Providence Classical School hosted a group of educational professionals from Harvard University in their quest to learn more about different styles of learning. The Harvard University Principal’s Center, a professional education branch of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, contacted PCS Head of School, Susan Oweis, to learn more about classical, Christian education at the school which opened in 2001.
The group of 18 school principals and leaders are touring the region to glean best practices from both private and public school educators in K-12. Oweis held a seminar to share specifics about how PCS implements the centuries-affirmed style of classical education that is the model for PCS and hundreds of other classical schools throughout the country. “PCS draws on the classical trivium for it’s structure, but how we choose to implement the program is driven by teaching students how they learn best at each stage in K-12. We bring students up through the Grammar stage (K-5), which focuses on the core fundamentals of all subjects, using history as a timeline/backbone as they progress through the grades; in the Dialectic (or logic) stage (6-8th), the students go once again through the sweep of history chronologically from ancient to modern times, and delve deeper in the hows and whys of all subjects – we teach them how to debate, form arguments and to question things. By the time they reach the Rhetoric stage (9-12), our students are well prepared to add a fluency of expression to all their subject knowledge. We cultivate their hearts along the way, and the result is a student body that develops wisdom and discernment along with a confidence of expression,” stated Oweis.
One visitor asked how PCS juniors and seniors perform on standard tests such as the SAT/ACT, as well as college entrance applications.
Oweis responded, “Our students traditionally blow the tests away and get great scores, and yes they have a very high college acceptance rate and incredible scholarship offers. But that’s not the goal of classical education. Our goal is to teach students to THINK and to be articulate, respectful, and productive individuals with good character, and who love learning. We don’t rely on technology, but rather teach through the great books of literature and the Bible; we don’t over-burden students with busy work, but rather delve deeply into each subject. Our students are inquisitive and responsive because we allow them to blossom into people that we listen to and want to see succeed — not just here at PCS, but during the rest of their lives. With the foundation of Latin (offered 3rd grade through 9th grade), ancient Greek (10th through 12th grades), and grammar immersion that they start on day one at PCS, the students are well prepared to handle not just standardized tests, but college level work, and work in the real world. When you ask, what is the true point of education, is it not to develop passion for life-long learning? That’s what we do here at PCS.”
For more information about the Harvard visit or to speak directly with Susan Oweis, please contact her at the school (Jean Henry will be away from the office April 23-May 3).
