The easiest way to start the conversation about classical learning is to discuss the 'stages' of learning. Classical methodology is not a 'new' thing. In fact, classical learning was slowly replaced in the 20th century with more modern modes of education. We are all familiar with the buzz words surrounding education. In the 70's, classrooms became 'open' and self-directed learning became popular. Students of this age will remember a more 'montessori' style of learning where you did math packets and advanced at a pace that was comfortable for you. In the 80's and 90's, there were new standards set up in order for students to keep up with their international peers. This mandated a much faster pace of learning when it came to math and other skill-based courses. Important drilling became lost in the effort to become more of a 'factory' in our schools. Producing the product was the goal. In recent years, Common Core has demanded that the student be able to do things that may be beyond their appropriate stage of learning. While none of these things are necessarily wrong, it is important to examine the brain development of a child and to consider what we are teaching and when.
A child who is in 1st-5th grade is most likely in the 'GRAMMAR STAGE' of learning. Using the analogy of learning to read music or to play an instrument, during this stage, you focus on proper form. In piano, there is a way to sit, a way to hold your hands. When you learn the music, you learn note by note and you learn to 'read' the notes on the printed music. What you don't do is put a difficult piece of music in front of a child and ask them to play. Students often do a great deal of music theory and sometimes memorize little jingles to remember the placement of notes on the music. The grammar stage often involves reading one note at a time. Only when a child has mastered this basic reading of music do you add chord structures. Also presented during the grammar stage is the playing of scales and various rhythmic exercises. Now, to carry this to a child's formal education, you would do much of the same. A child at this age can memorize jingles, poems, songs that help them learn dates and concepts. When we were children, we sang the alphabet song. It is much the same with the grammar stage of learning in the classical methodology.
For a child in the grammar stage, you would focus on factual information and would avoid questions that ask why or how? Of course, you may guide them and help them understand some of the why and how, but generally the work should be very focused on learning the 'grammar' of any subject. What does this look like in each subject? Well, with grammar, there could be jingles to help them understand parts of speech. In math, students certainly need to learn multiplication tables, quick addition and subtraction, division, etc. Too many older students carelessly solve difficult math problems and miss critical points on tests because they never mastered math drills. In science, students may learn jingles to help understand cell structure, the periodic table, etc. In history, songs are popular to help students know important dates in history. And finally, in any language, there are helpful songs and drills that help students learn the grammar of the language.
Around middle school, a student will begin to question everything.They will begin to ask some of the why and how questions. This is the 'logic stage' of learning. During this stage, a teacher should begin to give simple word problems in math and should help students to diagram sentences in grammar. The student now has to take that basic information and they must apply it in steps and begin to think about how all the pieces fit together. A student in late elementary school could be ready for Algebra I where there are multiple steps used to solve word problems or to work with linear systems of equations. The student should also be ready to work with translating sentences in Latin...not difficult sentences, but simple sentences. In science, a student should be ready to create a hypothesis and should be able to work through an experiment and then should be able to begin to evaluate what happened.
The final stage of learning is the 'rhetoric stage' and a student will likely enter this stage around 9th or 10th grade. A student in this stage is able to look at varying viewpoints and discussions and will begin to delve much more deeply into the hows and whys of an argument. They will also be able to evaluate their role and responses in the given subject. A student in this stage will be required to read a great classic and should be able to try and interpret what an author may have been saying. In addition, they will have the skills to look at the culture, the people, and what was happening in the world at that time and be able to further glean the message an author was communicating. The student may be ready for calculus or other advanced math and will be able to consider their own 'research' and evaluations of various scientific subjects. Obviously, this would be carried into a college setting where further learning would occur.
To learn about the classes we offer in within the classical model, click here!
A child who is in 1st-5th grade is most likely in the 'GRAMMAR STAGE' of learning. Using the analogy of learning to read music or to play an instrument, during this stage, you focus on proper form. In piano, there is a way to sit, a way to hold your hands. When you learn the music, you learn note by note and you learn to 'read' the notes on the printed music. What you don't do is put a difficult piece of music in front of a child and ask them to play. Students often do a great deal of music theory and sometimes memorize little jingles to remember the placement of notes on the music. The grammar stage often involves reading one note at a time. Only when a child has mastered this basic reading of music do you add chord structures. Also presented during the grammar stage is the playing of scales and various rhythmic exercises. Now, to carry this to a child's formal education, you would do much of the same. A child at this age can memorize jingles, poems, songs that help them learn dates and concepts. When we were children, we sang the alphabet song. It is much the same with the grammar stage of learning in the classical methodology.
For a child in the grammar stage, you would focus on factual information and would avoid questions that ask why or how? Of course, you may guide them and help them understand some of the why and how, but generally the work should be very focused on learning the 'grammar' of any subject. What does this look like in each subject? Well, with grammar, there could be jingles to help them understand parts of speech. In math, students certainly need to learn multiplication tables, quick addition and subtraction, division, etc. Too many older students carelessly solve difficult math problems and miss critical points on tests because they never mastered math drills. In science, students may learn jingles to help understand cell structure, the periodic table, etc. In history, songs are popular to help students know important dates in history. And finally, in any language, there are helpful songs and drills that help students learn the grammar of the language.
Around middle school, a student will begin to question everything.They will begin to ask some of the why and how questions. This is the 'logic stage' of learning. During this stage, a teacher should begin to give simple word problems in math and should help students to diagram sentences in grammar. The student now has to take that basic information and they must apply it in steps and begin to think about how all the pieces fit together. A student in late elementary school could be ready for Algebra I where there are multiple steps used to solve word problems or to work with linear systems of equations. The student should also be ready to work with translating sentences in Latin...not difficult sentences, but simple sentences. In science, a student should be ready to create a hypothesis and should be able to work through an experiment and then should be able to begin to evaluate what happened.
The final stage of learning is the 'rhetoric stage' and a student will likely enter this stage around 9th or 10th grade. A student in this stage is able to look at varying viewpoints and discussions and will begin to delve much more deeply into the hows and whys of an argument. They will also be able to evaluate their role and responses in the given subject. A student in this stage will be required to read a great classic and should be able to try and interpret what an author may have been saying. In addition, they will have the skills to look at the culture, the people, and what was happening in the world at that time and be able to further glean the message an author was communicating. The student may be ready for calculus or other advanced math and will be able to consider their own 'research' and evaluations of various scientific subjects. Obviously, this would be carried into a college setting where further learning would occur.
To learn about the classes we offer in within the classical model, click here!