Classical education is not a new method of learning. In fact, it has been a sound and proven philosophy of education for hundreds of years and has produced some of the greatest minds in history. It can be understood in part by its methodology called the Trivium. The Trivium includes three stages.

The Grammar Stage is the study of fundamentals of various subjects like history, science, math, and language arts, in order to build a framework of knowledge on which later information can be hung. Latin is the paradigm discipline of the Grammar Stage and begins in the fourth grade. The goal is to teach these students from K-6th grade facts, facts of who, what, where and when, at a time when memorization of facts is easy and fun.

The Logic Stage, which incorporates our 7-8th graders, brings the data of the Grammar Stage into ordered relationship. Formal and informal logic is taught with the goal of equipping the students with thinking skills, making them capable of detecting sound and fallacious arguments. Questions of how and why are thoroughly addressed with this age group.

The Rhetoric Stage makes use of the data of the Grammar Stage and the reasoning skills of the Logic Stage. Combined they teach high school students how to express what they think eloquently and persuasively. Because of this method, two goals are achieved. The first goal is that basics of sound education are successfully imparted. What a joy to see children who can read well and problem solve! The second is to see our young graduates go into the world with a firm grasp on the tools of learning. It will be a pleasure to see young men and women who can think.