AMALIA CLASSICS

We need this more than ever…

Why did I become so interested in classical education? As someone who works in public education, I began to notice that students were having difficulty concentrating for more than two minutes. It was also harder for them to read instructions or even write proper sentences. Not only are we seeing that the public system is failing students academically, but their behavior has also worsened over time.

I started to see students’ attention spans shrink. Education became dry, making it easier for young students to get distracted and become more interested in their phones. We can see that social media also affects their morals and behavior.

I am not here to focus on the wrongs of public education; I think we all have an idea of how downhill it has gone and continues to go. I want to focus on why I believe classical education is so powerful for students in today’s society, and how it has the power to shape them into intellectual students of good character. Going back to the basics, to the classics, and most importantly to teaching morals.

I am currently reading some books on classical education. Here are 4 important things that summarize classical education, which I believe is true education.

We Need to Return to Our Nature

C.S. Lewis, in his book “The Abolition of Man,” critiques a book that became very popular in society. He calls it “The Green Book”. This book teaches that beauty and morality are subjective; they do not exist as an objective value. This book believes that truth should only be used when there is “evidence”. Lewis opposes this belief and argues that education should be centered on what is true and beautiful, and that truth and beauty are closer to nature or the Tao.

Rhetoric Skills and Morality Should Go Together.

Having a good teacher in rhetoric is very important. Effective teaching must come from a moral teacher who will help students incorporate moral reasoning into their critical thinking skills. In the book “On the Education of an Orator,” Quintilian emphasizes that rhetorical strategies must be accompanied by moral integrity, making the orator as someone who embodies virtue alongside skill.

Teaching children good habits from a young age is key to becoming virtuous adults.

Charlotte Mason believes that the formation of good habits is the key to shaping a child’s character and their ability to engage effectively with their education. Good habits can look like teaching children habits that portray discipline, such as having a focused time for learning only, followed by a time for creativity or play. Also, understanding the child’s nature and knowing they need short breaks between lessons. Another example is teaching them habits that demonstrate self-control or patience.

Narration & Reading High Quality Literature

Charlotte Mason emphasizes narration as a critical tool for learning. She believes that it is very important for the child to tell with his own words what he learned from the story. This skill is very efficient for children to develop comprehension skills that enhance their understanding and retention of knowledge.

Quintilian has similar beliefs but he focuses on speech. He suggests that the child repeats what he has heard with a view to improving his powers of speech. He focuses on having a teacher with great diction from a young age which will shape his way of speaking, since children are great imitators.

Both philosophers emphasized on the importance of reading high-quality literature that will teach them core values, instead of just facts. These books need to teach them how to be of good moral in the outside world. Quintilian strongly recommends the reading of ancient authors and Mason recommends “living books” which will help the student apply what he learns to the world rather than just dry facts.

Both philosophers in their own ways focus on the importance of forming young students into virtuous individuals who will appreciate truth and beauty and will go on to pursue their future careers as orators, philosophers, and/or citizens of great character.