WHAT IS CLASSICAL EDUCATION?

Classical education is a quest for well-rounded knowledge, experience, and wisdom. It is grounded in a study of the greatest minds throughout history and their texts. Those who pursue a classical education do so from a desire to learn and not from a desire to be trained in any particular vocation. In fact, students who are prepared in classical learning will be better prepared for any vocation. Classical education focuses on mastery in every academic subject, and not mere exposure.

History of Classical Education

Classical education is patterned after the methods of learning typified in ancient Greece with great minds such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. At the core of classical learning is a pursuit of virtue. According to Sarasota’s Classical Academy, “Virtue is foundational in a classical education. From the time of the ancients to the Founders of America, classical education holds that the practicing of virtue is the key to true happiness. Anchoring education in the four ancient virtues of temperance (self-control), prudence (wisdom), fortitude (courage), and justice teaches students to learn the true, do the good, and love the beautiful.”

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What is Virtue?

A virtuous person independently strives for the best things and for the right reasons. Their behavior is governed by a pursuit of:
1. Wisdom
2. True beauty
3. Justice
4. Freedom
5. Inner discipline
6. Friendship
7. Knowledge
8. A love of the right things

Renaissance

There was a resurgence of classical learning during the Renaissance, during which time the concept of a “Master of Arts” was honed. Students were expected to progress through each level of the Trivium and then to become proficient in geometry, astronomy, arithmetic, and music. These together consisted of the “liberal arts,” meaning that they are both freely pursued and also reinforce freedom for the individual.

Trivium

It is critical to know that throughout the process of classical learning, students are always taught how to think, but never taught what to think. When learners are ready, we begin to wrestle with big ideas that are often controversial in our highly sensitive world. There are no subversive agendas in a classical classroom. Knowing how to think objectively about big ideas, and how to discuss them with tact and skill, creates a virtuous learner.
- Classical education is organized into the Trivium, which corresponds to the developmental stages and/or readiness of learners, as follows:
  - Grammar School (roughly ages 6-10): Grammar in this sense does not refer to English language grammar; rather, it refers to the foundational concepts associated with every learning domain. In the Grammar School, students will absorb information about how the world works, how people function, and how the universe is ordered. The foundations of language literacy, math literacy, science, and history are honed in this stage, preparatory for higher learning. Learners at the Grammar stage are not pushed prematurely into analytical thinking and forced creativity; rather, they are provided with copious learning resources to connect them with the facts of all things.
  - Logic School (roughly ages 11-14): Learners in the Logic School are prepared to take the information they’ve cultivated in the Grammar stage and begin applying logic and reasoning to it. They are prepared to strategically arrange their pieces of knowledge in order to:
    - Evaluate cause and effect relationships.
    - Analyze for meaning.
    - Begin discussing concepts of ethics and justice-particularly with regards to basic ancient questions of morality and social obligations.
    - Make predictions.
    - Discuss hypothetical situations.
  - Rhetoric School (roughly ages 15-18): Learners who have reached the rhetoric stage are armed with a great deal of knowledge and the ability to reason with skill. They are now prepared to present original arguments in writing, speech, and dialectic. They are prepared to tackle challenging texts for purposes of enlightenment and research. They have reached a stage where they truly love learning for learning's sake and are willing to discipline themselves in order to pursue a life of virtue. At the culmination of the rhetoric stage, students are prepared to enter any vocational program and may expect to become successful at any endeavor.
The Trivium relates to the mixed-age learning groups found in the Montessori environment. Children should remain with the age group that best supports their abilities and readiness; they are not artificially forced into the next group. Learning guides must take into account many aspects of the child’s development, including physical, social, and intellectual development when determining best placement.
Great works of literature are a springboard for most learning in the classical environment. With help, children will tackle texts that are challenging and highly rewarding. From classical texts, a child (depending upon their level of learning) will:
- Study for enjoyment.
- Understand foundational concepts in all subjects.
- Complete copywork, dictation, and narration.
- Engage in purposeful discussion and discovery.
- Complete annotations, outlining, and research.
- Form arguments.
History is the spine of all academic subjects in a classical environment. It provides context for all discoveries and relationships.
A classical education is an invitation to enter the millenia-old Great Conversation with some of the most incredible minds who have ever lived. Students are encouraged to live, study, and reason within the past, present, and future and within the context of the wisest voices from all ages.
PBL (Project-Based Learning) is a method of instruction that provides students with opportunities to synthesize their learning via opportunity projects. These projects will occur throughout the year and be the capstones of our learning.