WHY A CLASSICAL EDUCATION?
Classical Christian education is built on a model of education that was considered to be the finest the western world had to offer for approximately 1,500 years. Learning from this, our approach is an intentional, purposeful, proven model of education. Reinforcing consistent principles at each grade level encourages a child's innate love of learning while equipping him or her with the skills necessary to learn on his or her own.
A Classical education requires three distinct areas of study. These are the formal study of Latin beginning in the 3rd Grade, of formal Logic in the 7th and 8th Grades, and of formal Rhetoric in the 10th through 12th Grades. Each of these is critical to building the skill of understanding language, the skill of sound reasoning and the skill of persuasive communication.
why latin?
- Because Latin is the most effective way to master English grammar?
- Because it is the key to one half of all our English vocabulary?
- Because it will enable your child to learn any of the Romance languages in a fraction of the typical time and with deeper understanding?
- Because English law, literature, and medicine are liberally peppered with Latin phrases and words?
Better yet...
Because of the structure of the Latin language, one must think with the utmost precision in order to successfully decipher the language. This practice in precision trains the young child to think rigorously in not only Latin, but in other disciplines as well.
WHY LOGIC?
Through focusing on the skill of Dialectic, or Logic, 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 (to be able "to reason and discern..."). At Covenant Classical Academy, our goal is to produce a student who can not only analyze, but can also synthesize. We seek to train the child to search for meaning not in the particulars, but to investigate the particulars and order them purposefully to find meaning. For the Christian, that means tracing all of life to the very person of God.
grammar school (k-6)
These are the years that are the most crucial in cultivating habits of the soul and mind. Because of the impressionable nature of the child at this age, we emphasize those things that most naturally cultivate the skills essential for learning. Our focus is on language and literature which traditionally have been key in developing habits of learning. Developing language and logical categories through prose is an easy and powerful way to begin Classical training.
upper school (Grade 7-12)
All Upper School courses are comparable to an honors level course. For specific information about the courses offered in each grade and the curriculum used in each course, click on the grade you wish to review. Covenant Classical Academy considers ALL texts as tools to engage students in dialogue and critical thinking. Our educational pedagogy creates an emphasis on a Socratic and Dialectic approach to education that requires students to consistently go beyond texts and to enter into significant discovery through their own mastery.