Logic & Rhetoric Schools at ToFA

 

Logic (grades 6-8)

In classical education the Logic stage is where students discover why certain facts exist as certainties. They want to know the “why” of something—the logic behind it.  At ToFA, we teach our students to dissect and take apart information and begin to critically think through ideas and arguments in all subject areas. They learn reasoning, informal and formal Logic, and begin to develop skills to argue with wisdom and eloquence. The goal in this stage is to teach students how to formulate good questions, sort information, draw comparisons and contrasts, and how to collect, process, and apply the knowledge they have previously acquired in the grammar stage.  

 

Rhetoric (grades 9-12)

We know that students in the Rhetoric stage naturally become independent thinkers and communicators. The foundational skills from the grammar stage and the analytical skills from the logic stage come together and form a spring board of learning potential.  Students study and practice rhetoric skills that develop and grow the art of persuasive speaking and effective writing.  This not only pleases and delights the listener, but also will serve the student well when they communicate with others in life, academia, and work beyond ToFA.  Rhetoric students learn to read the classics in their original languages and will complete their high school journey with a final thesis senior year. The goal in this stage is to equip and train students to solve problems and defend their ideas and processes through writing, speech, or conversation integrated throughout all subject areas.

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Classical Christian Education in the Logic and Rhetoric Programs at ToFA

Through truth, goodness, and beauty, Classical Christian education is designed to cultivate a wise and virtuous man.  Therefore our focus is on developing the whole person and forming the soul. Through a biblical worldview, we partner with parents to prepare the ToFA graduate for life. It is our desire that they will hunger for God's will so that God can use not only their vocation, but their whole lives to know and serve Him.

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• We teach our students to focus on fewer things and know them well. ​

• We develop the art of reason and argument in our students through conversation and Socratic discussion so that in any area of life they can know what they believe and why. 

• We intentionally challenge ideas and work from classical literary sources as well as God's word.

• We train students to submit to, internalize, harmonize, align with, and accept God’s divine truth rather than individual, subjective “truths.”

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Course overview of Logic and Rhetoric subject areas by grade levels 6th-12th:

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Classical Christian Education Resource:

https://www.circeinstitute.org/principles-classical-education

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Socratic Method Resource:

https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/socratic-teaching/606

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