The Classical Scholar

Are you incorporating classical rhetoric in your child’s home education?  According to the honorable Zell Miller, former governor of the state of Georgia and United States Senator,

“Twenty years of votes can tell you much more about a man than twenty weeks of campaign rhetoric. Campaign talk tells people who you want them to think you are. How you vote tells people who you really are deep inside.”

Although you’ve heard the word “rhetoric” used in contemporary conversations, you might not have a clear idea of what it means in terms of an authentic classical home education. The two most common usages of the word rhetoric in my community of Christian homeschoolers are as follows: (1) the inflated verbosity of politicians to win votes at all costs, and (2) the misuse of the original term to describe a “stage” of classical home education, generally the homeschool high school years. Our lack of understanding stems from the fact that the term rhetoric belongs to an art (remember the seven liberal arts of a classical education?) that was constructed during ancient times, practiced for thousands of years, yet abruptly abandoned as a fundamental discipline in our public schools during the middle to late 1800s. In short,

Rhetoric is the art of oratory.

For thousands of years, classical rhetoric was classified as (1) verbal, (2) conciliatory, (3) persuasive requests (as opposed to coercive demands) that were (4) delivered by a single orator. More recently with the invention of the printing press, the term rhetoric was broadened to include written as well as spoken oratory. Oratory, derived from the Latin infinitive “orare” which means “to pray”, is simply the art of speaking in public and writing for the public. The same principles of rhetoric are applied to both oral and written disciplines.

Classical rhetoric is the art or discipline of using written and spoken discourse to persuade, inform, or motivate an audience…the very essence of the speech or essay is meant to move the listener or reader. According to Scottish Presbyterian Minister and Master of Rhetoric, George Campbell,

“we discourse to enlighten the understanding, to please the imagination, to move the passions, or influence the will.”

Although Campbell was primarily interested in the art of rhetoric because he believed it would result in better preachers, contemporary home educators see the application of rhetoric to a whole slew of opportunities from platform, interpretive, and limited preparation speeches and essays to books, sermons, and face-to-face encounters in the community.  Now that you know the definition of classical rhetoric, will you incorporate it into your child’s home education?

Has your family developed a home education philosophy?  A common sensation grips both novice and veteran home educators when they encounter the vendor hall at the annual convention: panic! Row after row of eager vendors touting the essential benefits of their products often unintentionally confuse, overwhelm, and frustrate. The sheer magnitude of home education choices can be stupefying. Textbooks, DVDs, maps, CDs, cassette tapes, workbooks, flashcards, VHS tapes, art supplies, lab equipment, and even bread-making supplies are all for sale! Even the most prepared parents sometimes find themselves purchasing materials that do not meet the needs of their children nor do these materials accomplish the objectives of their home education philosophy. Knowing your family’s philosophy of home education can give you clear vision while you confidently peruse the multiple resources in wonder and excitement.

Although the number of home education methods is considerably less than the number of resources available to implement these methods, there are several approaches from which to choose. Your family’s home education philosophy is simply how you think about education — that is, your system of motivating beliefs, concepts, and principles. In determining your philosophy, consider the following 10 questions:

1. What do we believe about education?
2. What do we believe about our children?
3. What do we believe about our role as parents?
4. How do each of our children learn?
5. What parental experience is necessary?
6. What knowledge will we seek?
7. What character traits are most desirable?
8. How much control over content and time will we exercise during each phase of the journey?
9. What overall goals do we hope to accomplish?
10. How will we execute our dreams?

Such weighty questions are not easily answered. Significant reflection, research, and discussion over time will eventually reveal your family’s unique vision for educating your children. A universally correct answer does not exist; each family must personalize the final goals and execute accordingly.  Can you verbalize  your home education philosophy?

To get you thinking, here are some selected authors who propose five differing philosophies of education:

John Holt advocates unschooling as a home education philosophy

Charlotte Mason believed living books were important to education

Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer systematize classical education

Oliver Van DeMille endorses leadership home education

Diane Lockman explains the simplicity of authentic classical homeschooling

Each author is highly respected within the home education community. Proven observations and solutions that effectively challenge and shape students (and parents!) serve as testimony to the validity of these authors’ approaches. Some might avoid certain books labeled as liberal or conservative; however, exclusive reliance on labels can rob us of the gems revealed in each book. One common theme of each author is love of learning, so take a look at the home education philosophy of each and then compare it to your family model to see where you fall on the spectrum.

After two grueling but productive days at the Indiana Home Educators Convention six years ago, I wearily hauled my rolling suitcase, burdened with books, through the crowded Exhibition Hall. Mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausted, I unexpectedly stumbled upon the booth for The Institute for Excellence in Writing. My bleary eyes were drawn to a spiral notebook brimming with student examples. As I began to peruse the impressive material, a profound realization dawned: I must have this writing curriculum! Armed with my mighty VISA card, I purchased the TWSS - Teaching Writing with Structure and Style - a teacher’s manual and DVDs that have altered the attitude and ability of my family towards composition. Since that day, I have happily returned to IEW for more materials, and I have never been disappointed. Thank you, Andrew, for reminding me of the basic components of excellent writing and giving me the stylistic tools to write a paragraph teeming with dress ups, sentence openers, decorations, triples, and advanced dress ups.

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