Classical Education

“The seven liberal arts are the established paths that tutor the reason and train the mind in virtue.”

~ The Liberal Arts Tradition

The Goal of Classical Education

Creed Classical School believes in teaching children in the classical tradition, something which dates back to the Greco-Roman World. Students are taught to pursue the transcendent ideals of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, which shape and form their souls through the paradigm of biblical wisdom found in the Scriptures and God’s creation.

The “Trivium” (Grammar, Dialectic, and Rhetoric) gives students the wonder and awe of what they are studying by developing the imagination, sharpening their reason, and expressing themselves beautifully and winsomely. The “Quadrivium” is the additional study of Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy, and Music that students engage through their education.

If the Trivium trains students in the science of language, then the Quadrivium trains them in the science of mathematics. A healthy focus and practice of the seven liberal arts will equip students with a sharp mind, a thirst for knowledge, and a striving for virtue and wisdom. Education is vastly more than accumulating facts and figures. Classical education shapes souls and transforms people according to God’s design.

The Method of Classical Education

Dorothy Sayers, in her essay, “The Lost Tools of Learning,” proposed that educators take the classical discovery of the Trivium and apply it to the educational development of children. Instead of giving students bare information to be tested on and forgotten, Sayers believed students could be trained as those in medieval and ancient times. Her proposal developed as follows:

• Grammar
• Dialectic
• Rhetoric

Students in Kindergarten thru 6th grade will:

• Recite math facts, history timeline, scientific info, and grammar with song
• Memorize poems, Latin, hymns, phonograms, and Scripture
• Explore art and science through hands-on projects
• Begin appreciation for quality literature, music, and art
• Master reading, writing, and arithmetic

Students in 7th thru 9th grade will:

• Recognize natural order in grammar, writing, languages, and art
• Study formal Logic and Debate
• Compare and contrast ideas across subjects
• Analyze and evaluate truth through reason
• Interact with original texts and historical sources

Students in 10th thru 12th grade will:

• Express ideas through oration and eloquent writing
• Use logic to communicate across all subjects
• Create what is true, good, and beautiful
• Study original texts and the “Great Conversation”
• Learn formal Rhetoric and fair-minded reasoning

The Seven Liberal Arts

The Trivium and Quadrivium together form the foundation of classical education. The Trivium as the science of language and the Quadrivium as the science of mathematics equip students with the tools to investigate and be in awe of God’s world.

“Grammar speaks, Dialectic teaches words, and Rhetoric colors words.” Grammar nurtures the imagination through stories, songs, and poetry. Students imitate the greats to learn what is good and beautiful. As they grow, they engage in dialogue and debate, developing clear reasoning. Rhetoric empowers them to express truth persuasively and winsomely.

The Quadrivium—arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music—guides students toward eternal truths. Classical math doesn’t just teach “how,” but reveals the “why.” Through language and mathematics, students pursue wisdom, virtue, and the knowledge of God.

The Scholar of Classical Education

The classical student experiences a true transformation. From engaging with great literature and ideas to appreciating timeless art and music, classical education trains both the mind and the heart. This method fosters humility, wonder, and virtue through encounters with God’s Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

The liberal arts, common arts, and fine arts work together to shape not just smart students—but wise and virtuous ones. They become lifelong learners with a love for truth and a readiness to impact the world for God’s glory.

“The [quadrivial] arts, united with those of the Trivium, will then lead the way to both comprehension in the philosophies and the human formation of students.”

~ The Liberal Arts Tradition