What is Tall Oaks' Educational Philosophy?
TOCS uses the Christ-centered and classical philosophy of education and teaching methodology set forth in Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning by Douglas Wilson. This approach to education is inherently different than offered in schools established, controlled, and developed by those who hold to non-Biblical, humanistic philosophies. At all its levels, programs, and teachings, TOCS seeks to:
- Teach all subjects as parts of an integrated whole with the Scriptures at the center. (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Provide a clear model of Biblical Christian life through its staff and Board. (Matthew 22:37-40).
- Encourage every child in the development and maintaining of his relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20).
- Emphasize grammar, logic, and rhetoric in all subjects.
- Encourage every student to develop a love for learning and to achieve his academic potential.
- Provide an orderly and disciplined atmosphere conducive to the attaining of these goals.
Comparison of Educational Approaches
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| Classical Christian Education | Modern Education |
| Christ-centered education | Man-centered education |
| Original documents based | Textbook based |
| Education for formation | Education for information |
| Development of critical thinking - "Why?" | Development for correct procedures - "How?" |
| Emphasis on true, good, and beautiful | Emphasis on politically correct |
| Integrated interdisciplinary learning | Fragmented and disjointed learning |
| Latin taught as a core requirement | Latin taught as an elective |
| Appreciation of western civilization | Critique of Western Civilization |
| Humanities and fine arts emphasis | Techno-rational emphasis |
| Requires the student to learn how to learn | Requires the student to learn how to pass tests |
| Mastery as working to one's fullest potential | Mastery as measured by test grades |
| Lifelong love of learning as the ultimate goal | Graduation as the ultimate goal |
| Truth is objective, knowable, and absolute | Self-actualization, achieving personal peace & affluence |
| Parents as primary educators | Teachers as primary educators |