A Traditional Classroom

A classical classroom prioritizes the authority of the teacher, and therewith his or her expertise and responsibility to deliver it to students. Students are not the passive recipients of knowledge, but active participants in the discussion. This disciplined and orderly environment facilitates attention, focus, and engagement.

A Content-Rich Curriculum

A classical education delivers real content. Students learn about historical events, characters, stories, fables, myths, scientific facts, and mathematical proofs. They read whole literary works in great depth, and they learn to approach books both with moderation to learn and courage to question. A republic is best served when its citizens can formulate historically-rooted opinions, draw upon powerful myths, stories, allegories, and tales, and understand the basic workings of the natural world. Together, these abilities sustain the best kind of conversation and elevate the tenor of our common life.

What is Classical Education?

Classical schools are unique among school choice options for three main reasons – a high or noble purpose, a content-rich curriculum, and a traditional classroom environment.

The Purposes of Classical Education

Classical education is an education befitting a free and happy human being. Happiness is understood to be rooted in the virtuous use of our highest faculty, reason, and therefore requires participation in civil conversation. But what kind of conversation is this? At OCCA, we do not teach students to banter or score points in a conversation as if it were a boxing match. Rather, we seek the best kind of conversation, the one that asks what is good for a human being? What is beautiful? How should I live my life?