Curriculum Overview
We are committed to guiding our students through a sequence of study towards a defined end—to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
The Harbor curriculum is based on a classical philosophy of education, guided by a historical timeline that integrates all subjects and saturates students in a language-rich environment.
As a Christian school, we recognize that the end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, therefore our curriculum is designed to develop worshipers and members of the kingdom of Heaven.
As a classical school, we value time-tested methodologies and align our pedagogy with the traditional stages of learning that coincide with a child’s natural development. Our curriculum encourages students to go beyond knowledge and understanding in pursuit of wisdom and virtue.
As an urban school, we recognize that we are part of the story of God in a particular place and a particular time. Our curriculum is designed to unite a diverse student body around eternal truth and goodness as we rejoice in the beauty of our city and our community.
The Trivium
The Trivium (Latin for "three ways") applies a learning process where students gain knowledge first, then understanding, and finally, wisdom. This three-step process is evident in the unfolding of the classical Trivium, which divides learning into three stages: grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric. Grammar, like knowledge, encompasses the building blocks of information that must be learned or memorized for any given subject—the ABCs, if you will. Dialectic, like understanding, is the logical relationship between the information blocks mastered in Grammar. Then Rhetoric, like wisdom, is the goal. It is learning to apply Grammar and Dialectic in a beautiful, eloquent, and truthful fashion. We follow these three steps—grammar, dialectic (called 'logic' at HCA), and rhetoric—when learning any new subject. Although these three tools of learning can be applied throughout a lifetime, classical education aligns these steps with the natural developmental stages of children.
Grammar School
Kindergarten — 5th grade
In their early years children thrive on memorizing facts—a skill that often becomes drudgery to adults. HCA students in the Grammar Phase memorize hundreds of facts, everything from grammatical rules and math facts to bones of the body. Even at this stage, however, the goal of rhetoric remains in view; thus, we also encourage students to practice speaking in front of their classmates and to work on quality penmanship, among other things.
Logic School
6th — 8th grade
In the middle school years, students are ready to begin thinking for themselves and formulating their own opinions. We take advantage of this new-found interest and ability, teaching formal logic to help students test arguments to determine their validity and to organize their own thoughts in a logical way. We also incorporate debate as much as possible, to help students to learn to argue in a winsome and respectful way.
Rhetoric School
9th grade
Finally, students enter the Rhetoric Phase (their high school years), eager for self-expression. Students study formal rhetoric and learn to communicate with grace and polish. The culmination of the study of rhetoric is the Senior Thesis, a well-researched paper that explores a topic the student is passionate about and in which they take a stance. These papers are then presented to a panel of experts, who will then ask the student to defend their thesis through a series of questions.