These arts were referred to as The Lost Tools of Learning by cultural commentator Dorothy Sayers in a somewhat cheeky article she wrote by that title. The question she posed was this: For all their years of learning, were students actually learning anything? Instead, shouldn’t they focus on the subjects and skills that will equip them for a lifetime of independent continued education? The liberal arts, plus theology, was the skillset students needed for life-long learning. The radical ideas she imagined was instrumental in renewing an interest in classical Christian education.
Our approach to teaching the liberal arts in a modern setting is to use the trivium (Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric) as the framework for our academic curriculum with elements of the quadrivium woven throughout it. We consider the trivium both material to learn and a method of teaching. For example, students have Grammar class where they learn the basics of language, but we also refer to the grammar teaching method of learning the basic facts of any topic. They take a Logic class to analyze arguments, but we also refer to a logical way of teaching any given topic. Rhetoric is a subject, but other subjects are taught with an emphasis on writing and public speaking.
It was Sayer’s suggestion that the trivium aligns with stages of child development. In the elementary years, young children require more concrete concepts, enjoy memorizing large bodies of facts, can tell back minute details from narratives, and are capable of building large vocabularies in multiple languages. We refer to these years as the Grammar stage. In the Logic stage, corresponding with the middle school years, more logical and abstract concepts like Algebra and the inflection rules of Latin and Greek are emphasized to align with their growing desire to test the world around them. We guide students in mastering the art of asking great questions to be able to approach any new subject without trepidation. The Rhetoric stage places an emphasis on thoughtfully expressing good ideas. Young people desire more poise and confidence in their social interactions and are more aware of the impression they make on other people. They also have a growing interest in interacting with the opposite sex and other cultures and so we provide formal etiquette training to give students practice in the social graces. The goal is to move students beyond knowing the truth to speaking and living it boldly, with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
In 2003, pastor and educator Douglas Wilson published The Case for Classical Christian Education where he suggested that the trivium framework of grammar, logic, and rhetoric aligns with the Hebraic educational pattern of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Others have seen similarities between the trivium and the biblical frameworks of priest, king, and prophet while still others have seen a relationship between the trivium and faith, hope, and love. These are interesting patterns to show that even though the trivium originated from the Greeks who did not know the Lord, there is Scriptural support for the educational approach. Ultimately, our child training methods must be founded on Biblical principles rather than blindly following the latest trends.
In summary, the trivium is the basic structure of our program. We refer to the trivium as both a way of teaching and what is taught. It is structured to align with the development of the child, but will not give the effect we desire without the fear of God first. With Scriptural guidance, this ancient educational approach can be a blessing to the church again. The movement of recovering classical Christian education is still very young. More learning is needed to fully understand what was lost; more hope is needed to continue plowing the fields; and more teachers are needed for the coming bountiful harvest.
At Agape Christi, the development of the child drives our pedagogical approach. We believe this to be a biblical approach to teaching because the Lord remembers our frame when teaching us (Psalm 103:14). As Creator and Teacher, He knows best how he made people to learn.