The Classical Academy
of
Naples
To learn more about classical Christian education select the link below.
What is classical education?
Virtus et Sapientia (Virtue and Wisdom) As a school, we seek to foster an environment that cultivates wisdom and virtue. Working from the premise that the goal of education is not ultimately knowledge alone, which motivates pride, but wisdom beginning and ending with the living God - the result a student who applies knowledge appropriately with humility. Our goal is to produce students who know and act upon that knowledge. In addition, we understand that virtue is a necessity in all learning and life. Without goodness, any ideas of truth and beauty are futile. In this way, students are transformed, versus merely being informed. In medieval education we see the formation and development of the: · seven (Classical) Liberal Arts · two broad categories: Verbal Arts- the Trivium, or “three ways” and Mathematical Arts- the Quadrivium, or “four ways” In this way classical education differentiates between the “art” (the skill) of a study and the “science” (or formal study) of a subject. These skills are: Grammar- linking concepts to symbols Dialectic- reasoning and logic Rhetoric- communicating truth appropriately and persuasively. After training in these skills, the student is applying the arts to all subjects, such as science, math, and history in the pursuit of true understanding and purposeful knowledge. With these “tools of learning”, a student is trained to pursue wisdom and virtue, meaning and purpose, in all subjects with the ability to communicate these ideas to the community at large. The importance of reading and asking the right questions: There is nothing more significant than reading to our children. This is only part of the process of classical training. At a young age, children can comprehend stories and dialogue on a level much deeper than general comprehension. Examples of general comprehension questions would be, "What color is the wagon? Who is pulling the wagon? Where is she going?" These questions are directed at listening rather than understanding. A child can give details of stories from listening. In the middle school years formal logic gives structure to discernment by providing tools for delineating what is valid from what is invalid. In the In summary a classical education is: talking, reading, pondering, questioning, studying, being right, being wrong, reasoning, exploring, agreeing, disagreeing, investigating, learning, and contemplating. Why Rhetoric? The two classical foreign languages offered are Greek and Latin. It is logical that a school emphasizing classical education would offer classical languages. So what are the benefits to offering these particular languages? The most documented benefit is that students of classical languages routinely outscore students of all other foreign languages on standardized tests. The connection of higher test scores to classical languages is related to a strong foundation in overall development of English grammar, vocabulary and more importantly, thinking skills. Our goal is that a student reads the classics in the original languages with some helps. For two thousand years the Latin language has stood the test of time. Even the fall of A side benefit is that a proper study of Latin and Greek gives a student an analytical skill that produces benefits in all of life. Latin helps to educate the whole person. Reading List Below is a small selection of our recommended reading for parents and teachers at The Classical Academy of Naples.
In classical education the focus of the Trivium is first and foremost the development of the art of language through literature and grammar. With the focus on language development, the children would use a wide scope of great literature in various fields to achieve this, including fables, great literature, the Bible, the stories of history, and other works and subjects. The goal in these formative years is the development of those skills that aid in formulating and expressing meaningful thought.
Having our students retell what they have read assures general comprehension and understanding. The objective is to totally engage the child by asking questions and leading their thinking. The goal is to teach them to approach everything with questions.
We always look for opportunities to ask questions. Keep in mind that the answers are important to the children, but the questions are the goal. This kind of dialogue teaches the children HOW to question. This is significant because new ideas and concepts lead many children to mental shutdown. Most children are simply not engaged at this level. When a child learns to ask questions, new ideas will be approached with excitement rather than fear because the child knows what to do…QUESTION!
Habits of the mind are laid down in the younger grades. As the student grows and matures, the Classical education builds on early skill development to hone the ability of the student to discern truth and virtue and to recognize beauty and to stimulate wonder.
Today, many are mistaken in the idea that logic is mathematical by nature, but traditionally this hasn’t been the case. Logic has its first and foremost grounding in language. It is the skill of correct thinking and conceptual development. It is the thinking through of similarities, comparisons, and differences in order to induce the correct general conclusions. Dialectic is seen as the "foundational art" because it is developed at the beginning of educational training and is active throughout the student’s education. Our curriculum at The Academy, we seek to teach formal, deductive logic only after mastery of the above skills. These classes begin in the seventh grade.
Through focusing on the skill of dialectic early through language and literature and through the teaching of formal logic as a subject in the middle school years, we equip the student to think clearly and correctly in all subject areas. Our goal is to "produce" a student who can not only analyze, but can also synthesize. We seek to train the child to seek meaning not in the particulars, but to investigate the particulars and order them purposefully to find meaning.
In discussing the "why" of Rhetoric, the same preliminary issues must be examined that are of concern in dialectic and other verbal/language skills. We are a civilization that has lost much by way of communication. We lack the ability to discern and apply appropriate and effective expression. For this very reason, we must not only recover the meaning of the word rhetoric, but we must also restore its rightful place as a powerful and useful skill for efficient and effective communication. Rhetoric is a skill that once mastered, equips students to not only respond to our culture, but to actively influence it.
The habits of Rhetoric are developed for all students of all ages beginning in kindergarten.
Rhetoric is simply the art of persuasive expression. So, what is contained in the actual "skill" of rhetoric? Aristotle puts forth this definition: "It is the ability to discern in any situation the available means of persuasion." In fact, Aristotle says that you must not divorce your speaking (rhetoric) from your thinking (logic). The result is substantive and persuasive expression. It is coming up with a good, sound argument, and choosing the right form for your message. Unlike the goal of modern speech classes which focus on "whatever works to get your point across," the emphasis in traditional rhetoric is upon saying it correctly, skillfully, and appropriately. It seeks to cultivate the ability to use devices and metaphors; to not only say it, but to say it with beauty and with clarity. Once learned, it serves students across all disciplines both in the written word and orally.
The Academy’s formal instruction in Rhetoric includes substantial study of great rhetorical works, great rhetoricians and their methods. Once as sophomores and twice as juniors and seniors, students present formal rhetorical speeches which can be up to thirty minutes in length and often memorized in its entirety. After their presentations, they must defend their papers through the questions of peers, other students, members of the faculty and visitors. It is a rigorous and challenging process.
Why Latin?