by Christopher Perrin, PhD | Sep 16, 2010 | Articles, Schools & Other Organizations
Let’s face it—it is hard to speak clearly about classical Christian education. I have been studying it, implementing it and writing about it for almost 15 years and I still can become tongue-tied when someone asks me “What is classical Christian education?” I am always brushing up and revising my elevator speech.
That is why the recent article about Covenant Classical School (CCS) in Naperville, Illinois, is so remarkable. CCS is not an established school. It opened its doors barely a month ago with 87 students.
And yet journalist Jane Donahue of the Naperville Sun was able to crystallize the complex mission of CCS in a relatively short story. I am astonished that this happened. It usually takes new parents about a year to gain the kind of understanding displayed by Donahue. In her story, Donahue quotes a board member, head of school, teacher, two parents and a student. Taken together, the comments of these people tell us that Covenant Classical School:
- is a new school rooted in an old tradition
- has a classical curriculum (grammar, Latin, logic, rhetoric, music, etc.)
- employs a pedagogy appropriate to the developmental stage of students
- seeks to train students “to think, reason, read, write and speak well”
- learns from the best ideas, thinkers and literature of the past
- aims to build character: “Everyone is cheerful, friendly and thoughtful.”
- integrates biblical teaching and faith
- provides a joyful, warm environment
- develops community and strong bonds
I think this surpasses my elevator speech.
Here is the link to the article—compare it to your speech: Faith and Education Combine at Covenant
So how did the journalist figure this out? Somehow CCS has managed to pass on a clear concept of its mission to all members of its community—even a 12 year-old student. How is your school doing in this regard? We could all do worse than to take this article and seek to embody it and communicate it in our own schools. Pass this article along to your marketing director or head of school and to the board. Pass it along to your 12 year-old.
by Christopher Perrin, PhD | Jun 30, 2010 | Interviews & Podcasts
Recently we interviewed Karen Moore, veteran Latin teacher and author from Grace Classical Academy of Georgetown, Texas. In this interview, Karen cogently describes the benefits of studying Latin and offers a variety of insights and advice to new Latin teachers and to those curious about the value of studying Latin. Karen is a unique blend of Texas and Rome–and is articulate as she is passionate. Click any of the links below to hear veteran Latin teacher Karen Moore share a variety of insights, recommendations and advice relative to the teaching of Latin.
Karen’s Bio and Introduction
Reading Latin
Latin Pedagogy Bike Riding
Why Latin
More Benefits to Latin
Growing an English Vocabulary
Improved Scores
Mental Training
Kid’s Favorite Subject
Teaching Tips
National Latin Exam
Advice to New Latin Teachers
by Christopher Perrin, PhD | Mar 31, 2010 | Articles, Uncategorized
For a while now I have been amused at the contrast between the two words “trivium” and “trivial.” Now I am an ardent advocate of the renewal of “Trivium-Based Education” and consider such a renewal greatly needed and far from trivial. So in what sense could the trivium be trivial? How could one of these words be so serious and the other so…well, trivial?
Our word “trivium” is taken directly from the Latin word trivium which means the place “where three roads meet.” The word trivium is made from two other Latin words: tres (three) and via (road, way). The word trivium was employed by some medieval educators to describe the education rooted in the study of the three verbal arts of grammar, logic in rhetoric. The trivium described the “three fold way” consisting of the arts of grammar, logic and rhetoric. So the trivium is the path to mastering language and cultivating one’s humanity. That’s pretty serious. Our word “trivial” (and “trivia”) derives from a related Latin word–the adjective trivialis, which means “of the crossroads.” In Roman towns, crossroads where very busy streets where a lot of people gathered, making what was there, or what happened there, common. So gradually, what was “trivial” became that which was common, familiar and well-known.
In contemporary education, we surely cannot say that the trivium is common, familiar and well-known. Certainly trivum-based education is not on every street corner, not in this sense at the crossroads. But could the trivium be at the crossroads in another sense? For a crossroads also represents a decision that must be made. One must make one turn or another, take one path or another. As classical schools continue to grow and multiply, other schools will be presented with a choice: Should we adopt a classical curriculum and pedagogy? Many Christian schools are observing the growth of classical schools and asking themselves, if the classical approach would be a road worth taking. Several have said yes, a trend I am certainly watching carefully.
Classical schools themselves often find themselves at their own crossroads: Do we start a high school? Do we dilute the classical curriculum in order to attract more students? Do we help start another classical school in a city down the road?
Maybe you are at a crossroads. Will you educate your own children classically? Will you become an educator at a classical school or co-op? Will you give your talent and time to a classical school board? Start a new classical school? Let me know, I have been down that road before.
by Christopher Perrin, PhD | Dec 10, 2009 | Articles
Occasionally I will take time in this blog to reply to some common objections to classical Christian education (CCE). In this brief essay, I address one of the most common objections to CCE…. I would love to hear of ways you think is CCE may in fact be out of touch and how you would respond to the objection. Here is the essay:
This objection claims that CCE is retrogressive, backwards-looking, with little appreciation for modern thinking, ideas and techniques. Being anti-modern, CCE is also anachronistic and thus risks being irrelevant to modern concerns and needs.
Of course it would be foolish to try and “go back in time” in the sense of seeking to replicate the setting, materials, customs and certain methods of ancient, medieval, renaissance, reformation or colonial education. Shall we use wax tablets and scrolls? Shall we teach in Latin? Shall we teach boys and girls separately? Contemporary classical educators are not seeking to reinstate the specific expressions of education as it existed, say in 12th century England. Classical education is a history of theme and variation or substance and accidents. Contemporary classical educators are seeking to recover the essential themes of education that have persisted through the centuries including the concepts of the seven liberal arts. For example, the trivium arts of grammar, logic and rhetoric are designed to impart mastery of language. Whether we make use of wax tablets, parchments, printed books, chalkboards, whiteboards, smart boards or laptops is incidental to the idea of verbal mastery by means of these arts. The arts remain, the tools employed to master them may change.
So we go back primarily to recover ideas and arts that transcend time and circumstance. If we find some methods and tools in the past that can be adapted and used well today, then we may consider doing so insofar as they support the essential themes of CCE that we have traced.
Because CCE has always sought to wisely adapt to changing needs and circumstances, we are being “classical” when we seek to wisely innovate and adapt the central themes of CCE to the 21st century. Just as classical education looked different in 12 century England than it did in 8th century France (say in Charlemagne’s court under Alcuin) so will it look different in 21st century America. We don’t teach in Latin, we teach in English (though we teach Latin as a foreign language). We still use printed books, but also use ebooks.
Just as we are glad to employ the fruit of modern technology, so are we willing to consider the resources of modern research. Some educational research is quite valuable. For example, the research that gave birth to standardized tests is very helpful for creating certain benchmarks (as in reading and math) for students throughout the nation. Such tests are one important way that schools can assess their success in teaching some important skills and concepts. Studies in developmental psychology have been very helpful in showing us how students learn as they grow and mature, with important implications for teaching methods. We also recognize, however, that scientific research (usually psychological and statistical research) does not necessarily lead to clear conclusions about what should change in curriculum or pedagogy. There has been a dizzying amount of educational paradigm shifts all based on studies and research, shifts that have not delivered the promised results. The implications of various studies should be carefully assessed against the evidence of a tradition with many centuries of success. We are not likely to throw out the study of literature based on one new university study. This doesn’t make us anti-modern; it makes us resistance to adopt major changes without convincing proof.
by Christopher Perrin, PhD | Aug 30, 2009 | Schools & Other Organizations
Next week I will be participating in an world mission’s conference that among other things will be exploring how education can serve world missions. Classical education has always morphed and adapted to new, dynamic settings, and it has flourished in the east as well at the west. Historically, it has been anything but static. Still, I am challenged by the question of how we can deploy the curricula, pedagogy and insights of classical education to countries in the east today. I will be exploring this question with some others at the coming conference. Ideas and thoughts are welcome.
