Classic
The Classical Approach
The
modern proponent of the Classical Approach was British writer and medieval
scholar, Dorothy Sayers. As the Nazis rose to power in the 1930s, Sayers
warned that schools were teaching children everything except how to think.
Because young adults could no longer think for themselves, Sayers felt
they could be easily influenced by whatever tyrant came along. In an essay
entitled, The Lost Tools of Learning, Miss Sayers asked, "Is not the great
defect of our education today...that although we often succeed in teaching
our pupils subjects, we fail lamentably on the whole in teaching them how
to think: they learn everything, except the art of learning." To remedy
this, Sayers proposed reinstating the classical form of education used in
the Middle Ages.
In the
Classical Approach, children under age 18 are taught tools of learning
collectively known as The Trivium. The Trivium has three parts, each part
corresponding to a childhood developmental stage. The 'Lost Tools of
Learning' that make up the Trivium are language and thinking skills that
can be used to approach any subject. The goal of the Trivium is to produce
students who are capable of teaching themselves.
The
first stage of the Trivium, the Grammar Stage, covers approximately ages 6
to 10, or that stage of childhood when children most readily can receive
and memorize information. The Grammar stage focuses on reading, writing,
and spelling; the study of Latin and developing observation, listening and
memorization skills. The goal of this stage is to master the elements of
language and develop a general framework of knowledge.
At
approximately ages 10 to 12, children begin to demonstrate independent or
abstract thought (usually by becoming argumentative or opinionated). This
signals the beginning of the Dialectic Stage. Instead of suppressing the
child's tendency to argue, the teacher molds and shapes it by teaching
logical discussion, debate, and how to draw correct conclusions and
support them with facts. The goal of this stage is to equip the child with
language and thinking skills capable of detecting fallacies in an argument.
Latin study is continued, with the possible addition of Greek and Hebrew.
The student reads essays, arguments and criticisms instead of literature
as in the Grammar Stage. History study leans toward interpreting events.
Higher math and theology begin.
The
final phase of the Trivium, the Rhetoric Stage, seeks to produce a student
who can use language, both written and spoken, eloquently and persuasively.
Students are usually ready for the Rhetoric Stage by age 15.
Strengths
of the Classical Approach:
-
Is tailored
to childhood stages of mental development
-
Teaches
thinking skills and verbal and written expression
-
Creates
self-learners
-
Students
'converse' with the great minds of the past through reading literature,
essays, philosophy, theology, etc.
Weaknesses
of the Classical Approach:
Copied with permission from
Elijah Company
Related
Links:
http://www.gomilpitas.com/homeschooling/methods/Classical.htm
http://www.classicalhomeschooling.org/
http://home.gwi.net/~dkoniecz/ACT-Ed1.htm
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Montessori
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Unschooling |
Delayed Academics |
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