The classical education movement is gaining steam in both the private school and homeschool worlds. It’s even inspired a new form of standardized testing with the Classical Learning Text (CLT), an exam geared toward helping all students (but especially those with a classical background) measure college readiness.
While the classical themes of truth, beauty, and goodness seem easy to embrace, many parents aren’t sure what goes into educating their children classically. This is made even more confusing when even experts seem a bit divided on whether a homeschool curriculum qualifies as “classical.”
We can’t tell you if your curriculum is technically classical or not. We can offer clarity on the traditional vs. modern definition and share how you can incorporate college dual enrollment to increase the rigor of your classical homeschool offerings.
What is Classical Education?
Classical education has its roots in the ancient traditions of Greece and Rome. It emphasizes a comprehensive liberal arts education designed to cultivate wisdom, virtue, and critical thinking skills in students. It also prioritizes a content-rich curriculum using classic literature, history, philosophy, and the arts. The books used are often called the “great books.” Students read them and primary source documents as part of a deep exploration of moral principles and human experiences.
True classical education also focuses on the Socratic method to reinforce learning. Instead of memorizing facts and figures, students are encouraged to use dialogue and inquiry to demonstrate their understanding and to defend their opinions respectfully. (Younger children may still rely on memorization for key learning principles, with Socratic questioning used more for older students.)
Another way classical education stands out is in its emphasis on lifelong learning, which asks that students never stop being curious and exploring the world around them. Character education also plays an important role with students asked to draw from classic texts to shape their understanding of principles like honesty, duty, and kindness.
Core Components of Classical Education
While a classical education may break down learning goals into grades for easier tracking and reporting, its main aim is to support the ideas of the trivium and the quadrivium.
What is the Trivium?
This consists of three stages—grammar, logic, and rhetoric. The grammar stage focuses on foundational knowledge and language skills; logic emphasizes reasoning and critical thinking; rhetoric involves effective communication and persuasion.
What is the Quadrivium?
This includes arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy, providing a more advanced understanding of mathematical and scientific principles. Classical education aims to equip students for a life of good character and continued learning across multiple disciplines.
What is Neo-Classical Learning?
We no longer live in the age of Socrates, and our state educational requirements may ask that students learn far more than what classical education requires. This conflict has necessitated the creation of a neo-classical education, which prioritizes method and learning processes instead of just content.
It’s also sensitive to each student’s learning abilities and may teach subjects in chronological order on a multi-year rotation. (For example, students may learn about ancient, medieval, colonial/Victorian, and modern history every four years, getting increasingly deeper into topics as they age.)
How Can Dual Enrollment College Courses Fit Into a Classical Education?
Not all college courses may be appropriate for high school students or even fit into a classical learning environment. However, a classical education may be more well-rounded than a purely interest-based or career-focused curriculum and gives students the chance to explore subjects in art, science, philosophy, and more.
Dual enrollment courses like those offered by Mid-America Christian University (MACU), powered by TEL Education, cover a wide range of disciplines, including the fine arts, foreign language, and public speaking. These topics have often been sought out by parents hoping to give their kids a proper classical education.
The self-paced nature of the courses also makes it easy for students to continue their homeschool education and classical extracurricular activities like speech, value debate, piano, dance, and painting without interruption. Students complete courses on their own schedule, leaving them free to continue the in-person elements of their classical education.
Is a Classical Homeschool Education Right for You?
“Classical education emphasizes deep learning, critical thinking, and a strong foundation in the liberal arts—values that align perfectly with TEL Education’s approach to affordable, high-quality courses. Our dual enrollment offerings provide homeschool and classical education students with a rigorous, self-paced learning experience that complements their classical studies while earning real college credit.”
– Russ Pickett, VP of Support Services, TEL Education
As the parent of a homeschooled student, only you can decide which type of education works best for your family’s values and goals. No matter the path you choose, TEL will be there to support learning with its wide catalog of dual enrollment courses from accredited liberal arts colleges and universities.
