be thanking Steven in our prayers for the rest of our lives.