It is now the case, as it has always been the case, that by exposing our children to good character and inviting its imitation, we will help them develop good character for themselves. This means our schools must have what the ancient Greeks would have called an “ethos”—that is, our schools themselves must have good […]
One way to think about Western civilization is to think of it as consisting of three cultures: those of Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem. It is the fusion of these three cultures, historically tied together and intimately linked, that is this civilization we are passing on in classical Christian education. These three cultures became so integrated […]
Memorization is the cornerstone of a traditional education. At Memoria Press, we use repetition, memorization, and formal recitations to create a comprehensive, connected, and consistent experience for students from junior kindergarten through twelfth grade. Naturally, if memorization is the goal, repetition and recitation are the complements—repetition as the preparation and recitation as the proof and […]
When we talk about teaching, we tend to want to reduce it down to one goal. For some it might be an exclusive emphasis on knowledge, for someone else it might be basic skills, for another a deeper understanding of ideas and values. In classical education, we often fall into the habit of talking about […]
What is a classical education? The essential core of classical Christian education includes the study of Latin and the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. — Cheryl Lowe What is the goal of classical education? Classical education focuses on the development of the whole student—heart, mind, and soul. It strives to give students a broad […]
Too often we relegate religious instruction in our private and homeschools to a kind of secondary academic status. We teach it, but in a way that seems to communicate a lack of seriousness about it. We do this by failing to treat it like we would treat any other academic subject. But what I will […]
Many of us did not have the privilege of a classical education growing up, but we recognize its value and want it for our children. Because all people are worthy of its ends (Truth, Goodness, and Beauty), classical education should be available to all who seek it. However, it can seem intimidating and overwhelming to […]
Many who are attracted to the idea of a classical education don’t know exactly why, nor do they understand the necessity for Latin, or at least so much of it. A little bit of Latin is a good thing, but every year? Spinach is a good thing, but every day? I think decades of educational […]
Each year at the Highlands Latin School opening ceremony, Cheryl Lowe gave an exhortation to parents and students, reminding them what education is and what a school is for. Mrs. Lowe knew the wisdom of Samuel Johnson’s admonition that men need “more to be reminded than informed.” In an educational world in which many institutions […]
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” we are told by fellow citizens who may, when they offer that familiar cliché, be justifying a preference for mud wrestling over Monet. Or they may be academics engaged in the familiar, boring project of deconstructing and subjecting every last bit of beauty to the philosophical equivalent […]