Classical Education: Hallmarks 1A

As hinted at previously, there is no such thing as a cookie-cutter classical school. Within the community exists a diverse range of opinions and emphases; however, I will propose a couple aspects which I consider hallmarks of an excellent classical education.

CE is dinstinguished by an unparalleled focus on history: the center around which all, or at least most, other content is organized. Not only is it central to the curriculum, but it is taught chronologically - revolutionary, I know - and the cycle is completed 3 times before a student graduates from high school. I have heard 2 major arguments against teaching history this way, so I'll briefly defend the practice.

Some purport that young children don't understand the concept of "Time" and therefore do not benefit from, and can in fact be confused by, chronological study. Now, it is certainly true that they do not grasp the philosophical meaning and language of "Time" but then...neither do I! But they certainly DO, from a very early age, understand the simple idea that one thing happened before another. That is all that is required. We don't let the fact that they don't understand the relationship between "symbol" and "the thing signified" keep us from teaching them to read, do we?

Another argument is that young children cannot understand that which is outside their realm of experience, so it is sufficient to teach them the history of their own family, city, school, etc. There is some validity to this argument, but if carried too far, we would fail to teach many things to our children. A significant part of education is bringing the student face-to-face with unfamiliar people, places and ideas. Additionally, by the time children enter school, they should have already have ample experience with "that which they haven't seen or experienced" through the development of their imaginations!

The validity of this argument is found in one of the foundational principles of teaching: that you begin with the familiar and proceed to the unfamiliar. Granted. That is a highly instructive and valuable principle with which I have no disagreement. Coupling this approach with the belief that children should be most familiar with their own history, leads to this suggested course of study:

Kindergarten - Family and community history

1st Grade - State history and some early American

2nd Grade - More Early American; begin Ancient Egypt 2nd semester

3rd Grade - Ancient Greece & Rome

4th Grade - Medieval (Augustine - Reformation)

5th Grade - Explorers & Early American (through Westward Expansion)

6th Grade - Civil War - WWII

This first cycle through history should be taught using stories, images, and memorization! Stories of great men and women who sacrificed for the good of others, and stories of events that changed the course of the world. HISTORY IS NOT BORING unless we make it so. History is fraught with fascinating accounts that captivate the hearts and minds of children. A wealth of biography and historical fiction are available for these ages...use them! Along with the stories, utilize images (a good way to incorporate fine art into your curriculum) that offer realistic representation of the era being studied, allowing the children to see the stories in their minds with some degree of accuracy. Those "facts" of history that are significant enough to require retention, should be set to songs, chants and rhymes which will be reviewed year after year. The rest provides exposure to lives that are worthy of emulation, or demonstrate the destruction wrought by foolishness. Children begin to sift all of history through the grid of God's sovereignty, and they begin to recognize the way He uses both man's wisdom and folly to bring about His own purposes. Next to the Scriptures themselves, history probably provides the greatest opportunity for growth in wisdom.

Around 4th-6th grade, depending on the maturity of your students, intensify the level of critical-thinking applied to the stories. As these children enter the "Logic" phase of learning, they benefit from being asked hard questions about men, events, decisions, and consequences. Challenge them to evaluate the ideas and beliefs behind these.

As this post has already become lengthier than I intended, I'll reserve the remainder of the history discussion for the next installment!