Classical Education

The Trivium

Classical education utilizes the trivium in it's educational model. The word “trivium” comes from the Latin prefix “tri” meaning “three,” and the Latin root “via” meaning “way,” or “road.” The word literally means “the three-fold way or road.” The Trivium refers to the three stages, or ways, of learning that coincide with a child’s cognitive development as he matures. Ancient and mediaeval education was structured around the trivium .

Dorothy Sayers has explained the trivium in her seminal essay "The Lost Tools of Learning."

Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom outline the first three liberal arts.

Knowledge, or the Grammar stage (K-5), is the facts - the dates in history, the data in science and the notes in music. Understanding, the Logic stage (6-8), organizes the facts into logical order - the reasons behind history, the theory of music. Wisdom, the Rhetoric stage (9-12), applies our knowledge in wise, effective expression and application of the facts and their relationships - an essay on the Civil War, a science fair project and playing the Moonlight Sonata.

For example, the "grammar" of mathematics would include the math facts; the "logic" would include proofs of algebra or geometry; the "rhetoric" would include applications to surveying, accounting or engineering. The "grammar" of history would include names, places and dates; the "logic" would include reasons for wars, migrations, and inventions; the "rhetoric" would include the application of these things to current events.

The learning process naturally falls into this three-step progression. In computer terms, knowledge is input, understanding is processing, and wisdom is output. Knowledge/Input engages the senses as one brings in information; understanding/processing engages the mind as one discovers and analyzes relationships; wisdom/output engages the voice, the hands and the feet as one expresses and applies in meaningful and practical ways the things he has learned.

Children are natural learners, and they learn by the natural progression of the trivium.

Most contemporary schools however, attempt to teach subject matter without first giving students the tools to master the material. Learning dysfunction can develop when one interrupts this natural progression. Modern education does exactly this. In modern education, the knowledge level is overdone as the child's senses are over-stimulated while children are taught things which they need not know, or cannot handle. The understanding level is overridden as certain ways of thinking are subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) imposed upon the child's mind without supplying sufficient factual knowledge and before the child can correctly reason the matter out. They learn everything except how to learn.

Comparison of Modern and Classical

MOST MODERN EDUCATION	CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
EGALITARIAN – Every student should attain the same level of achievement.	EXCELLENCE – Take each student to their highest possible potential.
MULTICULTURAL – Critical of our Western cultural roots, strongly emphasiszng imperialism, European settlement and historic Christianity as ‘what’s wrong with America’.	WESTERN – Recognize the great contribution of Western culture to America and the world, including its triumphs and failures, while also recognizing the beauty in other cultures.
RATIONALISTIC – Emphasizes mathematics and science at the expense of art, literature and history.	UNIVERSAL – Emphasizes the humanities, arts and sciences to bring a richer, more comprehensive perspective.
SECULAR – Holds the ‘spiritual’ as personal and separate from education. Avoids deeper philosophical issues.	INTEGRATED – Holistic approach to education appreciates the framework of philosophy and religion for all subject areas.
RELATIVISM – All moral positions are relative and hence all positions must be appraised equally.	CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW – Standards of right and wrong exist in all subject areas. Students are encouraged to be discerning and make judgments accordingly.
FRAGMENTED CONTENT – By separating knowledge into distinct subjects, it can be more easily understood and taught by “specialist” teachers.	INTEGRATED SUBJECTS – Content should be taught in an integrated way enabling students to understand continuity across the spectrum of subjects.
TEACHES FACTS AND FUNCTIONAL SKILLS – Students primarily learn about subjects focusing on the ones that help them ‘get good jobs’.	TEACHES CRITICAL THINKING – Students learn to think beyond subject-matter to evaluate it. Knowledge is not the primary goal - wisdom is.
PROGRESSIVE – Always experimenting with new techniques, ideas and methods, because of a belief that “old fashioned” is defunct and out of date.	TRADITIONAL – Conserve educational standards that have a clear record of success, while appreciating advances in technology etc.
ENTERTAINMENT LEARNING – Engaging students in the learning process with entertainment.	ENGAGE AND CHALLENGE – Students thrive with the challenge of a rigorous curriculum and enjoy the sense of true achievement.