FAQ

Handle on the arts offers two series: Apprentice Arts and Time Traveler. The formatting is very similar for both series.

Apprentice Arts is arranged around a theme. You should choose this series if you would like to experience the arts from a variety of time periods and genres. Often, younger children find this series more enjoyable, but it can be used by all age groups.

Time Traveler is arranged chronologically, and by period. You should choose this series if you would like to complement your history studies or prefer to work “in order.”

No! Handle on the Arts is designed to be used by parents with no experience with the arts. Scripted prompts and answers are included to help you learn right along with your students. As your knowledge of the arts increases, you will find that you rely less and less on the script and study guide. You will truly get to experience the joy of learning along side your students.

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Most likely your student just needs more time to practice critically exploring the arts. Many students (regardless of age) do not intuitively understand the nuances of the arts. Continue to guide your student through the study guide. The more they practice viewing art and music critically, the more natural it will become.

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Yes! Because appreciation of the arts is a skill that must be practiced, children can begin these studies at a fairly young age. Some language modification and assistance with projects may be needed for younger children, but that is one of the benefits of homeschooling and this program. This program has been used with children as young as three and as old as twelve with great success.

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A schedule for each week is included in your study guide. This schedule recommends scheduling Fine Arts four days per week for an average of 15 minutes per day. Most days you will spend less than 15 minutes on a variety of topics. Project days can take up to 30 minutes depending on your student’s skill level or interest.

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Our curriculum is offered in three different packages to meet you educational and financial needs. When deciding which package to purchase, your first consideration may be your budget. You will also need to consider the amount of time you have to dedicate to finding resources. All three packages provide you with the same excellent curriculum; the difference is the availability of resources.

• Our Deluxe Package gives you the most resources (flashcards, art examples, etc.) This package will save you time and provides your student with readily available examples.
• The CD-Rom Package gives you all the resources to be used on your computer. With this

version, you will need to gather around the computer to complete each lesson.

• The Basic Package gives you the essential components of the curriculum and includes a list of images and other information that you will need to locate through the internet or local library.

To learn more about each package read Which Package is Right for Me or contact us by phone or email and we will assist you with making the best choices for your family.

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The Mini Masters is a four week course designed to introduce you to our products. Using the Mini Masters curriculum allows you to try out our curriculum and see if it works for your family and your schedule.

The Mini Masters is also great for a summer study or to use during a break from school. The Mini Masters Lessons are not repeated in any other series, so you can begin here and then move on to our other products with no overlapping lessons.

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For the most part, the lessons in the Time Traveler are completely different from the lessons in the Apprentice Arts. If you were to use both series, you would find that occasionally the same subject is discussed, but the activities are different. Also, occasionally you will learn about the same artist, but you will focus on a different work of art. In other words, you could easily use one series and then the other without the information overlapping.