[Mico]

Cool. I've heard of regular classical (in fact, a bunch of our church kids attend one) but adding those subjects to a Christian education makes so much sense, unless you don't want kids to think...

[Tieceykaye]

(09-29-2014, 10:15 PM)Mico Wrote: Cool. I've heard of regular classical (in fact, a bunch of our church kids attend one) but adding those subjects to a Christian education makes so much sense, unless you don't want kids to think...

A classical school has three stages: grammar, logic, and rhetoric.

Grammar is basically primary grades - reading/spelling, math, writing, grammar rules, etc. The stuff you need to know in order to learn. This is the level I teach. Although the focus is on the basics, we throw in extra fun stuff like ancient history or studying our local flora and fauna. (I also cheat and toss some Latin and Greek roots their way.)

Logic is the next level of using the basics to learn and to begin formulating ideas - learning how to think critically. Our students begin the formal study of Latin at this stage, as well as world history, especially as it relates or compares to our current culture and government. Our oldest students (8th gr.) begin a formal study of logic. We only go through middle school, so I don't know what the rhetoric stage would look like.

There's also a high value place on the arts. For example, our four year olds can differentiate between Mondrian and Matisse.

And classical Christian means that we come at learning from the point of view that there is absolute truth, it is knowable, and it is the foundation of our worldview. It also means that everything - including long-held "Christian" beliefs - is critically analyzed by His Word and our logic.

That's probably more info than you wanted! Can you tell I'm pretty passionate about education?

[freekoffhisleash]

Normal is boring. I would rather be forced to sand paper the arsehole of a crocodile inside a phone booth than I would to ever be considered perfectly normal.

[unfrozenchosen]

(09-30-2014, 12:30 AM)Tieceykaye Wrote: We only go through middle school, so I don't know what the rhetoric stage would look like.

Rhetoric is learning how to present the ideas you begin to formulate in logic via the classical style of discourse. At my school (K-12), the seniors do a thesis, using the six parts of discourse, that takes most of the year to complete. Basically, rhetoric/high school involves a lot of reading, synthesis of ideas, writing, and speaking.

[The Inimitable Lady Semp]

(09-29-2014, 10:06 PM)Mico Wrote:

(09-28-2014, 01:08 PM)unfrozenchosen Wrote: Yay for classical Christian schools! I come from one myself. Welcome!

What makes it "classical"? Is it the subjects studied, or something else ?

If you look up Susan Wise Bauer and Peace Hill Press you can find a lot of information on classical education. Memoria Press is another publisher of classical ed curriculum. Veritas Press also promotes it, though that company mostly retails other publishers' materials. Veritas has a phonics program that intrigued me, though I never bought it.

[unfrozenchosen]

I've used both Bauer and Veritas Press, at least. I don't remember what we used the latter for, but we used Bauer's history textbooks (good reading, but not a good textbook, IMO). But I digress.

[BigRed1]

Herzlich willkommen! Dies ist ein sehr pflegend.

[Dr. Jezebel]

I don't think I welcomed you properly.

Hello! (big, squishy hug) Glad you're here with the rest of us abnormals.

[Tieceykaye]

(10-06-2014, 08:58 PM)BigRedOne Wrote: Herzlich willkommen! Dies ist ein sehr pflegend.

Danke! Having exhausted all my German now, other than a children's song about colors...

[Tieceykaye]

(10-07-2014, 11:03 AM)Dr. Jezebel Wrote: I don't think I welcomed you properly.

Hello! (big, squishy hug) Glad you're here with the rest of us abnormals.

Thank you!