Memoria Press - Traditional Logic {Review}

This review was originally posted June 2018 at our Gypsy Road site.

Our oldest is very into the classical education…preferring to study the ancient civilizations and tending toward Socratic-style learning. He’s been debating (not arguing, as he’ll point out) for as long as we can remember…and logically. So when we had the chance to try out Memoria Press Traditional Logic I Complete Set and Traditional Logic II Complete Set – for two full years of high school elective credit – we felt sure that this would be a good fit for him.

Both of the Traditional Logic sets come with:

• Student Guide
• Teacher Guide
• DVD set
• Quizzes & Tests

For the purposes of this review, we are primarily focusing on Traditional Logic I, but I want to take a moment at the end to speak on Traditional Logic II.
(Above : Samples from the Student Text)
These courses teach Logic in the formal, or traditional, sense, which is opposite of the material logic course that he took last year, so there was a transitional period for him to adjust his thinking.

Logic – in this formal sense - really makes no sense to me, and I am SO grateful that it comes with this DVD set. The lessons are taught in a classroom-style format, and the course set includes an answer key as well. While not always mandatory for other courses, I simply could not teach this class without both of these components.

Student Book
There are fourteen chapters in the text, with a recommendation to complete a chapter each week. The layout is simple, easy-to-follow, and clean, making a somewhat-daunting subject uncluttered and easier to study. Wide margins in the text allow for note-taking, though my son tends more toward highlighting. Important terms are in bold print, headings are clearly marked, and each chapter has a summary. The book is divided into three sections, focusing on terms, propositions, and syllogisms (which I still do not fully understand). It ends with a review section that quickly re-covers the entire course.
(Above : Level 1 in blue; Level 2 in red)
Quizzes & Tests
There is a short quiz at the end of each chapter, which our son typically completes on Fridays. As the book continues, they get a bit longer. I like how the student book and quizzes both incorporate visual charts.
(Above : Student & Teacher Guide samples) Teacher Guide
The second most helpful part of this course (in my opinion) is this book, which includes the questions and answers for easy checking. It provides a jumping off point for me to help my son when he has questions, before I send him to the DVD set.

DVD Set
While I did not enjoy the videos – I found that rather blah – they helped my son considerably with understanding the text. Many times he would come to me for some clarification, and I had to stand there mute with ignorance. I would direct him to re-watch the video course (or watch it, if he had neglected to complete that part), and it helped a lot. The lectures are pretty basic…no frills or whizzes or any of the fancy stuff that kids are all about these days…but I like that. It made it easier for him to focus on the content itself. There are power points included, and the teacher also uses a white board.

It should be noted that, while a very integral component of the program for us, the DVD set cannot replace the book. Your student will need to complete both pieces for a full understanding. We completed the book exactly as it is outlined in the student workbook, with the first day being our longest day because he also watched the DVD lecture.

Traditional Logic II
As you would imagine, the second course builds off of the first and is more challenging. The third section of the first course is about syllogisms, and the entire second course is a more in-depth study of these. The course is laid out exactly the same as the first course, which I LIKE because we already have a groove and he knows what will be expected from him. The DVD course is taught by the same man, in the same format, which we also like. (Though, we would like it a bit more if it was less…beige. He could use some color…even a navy suit!) After thumbing through the second course together, my son is more excited to get to it, because it includes more ancient people and their philosophies in it than the introductory course, which is more focused on laying the groundwork for understanding that level of detail.

While advertised as being for students as young as seventh grade, I don’t think that my son had the intellectual maturity to complete this course at that age. There is an element of brain development and maturity that must occur before the student will be ready to tackle this course.



See what others are saying about Traditional Logic at the Homeschool Review Crew!