FAQ
Questions from parents
The questions we hear most often. If yours is not here, write to us.
How much time does each curriculum take?
Gradus ad Montem takes one teaching day a week (about 75 minutes at home, 90 in a co-op) and about 45 minutes of independent work on each of three more days. The parent prepares for 20 to 30 minutes a week.
The Craft of Memory takes about 25 minutes a day, four days a week, plus five minutes of review before bed.
Scala Gentium runs five days a week. Every exercise in the Workbook carries its expected time in the margin; the longest single block is the weekly Study Day, at about 45 minutes.
What credits do they earn, and how do they appear on a transcript?
Scala Gentium earns history and theology credit across four years. Gradus ad Montem earns English credit across four years; its first year appears on a transcript as English I: Literature and Composition — Classical Rhetoric I. The Two Cities, now in development, is planned as three years of history, government, and economics.
Homeschool transcripts are the parent's to keep, and credit rules differ by state, so check yours.
How Catholic is it? Can non-Catholic families use it?
The curricula are Roman Catholic in the traditional sense: Douay-Rheims Scripture, Cornelius a Lapide's commentary, and a plain statement of Catholic teaching where Christians differ. The Faith is argued, not assumed.
Non-Catholic families are welcome. Students are never asked to pretend to agree. They are asked to read honestly, weigh the evidence, and write persuasively on where they stand. Gradus ad Montem and The Craft of Memory are classical courses that draw on Scripture and the Christian tradition, and they suit any family comfortable with that.
Do I need a background in classics, history, or theology to teach this?
No. Every teacher's book assumes no background at all. It prints what to say aloud, tells you what answers to expect and what to do with each, and gives a key for everything you grade. When neither of you knows something, the books are built for you to say so and look it up together.
Can we use it in a co-op, or only at home?
Both. Gradus ad Montem's Teacher Guide gives two plans for every teaching day, one for a co-op class and one for a parent and student at home; the independent days are the same either way. Scala Gentium is written for the home table, with the reading done aloud together, and its Teacher Manual includes a co-op schedule that redistributes the same week between class days and home days.
Do we have to use all four together?
No. Each curriculum stands alone, and nothing requires anything else. They share a design and a calendar, so they fit together if you choose more than one: The Craft of Memory runs week for week beside Gradus ad Montem, and Scala Gentium hands each week's material from the story to whatever writing course you use.
What grade is it for?
High school, beginning in ninth grade. Scala Gentium is written for students entering high school, and each four-year course begins with its first-year volumes.
Where are things now? When can we buy it?
The curricula are in pilot with homeschool families now, and the pilot is shaping them week by week. First materials will be available for the 2027–28 school year. The Two Cities is in development and will follow.
How much will it cost?
Pricing is not set yet. Join the interest list and you will hear about pricing and release before anyone else, along with word when pilot spots open.
Are the materials printed or digital?
They are designed to be printed, held, and written in. The sample PDFs on this site print well on a home printer if you want to try a week.
Something else? Write to hello@twobookspress.com.