Classical Christian education is an approach to learning which emphasizes biblical teachings and incorporates a teaching model known as the Trivium, which consists of the three stages of grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
Classical education complements a child’s natural development stages. Young children can memorize information easily. So, in the early years, we incorporate songs, body movement, recitation, and exploration to enhance learning. This sets them up for success in their next stage of learning.
In middle school, students tend to ask “why” as they grow in their critical thinking skills. You may have noticed how they love to debate! So, we cut with the grain of the student and introduce formal logic giving them lots of opportunity to practice this skill in all other subjects.
Once a student reaches high school, he becomes more self-aware and considers how others perceive him. It is now time for teaching rhetoric, the art of presenting ideas, and to cultivate wisdom in the student. The young adult is now capable of using this broad foundation of knowledge to carefully consider the moral implications of his actions upon the world around him.
In short, classical Christian education leads all students toward extraordinary outcomes. We graduate students who know how to think for themselves, are confident, articulate and defend their ideas and beliefs winsomely, and engage in the world around them with respect and responsibility.
The educational approach of Cary Christian School, Inc., as defined below is fundamentally different from government-operated education both in philosophy and content. Cary Christian School recognizes that an excellent education is founded upon disciplined, eager attention to learning; that this discipline rests upon the student’s moral character; and that this moral character can only be developed through a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In support of parents’ God-given responsibility for educating their children, Cary Christian School seeks to:
The mission of this organization is academic excellence within a biblical worldview. To carry out this mission, Cary Christian School, Inc., adheres to the following principles:
If necessary, legally binding arbitration shall be in accordance with the Rule of Procedure for Christian Conciliation of the Institute for Christian Conciliation. These biblical methods of dispute resolution shall be the sole remedy for any controversy or claim arising out of the Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws of Cary Christian School, Inc.
What does classical Christian education look like at Cary Christian School? Find out in these articles from our blog, “The Forum”:
“The thesis is there to prove that we are no longer just students, absorbing information from other people. In the thesis project, we find our own sources and reach our own conclusions…we truly have to create something.” This, according to one of our graduates, was the highlight of Cary Christian School’s senior thesis project. After…
As a young girl growing up in a small North Carolina town, I loved playing school and having the complete and total attention of the many stuffed animal students that filled my living room classroom. I knew at seven years old that I wanted to be a teacher. God graciously allowed that dream to become…
There is perhaps no more misunderstood or misused liberal art than rhetoric. As a “subject” taught in classical schools it is a mystery for those looking in from the outside. What could possibly even be taught in such a class? In a world where the term “empty rhetoric” is a redundancy, why would you ever…
“You teach logic to middle schoolers???” This question is the most common response I receive when I tell people that I teach eighth grade logic. Others include, “Isn’t that a contradiction?” “They’re too young and wild to study logic!” and my favorite, “That’s got to be a fallacy.” The answer to these questions is another question. I am…
The Presidents Song The Capacity Song As the introverted-est of introverts, I never once answered the question of “What do you want to be when you grow up?” with anything that would require me to do anything in front of anyone. I wanted to be a mailman or a librarian. Furthermore, the last thing I…
During my first year as a teacher, there was this moment. We were discussing The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and the students were trying to prove they were smarter than Edmund. They were adamant that they would not have fallen for the lies of the White Witch. They were all confident that her…
Cary Christian School is not a college prep school. Wait, what? Now, before any of you begin to question the robustness and efficacy of our academic program here at Cary Christian School, let me explain. A plethora of college prep schools exist here in the Triangle area. Each of these institutions, through the implementation of…
“Education is teaching our children to desire the right things,” Plato asserted millennia ago. Classical Christian educators, faculty, and parents herald this idea, yet struggle to identify the “right things.” As college applications and standardized tests loom over the Upper School, it’s easy to buy in to the cultural norm that tells us these are…
“Dear Lord: please help my son to make all A’s, ace the SAT, pass his AP exams with flying colors, and get accepted into a prestigious university. Amen.” What do you think of a prayer like this? Would you pray it for your son or daughter? Some might find it to be asking too much.…
“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” – James 3:1 Both the most important responsibility and the greatest privilege we have been given as teachers is to present everything we teach from a biblical worldview. Our hearts long to praise…
I teach logic to eighth graders. If ever there seemed to be a fallacious statement, wouldn’t that be it? But really, what better time to teach students how to argue well and effectively than when they are in the “Pert Stage”? If ever there is something fourteen-year-olds as a group can do well, it’s argue!…
“Try to exclude the possibility of suffering,” wrote C.S. Lewis in The Problem of Pain, “and you find that you have excluded life itself.” Man has always suffered, and we have always tried to cope. The urge to understand suffering is what’s behind one of humanity’s richest literary traditions: tragedy. Whenever we see the term…
If someone asked you to define classical, Christian education, what would you say? I think most of us could provide a fairly decent definition of Christian education; well, at least I would hope so. But I fear that many of us would struggle to define classical education. Subsequently, our own children, the ones receiving this…
When I was a child, I learned about God at church and in Sunday school. My parents talked about Jesus (“He’s the reason for the season!”), and my family always said a blessing before eating a meal. It was clear God was at church and at home. When I was at school, God’s name was…
Is your child an excellent student? How did you answer that question? If you’re like most, your mind immediately evaluated your children’s report card grades and arrived at a response. You probably answered in the affirmative if your child receives mostly high marks, A’s and B’s, and perhaps you answered in the negative if your…
If a high school student asked you to recommend a college where the Bible is faithfully taught, Christian moral principles are held in high esteem, and knowledge of God is understood to be the foundation of all knowledge, what would you suggest? A number of colleges may come to mind, but it is highly unlikely…
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) Today, there is a tremendous need for young people (and all Christians, for that matter)…
Shark Tank has made Mark Cuban a sort of Svengali on any number of matters these days, not the least of which are the future of higher education, finance and economics, and employment. On the topic of jobs, he has most recently spoken in an interview with Bloomberg’s Corey Johnson. In that interview, Cuban was…
Wait?!? The students do what?!? That is the common response that I get when I explain the Senior Thesis here at CCS. When I describe the 16-20 page paper, with a minimum of 12 sources, written in the 6 Parts of Discourse, then delivered in a 5-8 minute speech to an audience comprised of about…
In late August of 1837, Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered an address entitled “The American Scholar” at The First Parish in Cambridge, MA, calling for America to declare literary independence from England and the European literary tradition. In “The American Scholar” Emerson criticizes American society for having come to think of itself-the whole society, that is-as…
I’ll admit it, I’m a perfectionist. I enjoy the thrill of seeing that “A” on the top of any assignment I have submitted or assessment I have completed. And there’s this feeling of sadness that accompanies letter grades less than an “A.” Why? What makes me feel this way? Well, sure, an “A” represents excellence…
“Why are we learning a dead language, Mrs. Baker?” I smile and then take a moment to pause for a deep breath, because I have heard this same question repeated many times before. As I gaze around the classroom at the sweet, upturned faces eagerly awaiting my response, it becomes clear to me that the…
ACCS teacher certification is only available to ACCS accredited schools. Accredited by the ACCS since May of 2002, we are privileged to guide the professional training and development of our teachers as we certify them. The certification process is divided into three levels of accomplishment: provisional, permanent, and masters. All of our teachers are required…
Much heat and a little light have been shed abroad of late about the newest educational initiative called the Common Core. This latest in the assembly line of educational reform proposals has been hailed as the savior of the future of America by some and pilloried as a Marxist over-reach by others. The prevalence of…
A recent article by Rick Newman, author of Rebounders: How Winners Pivot From Setback To Success, describes a panel discussion hosted by the McKinsey Global Institute that dealt with the question of “Automation, Jobs, and the Future of Work.” In the article, Newman highlights a common thread through the discussion that highlights what he calls the “uberskill that will…
“Amo!” “Amas!” “Amat!” “Amamus!” “Amatis!” “Amant!” No, these are not incantations. This is a conjugation of the phrase “I love” in Latin. Students in classical and Christian schools around the country perform this chant and others like it as they learn a language that no one speaks anymore. What a waste of time, right? This…
“Human beings used to be …” he hesitated; the blood rushed to his cheeks. “Well, they used to be viviparous.” Aldous Huxley’s dystopian novel Brave New World describes a future society where children are “decanted,” not born, and the concept of “father” and “mother” are unpleasant historical facts best forgotten. It may be easy to write this…
Last year, MSNBC host and Tulane University political science professor Melissa Harris-Perry sparked a controversy when she remarked, “We have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents, or kids belong to their families, and recognize that kids belong to whole communities.” Clarifying her comments a few days later,…
In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey wrote that anyone who wants to succeed in an endeavor must “begin with the end in mind.” What then should be the ultimate end, or goal, of education? Today, the answer to this question is far from self-evident, but it is as consequential as ever. Theologian…
While strolling down the K-2 hallway, you may hear singing or chanting, usually with lots of motion and very enthusiastic voices! Why are the students doing this? Shouldn’t learning be quiet so the students can listen to the teacher’s every captivating word? According to the Trivium, listening in the Grammar Stage may not be the…