Solagratiamom: Understanding the Classical Model

This is the next post in my series on how I am pursuing the traditional classical model through becoming a pilot Schole' group with Classical Academic Press. The best part is that this post is paired with a fantastic book bundle giveaway for two lucky winners, and a 20% off coupon code for my viewers, on almost everything Classical Academic Press offers!

I began my quest to gain a deeper understanding of the classical model this past year, prior to my conversation with Dr. Perrin. Even though I had read The Core, A Classical Education Made Approachable, Echo's in Celebration, The Question, The Foundations Curriculum Guide and taught for five years as a Tutor in Foundations, I still felt like something was missing for me with understanding a truly classical education. I was reading on blogs such as Amongst Lovely Things, Simply Convivial, and Ed Snapshots to name a few, and I would come across concepts I rarely heard of or read about in other sources. That made me curious to go deeper. Then I began reading a life changing book for me, called The Liberal Arts Tradition, A Philosophy Of Christian Classical Education. Let me share with you why it changed my course and how it can change your life as a classically educating parent too...

One of the first pages in the book rocked my world and my paradigm of educating my children classically...

I'm a visual learner and maybe that is why this hit me so hard, I don't know. Maybe it will hit you just as hard as it did me. When I looked at this picture, I just stared at the root system. What in the world is piety? Oh sure, I had heard it thrown around at various times over my years, but why was it the entire root system of this tree and why hadn't I heard of it before now, if it was so important to a classical education? I mean after all, aren't root systems the deciding factor of how well your tree can grow and whether or not it can stand in the storms? Was my entire classical education "tree" going to fall over someday because I hadn't focused on this aspect of a classical education and again, what was piety?

Going Deeper

I read on, deeply moved by the contents of this book. While philosophical in nature, it was the missing link to my understanding of a fully classical education. The recovered full model of classical education is PGMAT: piety, gymnastic, music, arts (the seven liberal arts), philosophy, and theology. Definitely not something I had fully encountered in five years. I began to see how important piety was to the root system of a truly classical education and why it was something I needed to rethink the path we were on, in order to pursue more fully. A classical education is fundamentally about shaping our children's loves - the quest for Truth, Beauty, and Virtue. It's not laying God over top of a lot of memory work or throwing in a Bible memory verse each year, it's way beyond that. It's about making God the very lens through which my child sees all his educational and personal pursuits in life.

I am not going to spoil the book for you - because I want you to read it for yourself!

GIVEAWAY/COUPON CODE

So I'm very excited to be able to give away two bundle copies below or any other book, on the Educational Resources page for Classical Academic Press. If you want to order any of their materials, then how about a 20% discount to do so! Just use code SGM20ED between now and June 30th*! (*good for all materials on their webpage except Singapore Math and LIVE online classes)

Need the Cliff Notes?

We are all busy parents and it's hard to find time to read, I get that. So does Classical Academic Press because they offer a few additional books that I have also read, which are very helpful and appeal to different styles of readers and time availability of parents, while still conveying the fullness of a truly classical education. They also have a delightful little book that was written by Dr. Perrin's daughter, on her perspective of having been classically educated her whole life, in a small classical school setting. I truly enjoyed the book and it may imbue some parents who need to see the end result while they are at the beginning. So if you want a more condensed book, or you are limited on time and need "cliff notes" or you are more of a magazine reader because sound-bytes in the bathroom is all time small kids allows you right now - then there is something for each one of you over at Classical Academic Press!