Great Books Approach
Reading the Great Books: Literature That Transforms
The Roman statesman Cicero famously said that once his books had been arranged, his home gained its soul.
At SBCA, our curriculum centers on reading the great books. From beloved children’s literature like Charlotte’s Web and the Chronicles of Narnia to ancient classics such as Homer’s Odyssey and Sophocles’ Antigone, students in a classical school engage with deeply enriching texts and explore the timeless themes of humanity. Within the great books approach, subjects are interconnected and taught together so students can see how ideas relate across history, literature, science, and more. When students learn Geometry, they read along with Euclid. When studying the Federalist papers, they explore the ancient history and philosophy that inspired them. As they study Calculus, students will read passages from Isaac Newton’s Principia Mathematica. This method fosters a deeper, more coherent understanding of the world and its history.
