School of Logic
In the School of Logic, students continue to advance in skill areas and to accumulate knowledge; however, more focus is placed on developing analytical thinking skills and the capacity for abstract thought.
The logic stage is also known as the “dialectic” stage because there is more of a give-and-take conversation between students and instructors. Instructors will build upon the Socratic method of guided questions to help students learn to reason, develop conclusions, and discover relationships between fields of knowledge.
Students in the First through Fourth Levels of the School of Logic (5th – 8th grades) are expected to demonstrate the ability to move beyond facts to integration and analysis. For instance, in the study of literature, the grammar stage student would be expected primarily to show comprehension, whereas the logic stage scholar is asked to interpret and evaluate the way in which multiple elements of fiction contribute to the meaning of the text. In science, we use the development and testing of hypothesis. In mathematics, we develop a student’s ability to logically orient numbers through the more abstract concepts of algebra, and geometry.
Academics
Prima through Fourth Level Grammar (4G) are the years in which young students master and internalize the skills of language and mathematics as well as absorb a broad expanse of facts in history, geography, science, and the arts. In these years, students are expected to master foundational concepts and skills.
English and Literature
Students read a variety of classic works of literature including novels, speeches, and poetry. They continue to study grammar and writing expectations are increased. Through classic literature, students are exposed to models of virtue and are taught to search for truth, beauty, and goodness. It also requires high level of engagement of intellect, thus developing their intellectual virtues. These literary works require the students to think and encourage them to ponder, research, analyze, compare, struggle, consider, and draw conclusions. The Socratic discussions method greatly enhances their understanding of the novels and also prepares them for higher level conversations in the Harkness table discussion style in the School of Rhetoric.
Mathematics
Similarly, in mathematics, the logic-phase student is expected to recognize relationships in numerical patterns, explain relationships (e.g., equivalences and probabilities) and to distinguish between the effectiveness of problem-solving strategies for various problems and contexts. Parnassus mathematics program is unique in that instead of units grouped around specific big ideas, our math program breaks apart these units and distributes the concepts throughout the year. The student is taught new concepts every day while also reviewing and practicing previously taught ideas. Cognitive scientists have shown that our brains need time to interact with mathematical concepts, as well as any knowledge, and to practice these concepts to achieve mastery, or automaticity, in the different areas taught. Our math program perfectly aligns with this philosophy of how our brains learn.
Formal Logic
The Logic phase involves ordering facts into organized statements and arguments. During the middle school years, students are beginning to think independently. They often develop a propensity for argument. Parnassus classical education teaches students in this phase to argue well. The study of formal logic helps students understand the fundamentals of a good argument. Practice in making written and oral arguments helps to further develop these skills. Teachers encourage the use of argumentation in each subject.
History and Geography
In history, the chronological development of world civilizations is linked with a study of geographic regions, as well as introductory concepts of civics and economics. Beginning in 1L (5th Grade), scholars progress through the historical periods from the ancients, medieval in 2L, renaissance in 3L, and modern in 4L. This method provides a narrative and sequence of interconnected events from the ancient times to today, helping the students better understand the progress of history. As the students have already studied these periods in the School of Grammar, their Socratic discussions can now go deeper and wider in each topic.
Science
In science, students learn about the natural world as well as the stages of scientific inquiry. We advocate for scientific learning and inquiry along with the Association for the Advancement of Science as stated in their 1993 report asserting that “…students should be actively engaged in learning to view the world scientifically. That means encouraging them to ask questions about nature and to seek answers, collect things, count and measure things, make qualitative observations, organize collections and observations, discuss findings, etc.” At Parnassus, topics in science are presented systematically, and clearly ensuring our students can make steady progress in their scientific learning.
Latin and Spanish
Students continue their studies in Spanish and Latin on a daily basis. Emphasis continues to be placed in learning vocabulary, verbs, verb tenses, and grammar. Parnassus leverages the teaching of Latin (and Spanish) to impart in the students a solid understanding of the English grammar. Beyond the benefits of increasing English vocabulary, studying Latin grammar is the best and easiest way to learn English grammar. There are many reasons for this, but one reason is that by the time students begin to learn English grammar, they have already been speaking and writing it without much analysis of the language structure. The unfamiliarity of Latin, a very structured and inflected language, forces the young scholars to evaluate every word and think carefully at every step about constructing sentences.
Physical Education
Similarly to the other disciplines taught at Parnassus, our Physical Education program is unique. It encompass physical activities and taekwondo building not only physical strength, agility, and flexibility, but also character development, collaboration, team work, and leadership skills.
Art and Music
Students have the option to study art, chorus, band, or orchestra. Regardless of their choice, their studies will include the study of history. In visual art, scholars will also learn about art history including ancient, medieval, renaissance, and modern art and artists. In music, they will learn about the history of music and key composers through the ages. Art and music do not occur in a vacuum and thus are taught as part of the social fabric of the period being studied. Conversely, the study of these art forms is the foundation in the study of history. The arts are a reflection of the cultural, political, and philosophical circumstances of the time. Scholars at Parnassus learn to appreciate and critique the arts as well as work on their own art productions and musical performances.
Instructional Methods
A classical education requires more than “specific” or “classical” content. The methods used to deliver the rich content to the students are as important as the content itself that is being taught. Instruction methods build upon the Socratic approach of guided questions to help students learn to reason and develop conclusions. Students in 1L through 4L are expected to demonstrate the ability to move beyond facts to integration and analysis.
Because the goal of the Logic period is to begin to make logical distinctions, instructional methods used in this stage of the Trivium are those that most effectively accomplish that goal. These instructional methods include:
- Guided writing: teacher leads students in a writing assignment
- Guided problem solving: teacher leads students in solving problems in math, logic, science
- Guided oral presentations: teacher provides directions to lead students through sharing information
- Guided reading and response: teacher leads students through a text using text parsing, questioning, predictions and inferences
- Supervised independent practice: teacher monitors student work in class
