Pursuing Classical Education: Introduction
Not only has Cindy been discussing what makes education classical at Ordo Amoris lately, but I have also had several conversations with some friends lately that have brought this to the forefront of my mind.
An out-of-town friend was here a couple weeks ago and asked if she and her daughters (5 1/2 & 2) could do school with us one day while she was here. After we were done, and we were talking a bit about education and homeschooling, she asked, “So, would you consider what you did today to be classical education?” I admit I was a bit non-plussed, but quickly responded, “Well, yes.” Within a couple minutes’ conversation after that I realized she was trying to reconcile what I was doing with either the Veritas Press catalog or Susan Wise Bauer’s The Well-Trained Mind
So, what in the world kind of classical am I?!
My friend didn’t ask that directly, but it came that pointed and direct in my own head. And I couldn’t really answer that question off the top of my head. I can write blog posts about education, end engage in conversation with those in similar philosophical places, but shouldn’t I be able to explain myself to random people who want to know?
So, I’ve been thinking about it, and so I am going to post a series this week beginning an attempt at articulating the kind of classical education we are pursuing. Writing about it helps me straighten out my thoughts, so that should I find myself in such a conversation again, I hope I can be more clear. :)
Pursuing Classical Education Series
Pursuing Classical Education: Introduction Pursuing Classical Education: Personal Influences Pursuing Classical Education: Summary of the Parts Pursuing Classical Education: Keeping Education Forefront
I am always encouraged to see others who have trouble “labeling” their classical “stance.” I think the thing that first attracted me to the classical forms of teaching were their simplicity and their distrust of formulas. Thus any form of classical thinking that seeks to turn their technique, reading list, or whatever into a formulaic “do thus and so” runs counter to my own view of what it means to be classical. I am interested to read your thoughts. There is never enough words to describe a way of thinking/a way of living/a way of approaching a life of learning.
This is why I love Andrew Kern:
Seven liberal arts…
Four sciences…
In that order (ie., grammar before logic before rhetoric, etc…all seven arts BEFORE the four sciences)…
We cultivate wisdom and virtue by nourishing the soul.
All of these things I can say about our endeavors at home, and you probably can, too.
I am looking forward to reading more of these posts!