Classical Christian Education (CCE) offers a unique approach to learning, blending centuries-spanning, time-honored methods with Christian faith and ideals. As parents, understanding the ins-and-outs of this educational model can help you make informed decisions about your kids’ schooling.
And so I’m clear and up front, I am a high-school teacher at a Classical Christian School, and send my own kids. I do have a stake in this, but I also believe in the model fully.
What is Classical Christian Education (CCE)?
CCE is an age-old educational system rooted in the Christian faith. This educational model aims to foster not just knowledge acquisition but also wisdom and virtue in students. A child’s learning journey in CCE is underpinned by a distinct focus on cultivating a biblical worldview, whereby God is recognized as the Creator of all knowledge.
The purpose of CCE is twofold: one, to enable students to know God better, and two, to equip them to express this knowledge in a profound and persuasive manner. This educational paradigm thus serves as a conduit for kids to grow into discerning, eloquent and virtuous individuals.
“The end then of learning is to repair the ruins of our first parents by regaining to know God aright, and out of that knowledge to love him, to imitate him, to be like him.”
John Milton
Underpinning Principles of CCE
This should be a much longer article, as entire books have been written on the underpinnings of a Classical Christian education. However, these are some of the pillars.
Biblical Framework
An inherently Christian model, CCE places God at the center of all learning. It goes beyond adding a Bible verse to the curriculum; it’s about integrating all subjects around the truth of God’s creation. Theology is revered as the queen of sciences, wherein all subjects are comprehended through God’s revealed word and natural/human history.
Intellectual Rigor
CCE sets high expectations for student learning, fostering an environment where hard work and determination are valued. Students learn to love the subjects their teachers are passionate about while imitating the godly examples of their instructors.
Character Formation
CCE is not solely about subject-based learning; it’s about character development. It’s about training students to love the true, the good, and the beautiful, and to ‘order’ these loves correctly. This means prioritizing love for God first and then extending love to our neighbors.
Christian Community
A classical Christian school promotes a sense of community, where parents and teachers share a commitment to teaching children how to love learning while growing in godliness. Small class sizes enable teachers to serve each student individually, making them feel valued and unique.
The Three-Stage Learning Process
CCE embraces a three-stage learning process, known as the Trivium, that corresponds with the developmental stages of children. The Trivium comprises Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric.
The Grammar Stage
The Grammar stage, typically spanning the elementary school years, involves the accumulation of knowledge through memorization. Young children, naturally inclined towards memorizing, singing, and rhymes, are given ample opportunities to memorize facts in various subjects, laying a strong foundation for higher order thinking.
The Logic Stage
The Logic stage, roughly corresponding to the ages of twelve to fourteen, sees students becoming more inquisitive, developing their ability to reason from their knowledge, and discerning truth. Students at this stage are taught formal logic and debate so that they can reason and argue clearly, respectfully, and persuasively.
The Rhetoric Stage
The Rhetoric stage, usually the high school years, is the time when students are trained to communicate their ideas persuasively and eloquently. As students advance to rhetoric, they practice the art of communicating their ideas, organizing, and presenting their thoughts in a stylistically impressive manner.
“By teaching them to read, we have left them at the mercy of the printed word. By the invention of the film and the radio, we have made certain that no aversion to reading shall secure them from the incessant battery of words, words, words. They do not know what the words mean; they do not know how to ward them off or blunt their edge or fling them back; they are a prey to words in their emotions instead of being the masters of them in their intellects… We have lost the tools of learning…”
Dorothy Sayers
The Role of Parents in CCE
Parents play an integral role in a child’s CCE journey. As primary educators, parents are entrusted with the responsibility of their kids’ education. The schools serve as extensions of the home, instructing students under the parents’ delegated authority. The Christian community extends beyond the classroom with intentional focus on the cultivation of virtue, which is a practice that parents are expected to nurture and uphold.
The Benefits of CCE
CCE offers several benefits for students. It equips them with the tools to think critically, write and speak persuasively, and apply their trained minds to reclaiming knowledge for Christ. By the end of their CCE journey, students demonstrate wisdom through their ability to speak and write persuasively and eloquently about any topic they have studied. They become discerning individuals capable of influencing culture and spreading the gospel.
The Point
Classical Christian Education presents a valuable alternative to conventional educational models. It cultivates intellectual rigor, character formation, and a sense of Christian community. As parents, understanding the principles and practices of CCE can help you make an informed decision about your children’s schooling, fostering their growth into intellectually capable and spiritually grounded individuals.
Doing a search for “Classical Christian Schools in my area” on any popular search engine will get you started, or, you can go to the website of the Classical Christian Association.
“The classical model of education places our children on this path by teaching them how to think critically, to write and speak persuasively, and to apply their trained minds to reclaiming knowledge for Christ.”
Parenting with Truth and Grace 
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