Logic Stage (Grades 7-9)
The goal of the Logic stage is to capitalize on the student’s developmental stage of asking, “How come?” and “Who says?” by teaching them to analyze information. Students will learn the rules of logic in a formal class and utilize them in every other course. A combination of Socratic and Harkness discussion around a table is the primary teaching method, helping students master the art of asking great questions and developing a template for how to approach new subjects. This prevents mental shutdown when presented with an unfamiliar task, topic, or philosophy, because the student has “learned how to learn.”
Rhetoric Stage (Grades 10-12)
As children become young adults and seek to express themselves, we teach them rhetoric. The goal is to take the student beyond knowing truth to speaking it boldly in love. There is a formal rhetoric class, but moreover, every course emphasizes public speaking, writing, and presentation. To cultivate independent learning, students are challenged to find solutions and answers on their own before teacher instruction is provided. The culmination of the classical education is the Senior Thesis, allowing the student to employ all the acquired skills and knowledge for its defense.