Three Kinds of Classical
I used to think there were two different ways the term “classical education” was used, but now that I’ve skimmed Bluedorn’s book, Teaching the Trivium, I’ve learned there are three:
Classical Education = Great Books education, Mortimer Adler. Method is not as important as content. Content consists of classic literature and all subjects influenced by and supplemented by classics and historic development of thought. The emphasis is on the students partaking in “The Great Conversation” early on.
Classical Christian Education with Trivium = CCE & ACCS trend; Doug Wilson, Veritas Press. Method is emphasized, but classic content complements it. Emphasis on memorization during elementary years, logic & argumentation in middle school, & persuasion and speech (presentation) in high school. The emphasis in literature & art & history is on our Western culture heritage. Generally the philosophy is that students should be trained & equiped before being exposed to “the world,” then gradual, controled exposure occurs around 8th grade, and a goal of graduation is a student prepared to be a part of the world while holding his own and making an impact.
Trivium Education without classical content = Bluedorns. They seem to argue against an emphasis on Western culture (instead, an emphasis should be placed on Biblical history and working out a Biblical culture in your own home) and they don’t encourage spending much time in Greek & Roman literature or thought. They apply the Trivium (as stages of learning in every subject and as stages of development in children), but the grammar stage is less memorization and more “living” or character development. They advocate a much more relaxed atmosphere and also tend toward the agrarian, work-at-home, family-centric philosophy. Their philosophy seems to be focused on creating family cultures and keeping as much out of the world’s way as possible, unless you are particularly called to it. It’s a fascinating, completely different appropriation of the term “classical education.”
