Logic & Rhetoric Philosophy

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Stonehaven's Upper School program is built upon a bold idea:
a character-transforming education founded upon intellectual pursuits that stir the soul.

Through a rigorous curriculum taught in a nurturing environment, we challenge our students toward intellectual pursuits that stir the soul. Charlotte Mason said, “The question is not, -- how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education -- but how much does he care?" Stonehaven’s goal for students is not solely to achieve excellent academic results but foremost to possess godly wisdom and Christian virtue.

A Stonehaven education teaches with the grain of a child. The most effective way to teach a six-year-old looks very different from how to best teach a sixteen-year-old. The Upper School program, driven by our classical philosophy, provides a unique form of education catered to the natural development of a child. The what, why, and how of our Upper School teaching philosophy focuses on three ideas.

Teaching Philosophy

Thinking

We train our students to think well. In Ephesians 4:14, the Apostle Paul encourages the followers of Christ to grow in their faith so that they will not be "tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." We are called to prepare students to stand firm in their Christian faith and respond effectively to the wisdom of the world. This focus on thinking is most prominent in seventh through twelfth grade. Across the curriculum we are challenging our children to think cohesively and carefully in support of their answers, opinions, and ideas.

Communicating

We are training our students to communicate, both orally and through written expression, in a manner that is winsome and persuasive. From math class to art class, students will learn how to articulate their thoughts and ideas. Rhetoric, the art of communication, is a primary focus in tenth through twelfth grade. In these classes students will intentionally practice the application of language.

Loving

We teach our students to love well. Plato said, "Education is teaching our children to desire the right things." Ultimately, knowing the right things is not sufficient. Our children must be trained to have an eye and a heart to pursue the true, good, and beautiful things of this world. We challenge our teachers, staff, and parents to embody a passionate and persevering pursuit of beauty. As our children leave our homes into adulthood, what do they find attractive? A Stonehaven education fosters a hunger for the enduring treasures of God’s kingdom rather than the fleeting pleasures of this world.