trivium education

The trivium is, of course, 3 (tri). The 3 basics of classical education--no, not the 3 Rs of reading, writing, and 'rithmetic--but 3 stages of learning

1. grammar
2. logic
3. rhetoric.

Logic is concerned with the thing as-it-is-known,Grammar is concerned with the
thing-as-it-is-symbolized, andRhetoric is concerned with the thing-as-it-is-communicated. [1]

The trivium is supposed to prepare you for the quadrivium, or higher education......

1. arithemetic
2. geometry
3. music
4. astronomy

From Wikipedia:

Morris Kline classifies the four elements of the quadrivium as pure (arithmetic), stationary (geometry), moving (astronomy) and applied (music) number.[1]
This schema is sometimes referred to as classical education, but it is more accurately a development of the 12th and 13th centuries with recovered classical elements, rather than an organic growth from the educational systems of antiquity. The term continues to be used by the classical education movement.[citation needed]

In classical education, it seems that the belief is kids begin learning in the "grammar" stage, moving on to "logical" and the asking and discovering of WHY around the 5th grade, then the high school "rhetoric" years. Read more about classical education here or:

http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/trivium.html
http://www.triviumpursuit.com/

Taken from Trivium Pursuit:

Ten things to do with Children before age 10
1. Reading & Writing
Intensive Phonics; Copywork; start English Language Notebook
2. Oral Narration
Daily
3. Memorization
Bible; poetry; passages of literature; Greek and/or Hebrew alphabet
4. Hearing & Listening
Read aloud 2 hours per day from a variety of fiction and nonfiction; start History Notebook; timeline
5. Family Worship
Family Bible study morning and evening using grammar level questions
6. Arts & Crafts
Provide the time, space, and materials; develop creativity
7. Field Trips & Library
Start learning elementary library research; investigate the world
8. Work & Service
Schedule for chores; visit nursing home, etc.
9. Discipline
First-time obedience
10. Play & Exploration
Develop the imagination

So--do we follow these? No, but I find them interesting and it's something I'm looking into. We bought the boxed curriculum and then found it to be too much. Yet I'm not disciplined enough to just fly by the seat of my pants and make up my own unit studies, etc. I really like the Trivium Pursuit e-newsletter and agree with the Classical Education I've heard so much about. It's OK if your 8year old can't multiply or even add/subtract or read--the classical educators seem to believe it's OK--they'll get it! Keep reinforcing ideas and then, around age 10 or so (logic stage), they'll just GET it! No pressure before then at all--relax, read, enjoy, play......what novel ideas :)