Why a Classically Catholic Curriculum? Because it works for our family! The Trivium/Quadrivium Model of Learning is not new, it is time tested and Aquinas approved! We rotate through a cycle of History and Literature/ Language Arts on three learning levels:
1) The Grammatical 2) The Dialectical 3) The Rhetorical
The grammar phase of learning begins in grammar school and involves gathering information to become familiar with it. There is a great deal of repetition and memory work, with a focus on language arts. We usually begin the dialectical stage during middle school, looking at the information more closely and trying to see relationships. It is wonderful when the kids begin looking into the why's and the what if's of history and literature. The rhetorical phase is developing an appreciation for the nuances of the material. In high school we begin to analyze timeless truths more critically and understand how it all applies to our lives. This is the beginning of logic, rhetoric, and persuasion.The Quadrivium is a more focused study of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music, with all things ordered toward an understanding of philosophy and theology.With this methodology, my entire family can study the same basic subjects at the same time. More importantly, they are learning how to learn and think critically.
1) The Grammatical 2) The Dialectical 3) The Rhetorical
The grammar phase of learning begins in grammar school and involves gathering information to become familiar with it. There is a great deal of repetition and memory work, with a focus on language arts. We usually begin the dialectical stage during middle school, looking at the information more closely and trying to see relationships. It is wonderful when the kids begin looking into the why's and the what if's of history and literature. The rhetorical phase is developing an appreciation for the nuances of the material. In high school we begin to analyze timeless truths more critically and understand how it all applies to our lives. This is the beginning of logic, rhetoric, and persuasion.The Quadrivium is a more focused study of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music, with all things ordered toward an understanding of philosophy and theology.With this methodology, my entire family can study the same basic subjects at the same time. More importantly, they are learning how to learn and think critically.
St. Ignatius, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas, Pray for us.
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