Quantum Education

First, you should know that the classical approach is not Christian. The classical system that began by the pagan philosophers in Ancient Greece was brought back by the USA public school system when it turned against the Bible and Puritan education methods. Although some classical educators have tried (like the Catholics of ancient times) to merge Bible and pagan ways but this book doesn’t even do that. Bauer and Wise esteem intellectualism to the point of idolatry.

Secondly, this approach is demanding, difficult, strenuous, and relentless. I agree with the review saying this approach is for the “perfection-obsessed parent,” I would add it is for the wrong focused, dysfuctional, perfection-obsessed parent.

“The Well-Trained Mind” will take away any love of learning from your child. And take away any love of teaching from you!

Homeschooling used to be about bringing your child home to teach them about God and His Word – this book has changed the homeschool focus on the greek philosophers and Shakespeare.

I pray God will open the bind eyes of those lusting after intelectualism and lead them to TRUE WISDOM of God! What good is Homer and Shakespeare to the soul?

Rating: 1 / 5

The author of this book hails the Greek philosophers (Homer, Thales, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle) as sources of wisdom and knowledge. These Greek thinkers, shunning God, came up with man-centered and mystical notions to define the world around them.

This Greek classical approach tends to compartmentalize the student concentrating on his academic ability but the Bible depicts man as a unified whole.

In this book Susan recommends a 6 week study on Homer for her elementary ages. What’s wrong with this picture? The Bible gets one page while the pagan Greek philosophers, and Greek gods are idolized over and over. Hello, Greek and Rome fell as a direct result of moral decay–and now you want to copy their education methods? Try looking at Hebrews- they sought the true God and true wisdom not gods and legends. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Col 2:8).

I understand many Christian homeschoolers are seeking structure and better ways but why are you looking to the Greek philosophers don’t have the answers. Try the Bible and books by Christian authors instead. The majority of the books on the “Great Books” classical list won’t be seen by my children. Yes we should read classics such as “Little Women,” “Pilgrims Progress,” “Little House on the Prairie,” etc. but stay away from the Greek gods and pagans.

In her newer book written for the secular audience, “The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had,” Susan Wise Bauer says, “The year I turned thirty, I decided to go back to graduate school Then What? The housework suffered and I missed Mulder’s departure [from the XFiles] but I found myself creating a whole new structure of meaning in my mind.” Should a Christian take book recommendations from someone that puts this much emphases on the Xfiles (science fiction/horror with a cult following)?????????

The classical method that was developed in ancient Greece and Rome and established in Europe in the middle ages, was used almost exclusively in the Western world until the 19th century. The main focus was reading the Greek and Roman classics; to be in touch with the literary arts marked one as accomplished. There can be no doubt that literary education is more whole, more human, and more satisfying than today’s modern scientific technological education. But is even literary education is enough? Good literature-Scott, Milton, Virgil- promotes courage insight, high morality, and imagination, but it can never do with the Bible does.

Under the Greek system learning begets goodness. Under the biblical system goodness begets learning. All non-Biblical education assumes man can become learned without God. Biblical education makes knowledge the foundation of learning. Pursuing knowledge without God is a recipe for disaster. We simply cannot and will not survive without clear moral direction.

Rating: 1 / 5

At the start of the book, the authors of “The Well-Trained Mind” complain that a “classical” education is out of style- in the ensuing 700 pages, they manage to illustrate exactly why. I can’t imagine the type of perfection-obsessed parent who would put their child through the sort of torture that Ms. Wise and Ms. Bauer deem to be the best education for a child. Their plan is demanding, unflinching, and doesn’t allow any breathing room for a child to discover her own individual talents or ideas. Instead, she is forced through a strict regiment of timed classes (60 minutes for history, 45 minutes for Latin- a language that the authors INSIST a child must take, even if they hate it, for at least two years, otherwise they will end up as total, absolute failures flipping burgers in McDonald’s-, an hour per week of fine music and art, etc). They insist that a child must listen to a piece of classical music three times and then crtiticize it, and they also heavily recommend beginning an advanced Algebra I in the 8th grade, something that many education specialists agree is too difficult and stressful for 13-14 year old students.

As a homeschooling parent to two children (a son aged 13 and a daughter age 6), I found myself cringing as I read this book, and my heart goes out to the poor children who are forced to adhere to the curriculum these authors put forth, without room for their own minds to flourish. “The Well-Trained Mind” is truly about shaping not only your child’s education, but the very root of your child’s mind, leaving them without any indepent thinking, any creativity, or any love of learning.

Please don’t have your child suffer through a classical education like the one Ms. Wise & Ms. Bauer have created.
Rating: 1 / 5