About Classical Education
What is Classical Education?
A classical education is an education that seeks after excellence. The most excellent things, it holds, are truth, beauty and goodness. The goal of a classical education is to form students who areas highly literate and prepared for life.
The Classical Difference
Unlike some contemporary approaches to education, classical education teaches objective standards, moral instruction, and civic virtue through a rigorous liberal arts education.
Low-Tech Environment
Technology does not necessarily mean better learning. At Ashley River Classical, we uphold a low-technology learning environment. This reflects one of our core beliefs: that students learn best in a traditional classroom, one in which they use paper, pencil, and real books; in which the teacher is the guide imparting wisdom and knowledge to the pupils.
Teacher-Led Classrooms
We believe students learn best when the teacher is at the helm of the learning experience, imparting their knowledge and wisdom to their pupils and modeling the moral and intellectual virtues. This is why our highly educated and passionate teachers employ traditional teaching methods to impart genuine knowledge and foster moral integrity, decorum, respect, discipline, and a commitment to thoughtful inquiry.
Teaching Students How to Think
Our approach to education doesn’t focus on standardized test outcomes or staying up-to-date with the latest technology. Rather, we focus on training the hearts and minds of young people to cultivate their longing for what is good, true, and beautiful. We help students become critical thinkers who communicate effectively, act with integrity, and lead by example.
Cultivating Virtue
A key aspect of classical education is the pursuit of virtue — intellectual and moral, in the individual and in the community. At Ashley River Classical, we have a set of core virtues that our students strive to live out in the classroom, on the playing field, and in their day-to-day life.
Curriculum Highlights
Content Rich
Our content-rich curriculum is designed to spark students’ sense of wonder and immerse them in learning. We utilize source documents, real books, and substantial knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences to help accomplish this.
Singapore Math
Singapore Math is a globally recognized program that builds algebraic thinking from kindergarten through 7th grade, leading to trigonometry and calculus studies in high school. The program is highly effective at preparing students to succeed in advanced mathematics in college and beyond.
Explicit Phonics
Our phonics curriculum fosters literacy by equipping students with the foundational elements of the English language. Through mastering spelling, reading, and writing, they develop the skills needed to communicate with clarity and confidence.
About Hillsdale College Member School
As a Hillsdale College Member School, we are able to provide a rigorous, tried-and-true liberal arts curriculum for our students. Hillsdale is a liberal arts college that also has a program dedicated to supporting classical schools with startup funds, training, resources, and more.
Now Hiring K-12 Teachers
ARCA is looking for teachers who have a solid understanding of classical education, a dedication to the liberal arts and the teaching of civics, and a strong capacity for organizational leadership.
