At the Geneva School, students progress through the stages of the Trivium in a purposeful manner. Our students begin preparing for Logic School in kindergarten. The way we teach our students to spell and read develops the critical thinking region of the brain. Our students study of Latin beginning in third grade further develops this region. Our emphasis on mathematics forms the brain in a manner similar to Latin and will serve the students well as it develops their ability to analyze and reason well. Our rigorous integrated curriculum teaches our students that the subjects they are studying are part of an integrated whole. The Trivium is a critical template that can be used to learn any subject at any time creating lifelong learners.
In the grammar stage, students memorize a large amount of elementary knowledge such as historical facts, names, dates, vocabulary, spelling, geography, scientific data, mathematical tables, etc. through chants, songs, and recitations. This teaches them how to integrate new information. The grammar stage student attains mastery of the fundamentals and most importantly the student masters the tools and methods of learning in an orderly manner.
Classical educators and students do not see subjects as self-contained, isolated units. They see knowledge as part of an integrated whole. Knowledge is more like a web than a chest of drawers; subjects are taught in relationship to one another.
Higher test scores are a by-product of a classical Christian education but not the end goal. Classical education trains students with the tools of learning opening up endless possibilities for each student. Classical Christian education trains students to think and communicate with a mind of wisdom concerning itself not just with the knowledge gained but with the transformation of student’s soul.