Higher level thinking

In Classical Education, there are progressions of development. We have the Grammar stage where kids are good at memorizing - it's a time of learning the basics in math, English, science, etc. Dialectic is the time when children start to make connections in what they are learning - they are using the facts and making deeper connections. Basically, they are learning how to argue. I've thought Faithful was at a Dialectic thinking level (due to his ability to argue on several different levels - we're working on respect in that arena!), but now I am sure. He asked at the dinner table (he is currently studying the Great Depression), "Are we going to have another Great Depression?" We assured him we were not as far as we knew. He then proceeded to say, "I'm thinking that because President Obama is a lot like Hubert Hoover and his New Deal." Yes- he is making some decent connections. Not really sure how he came up with that one!