Covenant School

The Covenant School is based on the teachings of the Word of God -- the Bible. True wisdom is impossible without recognition of God. God, the creator of heaven and earth, cannot be separated from history, literature, mathematics, science, or any other academic discipline. All knowledge is integrated with God at the center.

In addition, we believe that the primary responsibility of education rests with the parents to whom children are entrusted by God. It is Covenant's aim to assist, not replace Christian parents in the education of their children.

Covenant was founded on the belief that educational methodology must be time-tested, agreeable to the student, and effective in producing critical thinking skills. For these and many other reasons, Covenant has adopted the "classical" method of education.

The classical method is centered in the rich cultural heritage of Western civilization and provides a rich and rigorous training. Developed in the Middle Ages and used almost exclusively in the Western world, the classical tradition has proven its effectiveness through the leaders who shaped our culture from the 10th to the 19th centuries.

The classical method consists of three stages known collectively as the Trivium. The first stage, grammar, provides the foundation of knowledge upon which the other two stages build. This knowledge consists of the basic facts of any particular subject. The second stage, dialectic, provides training in logic as a means to identify the relationships between the facts. The third stage, rhetoric, teaches students how to clearly express their thoughts and ideas.

A consistent and thoughtful implementation of the Trivium over the course of twelve years of schooling enables students to develop the skills and habits necessary for them to learn independently, think critically, analyze logically, and express clearly.

The classical approach to education at Covenant is influenced by the work of Charlotte Mason, a nineteenth century English schoolmistress. Ms. Mason successfully fought for the inclusion of Christian principles into the education of her day.

Her ideas, taken from her extensive writings, include respecting the mind of the child by choosing quality literature, viewing education as an atmosphere and a discipline, employing narration in the teaching of history and literature, and holding nature study classes to help students develop an appreciation for God's creation.

Those who would like to learn more about our philosophy of education can do so by reading Douglas Wilson's book Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning and Susan Schaeffer Macaulay's For the Children's Sake.