Our Classes
World History
History from creation to the present is studied at Valor on a three year cycle. The 2024-2025 school year is currently studying history from the 1500s to the 1900s. History class is 45 minutes and is presented as an interactive lecture. Students both listen and participate by answering questions from their memory work and from history videos that are assigned each week.
The Valor History class is comprehensive and can be suitable for all high school requirements although some parents add additional history reading. This can range from books recommended on Amblesideoonline.org to more formal history classes administered through local homeschool programs. If Valor History is given in addition to history classes taken through other learning programs, this only adds to the ultimate goal of an excellent education with the goal of mastery and not just checking a box on a transcript.
Cycle 1 studies history from the beginning of the world according to the Bible to about AD 1300. Some of the subjects include Mesopotamia, early Egypt, early China, Israel, early Greeks, the Roman Empire, world religions, early Christian church history, Islam, the Americas, Mesoamerica, the Crusades, feudalism, the Mongols, and the Ottoman Empire.
Subjects studied in Cycle 2 include African empires, colonization, the Reformation, the Renaissance, the Columbian Exchange, English colonization, the industrial revolution and the history of other countries including India, Japan, Spain, England, France, and Canada.
Cycle 3 studies modern history and U.S. History from European colonization to the present. Topics include the colonial period, the Revolutionary era, the Constitution, economic and territorial expansion, sectional tensions, the Civil War, reconstruction, the New South, the New West, foreign affairs, industrialization, the Progressive Era, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War and present issues.
SAT Math Prep
SAT Math helps students prepare for all standardized tests and students in 9th grade and higher can optionally take this class. Valor offers this class on a rotation. Students study and review commonly missed math problems on the SAT test in order to get higher scores on this standardized test.
Public Speaking and Famous Speeches
Each week students are given a new speech prompt and a few mintutes to prepare. Then students rotate giving a three minutes speech on that topic before their classmates. This allows students to grow in their confidence, speaking abilities, and the skill of thinking on your feet. Students also study famous speeches given throughout history and the speaking techniques that these speakers used.
Science
Science at Valor is based on understanding key concepts so students can progress quickly in whatever sciences they study at home. Students memorize science facts and concepts that are necessary to know for greater scientific understanding on subjects from biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, astronomy, weather, and more. See a sample PDF of the Valor science curriculum.
Etiquette
Etiquette class at Valor is a fun and lighthearted way to learn good manners. Using the Valor Memory Work etiquette guide, students plan skits that they perform in groups acting out what to do or what NOT to do.
P.E. (Dance, Sports, and Exercise)
This class is offered on rotation at Valor for students to experience different sports, dances, and other athletic activities.
Listening to Literature
Students listen to high quality literature as a class and then discuss what they hear. Younger students get exposure to the mature thoughts of the older students while the older students model Socratic discussions.
Singapore Math
While SAT Math is offered for high school students, students in 8th grade and under can optionally enroll in this class to learn math through the Singapore Math curriculum.
Renaissance Art
Every week students study a new artist from the 1300s through the 1800s, creating their own painting or artwork based on a famous piece. This re-creation immerses students in the details of the art and allows them to notice patterns and characteristics by working experientially with the art.
Theology and Thesis
Students in the older grades study theology as a class by completing worksheets at home during the week and then discussing their answers together as a class. Students write a paper over the year defending a point. At the end of the year, students will present this paper in a speech to the school and then defend this paper to a panel of judges. Weekly Theology homework involves a small amount of work on the thesis (usually less than 30 minutes), some Bible memory, and 2-3 pages of worksheet questions. The worksheet questions are used for discussion and are not graded so if students are unsure of their answers, that is completely okay! Those questions are above all meant to provide a place to ask questions and learn things!
Valor is a distinctly Christian co-op that shares the beliefs listed in the Statement of Faith. But Valor families attend a range of churches and share a variety of beliefs about the non-essentials. Because of this, the Valor Theology class very purposely teaches those things that we agree on and avoids divisions. Questions are meant to be direct and not leading. For instance, here are a list of questions from the actual Romans 11 homework:
What is Elijah pleading with God about in verse 3?
How does God answer Elijah? (Vs. 4)
Fill in the blanks (vs. 5): “In the ____________ __________ then, there has also come to be at the ____________ _______ a ___________________ according to [God's] __________________ ___________________.”
Finish the sentence: Just like there was a remnant in the days of Elijah of people who did not worship Baal, so there is a remnant of Jews who, at the present time, _____________________________________________.
Based on verses 1-5, Paul has given two proofs that God has not rejected His people. What are these two proofs?
Upon what basis are certain Jews chosen to be saved? (Vs. 5-6)
Although salvation is by grace, why can’t it also be on the basis of works? (Vs. 6)
Can you explain this?
In verse 7, Paul refers to what Israel is “seeking.” Do you remember what Israel was seeking? (See Romans 9:31-32 if you are stuck.)
What else does verse 7 tell us about what Israel is seeking? Did they get this thing they are seeking? Did anyone else get this, and if so, who?
What is the prophecy given about Israel that is quoted in verse 8?