Academy emphasizes Socratic Q & amp;A method

All of the pupils take part in the school's plays and choir.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Nestled in a former Baptist church in the city's quaint Little Italy neighborhood, the Lyceum school offers Greek, Latin and logic and teaches by the Socratic question-and-answer method.
There are few traditional textbooks and no sports teams or prom at this nontraditional school.
"My goal is to pose a question that sparks a thought," said Mary Bouchey, who has taught mathematics, theology, grammar, literature and composition at the school, which has grades seven through 12.
Teachers usually can be found sitting at the group table while a pupil leads the class through an algebra problem or grammar lesson.
"By reading the original works of the greatest thinkers, participating in the greatest art and music, and living a life which is informed by the Catholic faith, Lyceum students assimilate and perpetuate the civilization of truth and love," according to the school mission statement.
The private Catholic school opened in 2003 with 13 pupils. Enrollment doubled to 26 for the 2004-05 school year, and the Lyceum's total budget stands at about $250,000, enough for three full-time and three part-time teachers. Tuition is $6,150.
The school does not intend to grow beyond 75 pupils.
Incorporating method
Nancy Letts, an education consultant in New York, said she was unaware of any schools dedicated to the Socratic method. Letts instructs teachers on how to incorporate Socratic method into their curriculum.
John Zola, a professor at the University of Colorado and high school teacher who incorporates Socratic method, also said he wasn't aware of any schools that use the Socratic method exclusively. He estimates only 5 percent to 10 percent of schools nationwide use the method at all.
The Cleveland school takes its name from the school where philosopher Aristotle taught in ancient Greece. It used the teaching method of the philosopher Socrates, who posed questions to examine the soundness of an idea. Most contemporary schools favor the lecture method of teaching.
At Cleveland's Lyceum, "Tutors do not lecture, but carefully guide and coach these discussions," according to the school's mission statement.
The curriculum includes Latin and Greek and uses mostly original-source material instead of textbooks. When pupils study gravity, for instance, they're likely to read Isaac Newton's own words rather than someone's interpretation of his work.
"It's a kind of total immersion into the classical world," said Mark Langley, the school's founder and headmaster. "We want to form students who are able to think for themselves and appreciate beauty."
All participate
Everyone sings in the choir, and everyone participates in the drama program, which stages two plays a year -- one Shakespeare and one Greek.
The school manages to get along without computers, televisions or overhead projectors. There are no uniforms, but the boys wear shirts and ties and khaki pants, and the girls favor skirts or dresses.
Before coming to Cleveland, Langley taught for more than a decade at the Trivium School in Lancaster, Mass., a private, classical-education academy founded in 1979 by his Harvard-educated father-in-law, John Schmitt.
The Lyceum has no marching band, prom or football team.
"I do regret not having the opportunity to participate in some extracurricular activities," admits senior Elizabeth Henderson, 17, of suburban Solon, who is finishing her second year at Lyceum.
"But it's a trade-off. I love the atmosphere of the school. I love the curriculum we're using. And I find I'm benefiting both spiritually and intellectually."
A school neighbor, Frank Fiorilli, said the school has been a plus for Little Italy.
"Their presence is very obvious, and they present a very good image. It's really a model for the city," he said.