Letter to the Editor:
You may have read or heard about schools focusing on Classical education and Socratic methodology. In particular, some charter and private schools describe their programs using these terms. What do these terms mean to you? Do you know if these schools apply these terms as you envision?
Today classical and socratic education have become buzzwords — tools for promoting a school or curriculum. Why are they used as buzzwords? Because they sound familiar, historically proven and have purportedly produced great leaders, inventors, scientists, writers, philosophers, physicians, etc. However, too often what is happening in these charter and private schools is quite different than what is envisioned by community members.
The term Classical education has been used for several centuries, with each era modifying the definition and adding its own selection of topics. Previous principles of Classical education have focused on tradition, virtue, authority and truth in the context of language, the arts, history and natural sciences.
For many, a primary distinction of classical education is its openness to questions as students seek truth and/or morality. However, today there is significant disagreement about what or who's truth and morality should be taught in schools. In some places, court cases and the Constitution have been misperceived as mandating value-free, and, ultimately, valueless public education. As a result, some schools have taken pains to avoid discussion of ethics and values. In contrast some parents/community members believe public schools focus only on liberal/progressive values and ethics.
So, there are religious schools emphasizing classical education by incorporating significant biblical texts and training. These schools may brand themselves as classical Christian schools or classical academies, focusing their students on Judeo-Christian values. In homeschool settings using Classical education, spiritual faith is often a crucial aspect of the curriculum. Classical charter schools may include substantive moral teaching which appeals to some parents and community members -- as long as the moral teaching aligns with what the parent/community member believes.
Charter and private schools apply Classical education in other ways different from or in contrast with what community members envision, including an:
Emphasis on memorization, narration, and dictation. No doubt, this methodology can be excessively repetitive, boring, ineffective and group rather than student focused. Ironically, some parents seeking an alternative to public education and attracted to Classical charter schools, state their student needs an educational alternative because the public school does not address their individual needs. Then they choose a school whose strategy is group not individually focused.
Intensive teacher dependence in discussions is often a part of present Classical education. This is discussed more below in the context of Socratic methodology.
Emphasis on ancient Languages such as Latin and Greek. These languages require lots of memorization, their grammar rules are complex and vastly different from modern languages and consume considerable time on what many consider to be 'dead' or irrelevant languages.
Emphasis on western history leaving students with gaps in their understanding of our global community.
Weak curriculum in all the sciences. Classical education sometimes emphasizes natural science over other fields of science, leaving students with significant gaps in their knowledge and understanding.
When it comes to Socratic methodology, many think of teaching via discussion and “question-driven instruction.” Unfortunately, if we consider Socratic teaching as just “asking questions,” the result is often unclear understanding, or even more questions, particularly if questions are asked for the sake of asking questions.
While group discussions and interacting with others can be powerful methods for learning, all too often due to circumstances, they are ineffective. For example, teachers can be overcome by the chaos arising in question-driven group discussions; students may leave the discussion with more questions than answers. Socrates maintains the focus of the conversation by pulling it through until truth is discovered because he is in a one on one discussion and takes all the time needed. But these are not the circumstances for discussions in the context of a classroom and/or school schedule.
In addition, Socrates was confident Truth can be known through dialectical thought. In the context of schools there is much debate over 'the truth' or 'morality' to be shared. And too often, socratic teachers today focus on influencing or indoctrinating students; both of which are contrary to the function of the Socratic method.
Whereas Socrates tried to deconstruct a student’s thoughts in order to bring understanding the modern socratic teacher may move in a very different direction. Rather than expose contradictions, some teachers/schools seek to debunk. Rather than remediate ignorance, today's teacher may seek to condition. Neither debunking and conditioning are part of the Socratic method.
Think critically and ask questions when you hear buzzwords like Classical education and Socratic methodology. You may discover an educational experience quite different than you envision.
Karen Burnett-Kurie
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