Classical Education is certainly becoming a buzzword as of late. One might even call it a movement as it has been trending upward since the ’90s and gaining popularity year over year.

But, as a former grammar school principal and current 5th-grade teacher at a classical Christian school, I’ve found that grasping classical education can be a bit of a process. There are so many layers to it, all of which take time to unpack and unfold. I openly admit that I struggled to define it during my first several years as a classical educator.

One of the reasons is that there are different applications of the classical education model (Sayers, Mason, Catholic, Historical, etc). This is true because classical schools and organizations are unique groups governed by their own core values and culture. Not every classical school or homeschool will look the same.

Another reason is that the classical method is still growing in its modern iteration. Like I said above, it has been growing in popularity since the ’90s, which means it’s still in its infancy. It’s no secret that classical education is still working through a renewal process.

In order to define what classical education is then, we need to dig down to the common ideas and practices that make up this modern classical model rather than describing any given classical school or ambassador and their practices. At the same time, just describing what historical classical education used to be doesn’t quite serve us well in this modern form either, because it is still evolving.

Ready to dig down and peel this onion with me?

What is Classical Education?

Classical education is an academic methodology with roots in ancient Greek, Roman, and Medieval practices of scholarship. It combines the seven liberal arts (Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy) with the four sciences (Natural Sciences, Human Sciences, Philosophical Sciences, and Theological Sciences) in order to teach and nourish the whole child (mind and soul). Using the liberal arts and sciences, students are exposed to and challenged to contemplate historically great thinkers and their works in order to cultivate wisdom and virtue.

In other words, with a classical education, students are guided through studying the greatest historical thinkers of all time via their whole and original works, being challenged to consider and draw out what is true, good, and beautiful (rejecting that which is not) in each field of study. In doing this, students are trained to think critically and to do for themselves, rather than merely being told what to think and what to do.

One of the most widely held modern frameworks for the classical method involves a systematic approach based on the observations of Dorothy Sayers (influential author and education reformer). She observed that childhood developmental stages seemed to have connections with the three lower liberal arts of Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. As such, she argued that those three arts should be aligned to best fit developmental stages.

Sayers’ approach has been adopted on such a wide scale that it has almost become synonymous with modern Classical Education. This approach and structure is what is widely referred to as the Trivium.

What is the Trivium?

Traditionally the Trivium is a term used to group the language arts of Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. In modern uses though, the Trivium refers to a systematic approach to education based on a theory in which Dorothy Sayers compares the three language arts of the Trivium to developmental stages during childhood. In this approach, Grammar is studied first, Logic second, and Rhetoric last. This approach has been widely adopted into the modern classical movement.

Let’s take a deep dive into it.

Sayers saw that young children had a keen ability to memorize language rules along with facts and figures. She expressed that young students seem perfectly happy to recite jingles, chants, and songs. They also enjoy narration, nursery rhymes, and poems. She thus concluded that the study of Grammar (language/vocabulary) was especially suited for young students, coining lower elementary the Grammar Phase of the Trivium.

Sayers also suggested that upper-elementary and middle school children begin to lose their natural love for memorization and facts. They are no longer pleased to simply know things and recite them. Instead, they become more interested in big ideas and arguing. They especially want to know why something is the way it is. Observing this, she concluded that Logic (reason/debate) was especially beneficial for this age group and dubbed it the Logic Phase.

As for upper-middle school and high school students, Sayers expressed that they become much more self-aware (independent thinking) and begin to form opinions about anything and everything. They aren’t as concerned with knowing things as much as being known and understood. Sayers suggested this developmental stage was perfect for the study of Rhetoric (persuasion/writing); thus the Rhetoric Phase represents the last stage of lower education.

However, each stage is not exclusive to the others. Every stage in the Trivium overlaps and includes elements of grammar, logic, and rhetoric along with the other arts and sciences. For example, lower elementary students study such arts as Aritichmatic, Music, and more.

Exploring the interconnectivity between all of the arts and sciences is a hallmark of classical education. Sayers, in fact, developed much of her ideas in opposition to the modern education system that has a tendency to compartmentalize fields of study. Every one of the liberal arts and sciences should be viewed as synergistic. Each builds on the other to produce a superior outcome.

The Trivium then is a method of education that tailors every aspect of learning to fit developmental stages. The aim is to effectively train children to recognize and study truth, goodness, and beauty in order to better cultivate wisdom and virtue at every age.

What’s the Aim of Each Individual Phase of the Trivium?

Each phase of the Trivium is intended to train the skills associated with the key liberal art the phase is named after. Dorothy Sayers uses the term tools instead of skills. But nonetheless, each phase is marked by a clearly defined focus on honing that specific aspect of learning.

In other words, the Grammar phase is primarily concerned with teaching core grammar skills, while the Logic phase is primarily concerned with teaching core Logic skills, and Rhetoric in teaching core rhetoric skills.

This also means that the study of each of the seven liberal arts during each phase will be used to hone the primary skill of each phase. For example, Music is studied for its own educational benefits, but it is also studied to strengthen grammar skills during the Grammar phase, logic skills during the Logic phase, and rhetoric skills during the Rhetoric phase.

But this concept is larger and more synergistic than many initially think. Let’s explore it more.

Grammar Phase

The Grammar Phase isn’t marked by simply learning the rules of the subject of Grammar. It certainly includes them, but so do the other phases. It certainly isn’t limited to the subject of Grammar either, as the other liberal arts are studied in this phase as well. Instead, the Grammar phase is marked with learning grammar principles that can be applied across all arts in order to develop the skill of decoding all subjects.

But what does that even mean?

Grammar primarily involves teaching rules such that students begin recognizing symbols along with their sounds in order to recognize words and sentences. The initial task is teaching students to communicate and understand simple ideas. Once those initial grammar skills are mastered, students are able to decode and process advanced ideas via paragraphs, pages, and eventually whole books.

But! That decoding process isn’t just present in Grammar subjects. Symbols, terms, and rules apply to all subjects and fields of study.

Take Arithmetic for example. The expression of 2 + 2 = 4, follows a specific set of rules for interpreting and using a range of symbols. The rules for decoding and using numbers can be considered the “grammar” of Arithmetic. Here, you can see the overlap of phases as well, as this simple sequence is a logical string. However, the logic of this string is not emphasized at this stage, because the rules of decoding are what this phase is designed to teach.

With Music as another example, notes are symbols that carry rules about timing, pitch, and more. In order to perform a musical piece, one must decode it first by following the “grammar” of music.

Thus, the overarching skill that is being refined during the Grammar Phase is the ability to decode, and process symbols and information.

Logic Phase

The Logic Phase is then tailored to specifically develop the skills involved in both Formal Logic (how to think about) and Material Logic (what to think about). Grammar is far from left behind in this phase, rather, it is being refined as students learn to properly and efficiently order and decode symbols and information as their ability to reason is nurtured.

It is here where the information that was memorized and decoded earlier will be properly ordered and forged into a powerful tool for self-regulated learning, winged by reason. Using an example from above, knowing 2 + 2 = 4 is the scaffolding or common ground from which exploring the why becomes attainable. Knowing the “why” unlocks a world of mathematical possibilities.

Additionally, it is here where the unique Christian principles that classical education was built upon comes to life. The “why” in classical education ultimately makes sense because of the Logos, or Christ himself. Thus, the chief end of classical education, especially during the Logic Phase, is to produce students that are informed by Christ as to what is true, beautiful, and good. Not just reason, but divine reason is pursued to cultivate wisdom and virtue. In this way the whole child is nourished, reaching not just their mind but their soul.

If the modern education mantra is “no child left behind” the classical mantra is “no soul left behind.”

From the beginning of the movement, Christ has been the link that holds all spheres of classical education together. Although, some recent forms of publicly funded classical education have altered this by removing the Logos. Ideas from the enlightenment period, are often what is used in its (His) place. Those models are new and growing, but the Christian model is the original source and what sparked this modern classical movement.

As such, in this phase, students learn to see why the rules they previously memorized work, which rules are most beneficial to think about, how to think about them, and who holds truth together (Christ).

Rhetoric Phase

For the Rhetoric Phase, students have a primary focus on developing the skill of communication and persuasion. Once again, the previous skills are not abandoned in this new phase. On the contrary, students learn to employ their grammar skills informed by their logic skills to order their thoughts in the most beneficial sequence to best express and communicate their ideas.

Or, more practically, the previous phases train students to become critical-thinkers and expert problem-solvers while the Rhetoric Phase arms them with the ability to effectively communicate their ideas and solutions to the world.

Ultimately, the Trivium is used to develop a set of skills or tools that can be used together to unlock, learn, and explain any subject or idea. Sayers referred to them as the lost tools of learning. If a student is able to master these three phases, they will be prepared to master anything they pursue in life with wisdom and virtue.

What Does Each Phase of the Trivium Actually Look Like?

Remember, as I mentioned above, that there are many different forms of classical education. Showing what each phase practically looks like across a wide range of schools and/or curricula is a tall task. The variance in practices and subjects studied at what age is wide. With that in mind, know that what follows is generalized information.

Lower Grammar Phase

• K-4th grade.
• Key facts and rules (“grammar”) from the liberal arts and sciences are taught with a heavy emphasis on chants, catechisms, songs, and rhymes.
• Living books (stories filled with truth, beauty, and goodness) fables, and poetry are used to teach Reading, Language, Vocabulary, History, Science, and more while capturing the attention and imagination of children through the ideas they put forth.
• Key “subjects” studied are Language, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Science, History, Geography, Bible/Theology, Art, Music, Latin
• Instruction is primarily Mimetic (imitating what is being modeled).

Upper Grammar Phase

• 5th-6th grade.
• Key facts and rules (“grammar”) from the liberal arts and sciences are taught with a heavy emphasis on chants, catechisms, songs, and rhymes.
• Living books (stories filled with truth, beauty, and goodness) fables and poetry are used to teach Reading, Language, Vocabulary, History, Science, and more while capturing the attention and imagination of children through the ideas they put forth.
• The principles of logic and debate are introduced, spending more time discussing the whys and hows.
• Key “subjects” studied are Language, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Science, History, Geography, Bible/Theology, Art, Music, Latin
• Instruction is a mixture of Mimetic (mentioned above) and Socratic (a process of questioning to assess one’s level of understanding in order to find holes that can be filled or misunderstandings to be corrected).

Logic Phase

• 7th-9th grade.
• Living books, epics, fables, poetry, and other source materials are used to train students in Formal Logic and reasoning. Students, armed with facts and figures from their grammar phase, begin to debate and contemplate what is true, good, and beautiful in the works they have/are studying.
• Key “subjects” studied are Logic, Literature, Debate, Writing, Algebra, Science, History, Geography, Bible/Theology, Art, Music, Latin
• Instruction is a mixture of Mimetic and Socratic (mentioned above).

Rhetoric Phase

• 10th-12th grade.
• Living books, epics, fables, poetry, and other source materials are used to train students in persuasive (winsome) speech and writing. Students, armed with ideas and logical principles from their previous phases, hone their ability to influence the world around them.
• Key “subjects” studied are Rhetoric, Literature, Debate, Writing, Geometry, Science, History, Geography, Bible/Theology, Art, Music, Greek
• Instruction is a mixture of Mimetic and Socratic.