A Time-Honored and Extraordinary Education

At Legacy, we understand that Christianity took root and grew to maturity in western civilization. Therefore in addition to other subjects, we teach ancient history, languages, theology, and philosophy. All subjects are studied in the light of Biblical Christianity and its impact on western culture. We recognize our cultural heritage is a gift from God. The time honored teaching method employed at Legacy is known as the trivium, which imparts the basic tools of learning to the student. The trivium is applied to every academic discipline, meaning every subject has its grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Becoming educated in any subject involves knowing its basic facts and principles (grammar), reasoning clearly concerning it (logic), and articulating it clearly and effectively (rhetoric). This three-phase model corresponds to the natural stages in child development, a classical model that for centuries has produced men and women of extraordinary achievement and intellect.

Christian Education

  • Instilling a Christian "worldview" so graduates literally hold every thought captive to Christ (e.g. 1 Corinthians 10:15).
  • Acknowledging God as the source and author of all truth and fostering this love and discernment of truth.
  • Teaching both the Old and New Testaments so students realize the purpose of life and education are found in them and they speak authoritatively.
  • Respecting that parents are their children's first and best teachers and embracing the idea of "loco parentis" (during the school day we serve temporarily in the place of parents).

    The real difference between Christian schools and all other education systems, public or private, must be traced back to its source in two antithetical world views: on the one hand, the world view that takes the living God, Creator, Revealer, and Redeemer, as its starting point, listening dependently to his revelation in Scripture, creation, and providence; and, on the other hand, the world view that explicitly or implicitly denies that the God of the Bible is the source of all reality and the measure of all truth. From these fundamental starting points all the surface characteristics that mark off Christian education from humanistic education flow (with varying degrees of consistency).
    ** Foundations of Christian Education, Louis Berkhof and Cornelius Van Til (Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co. 1991 Reprint)

    Classical Education

    • Teaching unity of knowledge rather than compartmentalization of disciplines.
    • Emphasizing the seven liberal arts.
    • Educating children with the methodology of the "trivium" that was used to instruct the greatest thinkers in Western civilization.
    • Reading the classic literature of Western civilization (i.e. "The Great Books).
    • Studying Latin and Greek to enhance vocabulary,  develop foundations for the study of other languages including English, increase access to knowledge in various disciplines, and to develop grammatical, analytical and rhetorical skills.
    • Teaching children to analyze and articulate in a logical manner within all disciplines, including the defense of the Christian faith.
    • Creating a love and passion for learning and developing the skills needed to build life-long self-learners.