Albert Einstein once said that it was insane to expect different results when we keep trying the same thing over and over again. We have long known that our country’s education system needs to be improved to help scholars achieve academically and in the world. But despite new reading programs, new math programs, new approaches in science, etc., we’re still not improving our educational outcomes.
What many parents today want is a new model of education. Parents want education reform to include personalized curriculum and subject mastery. They want to move away from standardized testing and the one-size-fits-all type of education we see in our traditional public schools.
During the COVID pandemic, parents had a first-hand look at the type of education their children received as they learned remotely from home. This led to many parents questioning the current model of traditional education, and many more seeking a Classical Education model. Since the pandemic, hundreds of new classical schools have opened across the country.
The Leman Academy of Excellence is one such school. A tuition-free, K-8 charter school with campuses in Arizona and Colorado, Leman Academy’s time-tested classical model provides scholars with a deeply ingrained education that relies more on developing thinking skills and less on preparing for standardized tests.
As we delve into this subject, we can take a closer look at why families are opting for Classical Education and how it’s different from the modern curricula found in traditional schools.
What is Classical Education?
What is Classical Education, and why are parents flocking towards it? The popularity of this educational model is growing by about 5% every four years in this country. Most schools now have a waitlist of families hoping to enroll their children in these schools. Why?
The classical model is based on a three-part learning system called the Trivium. Comprised of the Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric stages, the Trivium aligns with the development of children’s mental capacities. For example, in the early elementary years, children’s brains are actively “soaking up” information. Thus, in the Grammar stage, scholars use songs, chants, and stories to commit a great range of information to memory.
As children’s minds develop during the middle school years, and they’re capable of more abstract thought, the Logic stage steps in to apply critical thinking to the information they acquired in the Grammar years. Here, scholars analyze, compare and contrast, categorize, synthesize, and evaluate information.
In the final stage of the Trivium, scholars apply their knowledge and critical thinking skills to the formulation of opinions, arguments, and debates during the Rhetoric stage. In this stage, all the work they have acquired thus far in the classical model comes together to produce well-informed, persuasive thoughts and ideas, and the ability to communicate them well.
Classical Education scholars build their repertoire of knowledge by reading classical literature and engaging in Socratic discussions about the themes and principles contained therein. By reading and discussing the ideals that shaped Western Civilization, scholars frame their thinking independently — they’re taught how to think rather than told what to think. The classical model also provides critical thinking development in its core subjects of mathematics, science, history, and the study of other languages.
One more aspect of this model that makes it different from the traditional model of education is the emphasis on character education. While reading and discussing the themes of classical literature, scholars begin to form their own banks of moral values. They discuss what they think is right or wrong and develop their own ideas. Embracing the virtues of wisdom, honesty, perseverance, and justice is derived from the classical model.
Now that we’ve seen what the classical model of education delivers, let’s take a look at the modern curriculum used in our traditional schools so we can compare the two.
What Defines a Modern Curriculum?
A survey taken two years ago demonstrated that 81% of employers agree with this statement: “I think getting a college degree today is worth it, despite the money and time needed to do so.”
Having parents and scholars expect to attend college to get good jobs leads to a mindset of “climbing a ladder” to the top. The modern curriculum in our traditional schools provides the ladder; scholars learn the material, take the test, pass, and move up to the next rung. Thus, education becomes a means to an end instead of providing time for more engagement with the process.
This model of achieving A so you can get to B and eventually get to C permeates many areas of learning in traditional schools’ curricula. Referred to as “skill-based learning”, scholars first learn the basics, for example, terms and definitions. Then, they’re shown how to apply the new information, and finally, they demonstrate being able to apply it independently. What they learn, however, has limited depth because higher-order thinking skills are not engaged. We see this type of learning reflected in standardized testing, where teachers “teach to the test”. We also see it in science, technology, engineering, and math programs (STEM). Concepts are taught to be tested and passed so scholars can move on. In other words, STEM learning material is not developed to include critical thinking, e.g., analysis, discussions on alternative strategies, and the moral implications of using certain technologies.
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is another facet of modern curricula. A relatively new term, SEL focuses on managing emotions, making responsible decisions, and developing healthy relationships with others. Emphasizing that scholars identify feelings and look at situations from others’ perspectives, schools hope to pacify troubled emotions that lead to disruptions, anger, and assault in schools.
In modern curricula, we also find a greater use of technology, more now than ever. Although technology has time-saving benefits, concerns have arisen over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in aiding scholars’ work. In addition, technological advancements have contributed to shorter attention spans and fragmented knowledge. According to an article on Medium, the average human attention span has shrunk to 8.25 seconds, which is shorter than that of a goldfish. Furthermore, people have difficulty focusing on screen material due to its many visual distractions.
Traditional schools’ modern curricula emphasize skill-based learning, social-emotional learning, and extended use of technology. This model skims the surface of scholars’ cognitive capacities and results in a limited depth of thinking. Scholars then graduate using only superficial thinking abilities. Concerned parents want a new model of education. Many are finding it in Classical Education.
Why Some Parents Are Making the Switch
Unlike modern curricula in traditional schools, Classical Education emphasizes mastery over the subjects studied, not simply exposure. Through Socratic discussions, scholars are trained to think more deeply using higher-order thinking skills. It’s only after careful analysis, comparisons, evaluations, and synthesizing ideas that they develop wisdom, make informed decisions, and exhibit good leadership.
Classical education’s curricula encompass a rich cultural history with a study of timeless classical literature that helps scholars foster a deeper understanding of the world. With its focus on virtue and integrity in a calm, ordered learning environment, classical classrooms are antithetical to traditional classrooms for their stability in an over-stimulated age.
With its in-depth academic pursuits, strong character development, and a setting that instills a non-hurried atmosphere, many parents are making the switch from traditional schools to those offering Classical Education.
Why Classical Education is a Better Choice
Benjamin Bloom was an American educational psychologist who designed a pyramid to represent the way people learn. The bottom layer of his taxonomy pyramid is memorization, followed by translation, interpretation, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation at the top. Today, we find slight variations of this pyramid, but the steps in the learning process are the same. A learner must complete the bottom step first and then proceed through each step until the material is mastered.
The curricula in traditional schools, the modern curricula stop short halfway up the pyramid and oftentimes don’t thoroughly complete the first few steps. It teaches scholars how to apply new information and provides plenty of practice to do so. But the last three pyramid levels are the critical thinking levels. In contrast to modern education, Classical Education takes its scholars to the top; i.e., they take their learning material through the wringer of comparing and contrasting, analyzing, putting things together in new ways to see if it still works, and evaluating the results. Thus, in a more thorough manner, scholars are learning how to think, not just what to think.
Such skills prepare classical scholars for any career path they choose. After completing their journey up to the top of the pyramid many, many times, they have trained their minds to think through all facets of a concept and to make wise judgments and decisions based upon this thinking. Reasoning skills such as these will serve them well in any occupation after graduation.
Classical Education schools also demonstrate a balance in the use of technology. Inherent in the curricula is time spent on discussion, debate, and studying literature and languages. As more time is spent on these activities, less time is devoted to the use of computer programs and time on the internet. While they don’t view technology as detrimental, they place a higher value on the foundational learning that comes from social interaction and collaboration.
Finally, Classical Education is a better choice than modern curricula because it feeds scholars’ curiosity and desire for more information. In other words, it creates lifelong learners. Not only are classical scholars learning the subjects they’re studying, but behind the scenes, they’re learning that they enjoy finding out new things and expanding their knowledge.
How Leman Academy Brings Classical Education to Life
Scholars attending the Leman Academy of Excellence, a tuition-free Classical Education charter school with campuses in Arizona and Colorado, experience such curriculum highlights as learning Latin, the study of classical literature, and history-centered instruction.
With teacher-led learning and rich discussions, scholars share insights and opinions on the history and events that make up their classical studies. These types of discussions compel scholars to make their own moral decisions, thus building strong personal character.
Unlike learning in a traditional classroom, scholars in classical schools don’t learn in isolation. For instance, they aren’t required to simply read an assigned chapter and take notes during a lecture. Instead, they’re encouraged to engage with each other and share their thoughts and ideas. At Leman Academy, this social integration of learning is what brings it to life and forms long-term memories of the material learned.
“Leman Academy of Excellence is my favorite school in Parker, Colorado. We had the opportunity to try a private school and another charter school before Leman and our kids have thrived and excelled in Leman the most.”
— Joy E., Leman Parent
“We’re so grateful we found Leman. Rigorous academics, responsive staff, and the classical approach is phenomenal. Both my kids are thriving.”
— Stephanie S., Leman Parent
“We absolutely love this school! After trying a few other charters, we landed at Leman and could not be more thrilled.”
— Ksena M., Leman Parent
Conclusion
In an era when traditional modern education is leading to parental dissatisfaction, more and more parents are turning to schools that utilize the Classical Education model of learning. Parents are finding that the classical model provides their children with a much more meaningful and lasting educational foundation. Classical scholars graduate as accomplished, lifelong learners.
Schedule a tour with The Leman Academy of Excellence and learn how their Classical Education model can spark your children’s academic growth!