While schools may adopt different forms, the commitment to classical education is marked by certain common elements:
- Commitment to a liberal, or general curriculum, rather than a narrow approach or one where students can evade issues;
- Explicit or implicit recognition of the trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric) and the quadrivium (abstract thought, aesthetic appreciation, empirical inquiry, spatial relationships);
- Integration of all curriculum elements, with unified, cumulative learning;
- Appreciation of the past for its achievements, not denigration or nostalgia;
- Cultivation of interest in first principles and ultimate purposes in religion and philosophy;
- Inculcation of wisdom and virtue in preparation for adult responsibilities and citizenship;
- Viewing schools as communities of learning, not only making demands on students but also inspiring them;
- The ultimate purpose of the heavy workloads, the strict discipline, the drills, and constant questioning is to open the mind to truth and creative, independent thought.
