Distinctly Classical

TRCA will utilize the classical model of education that is built upon the three stages of the Trivium: Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. 

These three stages follow the natural development of children’s minds and help students become lifelong learners. A classical education incorporates the best of great literature, western civilization, and language study.

The Trivium

1. Grammar (approximately K-5^th). The grammar stage focuses on what children learn, and it gives children the parts, or “grammar,” of any subject. Children learn facts about geography, history, math, science, and more using songs, chants, and fun memory devices. At a young age, children naturally love word games and rhymes, so the grammar stage captures this momentum and replaces “eeny-meeny-miny-moe” with states and capitals, parts of speech, and more.
2. Logic (approximately 6^th-8^th). The logic stage—sometimes called dialectic—focuses on every growing child’s favorite question: Why? The logic stage builds upon a child’s desire to understand the relationships and reasons behind things. Students begin a study in formal and informal logic and apply that to their growing knowledge from the grammar stage. 
3. Rhetoric (9^th-12^th). In the rhetoric stage, students focus on how to clearly and persuasively articulate their beliefs. They apply the rules learned in the Logic stage to the foundational information learned in Grammar stage, expressing their conclusions in clear, elegant, persuasive language. This prepares students to write college-level theses, utilizing their grasp of proper grammar as well their ability to think logically and critically. Students in the Rhetoric stage at TRCA will be challenged toward leadership in every area of life as they learn to express themselves clearly and convincingly.

Classical education is ultimately about learning how to learn and learning to love the truth. Classical education equips students for mastery rather than simply passing a test.

Learn More about Classical Education

The actual “curriculum” of TRCA is still a future conversation and will be developed and communicated by our future faculty.  In the meantime, we recommend you keep learning about Classical Education. Here are three short articles to get you started:

• “The Lost Tools of Learning” by Dorothy Sayers
• “What is Classical Education?” by Susan Wise Bauer (https://welltrainedmind.com/a/classical-education/)
• “An Introduction to Classical Education” by Dr. Christopher Perrin (http://classicalsubjects.com/resources/ICE.pdf)