Why Classical Education?

Thank you for taking the time to check out our section on why Classical Christian Education is important.

Classical is Christian

The revival of classical education in the realm of the elementary school has been in progress for at least 40 years. As we grow deeper in our understanding of how “classical” can be built upon, we better see how these improvements are simply a deeper understanding of things already well established in previous times in Western culture, which is ultimately the outworking of a Christian culture.

We are not choosing “classical” for pragmatic reasons. We choose “classical” because it is deeply in accordance with Scripture and the way God creates and shapes us. Knowledge and training in the Bible are described as the fear of the Lord and paideia, both loaded concepts. This biblical education must go far beyond supplying information, reaching to mold character and cultivate godly wisdom.

Training children in wisdom means teaching them how  to think and not what to think. The “why” is what will ultimately shape their hearts. Methods known as “Socratic dialogue”, “Harkness tables”, and “Schole” can be powerful tools for nurturing children in their ability to love and to discern. We find the influence of excellent teachers to be a key aspect in this training. Good teachers love the Lord and love their material. They know how to ask the right questions in order to teach students how to think, seeking to capture their hearts rather than acing SATs. These teachers send students off to college (or wherever God leads them) with a desire to continue to learn and grow in theology and philosophy alongside their other studies. Their goal is to help their students make what they are learning a part of who they are, taking nectar and turning it into honey.

 

For more information on Classical Education, we encourage you to check out The Classical Difference Network.

*We are not affiliated with ClassicalU. We are members of the Association of Classical Christian Schools and agree with and abide by ACCS procedure, policy and philosophy.