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Classical Curriculum
In the 1940’s the British author, Dorothy Sayers, wrote an essay titled “The Lost Tools of Learning.” In it she not only calls for a return to the application of the seven liberal arts of ancient education, the first being the “Trivium”- grammar, logic, rhetoric - but she also compares three stages of children’s development to the Trivium. Specifically, she matches what she calls the “Poll-parrot” stage with grammar, “Pert” with logic, and “Poetic” with rhetoric. Below is an excerpt from Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning by Doug Wilson, which describes the Trivium.
A. The structure of our curriculum is traditional with a strong emphasis on “the basics.” We understand the basics to be subjects such as mathematics, history, and language studies. Not only are these subjects covered, they are covered in a particular way. For example, in history class the students will not only read their text, they will also read from primary sources. Grammar, logic and rhetoric will be emphasized in all subjects. By grammar, we mean the fundamental rules of each subject (we do not limit grammar to language studies), as well as the basic data that exhibit those rules. In English, a singular noun does not take a plural verb. In logic, A does not equal not A. In history time is linear, not cyclic. Each subject has its own grammar, which we require students to learn. This enables the student to learn the subject from the inside out.
B. The logic of each subject refers to the ordered relationship of that subject’s particulars (grammar). What is the relationship between the Reformation and the colonization of America? What is the relationship between the subject and the object of a sentence? As the students learn the underlying rules or principles of a subject (grammar) along with how the particulars of that subject relate to one another (logic), they are learning to think. They are not simply memorizing fragmented pieces of knowledge.
C. The last emphasis is rhetoric. We want our students to be able to express clearly everything they learn. An essay in history must be written as clearly as if it were an English paper. An oral presentation should be as coherent as possible. It is not enough that the history or science be correct. It must also be expressed well.
Throughout our school, we will be using texts from a variety of publishing companies. Yes, we will teach Latin. Latin is not a “dead language,” but rather a language that lives on in almost all major western languages, including English. Training in Latin not only gives the student a better understanding of the roots of English vocabulary; it also lays the foundation for learning other Latin-based languages. Learning the grammar of Latin reinforces the student’s understanding of the reasons for, and the use of, the parts of speech being taught in our traditional English classroom.
The information below was drawn from the essay “The Lost Tools of Learning” by Dorothy Sayers. It illustrates the applications of the Trivium (Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric) we use.
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Student Characteristics |
Teaching Methods |
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Beginning Grammar
(Pre-Polly)
Grades K~2
Approximate Age: 4~8
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1) Obviously excited about learning
2) Enjoys games, stories, songs, and projects
3) Short attention span
4) Wants to touch, feel, smell, and see
5) Imaginative and creative
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1) Guide discovering
2) Explore and find things
3) Use lots of tactile items to illustrate point
4) Sing, play games, chant, recite, color, draw, paint, and build
5) Use body movements
6) Short, creative projects
7) Show and Tell, drama, hear/read/tell stories
8) Field trips
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Grammar
(Poll-Parrot)
Grades 3~6
Approximate Age: 9~11
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1) Excited about new and interesting facts
2) Likes to explain, figure out, and talk
3) Wants to relate own experiences to topic, or to just tell a story
4) Likes collections, organizing items
5) Likes chants, clever, repetitious word sounds (e.g. Dr. Seuss)
6) Easily memorizes
7) Can assimilate another language well
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1) Lots of hands-on work, projects
2) Field trips, drama
3) Make collections, displays, models
4) Integrate subjects through above means
5) Teach and assign research projects
6) Recitations, memorizations
7) Drills, games
8) Oral/written presentations
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Logic
(Pert)
Grades 7~9
Approximate Age: 12~14
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1) Still excitable, but needs challenges
2) Judges, critiques, debates, critical
3) Likes to organize items, others
4) Shows off knowledge
5) Wants to know “behind the scenes” facts
6) Curious about “Why?” for most things
7) Thinks, acts as though more knowledgeable than adults
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1) Time lines, charts, maps (visual materials)
2) Debates, persuasive reports
3) Drama, reenactments, role-playing
4) Evaluate, critique (with guidelines)
5) Formal logic
6) Research projects
7) Oral/written presentations
8) Guest speakers, trips
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Rhetoric
(Poetic)
Grades 10~12
Approximate Age: 15~18
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1) Concerned with present events, especially in own life
2) Interested in justice, fairness
3) Moving toward special interests, topics
4) Can take on responsibility, independent work
5) Can do synthesis
6) Desires to express feelings, own ideas
7) Generally idealistic
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1) Drama, oral presentation
2) Guide research in major areas with goal of synthesis of ideas
3) Many papers, speeches, debates
4) Give responsibilities, e.g. working with younger students
5) In-depth field trips, even overnight
6) Worldview discussion/written papers
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