Princeton Latin Academy--A Classical Education in a Private School Setting

The word curriculum comes from the Latin word currere which means “to flow” as in the flow of a river. The Magistri of Princeton Latin Academy are the navigators of your child’s boat which sails on the river of knowledge. Though a mentor guides your child, only the child’s volition and urgency to know can move the boat forward. The child holds the oars. It is this sacred relationship between mentor and student that permits progress in education.

PLA Classical Education Curriculum

|Art & Music| |Rhetoric|

Latin & Ancient Greek: A classical education by its very definition is the study of the two classical languages: Latin and ancient Greek. These two ancient languages, in no cursory way, are studied from kindergarten and up. They are the raison d’etre of the Academy. It is from this well of languages that our Western Culture springs. The history of knowledge is embedded in their very vocabulary. The analysis of both languages serves as a springboard to a greater understanding of etymology and syntax. Beyond their pragmatic value for spelling, vocabulary and grammar development, they are the languages of the greatest works of world literature: The Bible, The Iliad and The Aeneid, just to name a few. The Renaissance, the revival of these two great languages with their works, ushered in the age of the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century. Their place in the history of knowledge is undeniable; therefore, they remain a sine-qua-non of a truly educated person.

Grades K-2 Latin Vocabulary, Greek Alphabet

Grades 3-8 Latin Grammar, Greek Grammar

Grades 7-8 Latin Grammar & Translation, Greek Grammar & Translation

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Syntax: The Academy, along with the analysis of language in the study of Latin and ancient Greek, offers intense courses in English syntax and grammar. The phonemes of the English language are clearly taught so that the child may decipher the graphemes of the language more accurately. The morphology of the language is inductively built up leading to the understanding of syntax and grammar. Such an approach enables the child to decode and sustain ideas written in compound-complex sentences. The greatest works of literature are written not in trite simple sentences. The crisis in education stems from the loss of knowledge of syntax and grammar. The Academy prides itself as the school with a linguistic curriculum that ensures the child’s future in a higher-educational setting. To know how to write a sentence is a lost skill in most schools– the basic skill of an educated person.

Grades K-2 Phonics, Grammar

Grades 3-8 Syntax

Grades 7-8 Syntax, Essay Writing

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Mathematics: Mathematics is the language of science, of which arithmetic is the alphabet and words. Just as a child should know his abc’s, he should know his 123’s: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and percents. Algebra is its simple grammar, preparing the child for the higher syntax of geometry, trigonometry and calculus.. Like other languages, mathematics is an abstraction with structure and logic; therefore, any pedagogical approach to the subject should not emphasize the concrete and immediate, but rather should reveal the step-by-step process of arriving at the relationship of numbers in and of themselves, creating a world of ideas beyond what is perceived.

Grades K-2 Arithmetic

Grades 3-8 Arithmetic, Algebra

Grades 7-8 Geometry & Trigonometry

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Science: Science is the mystery of the physical universe being slowly unraveled. An attitude of awe, which is connatural to the child, must be duly and pedagogically preserved in the presentation of this subject, for the unknown is greater than the known. The domain of the intellect is neutral territory, in which any idea, theory or hypothesis may be discussed. The very word science comes from the Latin word scire, which means “to know”. The student is introduced to the wonderful world of science. The vocabulary of this subject and basic ideas are stressed at this level of education.

Grades K-2 Earth Science

Grades 3-8 Life Science

Grades 7-8 Biology, Chemistry & Physics

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Philosophy: The world lives out the thoughts of thinkers. The progress of man depends upon positive thinkers and his demise upon negative ones. We are in an age of conflict between both. . It is important for the child from an early age to be thinking about what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, the student is introduced to the study of philosophy in the sixth grade. Basic philosophic ideas and philosophers are covered. As the emphasis in education has turned toward mathematics and science, it is important that the child in his education be faced with the larger questions of ontology and ethics An educated person knows that there is a physical explanation of the world as well as a metaphysical one.

Grades K-2

Grades 3-8

Grades 7-8 Introduction to Philosophy

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Literature: The junior student in the lower grades learns and acts out the great Greek and Roman myths; thereby creating a database for future metaphors in literature, art and music. The student in the third, fourth and fifth grades is introduced to reading great works of fiction. It is essential that the child learn to read language above his own linguistic skill. In the sixth grade, the student begins the study of British literature. The English language, the language of the United States, is rich in works of fiction, poetry and biographies. It is valuable for the student to have a cursory knowledge of all the great authors of our endowed language.

Grades K-2 Mythology, Reading Skills

Grades 3-8 British Literature, Poetry

Grades 7-8 American Literature, Poetry

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History: The Academy student begins the study of world history in the third grade. This subject establishes the basis upon which the child’s knowledge of the world is formed. It is imperative for any educated person to know the events, facts, dates and ideas that give meaning to our present-day situation. American history is studied in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades.

Grades K-2 History of the U.S. Presidents, History of New Jersey, Key Events in U.S. History

Grades 3-8 History of the World (chronological)

Grades 7-8 History of the World (continued), History of the United States

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Spelling: The student studies spelling in the third, fourth and fifth grades. In all grades, the child learns the root words of Latin and ancient Greek, which form the building blocks of educated words in English. It is expected that every child learns two hundred new vocabulary words a year.

Grades K-2 Phonics

Grades 3-8 Spelling & Vocabulary

Grades 7-8

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Geography & Current Events: With the advent of social studies, geography has been lost in most educational institutions. Given this fact, the Academy stresses the knowledge of reading maps, knowing where countries are; not only as they exists today, but how they came to be.

Grades K-2 New Jersey Geography, U.S. States, Continents

Grades 3-8 U.S Geography, World Geography

Grades 7-8

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Foreign Language: Universality, not diversity, is emphasized at the Academy. Therefore, the study of foreign languages is vital for the educated person. How others view the world in a different light can only be understood by knowing another language. Spanish is taught in the third, fourth and fifth grades. Italian, French and Spanish are offered in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades.

Grades K-2

Grades 3-8 Spanish, Italian, Polish

Grades 7-8 Spanish, Italian, Polish

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Art & Music: It is essential to educate the two great senses: hearing and seeing. Therefore, the Muses are duly worshipped at the Academy. Music is the soul and universal language of humanity. The student has music four times a week to prepare for performances at the Autumn Concert, Saturnalia, the Opera and Spring Concert. Art history, along with a practicum course, is offered at the Academy. The art of the world has a message beyond words.

Grades K-2 Art & Music

Grades 3-8 Art, Art History & Music

Grades 7-8 Art, Art History & Music

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Rhetoric: Rhetoric is that part of the curriculum across all subjects in which the student learns to express himself orally and in the written language. He is given many opportunities on stage to come forth into the world. Self confidence is built up through these performing events, the greatest of which is the annual Opera. Coupled with the study of syntax and grammar, written expression becomes highly developed in the opera workshop.

Grades K-2 Rhetoric

Grades 3-8 Rhetoric

Grades 7-8 Rhetoric

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PLA Alumni
Class of '99

"Three basic yet hard-to-develop qualities PSA taught that I still use every day: Self-motivation, independent thought, and how to express those thoughts clearly through writing and speech. "

PLA Alumni
Class of '98

"PLA gave me the creativity and confidence to do everything I have done past age 6. I am the only person out of my friends that can say they loved middle school (everyone else dreaded it)."