The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home

A Book Review of The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home

Arguably, the most well-received, yet controversial homeschooling, book to come out in a few years, The Well-Trained Mind is impressive. The authors took on the herculean task of formulating and presenting a classical curriculum based on the essay, "The Lost Tools of Learning," by Dorothy Sayers. While there may have been a few folks out there promulgating the Sayers' version of a classical education, I know of no other books. Bauer and Wise have given the homeschooling community access to a classical education in an easy-to-use, one-volume handbook.

As mentioned, TWTM version of a classical education is based on Sayers' essay which was presented at Oxford back in the 1940's. Sayers' article is something to write home about. I found it years ago after reading about it in an old homeschooling magazine given away at a homeschooling picnic. I had to spend some quality time at the library rooting that essay out. While we're on the subject, I really think that Sayers' article should have been included in The Well-Trained Mind. If the whole curriculum is based upon it, it would be good for parents and students to have the article handy. Thanks to the internet, you can read Sayers' essay right now by clicking here. (I'll remind you with a link at the end of this review if you'd rather wait.)

Basically--very basically--Sayers' article states that students should follow the ancient trivium from the Middle Ages. The three parts of the trivium are grammar, dialectic (logic), and rhetoric. Grammar is the time for learning the basics of the subjects, memorizing lists, laying a foundation by storing up knowledge. Then logic is learned a few years later so that the student can begin to analyze, prove, and manipulate the knowledge and facts learned during the grammar years. Lastly, the rhetoric period is a time when the student learns to express himself well and with persuasion both verbally and in writing. Once the trivium is mastered, Sayers believes that the student is educated for life. I don't see any evidence in The Well-Trained Mind that either of the authors agree with the last statement, though.

I like Sayers' essay. It appears to lay out a good program that can be adapted in the homeschool. But how? How can Sayers' sketchy description be turned into a full curriculum? (Great theory, Dorothy, but how can the average homeschooling parent put it into practice?) And along come Jessie and Susan riding triumphantly on their white horses.

Here's the Table of Contents:
What The Well-Trained Mind Does: An Overview
Practical Considerations
Supplementing Your Child's Education
PROLOGUE: THE STORY OF A CLASSICAL HOME EDUCATION
1. Uncharted Territory: Jessie
2. A Personal Look at Classical Education: Susan
PART I. THE GRAMMAR STAGE: KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FOURTH GRADE
3. The Parrot Years
4. Unlocking the Doors: The Preschool Years
5. Words, Words, Words: Spelling, Grammar, Reading, and Writing
6. The Joy of Numbers: Math
7. Seventy Centuries in Four Years: History and Geography
8. Making Sense in the World: Science
9. Dead Languages for Live Kids: Latin
10. Electronic Teachers: Using Computer and Videos
11. Matters of Faith: Religion
12. Finer Things: Arts and Music
Part 1: Epilogue
PART II. THE LOGIC STAGE: FIFTH GRADE THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE
13. The Argumentative Child
14. Snow White Was Irrational: Logic for the Intuitive
15. The Language of Reason: Math
16. Why 1492? History and Geography
17. Think Straight: Spelling, Grammar, Reading, and Writing
18. Making Deductions: Science
19. Looking into Other Worlds: Latin and Languages
20. Away with Abusive Fallacies! Religion
21. The History of Creativity: Art and Music
22. Magic Boxes: Using Computers and Videos
23. Moving toward Independence: Logic for Life
Part II: Epilogue
PART III. THE RHETORIC STAGE: NINTH GRADE THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE
24. Speaking Your Mind: The Rhetoric Stage
25. Skill with Words: Grammar and Writing
26. Great Books: History and Reading
27. Comfort with Numbers: Math
28. Principles and Laws: Science
29. Learning Other Worlds: Foreign Languages
30. Mastering the Magic Box: Computer Skills
31. Apologizing for Faith: Religion
32. Appreciating the Arts: Art and Music
33. The Specialist
34. Some People Hate Homer
Part III: Epilogue
PART IV. COMING HOME: HOW TO EDUCATE YOUR CHILD AT HOME
35. The Kitchen-Table School: Why Home-Educate?
36. The Confident Child: Socialization
37. The Character Issue: Parents as Teachers
38. And Just When Do I Do All This? Schedules for Home Schoolers
39. Paper Proof: Grades and Record Keeping
40. The Yardstick: Standardized Testing
41. Where's the Team? Athletics at Home
42. The Local School: Dealing with Your School System
43. Yelling for Help: Tutors, Online Resources, Correspondence Schools, Cooperative Classes, and Colleges and Universities
44. Going to College: Applications for Home Schoolers
45. Working: Apprenticeships and Other Jobs
46. More Stuff: The Annotated Catalog List
47. The Final Word: Starting in the Middle
Appendices
Selected Bibliography
Index

As you can probably see from the Table of Contents, the book takes the three sections of the trivium and divides them over 12 years, with four years allotted to each grammar, logic (dialectic), and rhetoric. Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer have taken each subject (language arts, math, science, history, computers, religion, and the arts) in each of the three levels and given recommendations for methods and materials to use for each grade level. Latin, logic, and foreign languages are covered when necessary, but are by no means a small portion of the curriculum. Physical education is covered in Part 4. Step by step, the homeschooling parent is given the tools to teach their students. It is a well-laid out, organized, and systematic program.

History. To give you a bit of an indication of how things work, I'll start by explaining the 4-year cycle. Every four years the student starts at the beginning of recorded history and progresses through it until the present. For example, during the grammar stage the following sequence is followed:

1st Grade Ancients (5000 B.C.-A.D. 400)
2nd Grade Medieval-Early Renaissance (400-1600)
3rd Grade Late Renaissance-Early Modern (1600-1850)
4th Grade Modern (1850-present)

The same system is repeated for the logic stage.

5th Grade Ancients (5000 B.C.-A.D. 400)
6th Grade Medieval-Early Renaissance (400-1600)
7th Grade Late Renaissance-Early Modern (1600-1850)
8th Grade Modern (1850-present)

And it's again repeated for grades 9-12. This is a great idea. I believe that U.S. History can get the short end of the stick by doing it this way, though, but this can be easily worked around. Also, there probably needs to be civics thrown in for a semester in high school. But in the grand scheme of things, this history schedule makes sense. The student (over all 12 years of school) will read from a basic world history book, narrate back what has been read or write it down depending on ability, memorize dates and people, write reports, make a timeline, read related books from the library, label blank maps, etc., and maintain the work in a notebook.

Science. Science is also set up on a repeating schedule, with each consecutive repetition going more in depth. All the basics are covered, including scientific history. Texts have been chosen with great care and the student reads them, performs experiments (keeps records), writes definitions in his/her science notebook, records dates, memorizes, writes short papers (progressing to longer ones), draws diagrams, reads source works. This notebook system for science is a simple, but effective, way to utilize non-textbook science books for school without losing direction. It's not something we've tried before, so writing short science reports and using a lab report form for occasional experiments has been a positive thing for us.

Math. Nothing shocking here. TWTM recommends a few different mathematics programs and recommends some work with real-life math.

Language Arts. TWTM recommends a very intense language arts program. Reading, spelling, grammar (including diagramming sentences), writing. A spelling notebook (as well as reading, grammar, and writing notebooks), spelling workbook, grammar text, writing program, etc. are all a part of the language arts program. The student reads library books for reading and also memorizes poetry. Often the student is asked to write a paper on books read. Reading lists are included. There is a strong language arts focus; reasons for this are given in the book.

Latin. Latin is begun in the 3rd grade. By 5th or 6th grade, a modern language is a recommended addition.

Logic. Logic is begun around grade 5 with warm-up exercises. Formal logic begins in 6th or 7th grade.

Religion. Basically the authors state that religious instruction is necessary and why it's necessary, but then they give no details on how to instruct your charges. The three chapters (one in each of the three sections--grammar, logic, and rhetoric) contain a grand total of ten (10) pages. For scheduling purposes, each chapter usually has a "time required" note listed, but none of the religion chapters do. It appears that the authors believe religious instruction must be left up to the discretion of the parents.

Art and Music. Lessons are recommended. Modelling, drawing, and painting are all options. Listening to music and reading biographies of the artists is recommended.

This course of study is very extensive in its coverage. A student that works hard will have earned himself or herself a very good and broad education. The program set forth in The Well-Trained Mind provides an education that just isn't found elsewhere--at least not to my knowledge. I don't say this to imply that TWTM provides the best education; I'm pointing out that it's a unique education.

Other various issues
Texts. TWTM tells the parents which books to use and where they can be obtained--curriculum suppliers, bookstores, and the library. The texts recommended are frequently not true textbooks. Math, grammar, writing, logic, and Latin all use traditional texts. However, resources for science, art, and history are more along the lines of what you might find at your library or favorite bookstore. For some this may seem a little unorthodox, but others may see some of the advantages to this system.

Latin. The Well-Trained Mind advocates that the student begin learning the Latin language in third grade. Why Latin? Yes, I've read all the arguments and still can't justify (for us) learning the language. Learning the roots (word parts) of both Latin and Greek makes sense to me, but I can't see learning the whole language. Here's a link to an essay that I wrote on that subject. But don't let me deter you if you want your students to learn Latin. Just make sure they're learning it for substantial reasons.

Terminology. Is this classical education or is this Sayers' version of classical education? I think it's the latter. You may read my little ditty if you care to here. It probably doesn't matter one way or the other; that's why it's got its own little page away from the review of The Well-Trained Mind.

Too Prescriptive. TWTM has caused a little controversy because some homeschooling folks can't believe they had the audacity to write it--mainly because they think that it's too prescriptive. Some have inferred that TWTM is too rigid in its methods--too many workbooks, sentence diagramming, memorizing arithmetic tables and other lists. Others have indicated that this method is too rigid and that parents will feel that it is necessary to do things exactly the way the book says and stick to the schedule in the book. This is a valid concern. Parents that feel compelled to follow a curriculum exactly to a "T" may find themselves or their children burned out. Another result might be a child that hates or dreads school. However, I think that most parents are wise enough to realize that no one program fits every child or family and that all programs need adjusting to fit individual families and situations. Parents can (and should) investigate other methods before settling on one. But parents that still aren't sure what would be good for their family can easily try this Sayers' method to a classical education for a year and then make adjustments once they have a little experience under their belt.

So, is TWTM too rigid? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. There are a number of places in the book where the authors encourage students to follow their interests. Yet there are other places where the book will say things like, "... you need to have your child tested every year"1 and "... three days per week is an absolute minimum [for Latin]...."2 I do believe that the book itself comes off as being a little more prescriptive or rigid in tone than the website does. I think this may have been because the publishers/editors had their hand in the book, while Susan Wise Bauer herself realizes that homeschooling is an individual thing. Check the website out; the link is in the sidebar.

Not Static. For a couple of reasons, this method cannot be considered static. When this book was published, there were certain books available that were the recommended texts for certain subjects at certain levels. As time has gone by, certain of these books have gone out of print. Some users have been dismayed and have spent $100 on a $35 book just to make sure they can follow the curriculum exactly. I can understand the desire to use the exact books recommended in TWTM, but in reality, you can substitute similar books for those that go out of print. If you need help in deciding a good substitute, just visit the website and visit the bulletin boards.

Another reason why this method can't be considered static is that Bauer herself has changed her mind on what items might better fill certain curricular needs. For instance, she's mentioned at her website that she feels that Voyages in English would probably be a better secular choice for grammar than the one recommended in The Well-Trained Mind.

I can see this as being beneficial for those who want to substitute different texts for the ones recommended in TWTM. If Susan Wise Bauer realizes that there may be better texts available, then that will help some users to feel confident enough to step out of the box when they find a text that they love and want to incorporate into their homeschool. It must be noted, though, the fact that a few of the recommended books in TWTM are not available will be very frustrating for some users.

Reading. TWTM states that a parent's #1 goal is to have the student reading fluently prior to entering grade 1. The author spends six pages telling the reader, "Reading is easy." I see this as problematic because I had a student that didn't read before grade 1. This was not for lack of instruction either. Nor was it a lack of interest or lack of books or lack of being read to. TWTM states over and over again that it's easy to teach a child of 4 or 5 to read. But some children are just not ready, for what ever reason, to read at age 5. I appreciate that some parents need to be encouraged to realize that teaching their children to read is totally doable; parents do need to feel confident in their ability to teach their children to read. But on the other hand, one little paragraph at the end of the preschool reading section telling parents to use common sense and wait a month or two if the child is demonstrating no comprehension--well, it's too little, too late. This last paragraph mentioning common sense needs to be stated at the beginning of the reading section, and it would be helpful to have a few guidelines on how to teach a later-than-average reader, too.

Religious or secular? Quite secular. However, the author has stated that she is a Protestant Christian. Religion is mentioned in the book. There are three short chapters dealing with religion. There is very little information at all in these chapters beyond comments like, You should have some sort of moral/ethical foundation to education in your homeschool. In the Rhetoric section (grades 8-12) it's mentioned, "... evaluating the ideas and philosophies of the great books, writing about the moral and ethical implications of technology--have to be done in the context of faith."3 While the authors offer Christian and Jewish options in the three short religion chapters, they haven't listed any others. It will have to be up to the individual homeschoolers to figure out which ethical texts they will need to use define their context of faith. A few of the curriculum items are Christian based, but in most cases, the recommendations are non-religious. In the case of formal logic, though, both of the recommended texts are Christian.

Perspective. The tone of the book is often supportive and calming, yet this book puts forth a very intensive curriculum. It is strenuous and requires a lot of self discipline. For some, it could lead to unnecesssary stress or feelings of inadequacy. I know, speaking as a homeschooling mom, that I get a little frazzled at times with all the work and organizing required (even though we don't follow TWTM very closely). Page 55 of TWTM is something that should be read and reread, imo. It gives all this work some perspective on days when nothing goes right. :-) Some flexibility is needed when homeschooling. The author does say to make up your own schedule, but it would be good to see some other scheduling choices so that newer homeschoolers won't think they're doing it wrong when things don't go *by the book.*

Starting in the middle. This is an easy program to implement if you're starting with a 4 or 5 year old. But it's going to require a whole lot of work to start a 13 year old in the program unless your student has already done a lot of writing and has read an incredible amount. Starting a 5th grader won't be so difficult, but there will still be a bit of catching up to do. Obviously, a program that starts a child in Latin at 3rd grade won't be easy to work into, but it can be done. I personally see nothing wrong with starting a 5th grader in Latin. Those 2 years are far from an insurmountable problem. One thing, that shouldn't be forgotten, though, is that, even at 13, starting a student in mid-Logic will still greatly challenge your student. It's really not too late. True, a 13 year old will have a difficult time if you try to put him/her into the rhetoric section, but TWTM is an accelerated course in some respects. That needs to be taken into consideration when it comes time for placement.

Physical Education. TWTM doesn't really have a lot to say about physical education (PE), so you'll have to come up with another resource for PE.

College Preparation and Admissions. Please check out Cafi Cohen's books (listed below). TWTM has some good information, but you'll need more if your student plans on attending college.

And What About College?: How Homeschooling Can Lead to Admissions to the Best Colleges & Universities
Homeschoolers' College Admissions Handbook: Preparing Your 12- to 18-Year-Old for a Smooth Transition
Homeschooling the Teen Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- To 18-Year Old

So, to wrap this all up, I think that The Well-Trained Mind worth reading by most homeschoolers. Most dyed-in-the-wool unschoolers will probably want to skip it, but most others will find valuable information and ideas in the pages of TWTM. If you're a new homeschooler, you'll be provided with a framework in which to get your homeschool off the ground. If you're a veteran homeschooler, you'll be refreshed by some of the unique ideas included--maybe you'll get your second wind. Just the fact that the authors are a homeschooling mother-daughter team makes this book well worth the time necessary to read it. So head off to your library and pick up this book! If they don't own it yet, ask them to buy it so that you can check it out! If, however, you can already tell that you're going to like it, buy it now. You will want your own copy because you will undoubtedly refer to it over and over again.

Peace Hill Press
18101 The Glebe Lane
Charles City, VA 23030

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Source:
A Basic Curriculum
http://www.abasiccurriculum.com/