It might take you a while to fully divest yourself of the vestiges of the public school paradigm, but in the meantime, you can begin to focus on the essential core of the classical Christian education: the Trivium. Trivium is a latin word for the first three skill sets outlined by the ancient Greeks and adopted by the ancient Romans in the 7 Liberal Arts. The three fundamental skills of the trivium are grammar, logic, and rhetoric which leads to step 2 for home school success:
Teach These Three Skills Until They Are Mastered.
A true classical education begins with three skills sets: the grammar skill which I prefer to call “learning the language,” the logic skill which I call “thinking critically,” and the rhetoric skill which I call “communicating effectively.” These three skills are not taught consecutively over time; rather, they are taught concurrently, and some areas of study like math involve more than one skill (the unique language of math is learned while critical thinking skills are being developed.) For those who are already familiar with the terms grammar, logic, and rhetoric, please read about the current false understanding of the classical trivium that is being perpetuated in the home school vendor market.
When should you start teaching these three skills? Realistically, involved parents unknowingly teach all three skills from an early age as a matter of daily life in the family. The new parent who enthusiastically gathers the small toddler into her lap for a snuggle and a good board book is already teaching language. The playful parent who regularly works puzzles and plays games with the child is teaching critical thinking skills, and the parent who consistently includes the children in adult conversations teaches effective oral communication.
For purposes of official education, most parents find that their kids are eager to join their neighbors and siblings in formal education around the age of 6 years. Some kids are ready earlier, and some need a little more time. (Historically, a classical education was begun much later than today’s public kindergarten at the from the ages of 11 to 14!)
How long will it take to teach these three skills? That depends on each child, too. In our family, our kids had mastered language and thinking skills before they mastered oral and written communication skills, so I would say that when your preteen or teen is regularly writing analytical essays, he or she is ready to move on to step 3, the deeper study of subjects for high school credit. Once you teach your children to master the three skills of grammar, logic, and rhetoric, the student can explore any number of subjects that excite his or her passions.
Are you ready to begin the process of teaching your home school child the three skills of the classical trivium? Enlightenment and freedom to give your children a REAL classical home education awaits you if you’ll just read on…
Skill Set: Learning the Language
Learning the Language through Listening
Reading Aloud: the Key to Language Development
What is the Purpose of Reading?
Is Phonics Instruction Really Necessary for Teaching Reading?
Skill Set: Thinking Critically
Three Ways to Prepare your Child for Logical Thinking
Top 10 Traits of a Critical Thinker
What Does your Child Need to Become a Critical Thinker?
Know Why You Believe What You Believe
Can A Critical Thinker Be Creative, Too?
Skill Set: Communicating Effectively
Words Have the Power to Change the World
Could You Define Classical Rhetoric?
Rhetoric in a Nutshell: Idea, Proof, & Call to Action
Classical Discourses: 3 Your Rising Scholar Needs to Know
Socratic Dialogue: Leading Questions Illustrated
Invention Reveals Truth for Speeches and Essays
Teach the Art of Arrangement and Persuade Every Time
Style: Painting Pictures with Words
Memory is the Treasury of Invention
A final note for those who are already familiar with the term trivium:
Recently, I attended our annual statewide home school convention, and I was appalled by the number of products available in the homeschool market that teach a false understanding of the classical trivium! Have you ever played a child’s game called “telephone?” In this simple game, one person starts a rumor, whispers it in his neighbor’s ear, then the neighbor passes it on to the next and so forth until the message is finally repeated to the original “caller.” Without fail, the message comes back garbled and often bears no resemblance to the original rumor. A similar misstatement of the truth is occurring right now in the classical home schooling community, and it is costing you and your children!
So many well-meaning parents, eager for guidance, embrace and execute a method that they think is classical because the “experts” say that it is, but it isn’t. I know because I was one of these parents. After much frustration, I began to research the history of classical education and was astounded to learn that what is being touted as classical education more closely resembles the American public school paradigm than the historical, authentic classical model.
There was NEVER a grammar “stage” nor a logic “stage” nor a rhetoric “stage” in the ancient, medieval, or colonial classical education. This urban myth or legend was started by Dorothy Sayers in the 1940s, and homeschooling author after author just accepts her premise of the stages as truth without checking the facts. Even Ms. Sayers admitted in her thesis paper that her premise was not based on factual evidence but rather the experiences of her youth. I’m sure that if she were still alive, she would be appalled to learn that her unsupported premise was being perpetuated as gospel truth! To understand more about Sayer’s stages, see “Shaky Speculation: The Lost Tools of Learning.”
True classical education is much simpler and less restrictive than the current educational pedagogy being disseminated in the home schooling market. Authentic classical education is not locked into a rigid 12 year public school paradigm. To learn more about the three skill sets of the historical classical education, read my posts on learning language, thinking critically, and communicating effectively.
No tag for this post.