The Beauty of Classical Education

There are numerous approaches to the education of a child. Modern psychology plays a significant role in the way students are taught in most schools, but it has not always been this way. For centuries - even millennia - before the influence of John Dewey and the rise of the modern school system, school children received some form of a classical education.

Also known as a liberal education (from the Latin "liber" meaning "free"), classical education was the standard for the free citizen. The most basic component of this type of education is the trivium. The trivium is composed of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Although these terms are linked to language arts, the idea can be applied to any subject. At the grammar stage, one learns the basic facts and figures, such as the alphabet, words, and sentences. At the logic stage, the student studies how the facts learned relate to each other so that, for example, sentences and paragraphs may be analyzed for logical consistency and validity. When the student enters the rhetoric stage, he learns how to use the skills of grammar and logic to understand how reality relates to him, and he is able to express himself effectively.

There is also a major emphasis placed on studying source materials from antiquity to the present. The student receiving a liberal education will understand the rise of western civilization and the role played by Greek and Roman cultures in the formation of life as we know it today. America was not, after all, formed in a vacuum. Math would include the study of the mathematicians who developed the subject and the historical motivation behind their work. Students would become familiar with the work of Archimedes, Newton, Darwin, and others, and be able to analyze their work in light of the scientific method. The ideas of economists like Adam Smith, Milton Friedman, Karl Marx, and John Maynard Keynes would be an integral part of the curriculum. Instead of reading short exerpts of great literature followed by pages of analysis from textbook writers, students would actually read classic books in toto. The work of these masters will influence the student in their own writing, as well as give solid role models of character and virtue.

Unfortunately, liberal education is all too often replaced with mediocre instruction and even outright indoctrination, from grade schools all the way through the higher institutions. Parents can begin to safeguard their children against these shortcomings, however. Be in tune with what your child is learning so that you know where you can supplement their education at home. Be sure that your young children become solid readers and that they grasp the basic arithmetic taught in the classroom. As they grow older, encourage them to read classics suitable to their reading level. You can find "Great Books" lists on the internet with suggestions for excellent reading for both you and your young scholars. Ask your son or daughter if they are familiar with opposing viewpoints to what they are being taught in school. Perhaps you can research with them to find historical context and perspective for many of the concepts they are taught in their history, science, and other classes. Such an education will train a student's mind to be capable of tackling any subject with proper perspective and objectivity.

This post has shown only a glimpse, at best, of the beauty of classical education. Hopefully it sparks an interest to learn more about this type of education. The following are only a few suggestions for further reading. The links are posted in the menu at the right for quick reference:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/classed.html
http://www.gbt.org/text/sayers.html
http://www.fordham.edu/HALSALL/ancient/asbook.html
Classical Education: Towards the Revival of American Schooling, Gene Edward Veith, Jr. and Andrew Kern
The Closing of the American Mind, Allan Bloom

Taking a Break

Ahhh...weekends. Here I am at the computer on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Kids all over the country look forward to sleeping in, taking it easy, perhaps putting off homework and not touching school books for a whole day or more. What's wrong with that? Nothing, of course, because we all need time to relax, take a break, and recharge. But weekends should not be a time of endless idleness. I have often wondered where this idea has come from that relaxation always and only means hours of mindless television, video games, and junk food. Don't get me wrong, I have indulged myself from time to time as well, but I would invariably reach the end of such a day with a sluggish, lathargic sense of emptiness and wondering where the day went. The rising problem of obesity among school children has not been uncommon in the news recently, either. Perhaps it is not a leap to link this problem with lifestyle to problems in school. If children see time at home as time to laze around the house, then no wonder waistlines are expanding while academic performance declines.

In an effort to combat this trend, I encourage parents to see the weekends as a time to connect with their children and keep the spark of curiosity alive. Let the kids watch their Saturday morning cartoons, but limit their T.V. time to one hour or less. Instead of going to the movies in the afternoon, think about visiting a museum. Instead of a day playing video games, get the whole family engaged in a lively board game or card game. Do some simple crafts; Grandma and Grandpa would love to get a handmade card in the mail. Instead of sending them outside to play by themselves, why not join them? You can take a leisurely walk and draw their attention to changing leaves or squirrels that are gathering nuts for the winter. I would wager that spending time outdoors with your child would leave you feeling pretty good, too.

Relaxation is good and necessary for health, but play can still mean learning, thinking, and doing. Engage their minds, and let your children see that curiosity and wonder does not need to end with the school bell on Friday afternoon.

Reading for Life

One would be hard-pressed to find anyone who denied the importance of having solid reading skills. But the ability to decipher letters and sounds in order to read the directions and questions on a test is not the end goal of learning to read. There are benefits above and beyond basic classroom functions for the sound reader, benefits which can be secured more readily with the help and encouragement of parent involvement.

Modern educators are expected to cater to the multiple intelligences and varying learning styles of their students. This is good and right, for a good teacher will meet a student where they are. However, this is not an alternative to aquiring solid reading skills. The ability to pick up a book on a given subject, read and comprehend it, and then apply the information gained frees the student from the limitations of learning only in the presence of an instructor. When your young one is grown, busy with family and career, he can satisfy any new curiosity for himself by simply picking up a book or reading an article. Medical research indicates that reading on a regular basis may even help prevent or slow the onset of dementia later in life.

Despite the well recognized benefits of reading, teachers are only human and must do their best with a dozen or more students of varying abilities. Enter: the parents. You, as the parent, can spark a love of reading in your son or daughter and aid them in developing their own reading skills. The age-old and much loved tradition of reading a bedtime story is a great place to start. Dr. Seuss, Winnie the Pooh, and any number of other children's books are available at the local library and bookstore. As your children get older, have them read to you for practice. When you finish a book or a chapter, ask your child what happened in the story to see how well they understand what they read. When they are old enough, you may even recommend books and offer suggestions for other resources to teach them how to satisfy their curiosity. About the time I was in middle school, many of the questions I asked my parents were answered with, "Try looking it up in the dictionary," or, "Read this book, and then we'll discuss it." My parents gave me my very own Webster's Collegiate Dictionary at the tender age of 9, and over time it has become very natural to turn to the written word to search out answers for myself. Thus, learning has not been limited to sitting in a classroom with a teacher presenting the information.

This is the kind of educational independence that reading affords. Reading is not just for school or for homework. Reading is for life.

A Home Culture of Learning

A child's education should not, indeed, does not end when he steps off the school property. The attitudes he encounters and the habits he observes in his parents' behavior have a strong chance of being passed on to the child. While great teachers may come and go, the parents are the ones who are there, day in and day out throughout the years.

Parents can adopt a wide range of techniques to encourage their child to value learning. Something as simple as asking, "What did you learn at school today?" elevates education to a place of importance by showing it is worthy of discussion, and the child gets the opportunity to reinforce what was learned by retelling lessons in their own words. If you want to go even further than this, don't hesitate to pick up a good book, discuss ideas and current events with other adults, or learn a new skill or hobby - all before your impressionable child's eyes. Children notoriously imitate even the most miniscule behavior they observe in their parents. Why shouldn't those behaviors serve their education? Curiosity will be nurtured, and completing homework may not be so painful if the child is positive about learning.

Benefits of such behavior are not limited to the school-age children, either. Younger siblings who can barely crawl will grow up seeing learning and school as very natural, positive aspects of daily life. Parents and children can bond by reading together and pursuing common interests. The entire family, in fact, can become its own culture of learning where knowledge is sought after and highly respected. In this way, parents can begin to lay the groundwork for their children to be lifelong learners.

Blog Rules

Anyone is free to post their comments on this blog. I only ask that you exercise basic courtesy and respect when you write. Feel free to add to the topic at hand with your own thoughts, experiences, and resources. The goal, after all, is to supply parents with ideas and information to enhance the education of their children.

Rationale

Whether a child is sent to public or private school or home schooled, the fact is that parents are the greatest influence on their child's education. This can be intimidating, especially for those parents with no formal background in education, or for those who perhaps never took their own education very seriously. Even if you did not excel in academics as a youth, it's never too late to start. In keeping with the fundamental premise that "excellence in education begins at home," the purpose of this blog, as stated above, is to promote a culture of education within society by providing encouragement and practical resources for parents to further their own education as a means of furthering their children's.