Living Nazareth uses a Classical Curriculum complete with Theology, Philosophy, Literature, Rhetoric, History, Government, Economics, Math, Science, Foreign Languages, Music, and several electives. The Theology/Philosophy class for each grade meets every day as well as the 9th grade foreign language class. All other classes meet every other day. The 9th grade curriculum is meant to introduce and refine necessary academic skills and reasoning which will serve students throughout their remaining years. The later years will build on this foundation for an in-depth study into particular topics. The goal all the while will be to teach students how to become life-long learners, developing the skills necessary to carry their learning and research outside the classroom, reason well from premises to the conclusions they logically entail (and recognizing fallacious conclusions), and to "put on the mind of Christ" so as to form right judgments about the world around them and within them.
We strive to have our English, History, and Theology/Philosophy classes overlap and integrate with each other so that students can constantly be exposed to the sapiential dimension of human knowledge and thus grow in true wisdom. These classes will make extensive use of several primary sources (including art) from the relevant periods to aid in this instruction and give students an intimate look into the people, places, and events being studied. Some of the authors we read include St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis de Sales, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Therese, St. John Chrysostom, Chesterton, Belloc, Lewis, Tolkien, Shakespeare, Dickens, Aristotle, Plato, Homer, Cicero, Dante, Dostoyevsky, Hugo, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Lincoln, just to name a few. Electives may include further exploration into any of the core subjects (an additional class in science, math, literature, etc.) or may be used to pursue other interests (sports, music, woodworking, etc.). Please see the outline below for more detailed class information (This outline is meant to provide a sense of the expected trajectory for the course of study for the average student. Every effort will be made to accommodate the schedule to best suit the needs of particular students):
Theology/Philosophy (Focus: Sacred Scripture and Epistemology)
Foreign Language I
Math (depending on student level)
Universal Science
History and Government (Focus: Ancient World)
English (Focus: Analysis, Synthesis, Research, Grammar, & Composition)
Theology/Philosophy (Focus: Creed, Sacraments, and Metaphysics)
Foreign Language II
Math (depending on student level)
Science (either Biology, Chemistry, or Physics)
History and Government (Focus: Early Christendom)
English (Focus: Literature and Poetry)
1 elective
Theology/Philosophy (Focus: Devout Life, Contemplative Theology, and Philosophical Anthropology)
Math (depending on student level)
Science (either Biology, Chemistry, or Physics)
History and Government (Focus: Revolutions in the West and Early American History)
English (Focus: Rhetoric, Debate, and Public Speaking)
Introduction to the Fine Arts
1 elective
Theology/Philosophy (Focus: Moral Theology, Ethics, and Apologetics)
History and Government (Focus: Modern Period and Economics)
English (Focus: Literature and Poetry)
4 electives