To think or not to think… that is the question! Classical education is an approach to learning that encourages critical analysis. It emphasizes the pursuit of wisdom and virtue through the liberal arts.
In recent decades, interest in classical approaches has grown as parents have become dissatisfied with progressive models. In contrast with the modern emphasis on vocational preparation and social-emotional development, a classical homeschool curriculum emphasizes independent thinking over test-taking and prioritizes academic rigor.
Below, you’ll read about classical education, how classical education and homeschooling can work together, how to build a classical homeschool curriculum for your learner, and get answers to frequently asked questions.
Overview of Classical Education
Classical education dates back to ancient Greece and Rome. Its primary goal is to teach students how to learn rather than to prepare them for work. Students focus on reading the Great Books, study classical languages like Latin, and engage in debate and discussion. Perhaps the best way to understand a classical approach is to talk about how it differs from traditional schooling today.
Differences between classical and traditional education
Classical and traditional education differ in several important ways:
- Central goal: Traditional schooling today aims to prepare students for what comes next, whether it is the next level of education or the workforce. A classical education prepares students to think critically.
- Focus: In a traditional classroom, students learn knowledge and skills. In a classical environment, students are taught how to think, not what to learn.
- Approaches and materials: Traditional education relies on direct instruction, textbooks, and standardized tests, while a classical approach features the Great Books, Socratic dialogue, and the seven liberal arts.
- Student’s role: A student in a traditional setting is often a passive recipient of the content, but in a classical setting, the student actively pursues truth.
- Curriculum: Traditional schooling often presents knowledge in segmented pieces, but in a classical education, the disciplines are integrated (Adler 22-23).
The seven pillars
At the core of a classical education are the seven liberal arts. These are disciplines established in the Middle Ages as the essential curriculum for a free-thinking person. They are divided into two parts. The Trivium refers to the “three ways of the word,” and the Quadrivium is the “four ways of the number.”
The Trivium covers the verbal arts needed for processing and communicating information. The first is grammar. In this context, grammar means the mechanics of a subject. It refers to the facts, terms, and rules at its core. The next is logic, also known as dialectic, which essentially is the art of thinking. In studying logic, students learn the why behind the facts from the grammar stage, construct arguments, and identify fallacies. The third verbal art is rhetoric, which is the art of expression. Students learn to communicate what they have learned through grammar and logic clearly and persuasively.
After students master the verbal arts, they apply them to understand the world through mathematics. The first numerical art is arithmetic, or the study of numbers in the abstract. The second is geometry, the study of numbers in space. Next is music, which may seem surprising, but in classical education, music is seen as the study of numbers in time through ratio and harmony. And the last numerical art is astronomy, the study of numbers in both space and time (Joseph 3-9).
Classical education and homeschooling
A classical curriculum is a popular choice for homeschooling parents today. Its focus on critical thinking, its systematic approach to history, and its preference for great literature are appealing.
A classical homeschool curriculum has several key elements:
- Chronological approach to history: A common way to organize the study of history is in a four-year cycle: Antiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance/Early Modern, and Modern. Once the child has reached the logic stage, they repeat the cycles at a deeper level of analysis.
- Language-rich environment: Students are steeped in high-quality language from the early years on. The approach relies on copying classic texts, dictation, and narration to prepare students for writing and rhetoric.
- Great Books: Students engage with original texts from classic authors like Homer and Shakespeare rather than using textbooks or other simplified readers.
- Integration of subjects: A historical time period is often the anchor around which the teacher weaves related content from literature, science, and art to create a story of human civilization.
A typical day of classical education in a homeschool environment looks a lot different from one in a public school. The morning often begins with memory work, where students use songs or rhymes to reinforce their memory. Afterwards, the parent and child may sit together to discuss a chapter of a Great Book, which refers to the classical canon of literature in the Western world. Students also learn how to engage in a particular form of discussion called Socratic dialogue.
Next, the day’s schedule may shift to science and nature study. Children learn to become keen observers by sketching what they see. After science, instruction may shift to Latin, which starts as early as third grade to build vocabulary and help students understand the architecture of language (Bauer and Wise 13-25).
Subjects Typically Covered in Classical Homeschool Curricula
In a classical homeschool curriculum, subjects are rarely taught in isolation. Rather, they are woven together into a meaningful whole using history as an anchor. This helps students see that all knowledge is interconnected. A classical curriculum at home usually includes these integrated subject areas.
The humanities
The study of history uses the four-year cycle we have described. For example, while studying Ancient Greece, students will read The Iliad or The Odyssey. Students also learn geography as they map the regions being studied.
The language arts
A classical education emphasizes language over images, so the Trivium takes precedence. This includes rules-based instruction in phonics and spelling, copying passages of literature, and telling back the story of what they have learned. Latin is usually introduced around the third grade, and the study of logic begins around seventh grade.
Math and science
In classical education, math is the “grammar” of the physical world. Like history, science also usually follows a four-year cycle that aligns with the four historical time periods.
Fine arts
Students memorize dates, art, poetry, and their creators while studying history and fine arts (13-21).
How the Classical Method Can Work at Home
In a classical homeschool environment, the parent moves from lecturer to tutor or coach, and the students’ role is to think critically about the subject matter, not just take it in. Homeschooling is well-suited to the classical approach because it prioritizes discussion and one-on-one time.
A few key features help ensure success in the home setting.
- Parents’ role: In traditional school environments, the teacher is the subject matter expert, but in classical homeschooling, the parent is the lead learner. Instead of having the answers prepared for students’ questions, the parent asks, “why?” and, “how do you know that?” The goal of this Socratic dialogue is to encourage critical reasoning skills. (Adler 29).
- History anchor: A historical timeline usually serves as the foundation or spine for integrating multiple disciplines. For instance, when studying the American Revolution, students will read 18th-century literature, write about the Declaration of Independence, and explore Federalist architecture.
- Developmental targeting: A homeschool environment allows parents to structure the curriculum to fit the child’s cognitive stage. Because their brains absorb information easily at this age, children in kindergarten through grade four recite poems and memorize facts. When they get to grades five through eight, children naturally argue more, which facilitates a shift to teaching formal logic. As they reach grades nine through twelve, rhetoric becomes the focus through high-level debate, writing assignments, and oral presentations (Bauer and Wise 21-35).
How to Plan the Best Classical Homeschool Curriculum for Your Child
It might be tempting to feel intimidated by classical education’s intense academic rigor, but remember, the role of the parent when teaching at home is to learn along with the student, not simply impart information.
By following these simple steps, your kids will identify Latin roots and appreciate Beethoven’s symphonies in no time.
Step 1: Identify your child’s developmental stage
In grades K-4, focus on your child’s innate desire to soak up the world around them by using songs and chants for memorization. In grades 5-8, shift your focus to the why and how of concepts and introduce formal logic and debate. And in grades 9-12, emphasize rhetorical expression by having students write persuasive essays and defend their ideas orally (13-21).
Step 2: Use content rather than skills as the foundation
It’s tempting, especially in the early years, to focus more on reading and writing skills than subject area knowledge. However, in a classical education, core knowledge takes center stage, as knowledge builds upon itself. The aim is for students to study specific subjects that connect to other fields and build on past learning.
For example, traditional academic standards encourage students to identify the main idea of a passage and support it with evidence from the text, but in a classical curriculum, the specific passages and texts used are important (Hirsch 21-25).
Step 3: Choose your history anchor
Prepare your lessons by using the four historical eras we mentioned earlier as the spine of your curriculum. Then, find great literature to build out your instructional plans.
For instance, if students are studying the ancients, then they will read myths, legends, and Homeric tales (Bauer and Wise 20, 597).
Step 4: Incorporate the “three columns” of instruction
Involve students in three main types of learning. The first is didactic instruction, which is direct teaching of content, like math or Latin grammar. The second is coaching, where the parent works one-on-one with the child. And the third is Socratic Seminar, which is a core feature of classical education.
Plan for weekly discussions about a Great Book where you only ask questions and the child argues their positions (Adler 22-23).
Step 5: Keep first things first
A classical education prioritizes wisdom and virtue over test-ready preparedness. This means that when choosing learning materials, ask yourself, “Will this book teach my child about what’s true, good, and beautiful?” Use original historical documents instead of textbooks that might leave things out.
Step 6: Weave in Latin and math
A classical approach views these subjects as the language of thought. By beginning Latin in the third grade, students develop the mental architecture for learning English grammar. Also, teaching math through a mastery approach rather than having students memorize formulas helps them understand the logic of numbers (Bauer and Wise 14, 557-573).
Popular Classical Homeschool Curricula
Parents wanting to implement a classical education at home have several options for curriculum resources.
Outschool’s online classical curricula and classes
A popular choice for parents is Outschool’s classical education online materials because of the wide variety of live offerings. Outschool offers full courses that cover all subjects, single online classes that last for weeks, and private tutoring.
Classes can include engaging topics like learning piano through video games, studying the Great Books as a book club, and identifying poor reasoning as a Fallacy Detective.
Comprehensive classical curriculum kits
These pre-packaged box sets provide everything needed for each grade level, including teacher manuals, lesson plans, and student workbooks. The materials focus heavily on Latin and Western civilization from the early years on to provide a rigorous academic foundation.
Parents who like a classical approach but don’t want to do their own research on individual resources often find these kits helpful. However, like any all-in-one product, these kits can be expensive (Duffy 43-45).
Four-year, Trivium-based materials
This type of curriculum guide provides parents with tools for teaching the four historical periods that anchor ongoing instruction. Then, parents choose literature, science, math, and fine arts materials to flesh out their lesson plans. After completing a four-year cycle, it starts over again, but at increasing levels of complexity.
In grades K-6, the focus is on gathering facts and memorization. In grades 7-9, it moves to learning how to reason. And in grades 10-12, the focus is on persuasive communication (Bauer and Wise 30-31).
Subject-specific classical components
Rather than buying a whole classical kit, some parents opt to buy materials for certain subjects and combine them with other resources. Classical homeschooling commonly teaches logic, language, and history through stories (419-422).
Socratic literature programs
A curricular approach for middle and high school students, these programs focus on reading and discussing original texts. Instead of reading from textbooks, students read the Great Books. They then take part in a Socratic discussion, with the teacher asking open questions and the students building arguments (515-525).
Hybrid community model
This approach blends traditional homeschooling with an in-person classroom experience. Local students meet in a group once each week to practice memory work, engage in Socratic discussions, or make presentations. Then, on the other four days, the parents use pre-planned lessons so that the children are learning the same content as their peers (Bortins 207-211).
Frequently Asked Questions: Classical Homeschool Curricula
If you are interested in providing a classical education at home, you probably have a couple of common questions.
When’s the best time to start homeschooling with the classical method?
Many experts encourage parents to start with the grammar stage when the child is five or six because children at this age are wired to absorb vast amounts of information (Sayers 5). This allows you to complete the first four-year history cycle by fourth grade. But because classical education is based on developmental readiness rather than rigid age or grade restrictions, you can start at any point. You just want to make sure that the curriculum you use matches your child’s cognitive stage.
To get an idea of what’s available, check out Outschool’s Classical page and filter for the ages you are interested in.
What’s the difference between classical and traditional approaches?
This question comes up a lot because classical and traditional education can look a lot alike from the outside. They both emphasize academic rigor and rely on books and structured schedules. But there are key differences in their educational philosophies and overall goals.
Traditional schooling uses a factory model that became the norm in the U.S. during the Industrial Revolution. It focuses on individual disciplines learned in isolation, with the goal of preparing the student for the next level of school or work. In contrast, classical education focuses on teaching children how to think, and its goal is to produce virtuous citizens who can reason and communicate persuasively.
Teachers play different roles, too. In a traditional setting, the teacher provides the information, and the student’s job is to receive it. But in a classical education, the teacher acts as a mentor or guide and uses Socratic discussion to help students draw their own conclusions (Bortins 11-27).
To Think… That Is the Goal!
Classical study prepares students for more than further education or jobs. It enables them to be independent thinkers and persuasive communicators. Classical homeschooling, focusing on history and the Great Books, offers the strong academics that many parents look for. There are a lot of homeschooling resources for parents due to the growing interest in classical education.
Sources
Adler, Mortimer J. The Paideia Proposal: An Educational Manifesto. Macmillan, 1982.
Bauer, Susan Wise, and Jessie Wise. The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home. 4th ed., W.W. Norton & Company, 2016.
Bortins, L. A. (2010). The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education. St. Martin’s Press.
Duffy, C. (2015). 102 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. Grove Publishing.
Joseph, Miriam. The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoric. Edited by Marguerite McGlinn, Paul Dry Books, 2002.
National Association of Scholars. National Association of Scholars, 2024, www.nas.org. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
Sayers, D. L. (1947). The Lost Tools of Learning.
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