The Classical Scholar

Writing is a necessary component of the classical homeschool curriuculum.  Pulitzer prize-winning American author, Annie Dillard, is quoted as saying,

“I don’t know what I think until I see myself write.”

Writing down your thought processes is a necessary step to a fuller understanding of the problem, issue, or idea. Simply listening to a news program, a sermon, or a lecture is not enough. Let’s consider a common scenario.

While you’re watching a news program with your husband, the telephone rings, and he leaves to go answer the call. When he returns, he asks you what he missed. You might be able to immediately reconstruct the basics of the story, but would you be able to accurately recount the details a week later? Now let’s assume that the next evening, you decided to take notes during the broadcast. I’ll bet if you compared your recap from both nights, you would clearly see the benefit of writing down your thoughts.

Why is writing a catalyst to intellectual development?

The process of writing:

• stimulates the mind of the homeschooler

• improves the memory of the homeschooler

• shapes critical thinking of the homeschooler

• enlarges understanding of the homeschooler

• provides a permanent record for the homeschooler

Writing Stimulates the Mind

You’ve probably heard that you’ll retain information more effectively if you give it to your brain by more than one method. When your homeschooler reads a book, she is gathering information and storing it using visual cues. When your daughter then narrates what she learned in the book, she is organizing and storing that information a second time using auditory cues. Finally, when she writes while she is reading or even after she has read a passage, she is storing that info using both touch and sight. This child has now engaged the same information three different ways, and she is very likely to have a better understanding than she would have if all she had done was read the chapter.

Writing Improves Memory

Not only does processing information using multiple methods improve understanding, but it also improves memory. Since the late ’60s, leading memory authorities have documented the fact that organizing information (into categories) makes the info more memorable thus more likely to be retained in long-term memory. Additionally, writing down your thought processes or ideas usually results in a mental picture of the outline, sketch, or notes so that when you need to recall the information, you can readily remember your written notes by calling up your internal “teleprompter.”

Writing Shapes Critical Thinking

In order to write some thought down on paper or to type the thought on the computer keyboard, we need to first organize the information. We are forced to reduce all the incoming data to determine the main problem and identify the solution. (See “Can a Critical Thinker also be Creative, Too?” for more detail on the questions that a critical thinker should ask.) Does your homeschooler have trouble with math word problems? My kids used to really struggle with them until I showed them how to circle the important facts in the problem then translate the words into a mathematical equation or formula. As they dissected the word problem, they were able to focus on what the problem was asking and come up with the correct solution.

Writing Enlarges Understanding

When we exclusively confine our learning to reading or hearing someone else’s interpretation, we miss out on greater understanding. When we choose to write down the facts and come to our own conclusions, we inevitably stumble upon concepts that we thought we understood but later realized that we did not really grasp the problem. So, we’ve got to dig a little deeper to clarify our own understanding. Meredith and I watch a DVD on biology, and as we each draw our own “branch” outlines of the lecture, we often pause the DVD to discuss concepts that we don’t understand.

Writing Provides a Permanent Record

As homeschoolers, we need to keep certain records in order to comply with the state. You also might want to keep a written record of your kids’ work in case they decide to homeschool their kids and need to refer back to their own home school work! At the end of the academic year, I ask the kids to pull their favorite examples from each area of study so that I can incorporate those writing samples in their portfolio or scrapbook.

I keep reading journals (three ring binders or spiral notebooks) for all of my own studies. It is especially rewarding to go back through my “Quiet Time” Scripture journals from over the years and see how I am growing in my understanding and relationship with Jesus. I also keep my history, literature, and science notebooks in case I ever want to go back and consult them. They are really a “history” of who I was at that place and time because they reflect those thoughts and questions that I found most important.

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Here’s a quick exercise for you and your homeschoolers. Select an article out of the newspaper. Have the oldest child read it and narrate the main points to the rest of the family. Appoint one family member to take notes of what the narrator said. Then have the oldest child read the article again, but this time have him or her write down thoughts before narrating. Have the secretary take notes again. Compare the two accounts of the article. Which account reflected a greater understanding of the topic?  Now don’t you agree that regular writing should be incorporated into your homeschool curriculum?

Just because your homeschoolers are critical thinkers doesn’t mean that they can’t be creative thinkers as well.   Road two of the classical trivium, thought, involves giving your children tools to solve problems. Observation, language, and evidence are all components of critical thinking but so is creative thinking. How is creative thinking related to critical thinking?

To be a creative thinker is to have a sense of discovery…to imagine…to invent…to be curious. Critical thinkers need to foster creative thinking so that they can develop viable alternatives and solutions for the problem. Solving problems involves the following five steps:

1. Identify the real problem.

• Ask lots of questions.
• Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
• What is causing the problem?
• Eliminate the distracting side issues.

2. Generate a list of alternatives.

• Consult experts.
• Brainstorm.
• Set the timer and “jam” random thoughts.
• Imagine new ways of doing it
• Postpone judgment until later.

3. Evaluate the pros and cons of your possible solutions.

• What do the experts recommend?
• What do the written references say?
• What are the facts?
• Have you had a personal experience with the problem?

4. Decide on the best solution.

• What pros and cons can you merge?
• What alternative solutions can you eliminate?
• What is the most workable solution?

5. Monitor the results of your plan.

• How well is your solution working?
• Did anything unexpected happen?
• Are there any adverse effects?

To think creatively about a problem, your homeschoolers have to develop a deep understanding of the central concept and issues. In order to foster an environment where creative thinking is encouraged, provide the following conditions in your home school:

Time

Allow lots of uninterrupted time with no distractions so that your homeschoolers can really think about the issue. Give less work so that they can go deep. Eliminate distractions (I know this is difficult). Give them time to concentrate so that those creative juices flow. They needs time to absorb all the facts of the situation and imagine solutions.

Place

You’ve probably heard this before, but we really do need a quiet place to engage in deep thinking. My kids work all over the house, both inside and outside, but when they need to really concentrate, they go to their “quiet places.” Meredith goes to her room and closes the door, and Connor disappears in the study. There’s also some value in going to the same quiet place each time they want to do some serious thinking because every time they reenter that place, the memory of prior “ah hah” moments will trigger a similar eureka moment this time.

So where does creative thinking factor into these five problem-solving steps? People who think creatively come up with alternatives and solutions that are not the norm. Creative thinkers illuminate the crux of the problem. Creative thinkers innovate when it comes to alternatives. Creative thinkers imagine a better solution. Once a little creativity has been applied to the problem, a critical analysis of the problem, alternatives, and solution can be performed. The more creative thinking your child does, the more ideas he’ll produce. The more creative ideas your child produces, the more skilled he’ll become. The more skilled he becomes, the more satisfying his sense of accomplishment will be. The more satisfying his accomplishments, the more he will love learning! So you see?  Homeschoolers can think critically and creatively!

“I don’t know.”

Perhaps you thought you understood a homeschool concept then when pushed to summarize the concept in a clear, concise statement, you found yourself uttering the feeble words “I don’t know.” Or maybe you asked your son to explain what he just read, and he weakly stammered “I don’t know.” If you can’t explain why you know something, then you don’t really know it!

The English word “critical” derives from the Greek word “kritikos” which means to question, to make sense of, or to analyze. Critical homeschool thinkers know why they believe what they believe because they have asked lots of questions, analyzed lots of data, and have made sense of the evidence. According to Merriam Webster, a belief is “a conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based upon examination of evidence.” When evaluating beliefs in our homeschool, we need to consider four different kinds of evidence:

• Expert Authorities

• Written References

• Hard Facts

• Personal Experience

Expert Authorities

An authority is one who is an expert in a field and has usually devoted the majority of his working career to gaining a deep understanding of his area of expertise. Biblical scholars specialize in interpreting particular books of the Bible. Supreme Court justices specialize in Federal Constitutional Law. Anthropologists specialize in indigenous cultures. Who are the authorities for your core beliefs? Are they particularly knowledgeable in the area of the belief? Are they reliable? Have they ever given inaccurate information? Do other authorities disagree with their positions?

Written References

Original source documents like books, newspapers, online publications are written by authors who could be authorities or work for authorities. What texts do you rely upon to support your beliefs? Is the content of these texts based upon factual evidence? What are the credentials of the authors? How much personal experience does the author have with the topic? Does the author have a relationship with someone who is an authority on the topic? Are there other authors who disagree with the position that your texts endorse? Is there evidence to support the opinion of these texts?

Hard Facts

Facts are pieces of information presented as having objective reality; that is, facts can be objectively quantified or substantiated and are not subject to the interpretations of the user. When considering the facts behind your beliefs, inquire of the source of the facts. Were experiments performed to statistically quantify the facts? Was evidence obtained to substantiate the conclusions? Can this evidence be interpreted differently? Does the factual evidence support the conclusion?

Personal Experience

Many times our beliefs are based upon personal experiences. In evaluating these experiences, ask yourself the following questions. What were the circumstances of the experience? Were distortions or mistakes in perception possible? Have other people had similar or conflicting experiences? Are there other explanations for the experience?

You don’t have to examine each of these four types of evidence for every belief or position that you consider, but critical thinking skills will be improved if you practice asking these questions regularly. Think of a core belief that you hold about life then go through this exercise step by step. Some possible beliefs that you could examine are what you believe about marriage, parenting, or homeschooling. Here are the steps:

1. Describe the belief.

2. Explain the reasons why you feel so strongly about the belief.

3. Identify evidence for your position.

4. Describe an opposing point of view.

5. Identify evidence for the opposing viewpoint.

6. Evaluate the evidence for both pros and cons using the four categories above:

a. Who are the authorities?

b. What are the written references?

c. What are the facts?

d. What are your personal experiences?

Was that difficult to do? Now you’re ready to try this exercise with your homeschool child. Select an easy belief to start with then move on to more difficult beliefs. For instance, in my household, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is favored above all other brands, so I might guide the kids through the following analysis:

1. Handels Ice Cream is better than Ritters Custard.
2. Flavor, variety, texture, and price all support our position.
3. We know this from personal experience and newspaper articles showing consumer preferences.
4. Ritters Custard is better than Handels.
5. Some people prefer the lighter, creamier texture of custard as evidenced by all the cars parked in front of the building.
6. Finally, authorities, references, facts, and personal experiences would be considered for both Handels and Ritters.

You can use these homeschooling tools to evaluate all kinds of beliefs from moral positions (like “I believe lying is wrong”) to scientific theories (like “I do not believe global warming is a threat to the earth”) to difficult worldview issues (like “I believe in the Trinity”). Start with the easier concepts from their math lessons (like “I believe nine times eight is seventy-two” or “I believe a right triangle has one 90 degree angle”) or from their history reading (like “I do not believe the American Civil War was caused by slavery” or “I believe that Benedict Arnold was a traitor”).

You might want to set aside a few minutes every morning to practice this exercise in your homeschool just like you would practice an impromptu speech. Give the kids a topic (abstract ideas like love and power or concrete ideas like evolution and property ownership), and set the timer for 10 minutes. Give them a note card and have them complete the six steps above. When the timer goes off, have them narrate their thoughts from the note card. I promise you that this exercise will really stimulate their thinking; it really reveals how much they do or do not know about their belief! Train your homeschool kids in how to evaluate their beliefs so that they can confidently give a precise, thoughtful answer next time when you ask them why they believe what they believe.

Simply possessing information won’t make your homeschooled child intelligent. He needs to learn how to analyze, organize, evaluate, and apply information so that he can make intelligent judgments about daily life. The Ancient Greeks and Romans didn’t consider a person fully educated until the three skill sets of the classical trivium were mastered.

Language, road one of the trivium, has the power to represent thoughts, feelings, and experiences using symbols. Therefore, language is the most important thinking tool your child has at his disposal. Language is not just for communicating but provides the structure for thought, road two of the classical trivium. That’s why the ancients began the education with learning the primary language. The three skill sets of the trivium are related as follows:

Clear language that is specific, precise, and accurate results in clear thinking which is focused, coherent, and analytical which results in clear communication which is articulate, organized, and persuasive.

You should begin teaching the homeschooled child to think critically before language acquisition is mastered. In another post, “What is the Purpose of Reading?,”I recommended that you have the child narrate the meaning of the read-aloud story to you. This step is actually a critical thinking exercise! To be an active thinker, your homeschooled child has to use language to articulate an idea (the meaning of the story), evaluate the quality of the reasoning (is the child’s narration based on the pictures and on the text?), and refine and improve the thinking process as you respond with leading questions for more understanding. In simpler terms, the child gathers information, processes the information, and creates meaning from the information:

• Gather
• Evaluate
• Conclude

What does your child need to become a critical thinker? He or she needs keen observation, quality information, and analytical tools. Allow your child to work through problems, make mistakes, and improve over time. Developing critical thinking skills is a process not an event.

Keen Observation

Encourage your homeschooled child to pay attention to details. When you take walks in the woods, stop and look at the creatures, the stones, and the decayed logs. Listen to the rustle of the leaves in the wind. Smell the fresh scent of dirt in spring. Touch the rough tree bark. Taste the sweet nectar of a golden honeysuckle. Ask lots of questions along the way. Teach him how the multiplication tables advance with each number so that he starts to see patterns. Talk about the details of the story that you’re reading like character, setting, and conflict. Train him to ask probing questions and be patient when listening to others. As he ages, have him write about what he sees, hears, touches, smells, or tastes.

Quality Information

If the information is corrupted or inaccurate, a valid conclusion cannot be reached. Give him the best possible experiences and data. Train him to find quality texts at the library and bookstore. Teach him how to research, consider the credibility of authorities, and evaluate evidence. Expose him to alternative possibilities so that he learns to be open-minded and empathize with other people’s perspectives even if he doesn’t agree with them.

Analytical Tools

There are lots of tools for developing critical thinking skills. In the earliest years, start with storybooks and narration. Play lots of games, and work puzzles. Use manipulatives when teaching mathematical concepts. Teach scientific concepts with hands-on activities. Ask questions throughout the day.

Around the ages of 9-12, introduce thinking matrices like Mindbenders by Critical Thinking Press. (My kids preferred the software to the books.) Usborne puzzle books were a favorite at this age, too. Sodoku puzzles range in difficulty and teach systematic analysis. Formal logic can be introduced for homeschool high school credit as early as 7th or 8th grade if your child is disciplined enough to tackle the formal syllogism. In my opinion, Memoria Press offers the clearest formal logic courses.

Learning how to structure a paragraph with a topic sentence and supporting sentences is another analytical tool that teaches organization skills. Older kids should be writing their observations and interpretations. According to Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel, “I write to understand as much as to be understood.” Writing helps clarify our thinking.

One final requirement

Finally, in order to raise a homeschooled child who is also a critical thinker, you need to model critical thinking yourself! Demonstrate critical thinking on a regular basis. When you read the newspaper editorials, discuss the issues with the kids and point out bias, alternative perspectives, and possible solutions. If he is stuck on a math problem, sit down and work on it together. Walk him through the steps of analysis. Teach her how to write up a scientific laboratory observation and conclusion. Share what you are learning and thinking about the book or magazine that you are reading in your personal time. Do you keep a written journal of your learning? Show the kids so they can see how important critical thinking is to you. Model the behavior, and provide the tools that they need to practice, and soon you’ll have formerly homeschooled young adults who know how to express a clear thought in an influential and persuasive manner.

Homeschool children don’t necessarily learn to think critically in public, private, or home schools. The U.S. educational model emphasizes “acquiring unrelated bits of information instead of developing a coherent framework of knowledge. But information is not knowledge. It doesn’t become knowledge until the human mind acts on it and transforms it.” (John Chafee, Ph.D., The Thinker’s Way) According to the Greek playwright, Sophocles, “knowledge must come through action.” In other words, the only way to become a better thinker is to think.

10. Homeschool critical thinkers are open-minded.

They listen carefully to every viewpoint, evaluating each perspective carefully and fairly. They recognize their own bias and are not afraid to hear other people’s positions…in fact, they welcome hearing other viewpoints because then their own knowledge is broadened. They empathize with others.

9. Homeschool critical thinkers are knowledgeable.

They have a broad knowledge base. Remember that knowledge is not the same as information…knowledge comes when you act upon the information by interpreting and applying it to your life. They base their opinions on facts, evidence, or personal experience. If they lack knowledge, they admit it.

8. Homeschool critical thinkers are mentally active.

They love the challenge of learning. They actively seek understanding and confront problems with glee. They do not respond to events or information passively. All of life is learning and acquiring new understanding. They are excellent observers.

7. Homeschool critical thinkers are curious.

They have not lost the curiosity of their youth. One of their favorite questions is “Why?” They explore situations with probing questions that penetrate below the surface instead of being satisfied with easy answers.

6. Homeschool critical thinkers are independent.

They don’t borrow the ideas of others. They are not afraid to disagree with the crowd because they have developed their own opinion through thoughtful analysis and reflection. They can explain why they believe what they believe to be true.

5. Homeschool critical thinkers are conversationalists.

They are skilled at discussing the issues in an organized and intelligent manner. Controversial issues don’t scare them because they are good listeners who consider all the facts before responding.

4. Homeschool critical thinkers are insightful.

They are able to get to the heart of the problem. They are not distracted by superfluous data. They can boil down an issue to the bare bones. They see the forest and the trees. They evaluate the accuracy of alternative positions and the credibility of their sources.

3. Homeschool critical thinkers are self-aware.

They know their own bias and are quick to point them out. They take their own position into consideration when analyzing a problem and look at all the alternatives equally.

2. Homeschool critical thinkers are creative.

They are innovators who break out of established patterns of thinking. They imagine another way of solving the problem. They think outside of the box.

1. Homeschool critical thinkers are passionate.

They have a passion for understanding. They are always striving to see the issues and problems with greater clarity. They engage in debates not for the purpose of proving their position “right” but to increase their own understanding.

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Can you see the beginnings of a critical thinker in your own home school? Do you have a curious child? Does your child show great imagination? Do you have a listener in your family? Everybody thinks. The challenge is not producing thoughts but producing useful thoughts that are capable of changing their world for the better. As you consider teaching your children road two of the classical trivium, thought, remember that classical home schools teach a child “how to think” not “what to think.” Give your homeschool children the tools that they need to achieve their fullest potential and develop the top 10 traits of a critical thinker.

Is logic a part of your homeschool curriculum?  You’ve probably heard the Greek word “logos” used in a Christian sermon when the pastor, preaching from the Gospel of John, referred to Jesus as the “logos” or “Word” of the Father. According to a Greek Lexicon, the noun “logos” means “a word or discourse which embodies a conception or thought.” The English word “logic” for which the second skill of the classical trivium is named derives from the Greek “logos” and is most commonly defined as the “study of formal reasoning.” Therefore, the one who studies logic as part of the homeschool curriculum is presumably capable of intelligent, reasoned speech.

The Ancient Greeks understood the logic of the trivium as both (1) informal logic like the reasoned, methodical conversations between Plato’s Socrates and his disciples and (2) formal logic as in the systematic principles of the syllogism (argument) of Aristotle. Socrates’ leading questions helped his students understand why they believed what they believed, but he never told them what to think. Aristotle devised a deductive method for determining whether the premises and conclusion of arguments were sound or unsound.

The motivation for learning logic in ancient, medieval, and colonial times was simple: to distinguish between good and bad arguments so that thinking and the resulting oratory were more effective. Contemporary classical home school parents incorporate the study of logic in the homeschool curriculum for the same reasons:

to teach their home school children to become critical thinkers who use language and reason to effectively communicate.

But the study of logic is not the starting point for teaching thinking. That comes much later when the child is ready to handle abstract thought.

So when do you start teaching your home school children to think?

As soon as possible! Recent research points to the discovery that the brain’s capacity for rational thinking and problem-solving is established by the age of one! Home school children whose parents who have been actively speaking with them from birth have more complex networks of neurons which means they are predisposed to intelligence, creativity, and adaptability throughout life. In fact, John Chaffee, Ph.D., a pioneer in the field of critical thinking, states that “the number of words that an infant hears each day is the most important predictor of later intelligence, academic success, and social competence.” Talk to your babies!

Children are full of energy, curiosity, and imagination which are all essential ingredients to critical thinking. Any parent knows that one of the favorite questions of children and teens is “Why?” Children explore. Children wonder. Children imagine. Here are three tips for nurturing your home school child’s natural curiosity and expanding their minds:

Take their questions seriously.

“Mom, why do lightening bugs glow? Dad, why does an onion make me cry? Mom, why do bubbles disappear when I touch them?” Questions, questions, questions. Living with children brings never-ending questions, or so it seems. My 15 year old popped a doozy of a question on me about race and economics today after we volunteered in a downtown mission! Sometimes, you might be tempted to dismiss the constant questions because you are too busy or just too tired, but resist the easy way out. When you take your children’s questions seriously, you are showing respect and validating their worth. Trust is built, and they feel secure in asking more questions without the fear of condemnation for being “silly” or “childish.” Additionally, we all want to protect our kids from the harsh realities of life, but don’t avoid life’s most difficult questions if you sense that they are mature enough to handle the answers or even find that you don’t have the answers.

Expose them to other perspectives.

When we look at issues from another person’s perspective, we broaden our own understanding, recognize our bias’, and gain insights that we wouldn’t have otherwise had. This week the kids and I joined another home schooling family for some community service; our kids spent a couple of hours teaching hands-on science at a Christian mission in a very depressed area of town. After the workshop was over, I asked the neighborhood kids if they needed any help on their homework, and they excitedly pulled their assignments out. Each home school teen sat down with a child who was living in a different culture: different race, different economy, different family life. But the Lord gives us the power to cross cultural barriers, and our kids connected with these children on a heart level. The little girl that Meredith was helping asked her to sit with her during the meal that followed.  Now volunteering at the mission wasn’t the typical homeschool curriuculm, but the kids were learning very valuable lessons.

As we drove home that evening, Meredith reflected on the disparity between the material poverty of this neighborhood and the extravagant wealth of the suburbs. Seeing life from that little girl’s perspective had opened Meredith’s eyes to a new reality. We’ve been serving as a family in inner-city missions for years, but for some reason, this was the day that my daughter really began to empathize on a deep level. Introduce other perspectives early and regularly because you never know when the light bulb will go off, and a new understanding begin to take shape.

Talk about right and wrong.

I know I’m preaching to the choir on this one, but use every opportunity to train your home school children in righteousness. One of the key factors in critical thinking is knowing what you believe and why you believe it so that you can listen to others with different opinions and evaluate alternatives intelligently. Some of their most difficult questions will be those involving morals. For instance, in Treasure Island, Long John Silver is morally ambiguous. He is an unrepentant murderer and thief, yet he cares for Jim Hawkins and protects him from danger. How can someone who is bad do good things? Use literature and movies as opportunities to discuss good and bad, right and wrong.

Teach them why you believe what you believe. Explore Scripture for answers to their questions. Here’s an example of a moral question that you might run across when you’re reading Scripture. In Exodus, the midwives lie to Pharoah’s servants about the Israelite infants that they failed to kill. Are there certain situations when the Lord allows deceit? Scripture is full of moral issues that you need to explore as a family so that the kids are ready to take a stand when analyzing other positions. Also make sure that you are ‘walking the walk’ and ‘talking the talk,’ too!

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Questions are really just opportunities for stimulating discussion. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need to answer all their questions. If you tell them what to think, you deprive them of the privilege of further thinking and likely end the conversation. Many of life’s most difficult questions don’t have easy answers, so don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” or to show your child how to discover the answer. Ask them questions! If you’d like to know more about how to use the Socratic method, read my article entitled “Ask. Don’t Tell.” Now is the time to prepare for introducing formal logic into the high school homeschool curriculum by asking taking their questions seriously, exposing them to other perspectives, and talking about right and wrong.

Why should parents consider the authentic classical homeschooling option?  Here is a quick primer on  the very best home education Western Civilization has to offer.

The Long Track Record Predicts Success

Western Civilization was built on this model in that leaders were classically educated.  Classical education dates back to Greece, and Rome. Medieval Europeans, especially leaders of the Christian Church, were classically educated as were the founders of the American Republic. During the 19^th century, the U. S. immigration population soared, and the common school movement was born which effectively obliterated classical education in the United States by the beginning of the 20^th century. With the exception of a minute group of homeschoolers, our nation’s leaders are now being trained on the public school conveyor-belt which teaches children what to think and not how to think.  This education tradition successfully raised leaders for nearly three millenia.

The Skills are Simple to Teach

The classical homeschooling renewal movement is still in its infancy, and many variations in practice exist like the classical variations of Charlotte Mason, Susan Wise Bauer, and Oliver Van DeMille. In the excitement to embrace classical homeschooling, many parents jump right in without really thinking about what distinguishes classical education from other viable homeschooling methods. For example, some would tell you that classical languages like Latin are a critical component of a classical education (more on my opinion of this in a later post!), but the content of classical homeschooling is not nearly as important as the methods by which the content is taught. The three skills of the classical trivium provide structure for organizing content while socratic dialogue and inductive reasoning provide the tools by which to understand the content.  Teaching three skills (language, thought, and speech) is relatively simple, and mentoring teens during high school prepares them for leadership.

The Curriculum is Entirely Customized

Authentic classical Christian homeschooling is not as difficult as many people believe it to be. In fact, when you know your main objectives, classical homeschooling can be extremely freeing and relaxing while still rigorously challenging both parents and children. Teach three skills to substantial mastery during the early years (language, thought, and speech) and let socratic dialogue drive the instruction during the homeschool high school years as the parent mentors the teen in the acquisition of knowledge.  Once the three skills are mastered (the trivium), the parent can tailor the homeschool curriculum to meet the specific interests and abilities of the high school student (the socratic paideia).  How you get to mastery of the three skills and acquisition of knowledge by specific discipline is entirely up to you.  Complete customization of the homeschool curriculum is possible.

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So considering the long history of successfully raising leaders, the simplicity of the teaching, and the potential to completely customize the homeschool curriculum, what homeschool parent would pass on the incredible privilege of authentic classical homeschooling?  For more details, consult Trivium Mastery: the Intersection of Three Roads and Socratic Paideia:  Dialogue Drives Instruction.

Today I’d like to suspend my posts on teaching the trivium in your classical homeschool to share a thoughtful article on ancient history written by my friend, Amy Barr, co-owner of The Lukeion Project, a website offering live, online classes on classical antiquity. Amy and her husband, Regan, teach Greek and Roman history, Latin, Mythology, Art, Architecture, and Greek and Latin Word Roots among other fascinating subjects. I had the privilege of taking one of their four week summer workshops on Troy, and it was superb. I know you’ll enjoy Amy’s perspective on history!

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I was at a convention speaking to a harried homeschool mom about educating high schoolers in ancient history when she shrugged and confessed, “This semester we are just going to focus on world history.” I said nothing but thought, “focus on world history?!”

I’m not unsympathetic. As a home educator of three myself, I know all about the tyranny of the urgent. By the time kids get into ninth grade, history often takes a back seat behind a stack of essential-life-skill courses like botany, algebra or creative writing. The worst case scenario? History gets crunched into a survey of the whole record of human activity in a mere 16 weeks. Our ambitions to ignite a passion in our children for learning about history are reduced to a card deck of names, dates and places plus an optional craft project.

History is so much more than surveys and flash cards. We realize this best when studying the history of our nation or of our own ancestors. We can walk battle fields, witness reenactments, grind corn like the first Americans, drive Route 66 or walk the Appalachian Trail. These things easily become real and important because they satisfy all of our senses and give us a sense of broader purpose.

At the Lukeion Project, we want to prove that the ancient world was in Technicolor ,too! We paint from a broad palette of archaeology, literature, and art. Greek and Latin add great depth. As icing, we flesh out the world of the Bible, walk with Paul or tour ancient Jerusalem. Greece and Rome begin at Troy, the site we once excavated and where Homer once celebrated heroism in the Iliad. All world literature opens up for learners who are introduced to Greek and Latin word roots, ancient tragedy, epic, rhetoric and mythology.

Thomas Jefferson prided himself on being able to write Latin with one hand, Greek with the other. Designers of our nation’s capital copied the Parthenon of Athens for the Lincoln memorial and the Pantheon of Rome for Jefferson. In Washington D.C., buildings are encrusted with symbols of two world powers so important that Hitler wrongly named his the “third.” Alexander the Great teaches tremendous lessons in genius, leadership and hubris. Julius Caesar embodies a fatal lesson about the relentless power of tradition. His heir, Augustus, taught Rome new traditions that included him as emperor. Classical Athens informs us of the strengths and weaknesses of direct democracy. Sparta illustrates the generational curse of the systematic (and legislated) destruction of the family. We learn Rome fell not because of barbarian invasions, but because of an addiction to luxury and power unequaled by any nation but our own.

We can not presume to be educated if we do not go beyond surveys. We must present Greece and Rome to our learners in 3-D and living color. The homeschool high school mind must be challenged to tackle the difficult life questions presented to us by the Classical world. Learning about the two cultures that have most shaped our own is a priceless life skill. It is well worth the time, effort and enjoyment. Let me just say: I promise that the family field trips are going to be out of this world!

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Thanks, Amy!  Authentic classical homeschool parents know that history is foundational to understanding the present because it informs and enlightens.

Home school writing consists of two skills: first, the child practices the mechanics of developing correct letters and putting them together in properly spelled words, and secondly, the maturing child practices incorporating meaning into the composition. In this post, I’ll give you concrete steps that you can implement in your home school which will help your child master the mechanics of writing. Writing with meaning will be covered in a future post.

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Setting the Stage

In your home school, you’ve been encouraging your child since birth to expand her spoken language abilities by surrounding her with music, conversations, nursery rhymes, and reading. You’ve gently corrected her when she made mistakes and always respond to her attempts to communicate with praise and excitement. You, your spouse, and her siblings are good role models in that you all love to read. She sees you reading all the time for pleasure and for learning. You read to her every day, and you answer every question with enthusiasm and maybe even more information than she wanted. You’ve looked at the pictures in the books and predicted the story plot line. You’ve shown her that the text moves from left to right and down by using your finger to point out occasional words. You’ve already taught her the alphabet song. You’ve diligently laid all the necessary groundwork of a rich, literate home where printed text is meaningful and pleasurable to read. Somewhere around the age of five or six years old, your homeschool child be ready to acquire another critical skill of language development: writing!

Learning about Letters

Now that she can sing her ABCs reasonably well (even if she slurs the phrase “lmnop”), it’s time to start writing the letters of the alphabet. She may already know the names of some letters from your daily read aloud time. You don’t need to purchase an expensive homeschool curriculum to teach your child her ABCs. Just purchase a unlined art sketchbook with smooth paper, or go to Kinkos and have them bind 100 pages in a spiral. You’ll put one letter on each of 26 pages then later you’ll add the letter blends like the sound “sh” and the sound “ck.”

Start with her name. Teach her how to make the letters of her name by saying each letter as you write. Be very specific when you show her how to make each letter. For example, to make the uppercase letter “T” say something like “draw a straight line across” then “now find the middle of the line and draw a straight line down.” Or when showing her how to draw the letter “B” say “start at the top and draw a straight line down” then “go back to the top and draw a fat tummy that points to the right and stops halfway” then draw a 2^nd fat tummy that starts at the center also points right.” Make sure you show her how to write both the uppercase and lowercase letter on the page. Be sure to use the words uppercase and lowercase instead of big and little when describing the letters.

Help her find pictures from magazines that start with each letter, or if you or she are good artists, draw a picture and color it like an apple for the letter “A.” So now you have one page with the uppercase and lowercase letter and a picture or drawing of an object that starts with that letter. When you are finding pictures for the consonants, select images that sound like the single consonant and not a blend. For example, pick a “sock” for the letter “S” and not a “sheltie.” You’ll be adding photos of blends later.

In addition to working in your ABC book, use magnetic letters on the refrigerator, dry erase boards, magna doodles, paint, sand, or play letter games. You can make an easy BINGO board game on cardstock with the letters and letter blends, but don’t just say the letter “D;” say “D as in dog.” I really appreciated the DIY games in Peggy McKay’s book, Games for Reading. Even as the kids got older, we played a reading game every Friday. Make learning the alphabet fun!

Putting it all together in 30 minutes a day

Now that she is becoming familiar with her ABCs, she is ready to begin reading out loud, narrating the story, then writing her synopsis. This will probably be hardest for you because it will take longer, and it might be painful at first as she struggles with pronouncing and deciphering each word, but it is worth the effort! Continue reading out loud to her, but give her 30 minutes a day of dedicated reading time where she reads instead of you. (Caution: many homeschool parents make the mistake of discontinuing read-alouds once the child is reading by herself, but this is a big mistake. They need to hear an advanced reader speak difficult words and add inflection, pauses, and emphasis where needed.)

Here are some constructive ways to spend that 30 minute daily reading and writing time in your home school. (Don’t worry if you spend more than 30 minutes in the beginning…they’ll pick up speed as they gain proficiency):

1. Select a familiar book that is below her reading level (easy.)

2. Have her read the book out loud.

3. Select a new book from your own collection or from the weekly library trip that is slightly above her abilities. (difficult.)

4. Have her read this book out loud, too.

5. Work on a letter or letter blend in your ABC book, or play a game.

When you think she has mastered her ABCs (both upper and lowercase), you can introduce a handwriting book or purchase a handwriting pad at the local school supply store and create your own contextual words and sentences for her to copy as she practices writing.

Adding narration, dictation, and copywork through stories

When you begin to notice progress, create another blank book for her stories and incorporate this step in the daily homeschool routine:

Write a short story together. Let her generate the idea. In the beginning, have her dictate the story, and you write it down. Spell the word back to her before moving on to the next word. Repeat the entire sentence as it is completed. As she progresses in her skills, have her copy your dictation. Eventually, she can write her own story. (It can be 1-2 sentences long in the beginning.)

Here are two options for the story book.

Option one: take a blank piece of copy paper and turn it so that the short side (8 1/2”) is north. Draw a horizontal line about 2/3 down the page. Then draw lines like wide-ruled notebook paper under the horizontal line to fill the bottom 1/3. First she will write the story on the lines, then she’ll illustrate the story above the text. (This is also great for narrating and dictating daily Bible stories.)

Option two: have Kinkos bind 100 blank pages like the alphabet book, but this time use one side for the draft and the opposing side for the final, proofed text. Open the book flat, turn the book sideways so that the 11” side is north and have her write the first draft of the story on the top page. Have her read it and decide if she likes it the way it is. Gently correct any errors with a red pen, and add any new adjectives or details that she wants to add in red. Then have her recopy the edited draft on the bottom page. This is valuable groundwork for the 3^rd stage of the Trivium, “Communicating Effectively.”

Have her read her story to Daddy when he gets home or to brothers and sisters after she’s completed it. Affirmation of her accomplishment will greatly contribute to her joy in her new skills!

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Your homeschool children learn the language through hearing, seeing, speaking, and writing.  All efforts to teach the language should result in the ultimate message that language, both spoken and written, has meaning or purpose. Spend the early childhood years helping your child master the language so that they have the necessary tools for steps two and three of the classical trivium, “thought” and “speech,” respectively. Focus your energies on copious amounts of reading of great variety, and dump the public school myth that would have you believe you need to plop the kids down with workbooks and textbooks by subject!

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If you think this article on teaching beginning writing will encourage a homeschool friend, please tell her about The Classical Scholar by forwarding this post.

Considering the sheer volume of available choices, phonics homeschool products have to be one of the most popular purchases that homeschool parents make! If you browse catalogs or the vendor booths at homeschool conventions, you’ll agree. Games. Readers. Flashcards. Songs. Phonics product after phonics product woo homeschool parents with tempting promises like these:

“provide the skills for children to become lifelong readers”

“a proven system that teaches children to read”

“develop readers who can get meaning from print”

Rainbow Resource Center carries an astounding 410 different phonics products! Even respected mathematics giant, Saxon Publishers, offers two different phonics programs. According to economic theory, demand drives the supply, so homeschool parents must believe that phonics programs are necessary, but is this belief founded in reality?

For over a century, American educators have debated the usefulness of phonics instruction in teaching reading. Horace Mann introduced the “look-say” method where a child memorizes sight words instead of sounding out the letters. My own public school education in the 1960s utilized the famous look-say readers, “Dick and Jane” and their dog, Spot. I still remember reading “See Spot. See Spot run.” Sight reading was the norm, but gratefully, my mother taught me how to sound out the letters and letter blends at home during our story time so that I became a proficient reader despite my public school education.

In 1955, reading and writing expert, Rudolf Flesch published a controversial book entitled “Why Johnny Can’t Read” (later revised in 1981 in “Why Johnny Still Can’t Read”) in which he proposed that phonics instruction was the missing link to American literacy. Flesch was considered a pariah and was ridiculed by the education establishment.

I don’t know what method the public schools in your neighborhood are using to teach reading, but here in Indianapolis, my next door neighbors are still bringing home sight words to memorize for weekly spelling exams; when their rising 3^rd grader still couldn’t read after two years of instruction, the parents hired a reading tutor in exasperation! In 1990 and 1997, the United States Congress commissioned studies to determine why public school kids couldn’t read. Both reports concluded that phonics instruction was a necessary component of teaching reading and learning to spell. Nearly 30 years after the first Congressional study, my local public school is still using the ineffective “look-say” method!

Homeschool instruction in phonics involves teaching the child to pronounce the sounds of letters first then the sounds of letter blends. Once the child knows how to pronounce the letters and the blends, he can effectively “sound out” any combination of single-syllable words and eventually move on to words with multiple syllables. In effect, phonics instruction teaches the alphabetic code, and once children know this code, they can effectively decode unknown words. For example, the child who learns the high frequency anchors (also known as roots or “rimes” by linguists) can change the first letter and build countless new words (the anchor “-ook” can become book, look, cook, took, etc.)

So, it looks like all those homeschool parents purchasing phonics materials know something that public school parents don’t know: phonics instruction is a necessary component of learning how to read. (Surprise, surprise!) One caution though…since classical education emphasizes literature over manufactured “readers” (those books that are in the phonics products that are scripted around repeating certain letters and letter blends), use phonics instruction as a supplement to “living books.” Don’t substitute the phonics readers for real books. The kids will be bored and won’t catch the excitement of a well-written story. And please don’t start with flashcards and rote memorization drills. Make it a daily homeschool ritual to read with young  children and only introduce phonics instruction after you’ve instilled a love for the written word!