Civitas Report Advocates Classical Liberal Education’s Modern Revival

Reviving the Classical Liberal Education: A Pathway to Holistic Learning

As the contemporary education system faces criticism for prioritizing grades over personal development, an intriguing alternative is gaining traction. The think tank Civitas has shed light on the classical liberal education model, popular among homeschooling families, advocating for its potential to benefit today’s youth.

This educational approach emphasizes not just academic achievements, but the development of the whole individual, fostering an understanding of cultural and historical contexts. Unlike modern interpretations of ‘liberal’, this model nurtures independent thinking through intellectual development.

Central to this model is the ancient “Trivium”, which encompasses grammar, logic, and rhetoric, equipping students with skills to articulate thoughts clearly. Upon mastering the Trivium, learners can advance to the “Quadrivium”, including arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy—subjects likely familiar to historical figures like William Shakespeare.

Civitas’s report critiques the current education system, highlighting how it has been “eroded” by scientific materialism, a dismissal of historical authorities, and standardized mass education. The report suggests that education should cultivate well-rounded individuals capable of making informed societal contributions, rather than merely securing grades for economic gain.

“It is still perfectly possible to pass through school, including with flying colours, having never picked up a work of classical literature, having never considered the nature of truth, without the basics of Western chronology, with not one line of poetry committed to memory. Modern schooling has become a gateway to riches but not our full humanity,” underscores Civitas.

Despite these challenges, the classical liberal education model is experiencing a renaissance. Prominent figures like Toby Young, who played a role in establishing the Michaela Community School in London, are advocating for this educational approach. This revival is particularly resonant among Christian homeschooling communities in the UK and the USA, who express concerns over secular influences.

According to the Society for Classical Learning, “The ancient world has much to offer us today in thinking about how we might best teach and encourage young people toward virtue, wisdom, and truth.”

Jamie Burns, headteacher of St Anselm’s in Cardiff, explains the philosophy, “Whereas modern education seeks to maintain curricular relevance, classical education pushes against that and instead says that the content our children learn should be the best that has been thought and said – what is known as the ‘Great Conversation’.”

He adds, “Classical Christian education teaches things because they are true, good or beautiful, and not because they are culturally relevant or fashionable.”