We’ve Made Some Changes To Parts of Years 7-12!

[lklivingston]

The old schedules as they existed a couple of weeks ago are still all available on the AO website. Look below the Key section, in the first paragraph after the heading, to find the link. From the old booklist link, look in the same place to find the old schedule link. Those schedules will remain in place for a year. The ones that are in the Resources thread on the forum will stay forever, barring some issue that I don't foresee. And those may actually be easier to access because they truly are all in one place, so if you want charts that's the most convenient way to get them.

[mkfarrell13]

- to “Spiritual Formation” and “Citizenship” -

Why are we doing this?

The world has changed in just a few years, and so many issues have evolved. As a result, some of our worldview books are no longer current. They were dealing with issues that mattered eight years ago, but the world is rapidly changing and we want AmblesideOnline students to be prepared for the world that's out there right now (rather than fifteen years ago) and ready to live in that world.

This is for Years 7-12.

We've changed the titles: "Devotional" is now "Spiritual Formation" (and "Bible" is now a separate category), and "Worldview" is now "Citizenship."

For the “Spiritual Formation” books, we have added some inspirational missionary biographies. We've also increased the impact of the other books by highlighting just one or two per year. We have added one current book that's written by a contemporary (Jackie Hill Perry) yet is still doctrinally sound. Thus, AO's position hasn't changed, we've merely found a new voice to add to our timeless classic books.

"Citizenship" includes Ourselves, Plutarch, Worldview, Government and Economics, and Current Events. You can find all of those subjects in this category.

A few more important notes:
-Some of the books on the now “old” list in these categories are still included in the “new” list as “optional” or as “free reads” in other years.
-For those of you who wish to still use the old booklists and schedules, they will remain available on our website through the 2023-2024 school year.
-And Always, Always, ALWAYS, be sure to check our Footnotes.

Thank you!


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I’m not that familiar yet with the upper years. I am wondering if someone can give examples of the changes mentioned in the past 8-15 years. What is it that mattered then that has changed now? I’m just curious and think through this a lot as it is. I’m fine with changes and trust the advisory but would like to understand this reasoning if anyone can give insight.


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[LeslieNoelani]

I’m not that familiar yet with the upper years. I am wondering if someone can give examples of the changes mentioned in the past 8-15 years. What is it that mattered then that has changed now? I’m just curious and think through this a lot as it is. I’m fine with changes and trust the advisory but would like to understand this reasoning if anyone can give insight.

8-15 years ago, the concerns were whether a fetus was human, whether there was a "gay gene," feminist issues, whether too much screen time is healthy, whether creationsim should be presented in schools, the aftermath of 9/11. Since then, gay marriage has been legalized, Roe v Wade was overturned, covid happened, social media has taken on an even bigger role in society . . . the culture has moved way past the issues people were concerned with before, and there are new issues that have taken precedence.

[COMama]

Transgender issues were not even on the radar back then

[1realmom]

Is there any way to access the old schedule and booklist? I have a year 10 and 11 that I'd like to finish up with the old schedule. With the new schedule my year 10 would be reading The Cost of Discipleship and read a book about Bonhoeffer in year 11. I don't want her to miss out on reading his works first. I'm sure the new schedule is great, but I want the continuity of the old schedule. Thank you for all of your hard work on this. It is greatly appreciated!

[lklivingston]

Yes, the old schedules and booklists are still available on the website. Go to the year you want. Scroll down, below the key, to the first paragraph under the booklist title. You'll see an explanation of the changes and a link to the old booklist. On the old booklist page, scroll down in the same way, to the same place, to find a link to the old schedule. (The links in the sidebar will take you to the new pages, not the old ones.) These will stay available on the website for a year.

The old charts are also available here on the forum in the Resources area. Those will stay permanently.

[OscarL]

Was the Problem of Pain taken out of year 9? It's on the pdf schedule but I can't find it on the week by week https://www.amblesideonline.org/ao-y9-sch when I go to the last term (since that's where it is on the pdf) and I also can't find it in the booklist. Is that a book that I ought to drop?

[lklivingston]

Was the Problem of Pain taken out of year 9? It's on the pdf schedule but I can't find it on the week by week https://www.amblesideonline.org/ao-y9-sch when I go to the last term (since that's where it is on the pdf) and I also can't find it in the booklist. Is that a book that I ought to drop?

Yes, it was removed, but evidently I forgot to remove the line from the chart schedule.  I've removed it now!  Thanks for mentioning that.

[lklivingston]

If anyone needs to see that previous schedule, remember that the old versions of all the affected charts are here on the forum in the Resources area.

[Rmschmitt]

Are these changes reflected in the “doing upper years in 5 years” sections as well?