The Grammar Stage is the first stage of the Trivium. During the early years, children naturally love learning by heart. Classical education capitalises on this intuition. Children learn the basis of mathematics through maths facts, while the foundations of English and Irish language are learned through poetry, songs and simple rudiments of grammar.
Religion
Mater Dei Education helps your students and yourself grow in the cardinal virtues of faith, love, and charity. The reading of the Word of God and the Lives of Saints is part of the weekly curriculum.
Memorisation
In the grammar stage of learning, the students learn to memorise. Memorisation lays the foundation for the Logic and Rhetoric Stages of learning. The children memorise answers to their catechism questions, Irish and English grammar rules, and math facts. The recitation of nursery rhymes, and English and Irish poems teaches self-confidence, new vocabulary, and proper sentence syntax.
Grammar
Mater Dei Education emphasises the teaching of English and Irish grammar during the grammar stage so that these languages can be mastered. Sentence diagramming is an essential part of our curriculum as it trains the child to write simply and clearly.
Learn Irish History Chronologically
Mater Dei Education teaches children Irish history chronologically from the time of the arrival of the first people in Ireland to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. We believe that by knowing our past imprinted by the faith and fortitude of our forefathers, students will be more equipped to face the future.
Spiral Method
Mater Dei Education uses a spiral method in English and Irish grammar as well as in mathematics. Key threshold concepts are constantly revised and reinforced by returning (spiraling) to them in a methodical way.
Living Books
The students discover the world, the past, and the lives of the saints through living stories. Learning is done naturally through reading. The children discover that all the subjects are interconnected.
Rigour
Mater Dei Education provides a rigourous curriculum and methodology, and an antedote to the mediocrity often encountered in the education system.
Joyful Relaxing Pace
The student progresses at a joyful relaxing steady pace, which fits his or her natural development. Only one to two hours per day, for four days a week, of homeschooling, should be necessary from Junior Infants to 2nd class. Typically two to three hours per day, over four days a week is needed from 3rd class to 6th class. Minimal parental involvement should be needed after Senior Infants.