Latin
The study of Latin is essential to a classical education. Latin not only provides the student with an understanding of the essential structure and function of western languages, but it also allows the student to hone his/her analytical skills and build vocabulary. At the same time, the study of Latin exposes the student to the language, philosophy, religion, culture, and history of Roman Civilization, which has provided the foundation for our own nation’s system of government and law and has had an impact on many aspects of our culture due to the role played by Latin literature in Western educational tradition. At Parnassus Prep, we offer Latin instruction beginning in second grade class. Memoria Press’ award-winning Latin programs are designed to teach your student to master the Latin grammar through an easy to use, step-by-step process that brings out the logical and systematic nature of this language, the mother tongue of Western civilization.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Memoria Press’ English Grammar Recitation is unique because it is consistent with the trivium stages of learning. It emphasizes memorization of facts first as the necessary preparation for the logic-level skills of diagramming and analysis. It covers common capitalization and punctuation rules, and approximately 150 grammar facts in a logical and systematic sequence.
MATH
Math is a language that forms the mind of the student to accuracy and logical thinking. Mathematics isn’t just a tiresome hoop to jump through to become engineers or doctors or make lots of money. Rather, it is one of the many ways to wonder actively, to deeply contemplate simple ideas, and to delight in abstraction, certainty, order, rigor, etc.
While American math instruction often relies on drilling and memorization of many skills each year, Singapore math focuses on children not just learning but also truly mastering a limited number of concepts each year. The goal is for children to perform well because they understand the material on a deeper level; they are not just learning it for the test.
Literature and Poetry
Literature and poetry are among the central subjects in a classical education. Why? Because, along with history, literature and poetry are the chief ways that we pass on the ideals and values of traditional Western culture. Not only will your child’s affections be trained to love the good (and hate the bad) through characters they encounter in great literature, but they will get a glimpse into the wonder of reality that only good poetry can reveal to us. We begin with beautifully
written and illustrated children’s stories and nursery rhymes in the
earliest grades and build on the love of literature each year.
Writing
The Writing & Rhetoric series method employs fluent reading, careful listening, models for imitation, and progressive steps. It assumes that students learn best by reading excellent, whole-story examples of literature and by growing their skills through imitation. Each exercise is intended to impart a skill (or tool) that can be employed in all kinds of writing and speaking. The exercises are arranged from simple to more complex. What’s more, the exercises are cumulative, meaning that later exercises incorporate the skills acquired in preceding exercises. This series is a step-by-step apprenticeship in the art of writing and rhetoric.
Science
A solid plan to science begins early in the student’s educational journey and includes the three keys to successful teaching – performing hands-on scientific tests, gathering information, and keeping a record. They work together to create a solid science curriculum.
Too much focus on the hands-on will leave the students lacking in the core knowledge that they need to know.
Too much focus on the facts will lead to the students to not knowing how to apply those principles to real life.
Too much writing and the students will begin to despise science.
Elemental Science curriculum includes scientific demonstrations, reading assignments, notebooking assignments, additional activities, and memory work.
CLASsiCAL StuDIES
Classical Studies is the natural companion to Latin. In classical studies, students study Greek mythology and Greek and Roman history and literature every year, gradually deepening their knowledge and understanding. This long grounding prepares students to read the classics of Greek, Roman, and English literature, and to study and understand the modern world.
In order to fully understand our Western cultural heritage, we have to
see it embodied in the art and music that helped to make it great.
Through a classical study of both, students grow to recognize,
appreciate and love the Good, Beautiful, and True. Our art
program begins in the early grades, where students are familiarized
with great Western art and music in simple lessons and continue in the upper grade classes in a more in depth study of our great heritage of
art and music, including the great tradition of Latin music. We offer
music instruction once per week and fine arts instruction through a program called Meet the Masters.