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Wisdom and Eloquence: A Christian Paradigm for Classical Learning
To succeed in the world today, students need an education that equips them to recognize current trends, to be creative and flexible to respond to changing circumstances, to demonstrate sound judgment to work for society's good, and to gain the ability to communicate persuasively. This book argues for returning to the classical liberal arts educational system so that students are prepared for lifelong learning.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2006
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445 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
January 2, 2020
2 stars [Education]
A mediocre book (decent chapters 2, 5, and 6, and smaller parts), but weighed down with other negatives. Littlejohn and Evans claim at the outset that a new book on Christian classical education is needed because times change. I was left with the opposite perception; Wilson's 1991 book Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning did a far better job.
Furthermore, whereas Wilson is mostly in agreement with Dorothy Sayers--author of the famous essay, The Lost Tools of Learning--Littlejohn and Evans criticize her view of history and curriculum education throughout their book. I feel that they misunderstood her argument, though, and attacked something at least partially made of straw. They ascribe totality to her ideas, whereas I think she was clearly making partitive suggestions. She did not say "Grammar" was only for younger ages, etc., but that it was to be the focus. Likewise, she allowed for an "advanced track" into Quadrivium learning before university; L&E deny that at all possible in her paradigm. Finally, they disagree with her metaphorizing the Trivium, of having a "grammar of history" or "grammar of mathematics." I hold her interpretation--historical or no, I cannot say--superior to theirs.
L&Es' explanations of curricula were cursory and out of place. A book otherwise devoted to general education theory does not have room in 174 pages to inform the novice as to rhetoric curriculum, for instance. I grasped almost none of it. Their explanation of honor systems was superficial. And does no one know of VMI or the Citadel as the highest examples of honor systems in America?!
I do not recommend this book. Read Wilson and/or Sayers instead.
A mediocre book (decent chapters 2, 5, and 6, and smaller parts), but weighed down with other negatives. Littlejohn and Evans claim at the outset that a new book on Christian classical education is needed because times change. I was left with the opposite perception; Wilson's 1991 book Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning did a far better job.
Furthermore, whereas Wilson is mostly in agreement with Dorothy Sayers--author of the famous essay, The Lost Tools of Learning--Littlejohn and Evans criticize her view of history and curriculum education throughout their book. I feel that they misunderstood her argument, though, and attacked something at least partially made of straw. They ascribe totality to her ideas, whereas I think she was clearly making partitive suggestions. She did not say "Grammar" was only for younger ages, etc., but that it was to be the focus. Likewise, she allowed for an "advanced track" into Quadrivium learning before university; L&E deny that at all possible in her paradigm. Finally, they disagree with her metaphorizing the Trivium, of having a "grammar of history" or "grammar of mathematics." I hold her interpretation--historical or no, I cannot say--superior to theirs.
L&Es' explanations of curricula were cursory and out of place. A book otherwise devoted to general education theory does not have room in 174 pages to inform the novice as to rhetoric curriculum, for instance. I grasped almost none of it. Their explanation of honor systems was superficial. And does no one know of VMI or the Citadel as the highest examples of honor systems in America?!
I do not recommend this book. Read Wilson and/or Sayers instead.
Want to read
March 25, 2021
July 19, 2024
As far as reading and professional development goes in the world of literature informing the resurgence of Classical Christian Education, this is a rich overview on the kinds of students that CCE schools ought to be developing. For people working in administration building a CCE school, this is a great book to guide you in your endeavors.
For the CCE teachers, this book hits on every topic a CCE school should involve: language arts, spelling, memory work, Latin, history, grammar, sciences, math, music, and so much more. This is such an encouraging work to see the members of a body executing their individual function for the betterment of the whole body resulting in a glorious product: wisdom and eloquence in our young people!
For the CCE teachers, this book hits on every topic a CCE school should involve: language arts, spelling, memory work, Latin, history, grammar, sciences, math, music, and so much more. This is such an encouraging work to see the members of a body executing their individual function for the betterment of the whole body resulting in a glorious product: wisdom and eloquence in our young people!
March 17, 2025
"What we propose is precisely this: a syllabus that prepares our students for the lifelong journey of independent learning in the Holy Scriptures and everything else" (14).
"The purpose of Christian education is always twofold. We want our students to grow spiritually, intellectually, and socially, and we want them to foster similar growth in society. Or as St. Augustine of Hippo would have put it, we seek to lead the citizens of earth toward citizenship in heaven, while instilling in them the desire to introduce the values of the heavenly kingdom into the kingdom they presently inhabit. In short, we aim to shape individuals who are both heavenly minded and capable of doing great earthly good" (18).
"Not only do we expect our graduates to exercise discernment over their own lives and lifestyles, but we also expect them to be able to persuasively articulate a better way of life to those around them" (20).
"Augustine explained in his landmark work On Christian Doctrine that the linguistic arts unlocked the treasures of truth contained in the Scriptures" (33).
"The mission of the school, in short, is not to evangelize, not to parent, not to generate revenue, but to educate. As such, every school exists as a community of people who gather to pursue the twin purposes of teaching and learning; so schools are communities of teaching and learning" (52).
"It should go without saying that no member of the school community nor his opinions should be disparaged in even the slightest way in front of students, parents, or colleagues" (56).
"Few things disrupt the harmony of the school environment more than toleration of mistreatment of students by their peers" (56).
"We recommend a short list of schoolwide rules and that teachers identify no more than five classroom rules and teach them to students along with initial consequences during the first week of school... One of the rules for every classroom might well be, 'follow the instructions given for every exercise or activity.' This rule tends to cover 'a multitude of sins'" (57-58).
"Make sure the buildings and classrooms you currently occupy are decorated with reproductions of classic works of art and photographs of beautiful things and places... There is no excuse for schools that purport to teach the absolute values of truth, goodness, and beauty not to make their students' surroundings beautiful" (67).
"The best test of like-mindedness is a parent's or an older student's ability to talk about the ways in which the education that your school offers will shape the applicant. If the things that a dad says he hopes your school can do for his child reflect the school's mission, then you have a like-minded family. If a family's expectations for the outcome of their children's education are different from or merely tangential to the school's mission, look more closely. Doctrinal agreement may be a useful starting point, but it is no guarantee that any family will allow your teachers to influence their students in the ways that the school has said are most important" (68).
"What are the major skills, knowledge, and virtues we want manifested in each of our graduates? Are they achievable and how will we measure them?" (77)
"For each discipline there are foundational elements that, in the liberal arts approach, must be committed to memory early in the students' learning experience... The essential nature of this practice is that such knowledge gives students a structural framework into which they can fit the whole of each discipline as it unfolds to them throughout their academic careers and through life... In Bible... [memorizing] the books of the Bible in order; in history, rehearsal of key events and dates; in geography, the continents, the nations of the world, the states and capitals... in math, the times tables; in Latin and modern foreign language, recitation of verb conjugations and noun declensions; in English grammar, the parts of speech; in music, key composers; in literature, important authors etc. These bits of knowledge, taught early and rehearsed often, will provide for the student, in each discipline, the facility that the alphabet song provides us all in alphabetizing lists and using a dictionary or encyclopedia" (80).
"In every discipline there is too much suggested material to reasonably cover" (82).
"If you have a group of students who are faster learners or readers or simply more avid computer users than their peers, take advantage of their abilities by engaging them more deeply in the lessons being learned through additional readings or research assignments. Then use them as a resource in the regular instruction of the class during Socratic discussions and through summarizing things read into salient commentary at appropriate moments in the lesson..." (85).
"The burden, then, falls to us to train a generation of students who know the difference between a gerund and a participle and who understand how language functions so they can be confident in their own artistic use of it" (95).
"The literary foundation of our civilization is formed by the Bible and the five major epics of Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Milton" (98).
"In the grammar school, and even through the middle years, reading should occupy a hefty portion of every school day in three forms: students reading aloud, students reading silently, and teachers reading aloud from substantial works that exceed their students' reading levels by at least two grade levels..." (99).
"The pursuit of wisdom does not just stop with the study of the Scriptures or ancient philosophers. It involves a constant rehearsal of the past to discern who did what, why, and to what effect... As we encourage our students to look beyond their own interests to the interests of society and the common good, we want to be sure to have provided them with plenty of historical examples of others who have done the same and have both succeeded and failed" (101).
"Studies of computer-aided instruction in basic subjects have shown that students learn less and more slowly in the classroom environment when computers are involved" (107).
"The formal logic curriculum is important, but there is a very real danger that if broad principles of analysis and argument are not integrated into the students' overall academic habits, much of the logic course is a wasted exercise... The goal of studying logic... needs to be articulated and converted into measurable, achievable goals for the classroom environment" (109).
"Students should gain a working understanding of constitutions... They should learn to run a meeting according to Robert's Rules of Order and learn the principles necessary to engage respectfully in civil discourse about issues important to society in any forum..." (111).
"Despite heavy workloads, it is not sufficient to just grade papers. As conscientious teachers in the liberal arts tradition we must correct papers. We serve students as editors, respecting their style and voice, but holding them accountable for good grammar, sound logic, and meaningful expression in their writing... [Also,] having students read their compositions aloud to their peers develops confidence in their writing and gives them practice in basic speech making" (113).
"Repetition is what it takes to develop our long-term memory, but most of us are too impatient to care" (119).
"Music should be required for every student every year" (126).
"Schools that sponsor proms or cotillions may do well to offer formal instruction each year in real dance steps and in the art of standard dance in its various forms prior to this important event" (127).
Avoid the two ditches when teaching Scripture: Application-Oriented or Academic-Oriented
"A robust theological curriculum will include Old and New Testament surveys, hermeneutics, ethics, church history, comparative religions, and both systematic and biblical theology" (130).
"For memory learning to have greatest relevance for future learning, whole passages should be learned in context, building for our youngest learners a verse at a time until all of Psalm 23, Psalm 100, Deuteronomy 20, and James 5, for example, can be quoted from memory" (130).
We recommend that our developing theologians be 'treated' to catechesis" (130).
"While the mundane and archaic should be avoided, it is always helpful for the student of anything to begin with a model worth imitating" (134).
"All grammatical and dialectical study, then, can be understood as both preliminary to and concurrent with the student's preparation as an orator who knows the good when he sees it, who is willing to do it, and who is capable of drawing others after him in pursuit of it" (137).
"Teachers should be asked to write their thoughts about the things they teach and the kids to whom they teach them for the benefit of others" (156).
"When we don't know what to do, we do what we know, and that will likely not be enough in this endeavor" (156).
"Strong thinking and strongly held convictions, without consideration of the need for harmony, is a relational and professional disaster in the making... the most important quality a teacher possesses is kindness... The unnatural skill that must be developed in each teacher is to overlay clear standards of excellence with general kindliness and sincerity" (157).
"English language, classical language, and modern foreign language programs that place a proper emphasis on grammar should have clearly articulated memory components, so students can be reminded, year after year, of the same rules and structures, especially as they make the transition from grammar-based to composition or translation-based instruction" (168).
"Rehearsing math facts or poems or parts of speech together in class and using a variety of modalities in the process serves as a template for students to tackle and remember all kinds of information. This, of course, requires that teachers themselves be able to commit to memory what they will require of their students" (170).
"Despite our commitment to democratic principles, it is a dangerous thing to have the quality of my child's education determined democratically" (181).
"By the time children are 12 years of age, they have spent more hours in school than they have spent with their families and religious communities combined. Indeed it would take 75 years of attending church and church school regularly to equal the school's influence in the first 12 formative years of a person's life" -John Westerhoff (182)
"As students study the history of mankind, they need to develop a framework for understanding culture that permits them to distinguish meaningfully between cultures, to evaluate the condition of their own, and to discern what cultures need in order to improve the lots of those who live within them" (186).
"Ultimately, the key to our students' understanding of culture is a transcendent view based in the cultural values of the kingdom of heaven" (186).
"The task of motivating lethargic believers to live energetic lives of faith falls largely to the rhetorician who knows the Scriptures and will use his oratorical skill to motivate his audience" (201).
"The purpose of Christian education is always twofold. We want our students to grow spiritually, intellectually, and socially, and we want them to foster similar growth in society. Or as St. Augustine of Hippo would have put it, we seek to lead the citizens of earth toward citizenship in heaven, while instilling in them the desire to introduce the values of the heavenly kingdom into the kingdom they presently inhabit. In short, we aim to shape individuals who are both heavenly minded and capable of doing great earthly good" (18).
"Not only do we expect our graduates to exercise discernment over their own lives and lifestyles, but we also expect them to be able to persuasively articulate a better way of life to those around them" (20).
"Augustine explained in his landmark work On Christian Doctrine that the linguistic arts unlocked the treasures of truth contained in the Scriptures" (33).
"The mission of the school, in short, is not to evangelize, not to parent, not to generate revenue, but to educate. As such, every school exists as a community of people who gather to pursue the twin purposes of teaching and learning; so schools are communities of teaching and learning" (52).
"It should go without saying that no member of the school community nor his opinions should be disparaged in even the slightest way in front of students, parents, or colleagues" (56).
"Few things disrupt the harmony of the school environment more than toleration of mistreatment of students by their peers" (56).
"We recommend a short list of schoolwide rules and that teachers identify no more than five classroom rules and teach them to students along with initial consequences during the first week of school... One of the rules for every classroom might well be, 'follow the instructions given for every exercise or activity.' This rule tends to cover 'a multitude of sins'" (57-58).
"Make sure the buildings and classrooms you currently occupy are decorated with reproductions of classic works of art and photographs of beautiful things and places... There is no excuse for schools that purport to teach the absolute values of truth, goodness, and beauty not to make their students' surroundings beautiful" (67).
"The best test of like-mindedness is a parent's or an older student's ability to talk about the ways in which the education that your school offers will shape the applicant. If the things that a dad says he hopes your school can do for his child reflect the school's mission, then you have a like-minded family. If a family's expectations for the outcome of their children's education are different from or merely tangential to the school's mission, look more closely. Doctrinal agreement may be a useful starting point, but it is no guarantee that any family will allow your teachers to influence their students in the ways that the school has said are most important" (68).
"What are the major skills, knowledge, and virtues we want manifested in each of our graduates? Are they achievable and how will we measure them?" (77)
"For each discipline there are foundational elements that, in the liberal arts approach, must be committed to memory early in the students' learning experience... The essential nature of this practice is that such knowledge gives students a structural framework into which they can fit the whole of each discipline as it unfolds to them throughout their academic careers and through life... In Bible... [memorizing] the books of the Bible in order; in history, rehearsal of key events and dates; in geography, the continents, the nations of the world, the states and capitals... in math, the times tables; in Latin and modern foreign language, recitation of verb conjugations and noun declensions; in English grammar, the parts of speech; in music, key composers; in literature, important authors etc. These bits of knowledge, taught early and rehearsed often, will provide for the student, in each discipline, the facility that the alphabet song provides us all in alphabetizing lists and using a dictionary or encyclopedia" (80).
"In every discipline there is too much suggested material to reasonably cover" (82).
"If you have a group of students who are faster learners or readers or simply more avid computer users than their peers, take advantage of their abilities by engaging them more deeply in the lessons being learned through additional readings or research assignments. Then use them as a resource in the regular instruction of the class during Socratic discussions and through summarizing things read into salient commentary at appropriate moments in the lesson..." (85).
"The burden, then, falls to us to train a generation of students who know the difference between a gerund and a participle and who understand how language functions so they can be confident in their own artistic use of it" (95).
"The literary foundation of our civilization is formed by the Bible and the five major epics of Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Milton" (98).
"In the grammar school, and even through the middle years, reading should occupy a hefty portion of every school day in three forms: students reading aloud, students reading silently, and teachers reading aloud from substantial works that exceed their students' reading levels by at least two grade levels..." (99).
"The pursuit of wisdom does not just stop with the study of the Scriptures or ancient philosophers. It involves a constant rehearsal of the past to discern who did what, why, and to what effect... As we encourage our students to look beyond their own interests to the interests of society and the common good, we want to be sure to have provided them with plenty of historical examples of others who have done the same and have both succeeded and failed" (101).
"Studies of computer-aided instruction in basic subjects have shown that students learn less and more slowly in the classroom environment when computers are involved" (107).
"The formal logic curriculum is important, but there is a very real danger that if broad principles of analysis and argument are not integrated into the students' overall academic habits, much of the logic course is a wasted exercise... The goal of studying logic... needs to be articulated and converted into measurable, achievable goals for the classroom environment" (109).
"Students should gain a working understanding of constitutions... They should learn to run a meeting according to Robert's Rules of Order and learn the principles necessary to engage respectfully in civil discourse about issues important to society in any forum..." (111).
"Despite heavy workloads, it is not sufficient to just grade papers. As conscientious teachers in the liberal arts tradition we must correct papers. We serve students as editors, respecting their style and voice, but holding them accountable for good grammar, sound logic, and meaningful expression in their writing... [Also,] having students read their compositions aloud to their peers develops confidence in their writing and gives them practice in basic speech making" (113).
"Repetition is what it takes to develop our long-term memory, but most of us are too impatient to care" (119).
"Music should be required for every student every year" (126).
"Schools that sponsor proms or cotillions may do well to offer formal instruction each year in real dance steps and in the art of standard dance in its various forms prior to this important event" (127).
Avoid the two ditches when teaching Scripture: Application-Oriented or Academic-Oriented
"A robust theological curriculum will include Old and New Testament surveys, hermeneutics, ethics, church history, comparative religions, and both systematic and biblical theology" (130).
"For memory learning to have greatest relevance for future learning, whole passages should be learned in context, building for our youngest learners a verse at a time until all of Psalm 23, Psalm 100, Deuteronomy 20, and James 5, for example, can be quoted from memory" (130).
We recommend that our developing theologians be 'treated' to catechesis" (130).
"While the mundane and archaic should be avoided, it is always helpful for the student of anything to begin with a model worth imitating" (134).
"All grammatical and dialectical study, then, can be understood as both preliminary to and concurrent with the student's preparation as an orator who knows the good when he sees it, who is willing to do it, and who is capable of drawing others after him in pursuit of it" (137).
"Teachers should be asked to write their thoughts about the things they teach and the kids to whom they teach them for the benefit of others" (156).
"When we don't know what to do, we do what we know, and that will likely not be enough in this endeavor" (156).
"Strong thinking and strongly held convictions, without consideration of the need for harmony, is a relational and professional disaster in the making... the most important quality a teacher possesses is kindness... The unnatural skill that must be developed in each teacher is to overlay clear standards of excellence with general kindliness and sincerity" (157).
"English language, classical language, and modern foreign language programs that place a proper emphasis on grammar should have clearly articulated memory components, so students can be reminded, year after year, of the same rules and structures, especially as they make the transition from grammar-based to composition or translation-based instruction" (168).
"Rehearsing math facts or poems or parts of speech together in class and using a variety of modalities in the process serves as a template for students to tackle and remember all kinds of information. This, of course, requires that teachers themselves be able to commit to memory what they will require of their students" (170).
"Despite our commitment to democratic principles, it is a dangerous thing to have the quality of my child's education determined democratically" (181).
"By the time children are 12 years of age, they have spent more hours in school than they have spent with their families and religious communities combined. Indeed it would take 75 years of attending church and church school regularly to equal the school's influence in the first 12 formative years of a person's life" -John Westerhoff (182)
"As students study the history of mankind, they need to develop a framework for understanding culture that permits them to distinguish meaningfully between cultures, to evaluate the condition of their own, and to discern what cultures need in order to improve the lots of those who live within them" (186).
"Ultimately, the key to our students' understanding of culture is a transcendent view based in the cultural values of the kingdom of heaven" (186).
"The task of motivating lethargic believers to live energetic lives of faith falls largely to the rhetorician who knows the Scriptures and will use his oratorical skill to motivate his audience" (201).
May 6, 2010
An excellent introduction to the ideas behind classical Christian education, Wisdom and Eloquence goes a step further, reexamining the presuppositions with which that contemporary classical educators practice. Littlejohn particularly hones in on what Douglas Wilson and ACCS call the "Sayers Insight," the belief that classical education matches (and should match) child development. One of the best chapters is the fourth, where Littlejohn discusses a community of faith and learning, suggesting that schools should be a hub of learning for families without supplanting the family's place in God's economy.
March 10, 2013
Very helpful. Best idea/reminder: when planning curriculum, start with what you want your student to know by senior year in high school and work backwards, instead of starting with kindergarten and working forward.
April 17, 2020
I really want to rate this book a 3.5. This is certainly a helpful work, but I am not sure that the authors accomplish what they set out to do: articulate a Christian paradigm for classical learning. Perhaps this is simply too big a task to attempt in 200 pages, but after most chapters I was left thinking, "Why did they not go in such and such direction, or How come they did not engage with so an so...?"
I do think the authors contribute something to the conversation around Christianity, the liberal arts, and classical education, however, namely that the trivium is not primarily a pedagogical method. Some folks take issue with this thread throughout the book and see it as being unnecessarily divisive to the Christian Classical movement, but I disagree with the reading.
If you are looking for a "Philosophy of _____" type of book, this is not it. If you are looking for a work that dabbles in the philosophy behind Christian classical education, administration, and references secular/state education along the way, this is the book for you.
For those who are like me and want to know the reasons/philosophies behind things, Kevin Clark and Ravi Jain's book "The Liberal Arts Tradition" will serve you better.
One last note. The appendices to the book are great resources and almost worth the price of the book itself.
I do think the authors contribute something to the conversation around Christianity, the liberal arts, and classical education, however, namely that the trivium is not primarily a pedagogical method. Some folks take issue with this thread throughout the book and see it as being unnecessarily divisive to the Christian Classical movement, but I disagree with the reading.
If you are looking for a "Philosophy of _____" type of book, this is not it. If you are looking for a work that dabbles in the philosophy behind Christian classical education, administration, and references secular/state education along the way, this is the book for you.
For those who are like me and want to know the reasons/philosophies behind things, Kevin Clark and Ravi Jain's book "The Liberal Arts Tradition" will serve you better.
One last note. The appendices to the book are great resources and almost worth the price of the book itself.
November 8, 2018
One of the best books on classical teaching that I've read--mostly because this book is extremely practical. It's not just about the theory of classical education or why we need to teach this way--instead it jumps right into what it looks like to implement a classical education effectively as a teacher. And between the mutual experiences of the authors, they have a lot of material to draw on.
I particularly enjoyed their critique of Dorothy Sayer's presentation on classical education, since the more I've grown as a classical teacher, the more flawed I've realized her famous presentation is. I didn't agree with the authors' claim that the Trivium are meant to be subjects not cross-subject paradigms, as it goes against what Aristotle argues in his Art of Rhetoric about the nature of Rhetoric and Dialectic. However, I agreed with their critique of Sayer's strict developmental-model of the classical education and with their critique of her use (or lack thereof) of the Quadrivium.
Taken as a whole, this was quite good and very practical. I really liked their focus on designing curriculum from 12-K, not K-12. Recommended to any classical educator out there.
Rating: 4.5 Stars (Excellent).
I particularly enjoyed their critique of Dorothy Sayer's presentation on classical education, since the more I've grown as a classical teacher, the more flawed I've realized her famous presentation is. I didn't agree with the authors' claim that the Trivium are meant to be subjects not cross-subject paradigms, as it goes against what Aristotle argues in his Art of Rhetoric about the nature of Rhetoric and Dialectic. However, I agreed with their critique of Sayer's strict developmental-model of the classical education and with their critique of her use (or lack thereof) of the Quadrivium.
Taken as a whole, this was quite good and very practical. I really liked their focus on designing curriculum from 12-K, not K-12. Recommended to any classical educator out there.
Rating: 4.5 Stars (Excellent).
June 29, 2022
In only 200 pages, the classical Christian education model is explained with convincing argument for its supremacy as a means by which to educate our children. A Christian world view is both caught and taught, and immersing students in the classic methodology of liberal arts education based on a Christian foundation provides a path to learn that world view and see it in action. This book is primarily for those seeking to understand more about what exactly a classical Christian education is, with specific emphasis given to the disciplines that make up the trivium and quadrivium of classical liberal arts.
Littlejohn and Evans are helpfully clear just how different this educational paradigm is to the culturally received model of U.S. public education. This book encourages a vision of education that is inspiring, and pushes parents, educators, administrators, and community members to think carefully and methodically about how, with the grace of God, to send children into the world equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner with a Christian worldview.
Littlejohn and Evans are helpfully clear just how different this educational paradigm is to the culturally received model of U.S. public education. This book encourages a vision of education that is inspiring, and pushes parents, educators, administrators, and community members to think carefully and methodically about how, with the grace of God, to send children into the world equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner with a Christian worldview.
August 10, 2025
As a Christian, classical school teacher, this was the stuff. Aligning education as a whole through the quadrivium and the trivium is really helpful. I found the book very idealistic, ambitious, and as a result, seemingly difficult to implement in the world of real classrooms and a school community full of constitutents skeptical of change. I plan to apply this to my Logic class (where the twin virtues of wisdom and eloquence are the telos of the class), my Bible class (ie, choosing meaningful memorization s for the purpose of soul and academic formation), and especially in homeschooling our children in the framework of a liberal arts education. Their study of phonics and the science of reading will be really helpful as I teach my children to read later on.
Read
August 4, 2025I’m going to refrain from giving this a star rating because the value I found in it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not a very good book for what it is. I just didn’t particularly enjoy reading it or find it especially applicable to me as an individual teacher. I found it a bit dry. I think it would be a great resource for those trying to design a classical curriculum or create a plan for a school. Much of what was presented was very big picture. I do think I have a fuller understanding of what a liberal arts/classical Christian education should be after reading this, which I can appreciate.
May 21, 2022
I have read and listened to quite a bit about classical Ed over the past decade or so, but I think this was the most helpful book so far in defining “classical education“. Part of this is because the authors distance themselves from the ideas in Dorothy Sayers famous essay and orient their model around the seven liberal arts. There is much more to be said, but look at my Kindle highlights and notes if you’re interested.
March 2, 2024
This is a great treatise on the excellencies of a classical Christian education. I particularly appreciated their explanation of the liberal arts and why Dorothy Sayer’s famous speech offers a limited understanding of the trivium and quadrivium. I also found their section on rhetoric and the progymnasmata extremely helpful as I learned all these terms myself. I’m very excited to provide such an education to my children and redeem my own as well.
July 31, 2025
Evans and Littlejohn have written a great book examining the status of classical Christian education in the second generation. Whether you are a teacher or an administrator, this is worth your time. The authors remain focused on how to accomplish discipleship through school, but also recognize that a school needs to remain a school. There is also a thorough discussion on how to vertically integrate your school from the top down and not the bottom up.
April 22, 2025
I love the emphasis on retaining classical virtues in education and I really appreciate their honest critique of the outdated Sawyers’ model of Trivium. I just can’t behind the rampant neo-Calvinism in the last half of the book. Applying the Kuyperian “worldview approach” to literally everything may not always be beneficial. I think we need more Thomism or classical notions of wisdom here :)
July 13, 2025
3 1/2 stars if I could. Certainly an important benchmark in the modern classical education movement. Suffers from trying to cover too much varied information and ideas in one relatively short volume. A great start to classical educational thinking, but I'm glad to be on the more developed end of their work.
March 1, 2019
I think they were unclear about their audience when they wrote this. Some apology for classical ed, but then remarks that seem to be directed to heads of schools...who should be sold on the philosophy already, right? I didn't find anything particularly compelling here.
November 20, 2020
The worldview parts in front and back are boiler-plate and can be skipped, but sandwiched in between is some excellent practical wisdom about how to plan and run a classical school (as well as a compelling, though not definitive, perspective on the place of rhetoric and dialectic).
March 9, 2024
One of the core books to read in the collection when it comes to understanding Classical Christian education. Provides some good summary and review of elements of the early movement, as well as some good insights and alternative ideas for further possibilities.
March 25, 2025
Excellent! For being a short volume, they pacķ a lot in here. I especially enjoyed chapters one and two as they provide a very good overview of CCE. They provide a good response to the strict use of the Sayers model as well.
September 26, 2018
Helpful book for understanding a "classical" curriculum. Better suited for someone trying to start or run a school than for your average parent.
July 14, 2019
A good introduction to a classical and Christian approach to education. I agreed with a lot of what the authors said. This is a very practical book.
March 15, 2020
Really great.
May 24, 2020
Great read for those who want to open a Classical, Christian school.
August 20, 2021
Dense and hard for me to read quickly but chock full of good info. Definitely recommend to any parent or educator in a classical school.
December 16, 2021
One of the better introductions to classical education. Both philosophical, historical, and practical. At only 200 pages, it only offers an introduction to each.
January 29, 2023
First chapter was a little bit of a slog, but so glad I stuck with it. Great helps and inspirations for those involved in classical education.
July 21, 2023
I enjoyed this one.
April 23, 2024
Great summary of all 7 liberal arts up to and including philosophy and theology.
“I know my theology is wrong. I just don’t know where it’s wrong.”
“I know my theology is wrong. I just don’t know where it’s wrong.”
May 16, 2025
A must read for anyone involved in or considering classical Christian education. Well thought out and presented. I can’t wait to reread it in the new edition specifically for parents!
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