Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:
Today, the Greeks (along with the medievals) are most remembered for being the authors of classical liberal arts system of education. It is experiencing a revival especially in the homeschooling circles because of its ability to train kids to think for themselves.

The Greeks tailored education to fit the growth of the child, splitting it into two general areas which in medieval times were called the Trivium and the Quadrivium. Trivium subjects were grammar, logic, and rhetoric, and were meant to teach the child how to learn anything. Then in the university he would learn the specific subjects of Quadrivium: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music theory.

Some homeschoolers today use an explicitly classical approach to education, guiding their children through the Trivium, in the steps of classical scholars. But even for those who don’t, the legacy of classical education has come down to us as the importance of teaching a child how to think for himself. Since homeschooling parents have the opportunity to tailor their homeschool program, they are free to shape and direct their child as he goes through the grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages of any discipline. Generally, the end result is an adult who loves learning and knows how to teach himself.

And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.