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The classical K-12 school culminates in the “Rhetoric” stage—the years of high school. Though rhetorical skills are introduced and practiced at every level, the high school student receives extensive practice in the skills and art of rhetoric: writing, discussion, speaking publicly. It is in the latter years of high school that rhetorical skills are polished. In addition, the emphasis in the high school years includes a focus on the highest level of thinking: analysis, assessment, discernment, prediction, criticism, formulating hypotheses, deduction, design and execution, synthesis, among others. The rhetoric student engages in much discussion, experimentation, creative work, and defense of ideas. The senior student writes a capstone persuasive paper called the thesis and presents the key ideas and defends his/her work articulately. The classically educated student who has been well grounded in biblical truth also learns how to defend his/her faith not only with eloquence and clarity but with truth seasoned with boldness and grace.
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