Seasonal change is good for the soul.
This time of year, the subtle signs of change are upon us. We begin to notice earlier sunsets, a chill in the air, and the stunning transformation of green leaves into brighter yellows and oranges alongside deepening purples and reds. We may observe and feel that the change inherent in each natural season provides a steady, reliable rhythm to our world. Each season brings with it a unique beauty and order that we can set our internal clocks to and experience consistency within this familiar and welcome change. Just as the natural environment teaches us to find joy in seasonal transformations, a beautiful, well-ordered school environment provides a transformative effect on the minds and hearts of the students it serves.
Settling back into the school year.
Back-to-school season offers a similar, recognizable cadence that your family has likely settled into once again. The start of a new school year offers a renewed sense of order and routine, which, when done well, offers its own necessary transformational experiences in a more structured way, right when families need it most.
We are embodied humans!
At the heart of classical education lies a deep understanding that we are embodied humans – we are beautifully human – and that children shine in an environment rich with purposeful order that encourages discovery, growth, and joy. While summer provides a warm boon from a vigorous school year, the reliable routine of returning to the classroom each fall reminds us of the need for order once more. As necessary as the change in the natural seasons, this summertime-schooltime transition satisfies our beautifully human need for ebb and flow.
Order allows children to flourish.
But why is this seasonal routine-restoration vital to a developing child? While unstructured play is critical for a child’s progress in problem-solving, creativity, and fostering independence, a complimentary, well-ordered environment provides the consistency and reliability that children need to flourish. Children benefit from a beautifully organized space, while learning to have an organized mind, forming good life-long habits, and developing a deep understanding of how to care for oneself and fellow classmates. This environment yields a fertile foundation from which students grow in self-governance, freedom, and joy.
The return of scholastic order.
The seasons are beautifully ordered by the natural world. As classical educators, we believe that an orderly scholastic environment is both the aim and the result of principle-based instruction that focuses on the development of moral character and civic virtue in tandem with academic growth. All of which are necessary for a student to thrive in all seasons of life.
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