Join A Community
Learn more about our community of home school co-operatives
a South African community of independent home school co-operatives
Grace & Truth Co-Op started as a group of families in Johannesburg who pooled our resources and skills in order to disciple our children and prepare them for university and life with a Classical Christian Education.
We recently launched our new online platform, helping to make classical Christian education accessible to families across South Africa. Our primary school students learn to love learning by reading great literature and doing enriching activities together. Our high school students read the classics which shaped Western Civilisation. They discuss, debate, write and speak beautifully. They graduate with an American High School Diploma, a biblical worldview and leadership skills for life! Our teachers motivate students and share the load with parents. In 2024 we are expanding as we start to bring together a community of independent campuses working together across the whole of South Africa.
Pretoria is now also open for registration for 2024 with more areas to follow!
“Education is the process of selling someone on books. ”
Douglas Wilson
Course Modes
The Grace & Truth co-ops consists of various methods of teaching. These include the following, where available:
IN-PERSON: Families meet once a week on a Friday for in-person classes at the different campuses. Classes are facilitated by a parent-teacher, who also does the marking and grading where applicable.
LIVE ONLINE: In these courses teachers and students meet together in real time for an interactive learning experience. Classes are limited to 15 students for maximum participation. Students complete assignments outside of class throughout the week in preparation for the live class meetings. Teachers do all the marking and grading. We require 4 students registered to open a class.
COACHED: The student joins a class on Canvas, watches videos and uploads their work for review. A co-op teacher will give deadlines and do the marking. There are no live interactive classes but the coach is available to answer questions.
YOU TEACH: You as a parent are responsible to teach and mark this course and supply the registrar with grades in June and December. For physical education just make sure that they have put in the required amount of hours for a credit.
SELF-PACED: These online courses have automated grading. Parents are responsible to monitor student progress and report grades to registrar when course is completed.
Educational Stages in Classical Education
The Trivium is the foundation of a Classical Education and comprises three time-tested phases of learning. Phase 1 – the Grammar Stage teaches young children knowledge, Phase 2 – the Logic Stage teaches teens understanding and Phase 3 – the Rhetoric Stage teaches young adults wisdom.
The Three Stages of the Trivium
These three stages of learning interact, each one with the other, and complements the way that God created children to learn. Without knowledge there can be no understanding or wisdom. Knowledge and understanding are likewise necessary if there is to be wisdom.
Stage 1 – Grammar
At this stage, young children are naturally inquisitive and are both willing and able to memorize and recite lots of material. It’s at this age when we help our children absorb tremendous amounts of information with historical and biblical timelines as well as master language with Latin – the Swiss Army Knife of languages – once you know Latin, learning many other languages becomes much easier. We also teach math basics – engrain a math fact in your mind once, you’ll know it forever!
Stage 2 – Logic
As children grow older, children typically become argumentative. At the Logic Stage is when we teach our children how to think and how to argue using logic. We teach children how things relate to each other – cause and effect. While they’re learning to reason, we also emphasize the teaching of writing. They need to be more than just orators after all, right?
Stage 3 – Rhetoric
Teaching a child (who is prone to argue) a better way to argue may seem dangerous. Thankfully, they grow out of that stage and move into the Rhetoric Stage, where they become more concerned about how they are perceived. At this stage children are taught Rhetoric and how to communicate winsomely and effectively. This is the final stage of the Trivium. Here children bring the knowledge they learned at the Grammar and Logic Stages and learn how to solve difficult problems, become self-aware, and express what they actually think through speech, papers or in groups.
Teachers
Our teachers consist of moms and dads, educators and more ….. more details coming soon!
