For some unexplainable reason the educational approach historically referred to as the “trivium” is often viewed as an obsolete relic of the ancient past. And even those within the classical Christian education movement can be tempted to view the trivium (with its successive emphasis on grammar, logic, and rhetoric) in an academically detached manner, to be invoked only when defending the superiority of our distinctive educational approach.

[pullquote3 variation=”moss green” align=”left”]The “trivium” is often viewed as an obsolete relic of the ancient past.

But in its basic outline, the trivium is simply a model which fits the way people go about developing their skills in any task: we gather the details, we reason out the best solution, and then we act on it. Similarly, whenever we truly learn something, we obtain the facts; we analyze them and make sound conclusions; and we present our findings in a way that benefits others. Since these components correspond to the trivium’s stages of grammar, logic, and rhetoric, there is good reason why this broad approach to education practiced for many centuries within Western Civilization has been so effective.

Training students using the principles of the trivium (as we at Cedar Tree do both in the major stages of our overall K-12 education and on a smaller scale in each of our class lessons along the way) effectively prepares them for lifelong service in any calling. It equips them with the tools of learning that we all put to use in any vocation, transcending any particular line of work.

An engineer puts the trivium into practice as he gathers all the pertinent data (grammar), uses complex calculations to determine the best solution that takes all the variables into account (logic), and then presents the solution in a way that is useful to those who will be carrying out the project (rhetoric).

A salesperson researches available products and gets to know his clients and their needs so that he can put everything together and come up with the best match for his clients. He must then present his well-reasoned proposals in a clear and convincing manner. That’s the trivium at work.

The trivium is successful in education because it is successful in everyday life.

An accountant processes all the bookkeeping data accurately, prioritizes it and tests it for consistency, and then develops the financial reports which aid sound decision-making. Likewise, parents are continually making observations, drawing conclusions, and communicating them to their children. Regardless of our vocation, there is throughout our life a need to communicate articulately and persuasively. We are often called upon to make proposals. We must reason accurately. We must state our opinion and defend it. The stronger our skills at grammar, logic, and rhetoric, the better equipped we are to carry out these everyday tasks in a thoroughly God-glorifying manner.

In fact, many employers have gone on record as saying that they are eager to hire employees who have been educated classically, according to the trivium model. They are able to train someone in the specifics of their occupation (finance, computers, public sector, whatever), but they can’t train someone to think well and to communicate effectively and to get along with people. They have found that in the long run, a well-made mind surpasses one which has been focused on a narrow field of technical education.

The trivium is successful in education because it is successful in everyday life.

Tom Bradshaw has been serving as Cedar Tree’s headmaster since 2006.  This essay was first published in 2009.