CLASSICAL EDUCATION PART 2 METHOD AND CURRICULUM

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Method of Instruction
and Curriculum

2. HELLO!
I am
Reporter
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TRIVIUM GRAMMAR
LOGIC
RHETORIC
QUADRIVIUM ARITHMETIC
MUSIC
ASTRONOMY
GEOMETRY

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▫ It is a long tradition of education that has emphasized the
seeking after truth, goodness and beauty.
▫ The Classical approach teaches students how to learn
and how to think.
▫ Regardless of their learning style, children learn in three
(3) phases or stages known as trivium– prerequisite for
quadrivium.

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▫ A thorough “liberal arts” education provides a student with an
exceptional foundation in both language (grammar, writing,
literature, Latin, logic, etc.) and math & science (algebra,
geometry, biology, chemistry, etc.)
▫ The substantive and rigorous curricula built around the core
academic disciplines of theology (Bible), literature, languages
(primarily Latin and/or Greek), philosophy, history, mathematics,
and science.

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▫ Trivium
Subjects are studied by dividing them into their natural parts for
learning (knowledge: grammar, reasoning/analysis: logic, and
expression/communication: rhetoric).
▫ Quadrivium
The four “arts” of the Quadrivium were Arithmetic, Music,
Geometry, and Astronomy (mathematics of pure numbers,
mathematics of time in sounds, mathematics of spatial dimensions,
and the mathematics of the heavens--space and time).

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▫ Pre-grammar
Master the skills of spelling, reading, writing, reciting, ciphering
▫ Grammar
Study in Latin and commit history facts, Bible, geography, science, and
poetry to memory.
▫ Dialectic (question and answer)
The students begin to ask his own questions, as well as responding to
the teacher’s questions. The teacher trains the students how to ask questions.
▫ Formal Logic
Trains the student to learn to reason in all areas of study

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▫ Poetic
The students synthesizes knowledge, makes it his own, and
communicates it to others in a creative manner. The students desires to express
himself.
▫ Formal Rhetoric
The Five canons in the rhetoric phase of classical education:
• inventio (invention) – a systematic search for arguments.
• dispositio (arrangement) – a system for organizing arguments.
• elocutio (style) – mastery of the stylistic elements of rhetoric arguments.
• memoria (memory) – memoria is concerned with memorization.
• actio (delivery) – ‘pertains to the mechanics presenting the created speech or
composition

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Grammar Stage Logic Stage Rhetoric Stage
Corresponding Grade K-6th 7th-9th 10th-12th
Purpose of Stage Accumulate Facts Develop Critical
Reasoning Skills
Eloquent written and
spoken expression
Domain Information Principles Application
Primary Mental Act Memorization Analysis Synthesis & Integration
Hallmark Practice Recitation Debate Thesis Defense
Pedagogy Repetition, songs,
chants, telling, showing
Coaching, argument,
discussion, debate
Socratic questioning,
speeches, imitation
Divine Attribute Truth Goodness Beauty
Biblical Parallel Knowledge Understanding Wisdom

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ARITHMETIC The study of quantity involving the combination of numbers
through addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
GEOMETRY A branch of mathematics concerned with shape, size, relative
position, and the properties of space.
MUSIC An art form which employs vibration, rhythm, dynamics, and
the interplay between sound and silence as its mediums for
expression.
ASTRONOMY A natural science that deals with the study of celestial
objects such as starts, planets, comets, nebulae, and galaxies.

12. Method
of
Instruction
Classical Education
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13. PHASE 1: GRAMMAR
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▫ In the grammar stage (K-6), students are naturally adept at
memorizing through songs, chants, and rhymes.
▫ The focus of learning is on memorization and repetition. This
boils down to making sure a student has a core knowledge of
math, language arts, science, and social studies.
▫ Children learn 'what' but are not expected to know 'how' and
'why' at this stage

14. PHASE 1: GRAMMAR
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The first thinga personshoulddo when learninganything new is learnthe facts.
This is the first part of how to learn and it is characterized by
memorizing a broad range of facts and soaking in knowledge. The
grammar of any subject area is its facts, its fundamental parts.

15. PHASE 1: GRAMMAR
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For example, the grammar of spelling would be the rules of spelling,
phonics, etc. The grammar of math would be the memorization of math
facts and math formulas. The grammar of English would be the parts of
speech such as nouns, verbs, direct objects, prepositions, etc. The
grammar of science would be the facts about the various science fields of
study such as the planets in the solar systems, the names and functions of
the systems in the body, the parts of a plant, the periodic table of
elements, the parts of a cell. The grammar of history would be the stories
of history- the location, the event, the dates, the people, etc.

16. PHASE 1: GRAMMAR
▫ Instruction: lecture, discussion, reading, researching, discovery
▫ Activities: arts, drama, science experiments, games, field trips
▫ Oral drill: singing, recitation, sound-offs, disputatio, spelling
bees
▫ Written practice: copying, writing assignments, fact sheets,
literature questions
▫ Assessment: questions, oral check, quiz, written tests
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17. PHASE 2: LOGIC
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▫ The logic stage in classical education is about learning to reason.
Children enter this stage in Grades 7 to 9 (ages nine to 14).
▫ No longer are they absorbing facts. Instead, they are logically
thinking through arguments. They can do this in different ways,
but this is often done through writing a thesis or verbal debate
with other students.

18. PHASE 2: LOGIC
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The second thinga personshould do when learningsomethingnew is to takethe
grammar of what you are studyingand ask "how, what, and why"and begin to
ask and answer questions using logic and sound reasoning.
This is gaining understanding by asking "how, what, and why" of the
grammar that was previously learned. When students get to the logic
phase of how to learn, they are looking back at all the grammar, the
foundational pieces they learned, and they ask how, what, and why in
order to begin to make sense of the knowledge they have.

19. PHASE 2: LOGIC
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They look at where they need to fill any missing grammar
gaps, and extend themselves with further compounding questions.
In this logic stage, we have to teach students the rules of logic,
how to argue, how to recognize fallacies, non-truths and truths,
otherwise this stage is just teaching students to simply listen to
and banter with their own foolish and immature ways of
answering the how and the why. These are skills that need to be
taught.

20. PHASE 2: LOGIC
▫ Independent study with teacher guidance
▫ Dialogue with teacher rather than solely lecture style of
instruction
▫ Student reads, researches, reasons, responds to the material
▫ Increasing focus on primary sources, less on use of textbooks
▫ Organized class discussions and formal debates facilitated by
the teacher
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21. PHASE 2: LOGIC
▫ Reasoning skills in reading, writing, and speaking practiced on
known material
▫ Assessment of reasoning skills and factual knowledge in tests,
writing assignments, quizzes, dialogues, discussions, and
debates
▫ Review factual information as part of independent study/teacher
assignments
▫ Review reasoning/logic skills daily in class as pertains to subject
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22. PHASE 3: RHETORIC
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▫ Students in Grades 10-12 (15 to 17-years-old) are in the rhetoric
stage.
▫ Students learn to persuasion as they write and speak with
intelligence and substance.
▫ Tools: analytical, creative, and persuasive writing, formal
and informal debate, discussion, speech, drama, mock trial,
music performance, science research project, and
presentations

23. PHASE 3: RHETORIC
The third thinga personshoulddo when learningsomethingnew is take the
tools of logic,apply them to the foundationsof grammar, and beginto apply,
integrate,and communicate how it pertains to and affects life.
This is the "and what does it mean" and "how do I express that" part of
the learning process. We all know people who have a lot of knowledge
(grammar) and ask a lot of questions (logic) but they have no idea what
to do with it, how to integrate it, apply it, communicate it, or how to
create innovation from it.
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24. TRIVIUM
At the grammar stage, students would be learning all about the
World War II. They would read the stories surrounding it,
memorize the names, dates, and places that pertained to the World
War II, and basically be able to give all the foundational facts about
the war.
(World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to
1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing
military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers.)
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25. TRIVIUM
At the logic stage, students would circle back to all that
information they already learned, memorized, and absorbed about
the World War II and they will begin to ask how and why
questions. "Why did the World War II start?" "How did the war end
and why?" along with all kinds of other questions that will bring
clarity and understanding to the facts learned about the World War
II.
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26. TRIVIUM
At the rhetoric stage, students would begin to integrate that
grammar and logic, seeing where else in history or life we see similar
patterns or outcomes, and what those might mean for our present
every day life? This learning is often displayed in persuasive
speaking or writing. This is where students pursue wisdom, not just
understanding.
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27. CLASSICAL EDUCATION
What if everyone had a Classical
Education?
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