Essential Principles of Classical Pedagogy

At Los Senderos Antiguos, we pursue these essential principles of Classical Pedagogy taught by Dr. Christopher Perrin at ClassicalU:

1. Festina Lente (Make Haste Slowly)

The teacher works to ensure mastery of each step of learning, and does not advance students to further study until mastery has been reached.

2. Multum Non Multa (Much not Many)

The teacher prefers to teach a few things deeply and well rather than cursorily covering many things that will not be mastered.

3. Repetitio Mater Memoriae (Repetition is the Mother of Memory)

The teacher understands that regular repetition and review is necessary to acquire mastery.

4. Embodied Learning

The teacher understands that classical education aims first for the formation of a human soul and thus seeks to cultivate each student by bodily pathways and not only by rational means.

5. Songs, Chants, and Jingles

The lower school teacher regularly employs songs,chants, and jingles to help students master important information.

6. Wonder and Curiosity

The teacher understands that all learning should be stimulated and motivated by a student’s natural wonder and curiosity about God, the world, and ourselves.

7. Educational Virtues

The teacher’s lesson plans reflect her effort to develop student virtues such as love, humility, courage, temperance, constancy, diligence, and patience.

8. Scholé, Contemplation, and Leisure

The teacher understands that contemplation and reflection are necessary for students to deeply understand and love various manifestations of truth, goodness, and beauty.