Classical education has roots that go very far back in history. The classical model builds on three levels of learning- grammar stage, logic stage, and the rhetoric stage. When we start out with building a knowledge base, we are in the grammar stage. The sciences, literature, the arts, history, and geography are learned with the aim of having a strong foundation of memorized facts to build upon. With that focus in mind, once the store of knowledge is sound we can begin delving into the hows and whys of the logic stage.  Armed with facts, students are able to better articulate their deeper thought processing on subjects. Once in the rhetoric stage, a classical student should not only have a strong grasp on the subject matter and be able to present the facts in an organized fashion, but they should have amassed the skills to defend positions and engage in meaningful and substantial discussion and debate on topics. 

At this time, I am offering Grammar Stages 1 and 2 in the Classical Education Academy, which consists of 6 topics. There will be six grammar stage modules in total, rolling out over the next several months. After these modules are in place, logic modules will be introduced. Each module will be a month-long for a total of 4 weeks each. As this is presented in a flexible class schedule, students will be able to work at their own pace. So, if they are gone for vacation or illness, they can continue working without falling behind. There are no live meetings to this class, which allows students to work at a flexible pace, although it is recommended that they interact within the classroom portal setting. It is a great option for busy schedules, giving students ample time to work through the lessons at their own convenience. Math and spelling are NOT part of the curriculum.

Grammar stage 2 module contains the following classes:
1) Introduction to Botany
2) Poetry Basics
3) US States and Capitals
4) Famous Events and Places in Ancient History
5) Vocabulary Builder 2
6) World Famous Artists 

Grammar Stage 1 Module is already loaded as a class on Outschool.

What does each week look like?
On Sunday evenings or Mondays, I will present students with the week’s material by video and handout. There will also be a worksheet to complete. On Wednesdays, we will be working on short projects as a reflection of the different classes. Fridays will be reserved for links to watch in an effort to provide a little extra information about our weekly material. It is important to remember that the goal in the grammar stage is not complete understanding or mastery of the subject matter, but a beginning knowledge base made stronger with repetitive reinforcement. There are no live meetings to this class, but ample opportunities to interface and interact with other students from around the globe. Three ways that a flex class can be interactive: responding to other students' project ideas and worksheet entries within the classroom portal, answering video link questions in the classroom portal to open up discussion, and using the record video to answer questions with the ability to upload the content for other students and the teacher to watch. Flex classes are a great option for busy schedules, giving students ample time to work through the lessons at their own convenience.  

While there are no live meetings, it is important to watch the lessons and complete the assignments to get the most out of the course. Students will learn through video, pdf handouts, worksheet assignments, and resource links. Following satisfactory course completion, I leave the decision on whether to issue a certificate of completion to the student's parents. If a parent would prefer a grade be assigned that can be arranged as well. 

No background knowledge is required, just a willingness to learn.