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In his pamphlet titled “Of Education,” John Milton, a 17th-century Christian poet, thinker, and statesman, wrote that “the end then of learning is to repair the ruins of our first parents by regaining now to know God aright and out of that knowledge to love him, to imitate him, to be like him.” As Christian parents, this is surely our aspiration. The classical model of education places our children on this path by teaching them how to think critically, to write and speak persuasively, and to apply their trained minds to reclaiming knowledge for Christ.
Classical education is steadily gaining momentum as more and more classical Christian schools open around the country. Likewise, many home school families have turned to this model as they seek to educate their children with excellence.
The classical model follows the biblical pattern found in Proverbs 24:3, which is a progression from knowledge to understanding to wisdom. This pattern of spiritual maturing naturally coincides with the emotional and mental maturity of students at three different stages of learning.
Grammar Phase
To summarize briefly, the classical model occurs in three phases of learning known as the Trivium, which is Latin for “three roads.” Grammar, the first stage, roughly corresponds to our elementary schools, lasting until the student is 11 or 12. This stage involves memorization of the rudimentary facts of any subject. Memorization comes easily to these young students and is critical preparation for the higher orders of thinking.
Logic Phase
Logic comprises the next stage, corresponding to our junior high school grades. Students naturally become interested in debating and asking why at this age. So the classical model complements their natural tendencies by teaching them formal logic and debate. In preparation for their own debates, they must be equipped to recognize and avoid errors in logic.
Rhetoric Phase
Grammar and logic, the first two stages of a classical education, have prepared the student for the rhetoric phase. By the end of this stage, students should be able to speak and write persuasively and eloquently about any topic they have studied. One of the fundamental premises of a classical education is that words are important. For the Christian, this is especially true. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Word made flesh. During the logic stage we teach students not to fall prey to the words of others. During the rhetoric stage we teach students to captivate others with their words. No other skill is so pivotal to the spreading of the gospel as the ability to speak and persuade. Of course we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, but we arm our students with the proper tools. Our students should always be prepared to give an answer for their faith. Graduates of a classical homeschool can use their trained minds to reclaim our culture and spread the gospel.
Armed with this excellent classical model, perhaps we can reach for Milton’s hopes for a good education: to stir up the students “with high hopes of living to be brave men and worthy patriots, dear to God and famous to all ages.” |
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If you would like to know more about the classical education model or Classical Conversations, visit the website www.classicalconversations.com. There are new communities being established all over North Texas and Southern Oklahoma.
Jennifer Courtney is the mother and homeschool teacher of three precious children. She currently directs a Classical Conversations program for homeschool families in Edmond, Oklahoma and CC's Oklahoma State Manager |
