F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What constitutes "classical & Christian" for ACCS?
A: CHRISTIAN
We address "Christian" first because we are first, and foremost, Christian schools. Our understanding of all things, including all things pertaining to education, is shaped by Christian truth. Thus, to acquire a sufficient understanding of classical education, one must first be able to view it from a Christian perspective. While in other ages and other times, the "Christian" in classical education was assumed, today it is not so. Given the present state of affairs, we believe it is important to clearly spell out the Christian presuppositions that underlie classical and Christian education.
The ACCS Confession of Faith defines the scope and elements of Christian truth individuals or organizations must affirm to be considered for membership in the ACCS. We see no need to add a second definition here as the Confession is sufficient. However, we do want to emphasize certain principles inherent in the Confession of Faith as they relate to education:
Sovereignty: God is sovereign. He possesses absolute authority over all things. He has created all things, sustains all things, and governs all things. He is the fountain of all being and truth. He works all things together for His own glory.
Antithesis: The principles by which believers live are squarely opposed to the principles by which unbelievers live. The Scriptures are clear that we are to bring "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." Thus, to provide a God-centered and truly Christian education, it is necessary to break completely free from the educational philosophies that surround us. We must build from the ground up, with the Scriptures as the foundation, both our educational philosophies and the framework in which we understand and present all subject matter.
Worldview: Christianity is more than a set of propositions supported by proof-texts. It is rather an entire system of thought. A worldview shapes our perspective and interpretation of everything in the world. Christianity must be viewed as a whole and not just as a collection of discrete elements. The Christian worldview is the 'lens' through which we see, understand, and teach all things. It is antithetical to all other worldviews and thus, requires that we present all ideas and concepts as part of a larger whole defined by Christian truth.
Neutrality: Because God is sovereign over all of His creation, there is no aspect of creation that does not reflect His glory and truth; hence, there is no place, subject, or issue that is neutral and that does not point to the Creator of all.
CLASSICAL
From its beginning, ACCS has advocated as its definition of "classical" the form of education that Miss Sayers described in her 1947 essay, The Lost Tools of Learning, and subsequently popularized in Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning by Douglas Wilson. Both of these authors advance the pedagogical methodology of the Trivium, which includes three aspects: grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric. Further, ACCS advocates, along with Miss Sayers and Mr. Wilson, that children tend to grow through developmental stages that generally coincide with the three areas of the Trivium. The Poll-parrot stage in which young children like to memorize and chant various bits of information coincides with the grammar stage of the Trivium. As children grow into their pre- and early teens, they become more argumentative and questioning; this is called the Pert stage, and coincides with the dialectic aspect of the Trivium. In their mid to late teens, children seem to be more vocal and expressive; this is called the Poetic stage, and conforms to the area of rhetoric. Children that are taught with these developmental stages in mind are receiving an education using classical methodology.
But there is another aspect to this, and that is to teach children their Western heritage through reading the great works of the West. These books provide the classical content. Such books are necessary to appreciate the arguments that have formed the way we think. This is so that our children can adequately provide the Christian antithesis to the humanistic arguments of our heritage that are still being advocated by our godless culture today.
ACCS recognizes that there are other definitions of what constitutes "classical" education which may have their strengths. Whereas ACCS is not necessarily antagonistic to these other definitions, it does not seek to embrace all of these other schools of thought. ACCS willingly acknowledges that it has a defined understanding of what constitutes a classical education and seeks to encourage that concept without apology.
Regarding the ACCS Classis Newsletter/ Back Issues of Classis:
Q: Who can advertise in your newsletter?
A: Our referral policy reads as follows: Referrals are a free service for ACCS member schools only. Upon approval, ACCS may list referrals for individuals who are seeking employment at ACCS schools or for potential start-up schools seeking interested parties in their area. A referral will run for two consecutive issues and then be dropped automatically. The cut-off date for submission is the last day of the month preceding publication. Classis is published January, March, May, July, September, and November. Referrals received after the deadline will be included on a space available basis. Please limit your referral to eight lines and sixty characters per line and submit via email text (not as an attachment) to admin@accsedu.org. ACCS reserves the right to modify referrals as necessary because of space constraints.
Q: What is the policy for reprinting back issues of Classis articles?
A. Folks are welcome to reprint any article in its entirety, making as many copies as necessary, for whatever purpose, but do not delete the author's name from the article so that he/she gets the credit for writing it. Back Issues are available in hard copy form by contacting ACCS secretarial staff, or on the web at www.accsedu.org.
Regarding starting a classical and Christian School:
Q. Starting a classical and Christian school seems like a huge job and seems like a huge job to keep it all going. It is easy to be discouraged looking at the hold the government schools have all over the country.
A: Here is an article by Douglas Wilson that appeared in the Veritas Press 2002-2003 catalog that might encourage you!
Don't Grow Weary in Doing Good
by Douglas Wilson (from Veritas Press 2002-2003 Catalog)
A great difficulty afflicts those who are unfortunate enough to correctly predict the future in a disintegrating culture. The problem is that an essential part of the disintegration is the inability of the denizens of such a culture to see that the dire predictions have come true. Modern cultural critics say their piece and, like Cassandra, they are not believed. But in many ways their lot is worse than that unhappy woman's because they are not even believed after the prediction has come true.
When considering claims about the future, we must note the vast difference between simple historical events and the continual mental and moral disintegration that comes from perseverance in sin. For example, if I were to predict here and now, in print, that a giant meteor was going to land on the fifty yard line during the next year's Super Bowl, and then it happened, the chances are good that this claim would get noticed after the fulfillment. But if I told a man with a moderate drinking problem that if he didn't quit he would eventually lose his wife and family, and then he became a drunk and lost everything, the chances are outstanding that he would not treat my prediction thesame way. This is because drunkenness not only chases away wives and children, it also chases away the wits, and this includes the understanding that a man reaps what he sows.
For a Scriptural example of this, Jeremiah had prophesied, for years, that the Babylonians were going to capture Jerusalem. The false prophets had claimed that God was supporting their rebellion. But when the event showed that Jeremiah was the prophet of God, and not the others, the people of Israel crowned their folly by claiming that Jerusalem had fallen because they had not worshiped the Queen of Heaven enough (Jer. 44:18).
When it comes to the crises in modern education, the critics of that education have been proven right time and again. We are now at the state where today's jaded headlines are the over-the-top satire of yesteryear. The lesbian prom queen has tried out for the football team and is now starting at left tackle. And very few really notice. When these observant few point out that our school system continues to fall apart, the cry goes out that said school system needs more money. This is like complaining in a restaurant that your food is rancid, only to have the waiter reply that if you give him some more money, he'll bring you another plateful. But despite all this reigning folly, there are a few who see what is occurring
And this is for them. This brings me to the central point of this article -- which is to commend and encourage those who have seen what we are up against, and who have decided to take it on anyway. Our adversary includes, not just the lousy government school down the street, but also the last three hundred years of cultural rot. And throw in for good measure the pale reflection of that unbelief that we find in so many Christian schools -- unbelief lite. And these intrepid few have decided to do this, not because they are qualified for the task, because they know they are grossly under-qualified.
If we had a significant number of qualified people around to fight the problem, this would be a sure sign that we didn't really have the problem. Given the nature of our disintegration, the only people who are available to fight are those who recognize that they are not equipped to do so. The good part is that it means the battle is truly the Lord's. If we win this thing, it most emphatically will not be on account of our prowess. For a long time now, we have been fighting armored tank divisions armed with wooden swords and trash can lids. The fact that we have been able to fight at all means that God has been kind to us. If we win, adequate gratitude will be beyond our capacity.
We do not have adequate weapons. The Philistines have not let us have our own smithies because we might make spears and swords with them, and so for generations we have gotten our knives sharpened down at the local government school. But then even these knives started coming back pretty dull, and so we decided to have at it ourselves. And, whaddaknow? Education. The beginnings of real education.
In the aftermath of 9/11, despite God's mercies woven through it, we can still see the cultural rot setting in further. We have worshiped the gods of pluralism, and now we are resolved to worship them further. The constant temptation is to ask for a little more of the hair of that dog that bit us. But God is not yet dealing with us as we deserve, and so here are a few suggestions for classical Christian educators in the meantime.
What are we called to do in the next ten years? First, we must keep the antithesis. We have gotten as far as we have through drawing a hard line and a straight edge. There are two kinds of people in the world -- those who love God and those who do not. Those who love God should not ship their children off to be educated by those who do not. Nor should they have their children educated by people who love God, but who do not really understand what that means.
Second, we must keep the vision. The Lord has shown kindness to us as we have sought to apply the classical and Christian vision for education. Mission drift is a great enemy. Pragmatic compromises are death for classical Christian academies. It can easily affect those educating at home, too.
And third, we must keep the clarity. When the bugle blows indistinctly no one prepares for battle. There are many who believe that to be distinct at all is rude, and to be distinctly classical and Christian is a grievous offense to them. I would feel bad about it if we were not at war.
Douglas Wilson is the author of Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning, and pastor of Christ Church, Moscow, Idaho.
Visit the Veritas Press website at: http://www.VeritasPress.com. NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
Regarding teachers in an ACCS school:
Q. What would ACCS advise as far as qualifications in a teacher in a classical Christian school?
A. Here are a few foundational qualifications for a teacher:
1) a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Protestant tradition
2) a love for (and preferably, a degree in) the subject matter to be taught
3) a love for students
4) a desire to teach and preferably a demonstrated ability to teach
5) a willingness to learn and apply classical training methodology in the classroom
6) discernment of the antithesis between Biblical truth and humanistic philosophy
7) a commitment to an orderly, disciplined classroom
Q: Do I need a degree in education to teach in a classical Christian school? Are there any degrees I should pursue, books I should read, or programs I should participate in that would make me a better teacher in the future?
A: A degree in education is NOT required by most ACCS schools. Most colleges and universities teach was is antithetical to a Biblical view of education, so it would not be time well invested. It would require you to unlearn much of what you learned in college to be able to teach in a classical and Christian school. This is not to say that a person with such a degree would not be hired, but such an education is not necessarily viewed as a plus.
As to the second question, if you could participate in one of the ACCS teacher training conferences, this would be a help to you, and also demonstrate to the school to which you apply as a teacher that you have taken the initiative to learn what you can. In addition, I'd encourage you to take a logic course, either in college or on your own, and also read a book or two on ancient rhetoric. (Please see the list of books already mentioned in FAQ File). This will give you a better grasp of the aspects of the Trivium, and enable you to help you and your students to better integrate their thinking.
Q: Will classical and Christian schools hire someone with a teaching degree? Do I need a masters degree before I can teach?
A: Most classical and Christian schools will hire someone with or without a teaching degree. There are a few ACCS schools that are looking for folks with PhD after their name, but a PhD ( or a Master's degree) is not an indicator that someone can teach. Degrees may be beneficial in demonstrating your depth of knowledge in your subject, and it is not discouraged, but it is not essential for being able to teach in most ACCS schools. It may be something that you may want to pursue over time, or if the opportunity presently exists, do it now.
Q: After studying, reading and learning my subject(s), how would you advise me to best go about preparing myself to teach in a classical Christian school? What could strengthen my hope of becoming a teacher in an ACCS school?
A: Your present approach of studying the material you hope to teach is the best approach. ACCS schools are interested in teachers who know their subject material well. These teachers demonstrate a love for their subject, which in turn, will hopefully be passed on to their students. I'd say you are on the right track already. Walk faithfully with God, grow in grace, evaluate what you learn in light of Scripture; all these things are not unprofitable, and would be of great blessing to the school where you teach. As for the practical aspects of looking for a school, member schools advertise in our bi-monthly newsletter, "Classis" for certain teachers that they are in need of to teach particular subjects. "Classis" is available on our web site or in hard copy form by calling the ACCS secretarial staff at (208) 882-6101.
Regarding Philosophy/Theology of education:
Q. What is the true mark of a quality education?
A. "The true mark of a quality education is not simply a mind full of facts. It is accumulated knowledge with a hunger for more, the faculty to reason soundly, the ability to express what has been learned, and most importantly the acquisition of the proper tools with which to continue the learning process throughout an entire lifetime. It is not enough to merely learn subjects, a student must learn how to think and how to learn." (quoted from a brochure of an ACCS member school, The River Academy, Wenatchee, WA)
Q: What are some essential primary source texts for classical Christian education?
A: As recorded in our Basic Steps to starting a classical Christian school, your board, teachers and parents should read the following:
"The Lost Tools of Learning" Dorothy Sayers
The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis
Ideas Have Consequences, Richard Weaver
On Secular Education, R.L. Dabney
Of Education, John Milton
On Christian Doctrine, Augustine
The Seven Laws of Teaching, John Gregory
Education, Christianity and the State, J. Gresham Machen
Why Johnny Can't Read, Rudolf Flesch
Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning, Douglas Wilson
Repairing the Ruins, edited by Douglas Wilson
The Case for Classical Christian Education Douglas Wilson
I'd encourage you to find a copy of Foundations of Christian Education by Louis Berkof and Cornelius Van Til and read that next. Chris Schlect, History instructor at New Saint Andrews College recommends the following:
1. Quintilian, Institutes of Oratory. Quintilian wrote in the first century A.D. He epitomizes Roman education, and his pedagogical ideas were generally followed in the Middle Ages.
2. Cassiodorus Senator, Institutiones, or Institutes of Divine and Human Readings. The preferred edition is titled An Introduction to Divine and Human Readings, translated by Leslie Webber (New York: Octagon Books, 1966). Cassiodorus flourished in the mid 500's, and was secretary to Ostrogothic King Theodoric. He founded a monastery, and his educational program, which he outlines in this work, would become the pattern for studious pursuits in monasteries throughout Christendom. It was his influence that turned monasteries into centers of learning. He pioneered the idea of the "Scriptorium," and monks thereafter devoted themselves to copying and preserving texts and libraries. To this we owe much of the classical heritage that we continue to enjoy today (including the text of the Bible), because medieval scribes copied and preserved the ancient manuscripts. To fulfill a learned monk's calling as a scribe or as a commentator on Scripture or the Church Fathers, Cassiodorus believed that a certain program of education was prerequisite. This program was what we know as the Seven Liberal Arts.
3. Martianus Capella, The Marriage of Philogy and Mercury. The preferred edition is Martianus Capella and the Seven Liberal Arts (two volumes), translated and introduced by Stahl, Johnson and Burge (New York, Columbia University Press, 1971) Capella describes the seven liberal arts in highly allegorical style, which made it appealing to later mediaevals despite the fact that Martianus wasn't a Christian. He wrote at the turn of the 5th century (contemporary of Augustine) in Carthage (near Augustine). His book is no doubt influenced by the same culture of education in which Augustine was trained, and which the latter advanced in a Christianized form in his famous treatise, On Christian Doctrine.
4. Augustine, On Christian Doctrine. Augustine, a Christian through and through, argues that there is much value in the excellent liberal education that dominated the pagan Roman world (e.g. Logic, Rhetoric). However, he takes great pains to preserve the antithesis between belief and unbelief, and so he urges his vision for a classical education that is distinctly Christian.
Q: Is Latin really that valuable? Why does ACCS insist that their schools teach Latin anyway?
A: ACCS schools score consistently higher (70 to 90 percent in national test scoring) and we believe Latin has much to do with the higher scores, not to mention the general educational benefits. As an example: A small third grade boy was at home putting together a puzzle of the United States. Each state had its capital listed. Mumbling more to himself, he nonchalantly announced, "Here is Texas. Corpus Christi is the capital. (sic--Austin is the capital of Texas) That means 'body of Christ'." The mother was notably stunned as she had not yet been convinced that Latin was necessary. From that day on she made an concerted effort to help her children with their Latin vocabulary (we receive a huge percentage of English vocabulary from Latin) and in a very short space of time became totally convinced it was not only necessary, but greatly beneficial.
But here are more concrete facts. The following article was taken off the web: THE LATIN ADVANTAGE:
Let me quote Dorothy Sayers: "Latin is the key to the vocabulary and structure of the Romance languages and to the structure of all the Teutonic languages, as well as to the technical vocabulary of all the sciences and to the literature of the entire Mediterranean civilization, together with all its historical documents." (The National Review)
1. SAT Scores: Across the nation, studies have shown Latin to be effective in improving SAT scores. Studies conducted by the Educational Testing Service show that Latin students consistently out perform all other students on the verbal portion of the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT).
2. College GPA: A study of freshman college student performances conducted by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, in 1985, yielded the following results in Language: Latin Students had a GPA of 2.89 overall; Spanish Students had a 2.76 GPA; German Students had a 2.77 GPA; French Students a 2.78 GPA; and students with no foreign language had a GPA of 2.58.
3. Reading: In the District of Columbia, elementary school students who studied Latin developed reading skills that were five months ahead of those who studied no foreign language and four months ahead of those who studied French or Spanish. Two years earlier, the same students had been excluded from foreign language classes becuse of substandard reading performance.
4. Vocabulary Skills: In Philadelphia, students in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades received 14 to 20 minutes of daily instruction in Latin for one year. The performance of the Latin students was one full year higher on the Vocabulary Subtest of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) than the performance of matched control students who had not studied Latin.
5. Math Problem Solving: Sixth grade students in Indianapolis who studied Latin for 30 minutes each day for five months advanced nine months in their math problem solving abilities. In addition, the students exhibited the following advances in other areas:
* 8 months in world knowledge
* 1 year in reading
* 13 months in language
* 4 months in spelling
* 5 months in science
* 7 months in social studies
6. Latin, the Basic Language and Culture bolsters learning:
* Ability to read classical authors in the original language
* Ability to access key documents of the Western world
* Ability to avoid the biases and misconceptions of translators of classical authors
* Direct contact with the wisdom and thought of the classical and medieval authors
7. Learning Latin improves study skills and improves knowledge of ancient history and culture.