Classical learning supports a Christ-centered education in our experience. Unlike modern educational philosophies, classical education is committed to the pursuit of truth, virtue, and the acquisition of wisdom. The classical Greek and Roman understanding of education as a process that forms the whole person is consistent with the biblical understanding of learning that guides us, for example, to give all diligence to add to our faith qualities of virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity (2 Peter 1:5-7). Classical education does not take a value-neutral stance. Rather, truth-guided values are considered central for learning and insight. Instead of solely basing our understanding of the world on our experience, classical education recognizes that we must learn from the wisdom and failures of the past, including the wisdom of Christian thinkers — from St. Augustine to John Bunyan to C.S. Lewis — who have contributed to the great body of Christian literature. 

We are inspired by the example of William Tyndale whose classical education included fluency in Greek, Latin, and four other languages and led to the development of exceptional precision and beauty with words. His commitment to truth motivated him to risk and, ultimately, lose his life for the aim of providing the Scriptures to all English-speaking people in their native tongue. He did this with such excellence that he is considered the Father of modern English.

Tyndale Christian School carries on the classical tradition, sharing a devotion to the development of virtue, an appreciation of the insights gained by reading the great works of the past, a commitment to the study of language, including Latin, and benefitting from a pathway of learning that involves the trivium and quadrivium.

A classical educator from late-nineteenth-century England influences our view of how students learn best. She emphasized that children reflect the image of God, possessing a highly relational nature and bearing the responsibility and dignity of being moral agents. Her ideas inspire the following in our school.

Discovery of Living Ideas: Through teaching, writing, and modeling, we communicate facts together with “living ideas” (those that are revealing of truth and goodness) that grow and bear fruit in a student’s life.

Cultivation of Good Habits: "I am, I can, I ought, I will" is the language Charlotte Mason offers children to express the power of habit for character formation. We emphasize developing such habits as kindness, listening, attentiveness, respect, order, and follow-through.

Impressing Values Through Atmosphere: While words matter a great deal, what matters most is often expressed by other means. We work to build a warm, beautiful, and good atmosphere and believe, like Charlotte Mason, that this is essential for whole-person formation.

Tools of Learning: We emphasize short lessons in the early years to develop full attention and focus, ultimately strengthening students' ability for deep work and rewarding learning over a lifetime. Through nature study, students become careful observers, able to distinguish detail, accurately measure, and inquisitively discover, laying a foundation for a lifetime of delight in and stewardship of God's world. Narration, dictation, recitation, and literature, picture, and composer study develop skills of expression and love for what is true and beautiful.

We attract and train gifted teachers who believe in and are committed to Christ-centered expression of knowledge and learning and develop classroom practices in keeping with our commitment to Charlotte Mason and classical methodologies.

We inculcate exceptional study habits and challenge students to use and develop their God-given gifts to their highest potential to the glory of God alone and in humble service to others.

Our curriculum provides a challenging pace, guiding students to consistently offer their very best. We value each student to strive toward his or her next level of ability because we value progress over static measurements of percentage marks and grade levels.

Our curriculum philosophy is rooted in the biblical understanding that all knowledge is revealed in Christ and, therefore, has coherence and meaning. We shape each grade level’s courses so that students apprehend the natural relationships between subjects.