Lucas Green
Why is classical education bad? I’ve often been asked that question, and after years of teaching self-education and helping students to develop an appreciation for the Classical models of education, I’ve decided to write a book to address this question. It will not be a simple list of advantages and disadvantages of self-education. Rather, I want to explain why classical education is important to the well-being of the mind, society, and individual.
The most important advantage: of a classical education is that it provides a distinct advantage over the self-taught or self-learned model. Self-taught learning is really just a temporary shortcut to the Classical model. It leaves out many of its key benefits and actually often produces inferior results. For instance, if a child is taught to read at an early age, he or she has a good chance of developing a dislike for reading. If a student is taught to use his or her imagination to solve problems, then he or she develops an aversion to thinking in terms of deductive reasoning. If a student is taught to play an instrument as a first form of communication, he or she develops a dislike for the very idea of communicating!
And classical education is not just a matter of the mind: Classical music, for example, helps to alleviate physical and emotional pain. It helps to relax muscles, and it heightens our senses. It is excellent for stress management. Indeed, it has been shown that taking piano lessons can reduce the risk of heart attack!
On the other hand, self – taught classical liberal arts curricula encourages creativity and independence. It is excellent for promoting critical thinking and the ability to problem solve. Finally, in contrast to the liberal arts, self-taught classical education almost guarantees social mobility – something we all want.
When was the last time you were part of a classroom discussion?
If you don’t know the answer, there are two good reasons. One reason is that you have been self taught. The other reason is that no one else has taught you. So you are blank on how to argue your point, and you don’t know what to say.
A final reason why classical education is bad is that it is expensive: You have to pay for a teacher’s salary, labors, books, and more. And if you live in a poor country, your resources are limited. If you don’t have enough money, then you can’t go to school at all – you can only take part in an unstructured self-study program.
