The Principles of Classical Education

Abstract

The contemporary classical education movement has grown rapidly and is comprised of a wide variety of private schools, homeschoolers, public charter schools, policy makers, higher education programs, professional associations, journals, trade publications, and think tanks. What is it that unites this thick network of disparate individuals and organizations into a cohesive movement? This article attempts to answer that question by explaining ten principles that have characterized the tradition of classical education throughout history across millennia, continents, languages, and cultures. While not exhaustive, these ten principles represent central tenants of the long tradition of classical education and the contemporary classical education movement. The principles are thus a philosophically and historically grounded means by which to differentiate classical education from other educational paradigms and also provide a common understanding of classical education around which various constituencies within the contemporary movement can coalesce.