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Classical education refers to education as it was “classically” before the advent of modern progressive education. Classical education did not merely seek to teach things that were “useful,” but held that certain things are worth knowing for their own sake, because they are good, true, and beautiful. The goal is to form not only students’ intellects, but also their characters.
Where most modern education asks only what facts a person should know, classical education asks what kind of person should a student be. Therefore, it seeks to develop the whole student, not only his or her intellectual dimensions, but also spiritual and moral dimensions, teaching them not only how to earn a living, but also how to live. Classical Catholic education further sees students in light of their eternal destiny as sons and daughters of God and made for eternal union with Him.
It has been said that modern education teaches students “what to think and how to do,” while classical education teaches students “how to think and what to do.”
Modern progressive education sees the purpose of education as to teach students certain facts in order to pass tests and preparing them primarily to be workers in the modern economy. It therefore tends to seek only man’s material good, hence downplaying the humanities, the arts, classical languages, or the whole human person.
With this goal of developing the whole person and teaching students how to live, classical education pursues an integrated curriculum, seeking connections across subjects. Students read poetry and literature from the Middle Ages (Robin Hood, King Arthur) while studying the Middle Ages. They learn about STEM, but also the humanities to see the nature, purpose, and dignity of human life and what it means to be fully human. Students read great books and discuss great ideas and classic works of literature. Ideally, they learn a foundation in Latin, part of our shared Western heritage and the basis of modern Romance Languages.
Many classical schools see learning as happening in three stages, often called the grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages of learning, though, really, students at all grade levels learn each at an age-appropriate way. The youngest level emphasizes learning by memorization and imitation since students at those younger ages are naturally imitative and tend to naturally memorize easily. At the next stage, children learn argument and criticism, practice reading and breaking down arguments, and writing such pieces. This involves more debate and discussion. At the final stage, all stages and fields of learning come together as students learn to synthesize their learning, practice reflection, and form and demonstrate their own positions.
Not at all. STEM is fully and appropriately integrated into a classical curriculum. Where modern education will often present science as contradicting religious knowledge, Classical education sees math and science as a part of fully exploring God’s universe. They help form a complete picture of man as having both a physical and spiritual nature. But while STEM can contribute to man’s physical well-being, classical education also values the humanities for their ability to contribute to understanding the nature and purpose of human life and our shared humanity.
Students benefit from learning an inflected language like Latin because of its simple and logical style. Modern Romance languages are derived from Latin as well as much of the technical vocabulary of science and literature. A good understanding of Latin, therefore, helps students learn to learn modern Romance languages, while learning modern Romance languages does not help learn Latin.