Customer Reviews

Classical Education and the Homeschool

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This outstanding booklet explains what classical education is and how to implement it in the home school. The author describes the ancient medeival model of the trivium (the three stages of learning: grammer, dialectic and rhetoric) and urges a return to this time tested method of education in a reformed Christian context. Included are recommended reading lists. I consider this booklet essential reading for home educators.

The author provides a good background and justification for returning to the classical approach of teaching children. The reading lists are fairly good except for the suspicious inclusion of a number of texts written by the author. I felt that the chapter concerning centering your children's education around Christ sounded very emotionally charged which greatly contrasted the author's previous chapter on logic and argumentation. I don't disagree that the education of Christian children should be centered about Christ. I do think the author should have used the logical method of argumentation described in the previous chapters to argue his point rather than lapse into emotionally charged religious rhetoric that he (and Plato) disapproved of at the beginning of his text. The most overriding lesson I learned from this text, though, is one which more homeschooling and classical education advocates must learn and teach: providing your child with a education better than that which you were provided requires that you first obtain the education with which you are attempting to endow your children. For this reason (and that teensy little price up there) I highly recommend this book to anyone who is frustrated with the quality of public education in America whether or not you are considering homeschooling your child.

This little book is an excellent introduction to the methods of Classical education, especially as it pertains to a Christian worldview. It is a quick and easy read, and (best of all) inexpensive.
I do have a few critisms. [1] The authors tend to get off point a few times (we don't need a primer on Latin grammar in a book like this) [2] The bibliography tends to stay "in the family" of the contributing authors and lastly [3] I would expect superior writing style from promoters of Classical education.

While a small "book", it is power packed. It addresses everything from your worldview to getting started in the process of "re" educating yourself in preparation for homeschooling using the classical method. If you are considering whether or not you want to use the method or want to get your method on track, this book is perfect. Personally, I was actually exhorted in a few areas-just what I needed! Well worth the small price!

According to the authors, Catholics are not capable of giving their children a Classical Education because they are unbiblical and Thomists. The Catholic church not only built Western Civilization, it preserved all things Classical and through the monasteries carried forth education as well as the Classics from the Ancients.

The book is not as well written as I would have expected from someone purporting a strong Classical education. And, there seemed to be a big disconnect between chapters. The authors obviously divvied up the chapters because there isn't a consistent feel between them, especially between Chapters 5 and 6 versus Chapter 7. The editors should have caught this.

People buying the book should be aware it is anti-Catholic. I have not ever given a 1 star review to a book before. Had I known how biased this book was, I would not have wasted the money. I wanted to let others considering this understand the bias of this book, not evident in either the title or description.