Posts Tagged classical home education
Thank the Lord I didn’t Drown!
Posted by Diane in Various Essays for Homeschool Parents on September 26th, 2008
Whew! I feel like I am finally seeing the finish line after an eight week long swim meet! Considering that I was writing two home school posts a week before this recent hiatus, you probably wondered why you stopped receiving my email posts. Fortunately, I didn’t drown nor was I disqualified from the race. Like the distance swimmer, I’ve been working hard to accomplish several goals with immediate deadlines, so my blog posts had to wait on the sidelines. See all those little guys hanging on to each other in the pool? Well, let me introduce you to all of my friends who have raced with me over the past few weeks:
- REJO!CE Speech and Debate Club – My husband, David, and I had the extreme pleasure of planting a sister club to Indianapolis PROCLA!M with eight other families which effectively doubles the number of home school teens in Indianapolis being trained for NCFCA speech and debate competitions.
- Iron Sharpens Iron Speech Class – This delightful class of 25 home school teens keeps me hopping each week since I instruct one week, and the kids deliver speeches for critique the following week.
- National Home School Honor Society - As co-sponsor of a local chapter, I handle all the correspondence which has been unusually heavy recently as we wrestled with a controversial amendment to the bylaws.
- My publisher – Writing a book is so much more work than I ever realized…writing, rewriting, editing, and proofing is like a full-time job, but I think you will be pleased with the end result.
- My designer – Instead of simply commissioning a cover design for the paperback, I decided to go all out and redesign my logo and my website to more effectively communicate the ideas about homeschooling that I advocate. We’re still working out all of the details from concept to colors.
So now you know why I disappeared! Most of these pressing issues are now behind me, and I’m ready to resume the series on homeschooling high school. To thank you for your patience and to share a little of what the new book is like, I’m including a link to the new subscription freebie that you’ll see on the right sidebar. One of my favorite parts of the book is the section on “Classical Makeovers” where I show you exactly how I would transition to a classical home education with real live kids! Here’s a taste for you:
I hope you enjoy “meeting” Morgan as much as I did!
Swim team season is a blast, but it is always good to wind down to a normal schedule. Look for the continuation of the homeschooling high school series on raising teens of influence next week. So glad to be back!
diane
Could You Define Classical Rhetoric?
Posted by Diane in How to Teach Homeschool Skill 3: SPEAKING on April 24th, 2008
Are you incorporating classical rhetoric in your child’s home education? According to the honorable Zell Miller, former governor of the state of Georgia and United States Senator,
“Twenty years of votes can tell you much more about a man than twenty weeks of campaign rhetoric. Campaign talk tells people who you want them to think you are. How you vote tells people who you really are deep inside.”
Although you’ve heard the word “rhetoric” used in contemporary conversations, you might not have a clear idea of what it means in terms of an authentic classical home education. The two most common usages of the word rhetoric in my community of Christian homeschoolers are as follows: (1) the inflated verbosity of politicians to win votes at all costs, and (2) the misuse of the original term to describe a “stage” of classical home education, generally the homeschool high school years. Our lack of understanding stems from the fact that the term rhetoric belongs to an art (remember the seven liberal arts of a classical education?) that was constructed during ancient times, practiced for thousands of years, yet abruptly abandoned as a fundamental discipline in our public schools during the middle to late 1800s. In short,
Rhetoric is the art of oratory.
For thousands of years, classical rhetoric was classified as (1) verbal, (2) conciliatory, (3) persuasive requests (as opposed to coercive demands) that were (4) delivered by a single orator. More recently with the invention of the printing press, the term rhetoric was broadened to include written as well as spoken oratory. Oratory, derived from the Latin infinitive “orare” which means “to pray”, is simply the art of speaking in public and writing for the public. The same principles of rhetoric are applied to both oral and written disciplines.
Classical rhetoric is the art or discipline of using written and spoken discourse to persuade, inform, or motivate an audience…the very essence of the speech or essay is meant to move the listener or reader. According to Scottish Presbyterian Minister and Master of Rhetoric, George Campbell,
“we discourse to enlighten the understanding, to please the imagination, to move the passions, or influence the will.”
Although Campbell was primarily interested in the art of rhetoric because he believed it would result in better preachers, contemporary home educators see the application of rhetoric to a whole slew of opportunities from platform, interpretive, and limited preparation speeches and essays to books, sermons, and face-to-face encounters in the community. Now that you know the definition of classical rhetoric, will you incorporate it into your child’s home education?
Authentic Classical Homeschooling Primer
Posted by Diane in Personalized Homeschool Curriculum on March 11th, 2008
Why should parents consider the authentic classical homeschooling option? Here is a quick primer on the very best home education Western Civilization has to offer.
The Long Track Record Predicts Success
Western Civilization was built on this model in that leaders were classically educated. Classical education dates back to Greece, and Rome. Medieval Europeans, especially leaders of the Christian Church, were classically educated as were the founders of the American Republic. During the 19th century, the U. S. immigration population soared, and the common school movement was born which effectively obliterated classical education in the United States by the beginning of the 20th century. With the exception of a minute group of homeschoolers, our nation’s leaders are now being trained on the public school conveyor-belt which teaches children what to think and not how to think. This education tradition successfully raised leaders for nearly three millenia.
The Skills are Simple to Teach
The classical homeschooling renewal movement is still in its infancy, and many variations in practice exist like the classical variations of Charlotte Mason, Susan Wise Bauer, and Oliver Van DeMille. In the excitement to embrace classical homeschooling, many parents jump right in without really thinking about what distinguishes classical education from other viable homeschooling methods. For example, some would tell you that classical languages like Latin are a critical component of a classical education (more on my opinion of this in a later post!), but the content of classical homeschooling is not nearly as important as the methods by which the content is taught. The three skills of the classical trivium provide structure for organizing content while socratic dialogue and inductive reasoning provide the tools by which to understand the content. Teaching three skills (language, thought, and speech) is relatively simple, and mentoring teens during high school prepares them for leadership.
The Curriculum is Entirely Customized
Authentic classical Christian homeschooling is not as difficult as many people believe it to be. In fact, when you know your main objectives, classical homeschooling can be extremely freeing and relaxing while still rigorously challenging both parents and children. Teach three skills to substantial mastery during the early years (language, thought, and speech) and let socratic dialogue drive the instruction during the homeschool high school years as the parent mentors the teen in the acquisition of knowledge. Once the three skills are mastered (the trivium), the parent can tailor the homeschool curriculum to meet the specific interests and abilities of the high school student (the socratic paideia). How you get to mastery of the three skills and acquisition of knowledge by specific discipline is entirely up to you. Complete customization of the homeschool curriculum is possible.
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So considering the long history of successfully raising leaders, the simplicity of the teaching, and the potential to completely customize the homeschool curriculum, what homeschool parent would pass on the incredible privilege of authentic classical homeschooling? For more details, consult Trivium Mastery: the Intersection of Three Roads and Socratic Paideia: Dialogue Drives Instruction.
Oliver Van DeMille And Leadership Home Education
Posted by Diane in Various Essays for Homeschool Parents on February 14th, 2008
The home education philosophy of Oliver Van DeMille is fascinating and provides the impetus for George Wythe College (of which he is President and founder) and his book, A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-First Century, which espouses one variation on classical home education called “leadership education.”
Prior to the completion of his undergraduate degree, DeMille acutely felt the gap between his expectations and the reality of his textbook education. He greatly desired a deep and broad education which would prepare him to positively impact society. DeMille had read with admiration about the mentor/protégé relationship between George Wythe (signer of the Declaration of Independence) and Thomas Jefferson. He decided to take responsibility for this ‘conveyor-belt’ deficit; he asked an elder scholar to mentor him just as Wythe mentored Jefferson. It was during this unusual course of study that DeMille’s concept of leadership education was born. Later, he incorporated leadership education in his own home.
According to DeMille, teachers do not educate…they inspire students to educate themselves. Teachers teach; students educate. He argues that education occurs when students get excited about learning. Great teaching leads to excited students. His home education philosophy applies in both the collegiate environment and in a classical home school.
Using the leadership approach, the two great teachers are mentors and the classics. “Mentors meet face-to-face with the student, inspiring through the transfer of knowledge, the force of personality, and individual attention. Classics were created by other great teachers to be experienced in books, art, music, and other media.” The combination of great mentors and great classics will result in an educated statesman who will apply the depth and breadth of knowledge in practical ways that help others. This approach to home education in high school in consistent with the Socratic Paideia years in which dialogue between homeschool parent and homeschool teen drives instruction.
Beyond the educational philosophy, DeMille offers concrete steps for facilitating a leadership education in the classical home school. Regarding mentors, he offers six fundamental keys: use the classics, personalize the study program, read/write/discuss, apply lessons to life, only accept quality work (“great work” or “do it again”), and set the example by doing all of the above for yourself!
He provides a comprehensive list of age-appropriate books to read although they are not all widely accepted as classic literature. He contends that future leaders should study the classics because they:
- teach human nature
- bring face-to-face with greatness
- reveal unconquered frontiers
- force thinking
- connect cultural stories
- teach that personal and national canons give life purpose
Finally, DeMille answers frequently asked questions as to how to implement this leadership home education method and gives specific direction as to subject areas.
Much of the direction of the course of study is set by the student as he matures and determines his passions. The concept of depth and breadth require rigorous study on the part of both parents and students; however, the result is likely to be a family of lifelong learners who significantly impact their community.
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To learn more about the “pillars” of DeMIlle’s leadership education, read the history of George Wythe College.
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Does “leadership education” sound like a home education philosophy that you might want to explore? Learn more about it by joining one of the following free Yahoo Discussion Groups. [The descriptions of each group come directly from Yahoo.]
IEW-TJE (382 members)
“Started by a group of Christian women who use The Institute for Excellence in Writing materials, this group discusses the ideas and implementation of “A Thomas Jefferson Education” by Oliver DeMille and “Teaching the Classics” by Adam Andrews in the Christian homeschool. This group does not necessarily reflect the views of IEW.”
MentoringOurOwn (997 members)
“This group is for those of us who are making the transition from the conveyor belt education paradigm and into the world of mentoring our own children. As we apply the principles we are learning, we can share our experiences and new-found understanding with each other, through our articles. Topics appropriate for this site might include, but not be limited to: Thomas Jefferson Education (TJEd), Leadership Education (LEd), American Hebraic Classical Leadership Education, 5 Pillars Certification, 5 Pillars of Statesmanship, Liber, Divine Providence, Georgics, Public Virtue, Central Canon/Classic, Gospel Scholar, The Lord’s Library, Family Work, Family Rhythms, Core, Love of Learning, Scholar, Depth, and Mission Phases of life and learning.”
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Have you read about the unschooling home education option of John Holt, “living books” home education philosophy of Charlotte Mason, or the systematic classical home education model of the mother-daughter team of Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer yet? Discover that they all encourage love of learning even though different paths are suggested to achieve such a love. How are you doing at verbalizing your own home educational philosophy? Answer ten questions in my post, “What Is Your Home Education Philosophy?”, to determine your family’s philosophy of home education.
How Wise and Bauer Systematize Classical Home Education
Posted by Diane in Various Essays for Homeschool Parents on February 12th, 2008
Originally written in 1999 by the mother-daughter team, Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer, The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home (revised in 2004) systematizes the “lost tools of learning” educational theory of Dorothy Sayers to train the child over a twelve year period. The authors are wildly popular within the classical home education community, and rightly so since they satisfied the desires of the many parents who were not classically educated by providing them with a detailed road map, by grade, for the rigorous content of a classical home education.
Learning is organized around three main stages in a child’s mental development which hypothetically correlate to the three stages of the classical trivium: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. According to Wise and Bauer, the grammar stage comprises the early elementary years when the child is absorbing facts and experiences like a sponge. Both oral and written narration is key to this stage. During the logic stage, the authors propose that the maturing youth begins to critically analyze information while the rhetoric stage involves the refinement of personal communication skills through public speaking and writing.
History is the foundational building block in this philosophical home education method and is segregated into four major periods: ancient, medieval, renaissance or revolutions, and modern. The family who follows this method all 12 years will rotate through each period of history three times.
Science and literature are coordinated with the period of history being studied. For example, when the student studies ancient history, he also studies life science which is what the people of that age would have known. Astronomy is studied with medieval history, chemistry is studied with revolutions, and physics is tackled with modern history.
Classical literature like Homer’s Iliad is read three times. During the grammar stage, the parent reads an abridged picture book version; during the logic stage, the student reads an abridged version. Finally, the student reads the original classic during the rhetoric stage. This pattern lends coherence; as the student matures, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom widens and deepens. Latin, formal logic, art, and music are also covered in this approach.
According to the authors, there are three major characteristics of their classical home education philosophy. Primarily, the “well-trained mind” classical education is language-focused; the conversion of words (symbols) into mental concepts requires different skills from those required for image-focused methods. Secondarily, skills are built over time in that knowledge is gained (grammar stage), logical tools are acquired to analyze such knowledge (logic stage) , and reasonable personal conclusions are expressed (rhetoric stage.) Finally, to the classical student, all knowledge is interrelated as evidenced by the coordination of disciplines like history, science, and literature.
Not only do Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer provide a thorough analysis of the philosophy of classical education but they also provide extensive practical application in resource lists and schedule by stage. This interpretation of classical home education is rigorous and demanding on both parents and students because it layers additional subjects like Latin on top of what looks like a traditional public school model of education. Don’t try to do everything that is recommended in The Well-Trained Mind; instead, use it as a reference tool and tailor the suggestions to your own family situation if your own home education philosophy leans toward a highly structured, systematic education paradigm.
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Are you a fan of Susan Wise Bauer’s four volume, Story of the World, history for children? If so, you might want to download a few excerpts of her newest (released March 2007) adult history, The History of the Ancient World.
You can read more about Susan Wise Bauer at her blog. She and her husband planted a church with her parents, she homeschools four kids, and she writes book after book. She is a 1st generation homeschool graduate.
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If you are interested in sharing ideas with other homeschool parents who relish the home education philosophy of “the well-trained mind,” consider joining one of the following free Yahoo Discussion Groups. [The following descriptions are provided by each Yahoo group.]
WellTrainedMindDscn (2835 members)
“The participants on this list discuss the book “The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home” (TWTM or WTM) by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer. Although we have a moderator, we do not have any “experts” — we’re all trying to figure out how to apply these principles in our own home, according to our own experiences. This group is open to all homeschoolers who are interested in learning more about classical education methods. Therefore, although religion may be mentioned, it is not to become a point of contention. The focus of the discussion is to remain on-topic, with short friendly side comments allowed. We will discuss one main topic per week, along with whatever items members want to bring to the group (questions, successes, comments).”
WellTrainedMindFamilies (556 members)
“The families on this list discuss the book “The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home” by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer. This group is open to all homeschooling families who are interested in learning more about classical education methods. This list is here to discuss how to implement TWTM into everyday life and all that goes along with it…from legal issues, to book suggestions, to discipline problems, to sleeping issues, to how to teach how to share. We believe homeschooling is 24/7, so for us, basically life is one big school.”
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Read more about the John Holt’s unschooling home education philosophy, the living books of the Charlotte Mason home education, and the leadership home education of Oliver DeMille, and discover that they all encourage love of learning even though different paths are suggested to achieve such a love. Do you need some help verbalizing your own home education philosophy? My post, “What Is Your Home Education Philosophy?,” offers 10 questions to get you started.
