Classical education is like a very large museum with many beautiful, wonder-filled rooms that could be studied over a lifetime. It is a long tradition of education that has emphasized the seeking after of truth, goodness, and beauty and the study of the liberal arts and the great books. The classical approach teaches students how to learn and how to think. I knew I wanted my children's education to be rooted in reading and critical thinking. I hated the idea of my children's minds being formed by popular culture. I wanted to first instill their ability to truly think for themselves and question the reasoning behind everything presented to them.
I was blessed to attend a gifted and talented school system that exposed me to classical books, plays and other arts. We had special electives we would choose each term. I'd often choose the literature club. In class we would read classical books aloud. The stories were intriguing and invited the reader into the world of the character. As a homeschooling mother, I wanted my children to have a similar experience. I came across some classical homeschool books and have been hooked ever since. After reading with my children, I always have them reflect on the stories and give the morals of them back to me. During the reflection process they have to think critically about the meaning the author is trying to convey. I often ask them open ended questions during this process and have them relate their lives to the characters.
The "classical education movement" is a form of education that emphasizes history, literature and language studies within a modern school framework.
What makes classical education so effective? It is largely because of its approach to how and when students are taught. Regardless of their learning style, children learn in three phases or stages (grammar, logic, and rhetoric), known as the trivium. In the grammar stage (K–5), students are naturally adept at memorizing through songs, poems, chants, and rhymes. If you can get children in this stage to recite or chant something, they will remember it for a lifetime. In the dialectic or logic stage (grades 6–9), pre-teen students are naturally more argumentative and begin to question authority and facts. They want to know the “why” of something—the logic behind it. During this stage, students learn reasoning, informal and formal logic, and how to argue with wisdom and eloquence. The rhetoric stage (grades 10–12) is naturally when students become independent thinkers and communicators. They study and practice rhetoric, which is the art of persuasive speaking and effective writing that pleases and delights the listener. Again, it is this approach to teaching students based on their developmental stage that makes this approach so very effective.
- Classical Academic Press
Classical education is like a very large museum with many beautiful, wonder-filled rooms that could be studied over a lifetime. It is a long tradition of education that has emphasized the seeking after of truth, goodness, and beauty and the study of the liberal arts and the great books.
For more information on Classical Homeschooling visit this blog: https://greathomeschoolconventions.com/blog/the-classical-homeschooling-style#:~:text=What%20Is%20Classical%20Homeschooling%3F,each%20child's%20own%20cognitive%20development.
Books to read:
The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide To Classical Education At Home
The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundation of Classical Education