Integration

Trinity Academy integrates the two classical education systems found in the traditions of Western culture, classical liberal arts and mechanical arts. Classical education honors history, but does not reject present advances in any subject. The
present is studied, sitting under the tutelage of the past.

Process

The classical approach employs rigorous mental discipline in learning. Classical education seeks to emphasize that all knowledge is unified. This means that every subject has relevance for every other subject, and thus the well-trained mind looks for the core principles of wisdom from which it can learn all subsequent knowledge. Practically this means that subjects are not taught in isolation but rather as an integrated whole. For example, a first grader or a fifth grader is not taught with merely the completion of first grade or fifth grade as the end goal. The goal of a classical curriculum is to ultimately transition the student into a self-teacher with an understanding of not only how to complete a course of study, but how to learn.

Focus

Trinity Academy focuses on organized and integrated learning of all subjects and provides the tools for clear thinking and
persuasive expression. As students begin applying these tools, they will be introduced to the practical application of knowledge, logic,
and rhetoric in all subjects, including the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

• Early Years (Grammar School) – Provides a strong emphasis on language; origins, structure, and proper usage; introduces
  other subjects set against a historical backdrop.
• Middle Years (Logic School) – Develops skills in the proper organization of language and thought (logic and reasoning);
  Fills in facts and application in basic fields of knowledge
• Late Years (Rhetoric School) – Teaches persuasive and effectual use of language and thought (rhetoric); integrates the
  application of knowledge and understanding across varied disciplines.

Beginning Grammar

Ages 4-8

Teaching Methods

• Songs, recitations, and chants
• Guided discovery
• Learning games
• Painting, coloring, building, and creating
• Short, creative projects
• Multi-sensory activities and use of tactile
  manipulatives to illustrate concepts
• Show and tell
• Drama
• Hearing, reading, and telling stories
• Purposeful field trips

Logic

Ages 12-15

Teaching Methods

• Logic puzzles, informal and formal logic
• Socratic discussion
• Critical thinking activities
• Oral/written reports, including research
  projects
• Drama, reenactment, and poetry
• Evaluate and critique (with guidelines)
• Collaborative group work
• Times lines, charts, and maps

Additional Reading

An Introduction to Classical Education by Christopher A. Perrin M.Div., Ph.D.