Welcome to the Classical Liberal Arts Academy. This lecture is part of the Academy’s Latin Vocabulary course and introduces Lesson 01 from Johann Amos Comenius’ Orbis Sensualium Pictus (“The World of Things Obvious to the Senses Drawn in Pictures”), titled The Master and the Boy.
In this first lesson, students study the foundational dialogue between the teacher and the student that sets the tone for all later learning. Written in the 17th century, Comenius’ text presents education as a sacred and rational activity guided by both human instruction and divine grace. This dialogue captures the essence of Catholic education: the pursuit of wisdom through understanding, right action, and right speech under the guidance of God.
The lecture follows the traditional Studium Method and includes:
Praelectio: Introduction to Comenius’ work and philosophy of learning
Oratio: Prayer before study
Lectio: Reading the Latin text aloud
Divisio: Analysis of the lesson’s structure and themes
Interpretatio: Explanation of the meaning of each phrase
Comprehensio: Key points, memory work, and study suggestions
Demonstratio: Methods for assessing mastery and understanding
Students will learn to:
Understand Comenius’ view of wisdom as right thinking, acting, and speaking
Recognize the dependence of all true learning on both teacher and God
Appreciate the Thomistic principle that learning begins from the senses and proceeds to higher understanding
Translate, pronounce, and explain the Latin dialogue with comprehension and reverence
This lecture is taught by William Michael, Headmaster of the Classical Liberal Arts Academy. To join the Academy for self-paced studies in Latin and other classical Catholic subjects, visit https://classicalliberalarts.com.
For course assistance or support, visit https://classicalliberalarts.com/support.
