Overviews of the Schools of Grammar, Dialectic, and Rhetoric

Grammar School Overview

The Grammar School at TCS consists of grades K-6. The Grammar School can be described in terms of its pedagogy (teaching methods), curriculum, and culture.

Grammar School Pedagogy

During the Grammar School years, students are taught important information by means of songs, chants, jingles and rhymes. Historical facts and timelines, science facts, math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication), Latin vocabulary, rules of grammar--all are taught using songs, chants, jingles, and rhymes. The classical pedagogy also favors review and repetition, which occurs frequently, but without boring students, who love to sing various songs over and over again until it is a part of their deep, long-term memory. Other traditional teaching methods are also present in the Grammar School, including: teachers reading to students, students reading in and out of class, math instruction with manipulatives, written assignments, direct instruction, discussion, and oral reports. The Grammar School has a multi-modal pedagogy as well--students learn by seeing (there are many visual aids of all types in each classroom), hearing (many songs and chants), and moving (children sing with hand and body motions). Therefore, students who are primarily visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners all learn well at TCS.

Grammar School Curriculum

The Curriculum of the Grammar School is challenging, but well within the reach of students with average ability who put forth reasonable effort. Students in the early grades (K-2) focus especially on the subjects of reading and math--two subjects which must be mastered early on to ensure success later in the curriculum. English grammar is introduced beginning in first grade, introducing students to the 8 parts of speech and basic sentence diagramming and classification. Latin is introduced in the 3rd grade. Latin is taught at a time when students are able to quickly learn language; the study of Latin both enriches their English vocabulary (50% of English words come from Latin) and reinforces their study of grammar.

Students in the Grammar School also study history, science, Bible, geography, art, music, Spanish, Mandarin and PE.

Grammar School Culture

The culture of the Grammar School is one of order, peace, courtesy, and enthusiasm. Families and students that come to TCS are interviewed and screened to insure that respectful, courteous behavior is both taught at home and supported in the school. Our school and classroom behavior guidelines are clear and enforced so that students are secure in an environment that is safe and predictable, even while being lively and robust.

Dialectic School Overview

The Dialectic School at TCS will consist of grades 7-9. The Dialectic School can be described in terms of its pedagogy (teaching methods), curriculum, and culture.

Dialectic School Pedagogy

During the Grammar School years, students are taught important information by means of songs, chants, jingles, and rhymes. Historical facts and timelines, science facts, math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication), Latin vocabulary, rules of grammar--all are taught using songs, chants, jingles, and rhymes. During the Dialectic School years, the teaching method shifts from singing and chants to discussion, debate, and argument. Students continue to make use of the "tool" of singing and chanting, but the over-riding emphasis becomes argument and debate. Students are taught socratically, with a good bit of give and take (dialectic) between teacher and students. Logic is introduced as a central or "paradigm" subject, which is integrated into almost every other class students take. Special emphasis is given to the study and detection of logical fallacies.

Dialectic School Curriculum

Logic has a central place in the curriculum in that it is a subject and skill that is applied and used in virtually every other class. For example, students in history, literature or science classes will be required to think logically about the content they study and to expose any fallacies they detect in texts, presentations and classmates (respectfully of course). Their writing in these classes will be assessed for their logical sharpness, and examinations will also presuppose and exercise logical skill. Students study the various types of logic including informal logic, categorical and symbolic logic. While these desigations sound intimidating, they are learned well by adolescent students generally inclined to...argue. In addition to logic, students in the Dialectic School also study traditional subjects like science, history, math, literature and foreign language (Latin and Spanish, with Greek as an elective option). Music and art are also part of the dialectic curriculum.

Dialectic School Culture

Like the Grammar School, the culture of the Dialectic School is one of order, peace, courtesy, and enthusiasm. Students in the Dialectic School, however, are encouraged to debate and challenge one another in a socratic, energetic, yet respectful manner. In these classes, in the midst of discussion and debate, students do not always raise their hands to speak, but learn to wait their turn and inject their comments and questions in an appropriate fashion. Debate and discussion guidelines are given, monitored, and enforced by our dialectic teachers.

Rhetoric School Overview (Grades 10-12)

After having studied and mastered the disciplines of grammar and logic (or dialectic), students spend the last three years studying rhetoric. Like logic in the dialectic school, rhetoric is a "central" or "paradigmatic" discipline--students do study other traditional subjects (e.g., history, science, math, literature, foreign language) but do so from a rhetorical perspective, applying the skills and insights of rhetoric in their other classes.

It is this emphasis on rhetoric that will set our high school apart from other programs. It is at this final stage of their secondary education that our students synthesize all that they have learned in their previous schooling and concentrate on becoming masters of the spoken and written word.

Rhetoric for Leadership

Most of us know that one can win an argument but still "lose the person." Being logically correct does not necessarily mean we will be able to successfully persuade others to follow a course of action or adopt an idea. This is why it is necessary to train students not only in logic, but also in rhetoric, for rhetoric is the art of persuasive speech and writing. Leaders must know how to persuade others to follow.

Rhetoric as the art of persuasive writing and speech can be applied as such to any other discipline or subject. Through their study of rhetoric, students learn how to speak and write with eloquence, imagination, beauty and persuasion. Lab reports, literature papers and exam essays all make use of rhetorical skill. TCS students study rhetoric by the principal means of theory, imitation and practice. They study the theory of rhetoric via texts on rhetoric (like Aristotle's Rhetoric). By carefully studying the "masters" of oratory and writing, students learn how to imitate these masters, appropriating the techniques and devices they discover for their own use. Then they spend a good deal of time practicing what they learn by writing and delivering their own speeches and presentations, culminating in a capstone Senior Thesis course.

Rhetoric School Curriculum

While rhetoric is a "paradigm" discipline in the the Rhetoric School, students will study the traditional subjects of history, science, math, literature, foreign language, music and art with AP courses and other electives to be made available as well.