What is Classical Education?
So what is classical education exactly? That is somewhat dependent on whom you ask, because there is tremendous variety among those who call themselves classical educators. However, all that variety can be categorized into two general schools of thought within classical education: The Neo-Classicists and The Traditional Classicists.
Photo by steveslp
Photo by steveslp
Contents
- Neo-Classical Method
- The Well-Trained Mind
- The Grammar Stage
- Excellent Resources for Grammar Stage
- The Logic Stage
- Logic Study
- The Rhetoric Stage
- Guides for Teaching Classic Literature
- Chronological History Study
- Chronological History Curricula
- Teaching the Trivium
- Classical Language Study
- Latin Curricula Providers
- Climbing Parnassus
- Neo-Classical vs. Traditional Classical
- The Latin Centered Curriculum
- A Day in the Life
- Tell me what you think
Neo-Classical Method
On one end of the spectrum are those that are sometimes referred to as the neo-classicists. The essay by Dorothy Sayers, entitled The Lost Tools of Learning, details three stages of learning. She has labeled these three stages as the poll-parrot, the dialectic, and the rhetoric stages. Sayers goes on to suggest that instruction during these stages should match the strengths of the children. In The Well-Trained Mind, authors Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise expound on Sayer's original essay by detailing educational methods that capitalize on these natural stages in students. In this book, these respective stages are re-named as the grammar stage, the logic stage, and the rhetoric stage.
The Well-Trained Mind
The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home (Third Editition)
Amazon Price: $26.37 (as of 11/11/2009)
If you buy one book on classical education, this is it! This book contains both explanations of the classical method of education and recommended curricula to implement classical education at home.
The Grammar Stage
The grammar stage is the initial stage, and it ranges from approximately first grade to the sixth grade. This stage is characterized by the child's ability to memorize facts and his thirst for knowledge about many different things. The student's primary focus should not be analyzing these facts at this point, but rather on acquiring knowledge that will be used as a foundation in later studies. An excellent summary of the grammar stage written by Christine Miller can be found at Classical Christian Homeschool.
Excellent Resources for Grammar Stage
First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind
Amazon Price: (as of 11/11/2009)
Phonics Pathways: Clear Steps to Easy Reading and Perfect Spelling
Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 11/11/2009)
The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child: Volume 1: Ancient Times: From the Earliest Nomads to the Last Roman Emperor, Revised Edition
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/11/2009)
The Logic Stage
The grammar stage is followed by the logic or dialectic stage. This stage typically begins around the middle school years. You can recognize when a student is beginning to enter this stage by the questioning of the student. The logic stage is when the student begins to constantly ask "Why?". Students at this stage exhibit the desire and the ability to understand how things are interrelated, and an increased capacity for logical thought. Many students will exhibit some of these aspects of logical thought at an early age, but parents must be careful not to push them out of the grammar stage too soon. A more thorough exposition of the logic stage can be found here at Classical Christian Homeschool.
Logic Study
The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Six Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning, 2nd Edition
Amazon Price: $22.00 (as of 11/11/2009)
Introductory Logic: Student (4th edition)
Amazon Price: $26.10 (as of 11/11/2009)
Traditional Logic 1: Introduction To Formal Logic
Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 11/11/2009)
Building Thinking Skills, Book 2: Critical Thinking Skills for Reading, Writing, Math, and Science
Amazon Price: (as of 11/11/2009)
The Rhetoric Stage
The third stage is the rhetoric stage. This stage of learning usually coincides with the high school years.This usage of the term rhetoric should not be confused with the common usage of political rhetoric. The rhetoric stage is characterized by the student learning to effectively communicate his own thoughts and ideas. These thoughts and conclusions are drawn from the study of great literature and philosophers of the ages.
Guides for Teaching Classic Literature
Omnibus 1, Biblical and Classical Civilization
Amazon Price: (as of 11/11/2009)
How to Read a Book (A Touchstone book)
Amazon Price: $11.89 (as of 11/11/2009)
The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had
Amazon Price: $18.45 (as of 11/11/2009)
Chronological History Study
The neo-classicists place great value in the study of history, literature, and language. The Well-Trained Mind suggests that history should be taught chronologically in a repeating 4 year rotation. History is divided into 4 periods represented approximately by Ancient History, Middle Ages and Reformation, Colonial Times through Victorian Ages, and Modern (20th Century) History. Ideally these topics would be taught in 1st-4th grades, then repeated in 5th-8th grades, and again in the 9th-12th grades. There are many curriculum providers that have modeled their programs after this design.
Chronological History Curricula
- Tapestry of Grace
- Tapestry of Grace is a Christian, classical, history-focused, multi-disciplinary, unit-study curriculum for the entire family. Read my complete review here.
- Mystery of History
- The Mystery of History is a classical, chronological, complete user-friendly, christian curriculum for all ages.
- Veritas Press
- Classical education curriculum for Christian schools and home schools.
- My Father's World
- This curriculum combines the principles of classical education with those of Charlotte Mason.
- Truthquest
- Literature based history study arranged chronologically.
Teaching the Trivium
Teaching the Trivium: Christian Homeschooling in a Classical Style
Amazon Price: $34.00 (as of 11/11/2009)
An excellent book on homeschooling through the 3 stages of the trivium. This book differs from The Well-Trained Mind in its distinctly Christian perspective. In addition, the Bluedorns are advocates for delaying formal learning.
Classical Language Study
Another key portion of classical education is the study of at least one classical language, usually Latin, although some people add or substitute the study of Greek or Hebrew. Many classical educators begin Latin instruction very early, in the grammar stage, because that is a good time to memorize all the various declensions, conjugations, and vocabulary required in learning Latin. There are many benefits to the study of Latin. It greatly increases English vocabulary because so much of English is derived from Latin. Also Latin is a language that requires rigorous thought and thus is good training for the mind. An excellent argument by Cheryl Lowe of Memoria Press that more thoroughly expounds the benefits of Latin study can be found at the Memoria Press website.
Latin Curricula Providers
- Memoria Press
- Publishers of the popular Prima Latina and Latin Christiana series.
- Classical Academic Press
- Makers of the Latin for Children Series
- Canon Press
- Publisher of Latin Primer series
- Classical Legacy Press
- Great Latin Adventure
- Galore Park
- Latin Prep is a Latin program published in the UK.
Climbing Parnassus
Climbing Parnassus: A New Apologia for Greek and Latin
Amazon Price: $11.25 (as of 11/11/2009)
This book provides a thorough apologetic for Traditional Classical Education.
Neo-Classical vs. Traditional Classical
In my opinion, the greatest difference between the two models is their focus. Where the neo-classicist focuses more on method in education, the traditional classicist's focus is on content. A traditional classicist also values the study of history, but the focus is on Western History with a strong emphasis on the Greeks and Romans. The 4-year history rotation is absent from the traditional classical classroom. The use of the terms grammar, logic, and rhetoric do not apply so much to developmental stages to the traditional classical educator, but are titles of disciplines to be studied. The stages are naturally to be followed in any study independent of the age of the student. For example, a student who is in the "logic stage" according to the neo-classical model, but is just beginning to study Latin, must still begin with the grammar stage of learning the Latin language.
The Latin Centered Curriculum
This book is to traditional classical education what the The Well Trained Mind is to neo-classical education.
The Latin-Centered Curriculum
Amazon Price: (as of 11/11/2009)
A Day in the Life
My Homeschool Blog
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Lensmaster
Scott Somerville wrote
What a helpful site! Thanks so much!
Posted June 16, 2009
Lensmaster
yvonne wrote
Great information and links. We were reluctant about giving our kids a classical education at first, but gravitated towards it over the years, and are now advocates of it. I think that classical education teaches students "real knowledge" and being able to apply that knowledge rather than teaching them "skills".
Posted June 03, 2009
by Kristenph
I am a Christian homeschooling mother of 4 children. I blog about homeschool projects, curriculum, organization, and money saving ideas. We live in NC... (more)
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