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Trivium
Trivium is Latin for three ways or three paths. The Trivium consists of the first three members of the traditional Liberal Arts, or universal tools of learning: Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric, sometimes referred to as linguistic or language arts. The Trivium is also understood to refer to the threefold hierarchy of learning observed in classical schools. These serve as part of the foundation of our classical education model. These ways or modes of learning align with the natural development of children’s minds, guiding them from knowledge acquisition to understanding and, ultimately, wisdom.
Grammar
“The Art of Knowing”
In the Grammar mode, students learn the foundational tools of language and knowledge. Through memorization, chants, recitation, and hands-on learning, they internalize the essential facts of every subject. This phase develops accuracy in observation, precision in speech, and fluency in basic skills. It is the mode where the mind is most receptive to absorbing information—names, dates, definitions, and rules.
Logic
“The Art of Understanding”
The Logic mode builds on the foundation laid in the Grammar years. Students begin to ask “why,” developing skills in reasoning, analysis, and argument. They learn formal logic, analyze texts and ideas, and begin to form structured arguments. It is during this mode that they start to explore how ideas connect, interact, and conflict—laying the groundwork for deep comprehension and critical thinking.
Rhetoric
“The Art of Communicating”
The Rhetoric mode is the capstone of the Trivium. Here, students learn to express themselves clearly, gracefully, and persuasively. They refine their written and spoken communication through formal essays, debates, public speaking, and a senior thesis project. It is the point at which the student’s knowledge and reasoning mature into wisdom and eloquence—able not only to understand what is true, but to communicate it effectively and with conviction.
“Grammar is the art of inventing symbols and combining them to express thought; logic is the art of thinking; and rhetoric is the art of communicating thought from one mind to another, the adaptation of language to circumstance."”
Sister Miriam JosephAuthor of The Trivium