Academics
Why Classical Education?
It is the responsibility of the parent to train up a child in the way he should go. This encompasses all areas of life including education. Teaching a child how to think, rather than what to think, is essential in this pursuit. To learn how to evaluate statements, to put them in context, and to determine if they are logical and true are skills that can and should be fostered in students. These skills are extremely important for Christians. We strive to prepare students to be adults who can reason and remain strong in their beliefs, no matter what the world may have in store.
We believe that God is apparent in all of His creation. For this reason, DCS (Davenport Christian School) uses an integrated approach to education. Biblical teaching is woven throughout all the curriculum and classroom instruction. Science focuses on the extreme order, creativity, and beauty that God designed in all nature. Art and language classes are filtered with the view that God loves beauty. In Literature class, discussions of the motivations and world view of the characters are compared to Biblical principles.
This integrated approach, along with a classical method of teaching, sets DCS apart from more traditional schools. Based on a student's brain development, Classical education has a long, rich record of success in Western tradition. The three stages of learning (Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric) make up this trivium.
The Trivium
Davenport Christian School has developed its standards of practice and its curriculum on this foundation. The curriculums were chosen to best serve the stages of learning and will be taught in a classical manner. The classical method of teaching focuses on helping the children discover answers rather than just being told. This is accomplished through asking questions and ensuring equal participation in class from all students.
Grammar Stage (K-6th)
Kindergarten through 6th grade is dedicated to building a foundation of learning. This includes building skills in reading, writing, handwriting, math, and a love of knowledge. This phase focuses on memorization and learning of facts and the histories that have shaped our world.
Logic Stage (7th-8th)
In the seventh and eighth grades, the focus is on building linear thinking, critical thinking and logical skills. This includes learning how to dissect an argument and determine its validity along with asking meaningful questions. Memorized facts take on new life as the students discover connections in their learning journey. This is achieved through analyzing and then applying lessons learned in literature to scenarios within their own experience.
Rhetoric Stage (9-12th)
Ninth through twelfth grades build off the knowledge and skills learned in the grammar and logic phases. Students begin to take known facts, compile them, and create their own thoughts and viewpoints. Debate and persuasion is a primary focus during these years. This prepares students to defend their beliefs, as well as reason through what other people believe. This is essential to prepare students to live as Christian soldiers in a fallen world.
Curriculum
A Rigorous Foundation: We use time-tested "engines" for our core skills. Our early literacy is built on the intensive Abeka Phonics method, ensuring every child becomes a confident reader.
Mathematics: Abeka math, is perfect for building a math base. The mastery of basic math skills is foundational for the deep thinking of Saxon Math in later grades
The Art of Language: We begin with Abeka phonics program and Institute for Excellence in Writing as foundational material. As students grow, we transition into the Classical Academic Press Suite. Through Well-Ordered Language (Grammar) and Writing & Rhetoric, students don't just memorize rules; they learn to analyze the logic of a sentence and the beauty of a story. We move beyond worksheets to "Choral Analysis" and Socratic discussion. By twelfth grade, they will write a Senior Thesis.
At our institution, we believe that education is more than a checklist of subjects; it is the cultivation of a soul. By immersing our students in a Curriculum of Beauty, we provide them with the "Keys to the Kingdom" of Western civilization. Through the study of Latin and Greek, students master the foundations of language and science. Logic In the middle school years, we transition from the "what" to the "why" by introducing the study of Logic. Through “The Art of Argument”, our students become "detectives of truth," learning to spot logical fallacies in the world around them.
The Arts Our school places emphasis on studying classical forms of art. This includes both visual and musical pursuits. Art is not viewed in a vacuum but through the lens that God loves beautiful things. Each piece and theme is examined through the time period in which it was created. We light a fire for discovery, helping students see the interconnectedness of history, literature, and the arts.
History:
The American Narrative DCS believes history is a story, not a list of dates. We utilize "Living Books"—vivid, narrative biographies and historical accounts—to walk students through the American Experience from 1776 to the 1850s. This inspires a sense of civic virtue and a connection to the heroes and pioneers who shaped our nation.
Ancient history We believe ancient history and the study of Greece and Rome provide a great framework for understanding Western civilization. We use a textbook, projects, “Living Books” and Socratic discussion as we wrestle with history and how it shapes the world we live in today.
The Humanities: Students explore a wide variety of subjects including: American history, Civics, Government, Literature, World History, Western Cultural Histories, and Geography. Science: God is apparent through the beauty and organization throughout his creation. In elementary school, we use Berean Builder, a sister version of Apologia Science. The Apologia science curriculum is used throughout the upper grades. God's glory is revealed through the complexities of biology, chemistry, and anatomy.