What is classical education? - Ivywood

What is classical education?

Classical education embraces the concept of educating the whole child and the notion that children are more than their standardized test scores.

Classical schools are unique among school choice options for three main reasons – a virtuous education, a content-rich curriculum, and a traditional classroom environment.

Similar to students in a Spanish immersion school, students at Ivywood are immersed in a virtue education community within and beyond the school walls. We believe this educational philosophy is transformational and promotes a love of lifelong learning.

Moral character does not come from a flippant approach to teaching character as a means of discipline or when it is convenient. Children need an intentional, consistent and constant teaching of virtue that is why at Ivywood, high academic achievement, personal discipline, moral character and responsibility are consistently reinforced through the study of subjects in the classical tradition.

A classical education delivers real content. Students learn about historical events, characters, stories, fables, myths, scientific facts, and mathematical proofs. They read whole literary works in great depth, and they learn to approach books both with moderation to learn and courage to question.

A classical classroom prioritizes the authority of the teacher, and therewith their expertise and responsibility to deliver it to students. Students are not the passive recipients of knowledge, but active participants in the discussion, incorporating the Socratic method of engaging dialogue between the student and the teacher.

Regardless of backgrounds, experiences, economic status or other variables that create uniqueness among students, all are part of a shared community of learning.