What is the Foundation of a Good Education?

If you ask yourself this question, many possibilities probably come to mind because education develops and grows in various areas. You can grow physically, emotionally, spiritually, professionally, and academically. Often, one area of growth transcends into the other categories. This fluidity is especially true with the classical method of education, an increasingly popular approach for homeschoolers. This method, derived from the ancient Greeks and Romans, emphasizes the values and overall growth of character, along with the integration of academic subjects. Does this mean the method hasn’t changed for thousands of years? Of course not! It has certainly evolved, but its roots remain embedded in the cradle of education. In fact, the core learning in the classical method is sometimes referred to as the knowledge of a free person.

How Does the Classical Method of Education Work?

In short, it focuses on the complete interconnected education of your child: body, mind, and spirit. Classical education is a trivium, divided into three language parts. Those three parts are the Grammar Stage, the Dialectic Stage, and the Rhetoric Stage. Each stage targets a certain point in your child’s development. As your child’s mind develops, so does that material for them to master. One key component of this type of learning is that it’s a style. Yes, certain subjects are taught, but the subjects are not the most important part of this learning style. It is the method itself that’s important. It’s the learning of the subjects according to the classical discipline. Now that we better understand the purpose of the Classical Method, let’s discuss the stages.

The Grammar Stage

In the early years, from pre-school to sixth grade, the focus is on reading, writing, and spelling. Strictly following the classical method, this includes reading, writing, and spelling in Latin and English. However, how closely you want to follow this is entirely up to you. The main goal is to create a solid foundation around the fundamentals of the language. In this stage, you’ll start to introduce the basics of logic and rhetoric. Your child will continue studying the other two stages in each stage, but they will study the dominant subject in each of their relative stages.

The Dialectic or Logic Stage

Once your child builds the foundation of language, the next stage is learning to reason and using logic to come to conclusions. Students often learn this stage in grades 7-9. As mentioned earlier, the classical method heavily emphasizes the growth of character. This stage is where children learn to think, establish beliefs, and, most importantly, see two sides to an argument. Reasoning and logic, when taught correctly, will help children put themselves in someone else’s shoes and consider other viewpoints through an unbiased lens. In short, this stage teaches the very definition of the word dialectic – to openly discuss the truth of opinions.

The Rhetoric Stage

The final stage often occurs in grades 10-12, the key years of cementing your child’s character. At this stage, your child is starting to establish who they are, and now they’re eager to share it. Rhetoric is how your child learns to express their beliefs. When you look at how people communicate today, this stage seems glaringly important for your child to learn. This stage teaches your child to avoid the stigma of a pretentious know-it-all while showing fortitude in their character as they firmly express their views.

What are the Core Subjects of Classical Education?

Now that we’ve discussed classical education’s learning stages, let’s explore the fundamental subjects your child should learn. The core subjects are language arts, math, science, and history – in no particular order. Often, parents will add a couple of other subjects. For example, it’s not uncommon to see a classical education with the following subjects added: humanities, foreign languages (specifically Latin), and sometimes religious studies. The classical method emphasizes the interdisciplinarity of the subjects to inform the whole student: mind, body, and spirit.

Is the Classical Method of Learning Still Relevant?

Yes! After thousands of years, the classical method started to lose popularity in the past 50-100 years as more modern learning methods developed. But as new models of education materialized, many parents and teachers have been frustrated with students’ lack of thinking and reasoning skills which have been underdeveloped in other education models. These frustrations are causing a lot of teachers and parents to take a step back and return to the classical method. As we mentioned earlier, it has evolved, and that’s the point of this style at its core: to evolve while not losing sight of itself. Many say that studying the classical method will set you free. 

If you’re interested in the classical method and want useful resources, like planners and curriculums, visit Anything Academic to find more!