The Great Books Approach

At OCA, we believe education should do more than transmit information — it should shape minds, build character, and prepare students for a meaningful life. That is why we center our curriculum on the Great Books— the timeless works of Western civilization by authors such as Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Shakespeare, Dante, Jane Austen, and many others.

Why the Great Books?

Superior Critical Thinking & Analytical Skills

  1. Students engage directly with complex ideas, arguments, and narratives rather than simplified summaries. Through close reading and lively Socratic seminars, they learn to analyze evidence, question assumptions, evaluate logic, and express their thoughts clearly and persuasively. These are the exact skills valued in college, careers, and lifelong learning.

Direct Encounter with the Greatest Minds

  1. Instead of reading about great ideas in textbooks, students read the original works. They wrestle with profound questions about truth, justice, beauty, happiness, virtue, and human nature alongside history’s most influential thinkers. This fosters genuine intellectual growth and often leads to personal transformation.

Deep Cultural Literacy & Historical Understanding

  1. The Great Books form the foundation of Western culture, law, politics, literature, and philosophy. Students trace the development of ideas across centuries, connect historical events to contemporary issues, and gain the context needed to think critically about the world today.

Moral and Character Formation

  1. Great literature and philosophy explore human behavior, ethical dilemmas, and the pursuit of a good life. Students discuss moral questions in depth, reflect on their own values, and develop empathy, integrity, and principled decision-making alongside intellectual growth.

Christian Worldview Strengthening & Spiritual Formation

  1. At Ocoee Classical Academy, the Great Books approach is deeply integrated with a Christian worldview. Students encounter the riches of the Christian intellectual tradition directly through works such as Athanasius’ On the Incarnation, Augustine’s Confessions, Boethius’ The Consolation of Philosophy, Anselm’s Proslogion, selections from Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost. They also engage with later voices including Jonathan Edwards, the Wesleys, G.K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis.
    This provides powerful spiritual formation opportunities:
    • Students wrestle with core Christian doctrines such as the Incarnation, grace, redemption, virtue, and the nature of God while reading the Bible alongside great theologians and thinkers.
    • They learn to think Christianly — bringing every idea captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5) — by evaluating both Christian and non-Christian texts through a biblical lens.
    • Discussions on works like The Consolation of Philosophy, The Interior Castle, Dark Night of the Soul, and Lewis’s The Abolition of Man and That Hideous Strength deepen students’ understanding of suffering, prayer, spiritual growth, and the Christian imagination.
    • Through seminar dialogue, students cultivate humility, wisdom, discernment, and a lifelong habit of seeking God’s truth in all things.
  2. This integration strengthens students’ faith, equips them to articulate what they believe and why, and forms them into thoughtful, mature Christians who love God with their minds as well as their hearts.

Outstanding Preparation for College and Career

  1. A Great Books education cultivates adaptable, high-level thinkers who excel in writing, discussion, and independent analysis. Graduates consistently perform well in higher education and thrive in fields such as law, business, medicine, education, and public service. They learn how to learn — a crucial advantage in an ever-changing world.

Intellectual Independence and Joy in Learning

  1. Small seminar classes encourage students to form and defend their own ideas. Passive note-taking gives way to active dialogue. Students become confident, articulate, and genuinely engaged learners who view education as a lifelong pursuit rather than a checklist.

Our Approach

We integrate the Great Books across literature, history, philosophy, and humanities courses. Students read primary texts, participate in thoughtful discussions, write analytical essays, and develop the habits of mind that define a truly educated person.

This classical, rigorous, and deeply human approach—rooted in a Christian vision of education—forms students as whole persons. It produces graduates who are not only knowledgeable, but wise, virtuous, articulate, and prepared to lead lives of purpose and faithful service to Christ and His kingdom.

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