What Is a Classical Liberal Arts Education — And Why Do People Choose It?

Pauline Rivera
Oct 20
7 min read

Updated: Oct 23

In a world dominated by specialization, standardized testing, and ever-shifting skills demands, the idea of a “classical liberal arts education” often sounds nostalgic or countercultural.

Yet for many families, educators, and thinkers, it offers something timeless: a formation of mind, character, and civic virtue that prepares students not just for a job, but for a life of wisdom.

In this article, we’ll explore what classical liberal arts education means, what its advantages are, and how schools like Northfield Academy in Wichita, Kansas put its principles into practice.

What Is a Classical Liberal Arts Education?

Origin & Definition

The term “liberal arts” comes from the Latin liberalis (“appropriate to a free person”) and ars (“skill” or “art”) — originally denoting the education suitable for free citizens (versus slaves) in the ancient world. Over time, it came to include a set of essential disciplines intended to cultivate free, informed, and virtuous citizens.

In the classical tradition, education is not just about acquiring technical skills, but shaping the whole person — intellect, moral character, and the ability to engage in reasoned discourse about truth, goodness, and beauty.

Trivium & Quadrivium (and Beyond)

Classical liberal arts models often use the Trivium and Quadrivium as organizing principles:

Trivium — grammar, logic, rhetoricThe Trivium is often understood not merely as separate subjects, but as stages or modes of learning: grammar (learning the basics, vocabulary, structure), logic (thinking critically, analyzing), and rhetoric (expressing, persuading, conveying ideas).
Quadrivium — arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, musicIn medieval curricula, the Quadrivium built from the Trivium to study numerical, spatial, harmonic, and cosmic relations.

Many modern classical schools adapt these frameworks, combining them with literature, history, science, languages, theology, and the arts. The focus is on depth, continuity (the “Great Conversation” of ideas across history), and cultivating habits of thinking.

Key Features & Philosophical Commitments

A few hallmarks of classical liberal arts education include:

Primary focus on the Great Books, timeless texts, and the history of ideas
Sequential, integrated curriculum — each discipline reinforces others
Low-tech / contemplative environment — emphasis on face-to-face dialogue, writing, Socratic discussion, minimal distraction from devices
Emphasis on character, virtue, and intellectual formation (not just skills)
Intergenerational or mixed-age conversation — students engage deeply across grades and with historical voices
Long view of education — preparation not just for tests or jobs, but for a thoughtful life

Why Do People Choose a Classical Liberal Arts Education?

Though it’s less common than mainstream schooling models, classical liberal arts education has a strong and growing following. Here are some of the motivations behind it:

1. Intellectual Rigor & Depth

Families often praise the rich, integrated curriculum — rather than fragmented courses or “skills units,” students travel through the same great works (Plato, Augustine, Dante, Shakespeare, Newton, etc.) over time, building depth and continuity.

2. Formation of Thinking Habits & Character

Proponents believe that teaching how to think (not just what) is more enduring. The Trivium, in particular, is seen as a formation of minds — not just content delivery. Also, classical education often explicitly integrates virtue, moral reasoning, humility, and wisdom as educational aims.

3. Enduring Relevance

Because classical content is drawn from perennial texts and questions, advocates argue it resists the fads and fluctuations of career trends. The capacity to interpret, reason, and “read the world” becomes more valuable as society changes.

4. Less Reliance on Technology & Distraction

Many classical schools minimize or restrict devices and distractions so that students learn to focus, think deeply, and engage face-to-face. This “low-tech” posture is appealing in an age of screen saturation.

5. Community, Conversation & Belonging

Classical environments often foster close-knit communities of learners, where dialogue, Socratic discussion, and joint intellectual pursuit are central. Students don’t just absorb facts — they join a conversation of centuries.

6. College Preparedness + Beyond

Because classical liberal arts education trains students in reading, writing, logic, and moral reasoning, many proponents argue graduates are well-prepared for any field — humanities, sciences, law, medicine, etc. The habit of thinking clearly transfers well across disciplines.

Spotlight: Northfield Academy (Northfield School of the Liberal Arts)

Let’s see how a real school puts these principles into practice.

Who They Are & Mission

Northfield Academy (Northfield School of the Liberal Arts) in Wichita, Kansas, is a classical liberal arts middle and high school committed to cultivating wisdom, virtue, and wonder. Their motto is Nascantur in Admiratione (“Let them be born in wonder”).

They aim “to provide a well-rounded, classical liberal arts education … upholding the traditions of classical education while preparing students for the demands of the 21st century.”

What Makes Their Approach Distinctive

Deep Dive Courses + Monthly Focus| At Northfield, beyond year-long math, language, and composition, students take “Deep Dive” courses: classes that run intensively for a month but cover material more deeply than a typical semester class.
Low-Tech, Intentional Environment The school emphasizes a learning environment free of modern distractions: they restrict or ban phone use during school hours, encouraging students to engage in dialogue, reading, and presence.
Access to College Classes Because Northfield is located close to Friends University, upperclassmen (11th and 12th graders) have the option to take college-level classes in the mornings.
Integrated & Rich Curriculum Their classes cover a range of literature, history, science, arts, and philosophy. Some sample offerings include The Tempest, Survey of the Invertebrate World, Stars, Geography of the Middle East, Human Anatomy – Nervous System, and Capstone Theatre & Drama.

How Northfield Illustrates the Benefits

Because of their deep dives and emphasis on dialogue, students engage with ideas more intimately, giving time for reflection and insight.
The low-tech environment models focus, discipline, and face-to-face discourse over passive consumption.
The option to take college classes helps students bridge between rigorous liberal arts preparation and real academic advancement.
Their emphasis on character, virtue, and intellectual formation shows how classical education is more than academic—it’s about cultivating a life of thought and purpose.

Challenges, Critiques & Considerations

Even as classical liberal arts education has ardent advocates, it also faces challenges and criticisms:

Accessibility & Cost: many classical schools are private and may require tuition; ensuring broad access can be difficult.
Perceived Irrelevance: critics sometimes argue classical models neglect modern skills like coding, technology, or vocational training.
Teacher Preparation: finding or training teachers who can teach deep classic material and lead Socratic discussion can be demanding.
Curricular Balance: balancing the weight of ancient and classical texts with necessary modern knowledge (e.g. current science, global contexts) can be delicate.
Cultural Relevance: ensuring that classical texts and Western tradition are engaged critically, inclusively, and in culturally sensitive ways.

Many classical schools address these by integrating contemporary science, encouraging critical perspectives on tradition, and offering financial aid.

How Northfield Academy Responds

At Northfield Academy, these challenges are met with intentionality, creativity, and community support.

Affordability & Access: Northfield works diligently to keep tuition accessible—currently $6,000 per year—and partners with organizations like ACE Scholarships, which cover up to half of tuition for many students. For others, generous sponsors and supporters help ensure no student is turned away for financial reasons.

Relevance in a Modern World: Far from being outdated, a liberal arts education has never been more relevant. As society navigates rapid technological change, social division, and constant distraction, the liberal arts call us to slow down, seek wisdom, and become more deeply human. Students learn to pursue the Good, the True, and the Beautiful—developing habits of attention, virtue, and meaningful relationship that ground them amid cultural turbulence.

Teacher Formation & Community: Northfield benefits from a strong tradition and community of educators inspired by the liberal arts. Teachers regularly participate in continuing education opportunities—from Northfield Educational Resource Center’s Great Books lectures led by Stan Cox to regional and national gatherings like the Eighth Day Institute and the CiRCE Institute. More than credentials, Northfield seeks teachers with a posture of lifelong learning and a love for truth.

Cultural & Curricular Balance: Studying the great ideas of the past does not mean ignoring the present. Northfield’s classrooms make space for current scientific discoveries, world events, and thoughtful engagement with modern questions. By examining history’s patterns and voices, students gain the distance and perspective needed to understand today’s challenges with humility and wisdom.

In Practice: Whether through classroom dialogue, community discussion, or quiet study, Northfield cultivates attention, empathy, and communication—skills vital for both civic life and spiritual formation. The result is a school culture that honors timeless truths while remaining vibrantly connected to the world students will lead and serve.

Practical Tips for Exploring or Starting a Classical Liberal Arts Program

Study the Great Books & Core Texts: create a reading list of classic works from philosophy, literature, theology, science.
Adopt the Trivium as a Framework: design grammar, logic, rhetoric phases in learning progression.
Use Socratic Dialogue & Discussion: teachers facilitate inquiry rather than lecturing alone.
Limit Distractions: reduce excessive use of screens or devices in class settings.
Integrate Across Disciplines: show connections between history, literature, mathematics, theology, and science.
Start with “Mini-Classics” in a Subject: you might pilot a “Great Books” elective or reading circle before overhauling full curriculum.
Recruit or Train Teachers Who Love Ideas: look for instructors who are readers, thinkers, and facilitators.
Foster Community & Conversation: build bonds through shared reading, meals, discussion, mentoring across grades.

Conclusion

A classical liberal arts education stands apart from many contemporary models not because it is nostalgic, but because it is enduring. Its focus on cultivating the habits of thinking, developing virtue, and joining the conversation of great ideas gives students not only knowledge, but a formation of mind and heart.

Schools like Northfield Academy show how this vision can be lived: combining deep inquiry, low-tech focus, and rigorous integration across disciplines. While it demands commitment, its aim is ambitious: not only forming scholars, but forming thoughtful, virtuous human beings capable of contributing meaningfully to the culture.