Finally, the third "main" educational philosophy (or "buzz word?) is Classical Education. So what does that MEAN?
There's a LOT of overlap in a Classical Education with the Charlotte Mason Education as well as the Thomas Jefferson Education, but I'll cover that in a Post-Analysis where you can sort of pick and choose the "best version" of your educational philosophy.
In general terms, wisdom is the goal of a classical education - inspire a curiosity of wonder and then add in reasoning and understanding, ultimately leading to wisdom. Here are just five main points that would define your educational philosophy if you're a "Classical" Homeschooler.
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The Trivium: (Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric) is a key focus for each study day or course. These are also referred to as "pillars" of an excellent education. Your daily education is structured around the student's natural development, but focused on learning foundational facts through grammar, critical thinking, logic, and persuasive expression which is rhetoric.
- The Great Books & Primary Sources: Students engage directly with enduring works of Western civilization (e.g., Homer, Plato) rather than summaries or textbooks.
- Integration of Knowledge: Subjects are not treated as separately. Instead, history, literature, science, and math are interconnected to show a unified view of reality. Western society is a focus as a strong guide for the best path for future generations, emphasizing on cultivating virtue and moral discipline.
- Socratic Method: Teachers use dialogue, memorization, and skillful questioning to guide students toward discovering answers, rather than passive lecturing with a strong focus on literacy, writing, and often Latin, which enhances understanding of grammar and logical thought.
- Often Uses Tutors: This type of education an be outsourced to other organizations, schools, or groups like Classical Conversations. Meaning, the mom is not necessarily the primary educator.
There is a PLETHORA of information on the classical education model, and actually quite a bit of argument on the defining factors.
If you find learning Latin to be imperative to your children's education, and feel that memorizing and reciting elements, lists, and paragraphs of information to be not only important, but essential, then I would say you can define yourself as having a Classical Educational Philosophy.
Stay tuned for the overlap (and how each of these treats learning a foreign language) in one last short Educational Philosophy post next week!