For a modern person, the discovery of true classical education–like that found in the CLAA–requires a paradigm shift. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a paradigm shift as “a conceptual or methodological change in the theory or practice of a particular science or discipline.”
When a person encounters the Classical Liberal Arts Academy (CLAA) for the first time, be it accidentally or while searching for classical homeschool resources, they tend to fall within one of three primary groups. We can categorize them by their response to discovering real classical education. To demonstrate the three common responses, consider a rough analogy.
Imagine an unfulfilled hiker who is frustrated by the weak results of the easier hikes back home. Filled with a sense of hope, he heads to the Himalayans specifically searching for a greater challenge. He reaches a point where the landscape and cloud cover provide an opportunity for him to set his eyes on the majesty of the tallest mountain in the world–Mount Everest.
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Group 1 – The Faithful Pioneers
The pioneers stumble upon Mount Everest and immediately recognize the significance of their discovery, even if it’s not fully comprehended initially. Their intuition will be validated in the end when the world learns that they’ve located the greatest natural wonder of the world. But that’s not their present concern. They know they’re witnessing something much different than anything they’ve ever seen elsewhere, and that their previous efforts and achievements pale in comparison to what stands in front of them. They’re serious hikers, so there’s no turning back from this ultimate challenge because this is exactly what they were looking for. Step by step, they begin their ascent.
The pioneers of our age are those willing to be different and commit not only themselves, but their children to true classical Catholic education. Despite having received a modern education themselves, and in spite of potential frequent anxiety and discomfort due to their unfamiliarity with true classical Catholic education, they know that modern education is bad content, and worse methodology. Further, the CLAA clearly explains the differences between true classical Catholic education and modern education, and the evidence is overwhelming. For these people, there’s no going back.
Group 2 – The Unwilling
The second group has the same initial experience as the first group. However, unlike their pioneer friends, this group doesn’t possess the courage or desire to climb. The CLAA is akin to a guide service that not only knows the path, but has helped others make the climb. All the hikers need to do is put in the effort and follow along. But it’s simply too much for them. They know there are some mountains that can be climbed elsewhere, and as long as they’re taller than those back home, they’ll do.
The second group are those who agree that modern education is junk, but are afraid (consciously or subconsciously) of what the CLAA presents because it’s foreign and requires the unlearning of everything they know about education. They recognize there’s a historical pedigree, but the fear of committing their children to something completely foreign to them is simply too much risk, despite the potential reward.
Instead, they resort to the DIY homeschool method, picking “traditional” Catholic material for religion, but otherwise following the same methods found in modern Catholic, public, and private schools. They’re more comfortable winging it and settling for less, though in their minds not that much less, and hoping for the same result.
Group 3 – The Ignorant
Similarly, the third group shows up in the right place, at the right time, perhaps with the right intention, and further, they even look in the right direction! They see the base of the mountain, they know enough to know that it’s large, but they look up and once they see the clouds midway up, they’re a prisoner of their experience and they assume that’s all there is to see. Tragically, because they fail to keep looking up above the clouds, which they’ve never had to do before, they fail to see the peak and they miss their opportunity altogether. They hike down unaware of what they’ve missed out on, remaining firm in their old paradigm, complaining about the lack of challenging opportunities for “serious hikers”.
The third group are those who simply miss or fail to comprehend exactly what they are seeing. They aren’t familiar with the CLAA’s language and methodology surrounding education because, like everyone in the first two groups, they don’t initially understand what true classical education even is. Despite the very reasons that led them to the CLAA, the confusion and unfamiliarity with what they’ve found–different from what is there–leads them to quickly dismiss the CLAA altogether, and to continue their search for what they think they are looking for.
The Choice Is Yours
The evidence is abundantly clear, the wisest men throughout history received a true classical education. The tallest mountain in the world, before the discovery of Mt. Everest, was Mt. Everest. True classical Catholic education is the path forward for the Catholic Church, be a pioneer.
