Classical 3.0: Moving Beyond the Ages and Stages Approach Cohort

Cohort Description

The renewal of classical Christian education began with a compelling vision of teaching that aligned with students' stages of development, an approach many know as the "ages and stages" model. As the movement has matured, however, many educators have returned to a deeper understanding of the classical tradition itself. Rather than viewing grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric primarily as developmental stages, the Liberal Arts Tradition invites us to recover them as the arts of language, alongside the mathematical arts, and to reconsider what this means for teaching, learning, and human flourishing.

In this cohort, participants will explore how the vision articulated by Kevin Clark and Ravi Scott Jain in The Liberal Arts Tradition can shape every dimension of a classical Christian school. Organized around the PGMAPT framework from the book, each session will examine one aspect of the tradition through conversation, practical application, and reflection. Distinguished guest speakers, including the authors themselves, will join us throughout the year to help connect the philosophical foundations of classical education with the daily work of forming students.

Led by Brian Polk, this cohort is designed for school leaders and teachers who want to move beyond simply doing classical education toward understanding why we do what we do and how the Liberal Arts Tradition can deepen the culture, curriculum, and practice of their schools.