Rhetoric

Academics : Grammar - Dialectic - Rhetoric

As we plan to grow into our Rhetoric School, these are some of the goals and plans we have for our students of this age. Rhetoric polishes the student, preparing them for further studies and adult life. During this time students develop their rhetorical skills, learning to communicate persuasively and winsomely. They do this by speaking, debating and writing on many different topics. Students this age start to desire to present themselves well and to demonstrate that they are no longer children, but young adults. So, at Providence Classical Academy we will teach them to present themselves well in person, in speech, and in written work.

The focus of these years is on the study of rhetoric. Students will take a year of formal rhetoric in which they sharpen their ability to speak and write. The art of rhetoric is simply learning to present yourself and your argument well. They also will study Christian apologetics and learn to defend the Christian faith.

We plan for students at Providence Classical Academy to continue their Omnibus course that was begun in Dialectic School. They dig into the depths of glory, as Pericles gives his funeral oration during Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War. Reading The Divine Comedy, they trek along with Dante, Virgil and Beatrice from hell to heaven as they consider justice, mercy and “the Love that moves the sun and other stars.” They grapple with villains like Ahab, Marx and Nietzsche. They applaud heroes like Augustine, Calvin and Aeneas.    

Students also complete studies in chemistry and physics during the Rhetoric years.

In language studies, students will be required to complete two more years of language studies. Students can complete this work by learning modern foreign language or continued study in classical language. 

In math, students will be required to complete a year of trigonometry. Many students will continue on through at least Calculus I. We also plan to give the students opportunity to complete Calculus II by the time they leave Providence Classical Academy.

Students also will start taking more electives during these years.

All of these classes will challenge the students to express their thinking clearly, a valuable commodity in this day and age.

Academics : Grammar - Dialectic - Rhetoric