The Classical Showcase at Faith highlights how students—even as young as four—develop confidence, articulation, and strong communication skills through memorization and recitation. More than academic training, these experiences shape students’ hearts and minds, helping them see Christ in their learning and preparing them for future opportunities in school, work, and life.

“Confidence, articulation, and expression,” shared senior Owen Matthews, are three of the valuable skills resulting from the practice of recitation. He recently shared these words at our Classical Showcase, where lower school students, starting as young as age four, recite from memory: poems, verses, history chants, grammar, jingles, and more.

As young children, they may not yet understand the importance of standing on stage, demonstrating proper eye contact, or recalling and reciting information, but as Mr. Matthews also personally shared, “I didn’t fully understand the purpose of these experiences until I began to rely on their benefits throughout my time at Faith and even outside of school.” The skills practiced and lessons learned through special events like Classical Showcase will translate to preparation for assignments in later years, such as senior thesis, college applications, job interviews, and success far beyond their time at Faith. But we believe there is more…

Much more. If you were fortunate enough to attend Classical Showcase this year, you were likely moved by the junior kindergarten students sharing their liturgy, “The Art Prayer,” which they recite before each art class. You were probably astonished that first graders could articulate the difference between Hymenoptera and Hemiptera in their insect poem and how God uniquely designed these small creatures. Like many, you may have teared up watching our third-grade students individually step forward, announcing that Jesus died for them (specifically) following the reciting of John 3:16. Perhaps you were impressed by our fifth-grade class reciting John 1:1-14 in English, followed by singing verses 1-7 from the same passage in Latin. Our students are not only memorizing facts and honing key skills, but their hearts are also being formed and shaped by the content in and practice of these recitations. In addition, the integration of subjects in each demonstration led the audience through a small glimpse of the power of the Christian Classical Education model.

Our ultimate aim is to help our students see Christ in all facets of their learning and life! Through experiences we provide, such as Classical Showcase, we at Faith are leading and transforming our students’ hearts to know and understand God’s glory in every aspect of their world.

Jeremy Tipton
Head of Lower School, Faith Christian School