Classical Education

Classical schools are among the fastest-growing segment of American private and charter education. The reasons why reveal deep dissatisfaction with progressive educational trends.

Robert C. Thornett argues that classical education, grounded in the Western liberal arts tradition and great texts, uniquely prepares students for democratic citizenship by cultivating shared cultural understanding and virtue. The approach fosters nuanced discourse about conflicting viewpoints while engaging timeless questions about leadership and the common good.

Education Next profiles the Classical Learning Test (CLT), a college admissions test designed around the Western canon and classical education values, examining whether it offers a genuine alternative to the SAT/ACT for classically educated students and the growing number of colleges aligned with classical or faith-based academic traditions.

Historian, educator, and homeschooling advocate best known as the co-author of The Well-Trained Mind, the definitive guide to classical home education. Bauer holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from William & Mary and homeschooled her own four children through high school.

A practical, candid overview of eight popular homeschooling approaches — including Classical, Charlotte Mason, Eclectic, Unschooling, and more — with honest pros, cons, and guidance for families deciding which style fits their children and lifestyle.

Simply Charlotte Mason demonstrates the heart of Charlotte Mason's 'living books' philosophy — what makes a book truly 'alive' with ideas versus a dry textbook — with read-aloud examples across history, science, and literature so parents can hear the difference for themselves.

A clear, substantive explanation of the classical trivium — grammar, logic, and rhetoric — and how these three stages map to different developmental periods in childhood. The video explains why classical educators prioritize narrative, memorization, and dialectic at different ages, and how this differs fundamentally from skill-and-drill approaches.

A clear, accessible introduction to the three-stage trivium model at the heart of classical education: the Grammar stage (knowledge absorption), the Logic stage (critical thinking and analysis), and the Rhetoric stage (persuasive expression) — with practical examples of how each maps to different developmental periods.

A community-based classical homeschool program operating in all 50 US states and 50+ countries. Families meet weekly in small class groups while parents serve as lead learners alongside their children.

A vast free library of media resources — videos, interactive tools, lesson plans, and primary sources — curated by PBS for educators and homeschooling families across all subject areas and grades K–12.

A publisher of classical curriculum materials including Latin, logic, rhetoric, and history programs used widely by classical homeschoolers. Also publishes the well-regarded 'Teaching from Rest' and hosts the Scholé Academy for live online classical coursework.