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The Importance of Classical Education in the Twenty-First Century
(Part 1 of 2)
By: Diana Margo Lorraine Barbacena
Grade 6
Grace Christian Academy
“ERUDIENDA EST ANIMA SINE DOCTRINA ANIMUS ERUDIENDA EST”. Aristotle. English translation, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all”. Aristotle meant that if you do not make an effort in what you do, you are not educating yourself, but simply misusing time. Educating and teaching are two completely different and unique subjects. Let me explain, in my point of view, that teaching a student is not educating by “heart”. However, educating a student with all your “heart” is comparable to a blacksmith, shaping a piece of iron or metal to construct armor or a sword. The objective is that when you do something, do it with all your heart. On Thirty-Six Smith Street in Merrick, New York, there is a place that educates this way. It is a Classical Christian School named Grace Christian Academy and I am very proud and honored to say that I attend that school.
In the fall of 2011, I transferred to Grace Christian Academy from a different school which has a totally uncommon curriculum from GCA. I knew from the very beginning the challenges that were ahead of me. I was apprehensive at first, but I was placed in a humorous, energetic and intelligent class. Once I realized how to have courage- which for me is not the absence of fear, but instead knowing what to do even in the presence of fear- I began to have the confidence that I needed to get through the day. GCA’s curriculum itself is very competitive and my transition period at first was arduous. But eventually I realized that if I worked hard, I could be successful in anything. My father once told me that “Success sometimes doesn’t come from being a hundred percent better than your competition, but from being one percent better in a hundred different ways”.
Classical education also helps me appreciate the importance and value of music education. I have played the violin and the piano since I was five years old. The education that I am getting from GCA sustains my resolve to rehearse two hours each day. It gives me a new perspective on how I play because I can relate to all the classical composers differently compared to other children of my age. I am delighted to say that at my age, I am an accomplished classical violinist and pianist and I have performed in some of the famous concert halls in New York, namely Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. What is a Classical Christian Education? It is a form of education which emphasizes Biblical teachings and incorporates a model of teaching from the classical education movement known as the Trivium, consisting of three stages of learning: Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric. The curriculum in Grace Christian Academy is far more different, diverse, distinctive and thought-provoking than other private schools in the nation. In GCA, being a Christian school, we commit to memory Bible verses and we study the Bible in such a way that we can be aware of how it relates to our own education. The Bible is our one source of achieving wisdom, acquiring knowledge, obtaining courage and extending love towards one another. Mrs. Lindo, our sixth grade class teacher told us the meaning of the acronym B-I-B-L-E: it means Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
The teachers encourage every student to seek and call on the name of the Lord. They educate us on all the Bible traits and characteristics that are required in today’s world.
We also study Latin. You might be astonished on how many English words (over 60%) originated from the Latin language. Believe it or not, Latin will come in very useful in the future. I believe that in most professions, although Latin can be seen, it is invisible to the average person. But take into consideration some of the professions in our society, may it be a doctor, lawyer, teacher or even a computer programmer. Even if they did not study the language, the foundations of their respective fields can be traced back to Latin. I can honestly say that Latin is one of the subjects that will make a difference in school and elsewhere. Most people think that Latin is “obsolete” as in a “dead” language, but on the contrary, Latin is very much alive in our present society. Just look at the Seal of the United States. On the bald eagle’s beak is a scroll that says “E PLURIBUS UNUM”; it means “Out of many, one”.
The Importance of Classical Education in the Twenty-First Century
(Part 1 of 2)
By: Diana Margo Lorraine Barbacena
Grade 6
Grace Christian Academy
“ERUDIENDA EST ANIMA SINE DOCTRINA ANIMUS ERUDIENDA EST”. Aristotle. English translation, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all”. Aristotle meant that if you do not make an effort in what you do, you are not educating yourself, but simply misusing time. Educating and teaching are two completely different and unique subjects. Let me explain, in my point of view, that teaching a student is not educating by “heart”. However, educating a student with all your “heart” is comparable to a blacksmith, shaping a piece of iron or metal to construct armor or a sword. The objective is that when you do something, do it with all your heart. On Thirty-Six Smith Street in Merrick, New York, there is a place that educates this way. It is a Classical Christian School named Grace Christian Academy and I am very proud and honored to say that I attend that school.
In the fall of 2011, I transferred to Grace Christian Academy from a different school which has a totally uncommon curriculum from GCA. I knew from the very beginning the challenges that were ahead of me. I was apprehensive at first, but I was placed in a humorous, energetic and intelligent class. Once I realized how to have courage- which for me is not the absence of fear, but instead knowing what to do even in the presence of fear- I began to have the confidence that I needed to get through the day. GCA’s curriculum itself is very competitive and my transition period at first was arduous. But eventually I realized that if I worked hard, I could be successful in anything. My father once told me that “Success sometimes doesn’t come from being a hundred percent better than your competition, but from being one percent better in a hundred different ways”.
Classical education also helps me appreciate the importance and value of music education. I have played the violin and the piano since I was five years old. The education that I am getting from GCA sustains my resolve to rehearse two hours each day. It gives me a new perspective on how I play because I can relate to all the classical composers differently compared to other children of my age. I am delighted to say that at my age, I am an accomplished classical violinist and pianist and I have performed in some of the famous concert halls in New York, namely Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. What is a Classical Christian Education? It is a form of education which emphasizes Biblical teachings and incorporates a model of teaching from the classical education movement known as the Trivium, consisting of three stages of learning: Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric. The curriculum in Grace Christian Academy is far more different, diverse, distinctive and thought-provoking than other private schools in the nation. In GCA, being a Christian school, we commit to memory Bible verses and we study the Bible in such a way that we can be aware of how it relates to our own education. The Bible is our one source of achieving wisdom, acquiring knowledge, obtaining courage and extending love towards one another. Mrs. Lindo, our sixth grade class teacher told us the meaning of the acronym B-I-B-L-E: it means Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
The teachers encourage every student to seek and call on the name of the Lord. They educate us on all the Bible traits and characteristics that are required in today’s world.
We also study Latin. You might be astonished on how many English words (over 60%) originated from the Latin language. Believe it or not, Latin will come in very useful in the future. I believe that in most professions, although Latin can be seen, it is invisible to the average person. But take into consideration some of the professions in our society, may it be a doctor, lawyer, teacher or even a computer programmer. Even if they did not study the language, the foundations of their respective fields can be traced back to Latin. I can honestly say that Latin is one of the subjects that will make a difference in school and elsewhere. Most people think that Latin is “obsolete” as in a “dead” language, but on the contrary, Latin is very much alive in our present society. Just look at the Seal of the United States. On the bald eagle’s beak is a scroll that says “E PLURIBUS UNUM”; it means “Out of many, one”.
