The Journey toward Classical Education

We love Classical Education.  I am a naturally creative person who likes external order and structure, along with flexibility. We are all products of our time and circumstances. I am a product of the public educational system and of a private higher education, growing up in the decades of dismantling education through the 70's and 80's. As a young adult I thought I had worked my way to a good degree from a private university, and a decent career and overall a pretty good education. Then I was introduced to Catholic Culture and the Humanities, and the introduction to what a Classical Education is at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. What a let down to have my eyes opened to what I missed and conversely what a joy of discovery! I realized at the age of 25 how much of a true education I missed.  I discovered that I, like most of my generation, and the next, am missing the riches of literature, the wealth of knowledge once taught,  and at the heart, the patrimony of western civilization that so many generations have cherished. The feast of learning and pursuit of the good, true and beautiful was hardly begun. My husband, an MD in his mid-thirties also discovered the same thing. Hence, our sudden openness to the world of home education and recovering the tools of learning, discovering the classical methodology, and seeking a return to the richness of a classical education for our own children.

Now it's been 8 + years of home education, 8 years of attending conferences, some reading Catholic curriculum and books... I am only beginning to understand the wealth of riches in classical education. The more I read and employ in our approach to education, the more effective our time is, and more substantive our learning. I only wish we had a small classical school to make this easier for my family and others. Perhaps one day we will be a part of such an endeavor.

For now we are trying to educate them in small group settings along with friends who also have the same goals. What a gift they are, since one cannot do this alone. My favorite books read this summer in my not so free time: The Core, The Well Trained Mind, The Well Educated Mind, The Dumbest Generation, and Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child. After attending Classical Conversations for a three year cycle, I have learned to utilize some tools to apply with my children. I learned to apply some classical principles in small group setting.  I am learning how to combine education along with our family prayers, pursuit of learning virtues, and following the liturgical calendar. We are striving to preserve knowledge of western civilization for our children, and thus help our children become good citizens despite this period of cultural decline. It's a noble goal worth pursuing and an adventure well worth the effort.