When talking with teachers who are new to classical education, I am often asked about planning a lesson “classically.” In response I suggest that a classical lesson is distinct from all other lessons in that it possesses elements of the classical Trivium: Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric.
If the ingredients of a lesson contain three features: deciding what to teach, organizing materials and activities, and bringing the lesson to life, then the Trivium is most readily applicable in the organization of the lesson. Each lesson should be ordered in a way that touches on the grammar, logic, and rhetoric of what is being taught. Here is what this could look like for a Latin lesson:
Grammar
The grammar of a lesson is the basic knowledge or facts that will establish the context and foundation for further learning to occur within the lesson. For a Latin lesson it is more than just memorizing vocabulary and knowing Latin syntax, but also involves practicing paradigms for noun and verb endings that will be used later in the lesson. Students are instructed in the grammar of Latin as well when they are taught Roman culture and history. The grammar of a Latin lesson in this context, therefore, extends further than just knowing what typically is associated with the understanding of grammar such as syntax, punctuation, and spelling. To teach the grammar of a subject, the teacher must consider the foundational pieces that students should learn to unlock further understanding and mastery.
Logic
Like the term grammar, logic can be misapplied in this context. Typically, when we hear of logic or dialectic, our minds drift toward thinking of syllogisms, inductive/deductive reasoning, and logical fallacies. However, in this context, the logic or dialectic of a subject that goes into planning a lesson is much different–it extends beyond just a formalized logic class.
The logic aspect of a lesson works to strengthen student learning by asking pointed questions and opening discussion about the material taught. It is likely this element of instruction already takes form naturally. Think for a moment of a class of Latin students practicing noun and adjective agreement on their whiteboards. The key to unlocking the element of logic in this context is to begin asking questions of why specific endings are given to particular words. This enhances student learning by building upon the grammar already taught that Latin adjectives need to match nouns in their case, number, and gender. It offers the student the opportunity to explain and see for themselves why first and second declension noun and adjective endings look the same.
Rhetoric
The rhetoric aspect tends to be the trickiest to pin down. In the classical tradition, it is important for its contribution as the art of persuasion. Simply put, it was the art of effective communication. It served as the pinnacle of learning in that it supplied an opportunity to use knowledge toward an end. The same idea applies when preparing it in a lesson.
The rhetorical element of the lesson challenges the teacher to consider what students will do with their knowledge learned. Conventional educational systems tend to make this end utilitarian at the altar of readiness for a career or college. However, in the classical thread, this end is the enrichment of the human soul. A rhetorical element to a Latin lesson is unfolded when students read and translate Latin texts. To varying degrees this exercise incorporates all the other aspects of the Trivium, which renders it the apex of the knowledge learned. Without instruction in grammar and logic, the rhetorical piece of a lesson becomes futile. We can say with confidence then that reading and translating Latin is an enriching end because students have the tools to see and understand the beauty of the Latin language, which in turn fills the human soul with joy.
Organizing a Latin lesson with the Trivium in mind requires practice, but the payoff is an organizational framework from that classical tradition that lays the rails toward mastery of learned material. It is important to note that the elements of the Trivium shouldn’t always occur as fixed stages within the lesson. Instruction in the grammar of a subject could appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a lesson. Consider the image of an actress who learns the grammar of her subject in memorizing lines, the logic of her character by knowing why certain techniques and emotions are employed, and the rhetoric of her role by performing in the show. At no point from preparation to performance could the actress practice one element without the others in mind.
