Classical Education

GuestsDr. Matthew Post:  Founder and Former Director of the Classical Education Graduate program at The University of Dallas; Served with The National Classical Education Symposium, The Institute for Classical Education, and The National Council for Classical Educators; Currently serves as Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, Honors College at The University of TulsaDr. Laura Eidt: University of Dallas- Affiliate Assistant Professor of Modern Languages, Humanities Program Director, Director of UD's K-5 Latin Curriculum Latin Through StoriesDr. Robert Terry: Over 25 years at a Classical University Model School teaching and serving as curriculum director and faculty development, Masters in Great Books, Doctorate of Theology (ThD in Inkling Studies)Jonathan Fiore: Formerly homeschooled, Graduate of Hillsdale, Masters in Classical Education from The University of Dallas, Humanities Teacher at Holy Innocent's Catholic SchoolTopics CoveredWhat are the essential criteria for a school to be considered classical?There are 4 touchstones that make up a classical education: Christ-centered, cultivation of wisdom and virtue, appreticeship in the 7 liberal arts, and a focus on the timeless and traditionalCommunity and leadership must have an understanding of the tradition for successAtmosphere is central to the success -- order and harmony (beauty) is really importantAre the following things necessary?- Great Books, Socratic Dialogue, integration of subjects, Charlotte Mason, Trivium & Quadrivium, Latin? Love and freedom are at the heart of classical educationDoes reading the classics or teaching ancient Greek history automatically define your school as "classical"?Are we preparing students to see themselves as part of a community and a country?How ought we assess students if education is rooted in love and liberty?-- What does the research tell us about good and bad ways to assess students?What are some common roadblock in classical education?Memory work should be meaningful rather than rote fact chantsSeminarsFormation of teachers and parents is necessary Resources we Discussed:Paradox of Education in a Republic by Eva BrannJefferson's Natural AristocracyHomer's Iliad and OdysseyWhat is a book or poem that every classical teacher and board member should read?The Liberal Arts Tradition by Clark and JainPlato's GorgiasThe Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin FenolleraHomer's Iliad (Fagles or Lattimore translation)Abolition of Man by C.S. LewisParadox of Education in a Republic by Eva Brann________________________________________________________This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.Support this podcast: ★ Support this podcast ★ _________________________________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic © 2024 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About our GuestKiernan Fiore has worked as a teacher, administrator, trainer, and curriculum developer since 2011. Kiernan was classically home educated using a Charlotte Mason methodology, and her own educational experience is the inspiration for her work. She holds a BA in English from Hillsdale College and an MA in Shakespeare Studies from King’s College London and is certified in 4-8th Grade ELAR and Social Studies in Texas. After six years of working with the Founders Classical network of charter schools in Texas, she now serves as Dean of Curriculum at Holy Innocents School in Long Beach, CA. She also serves as a consultant on special projects and curriculum alignment with Beautiful Teaching, LLC. She has been married to Jonathan, also a classical educator, for six years and is the mother of three children. Show NotesThis discussion drills down into to how to help children grow by offering them a living curriculum. The work of teaching is the cultivation of the whole child. As classical educators, we need to think deeply about our curriculum and pedagogy. New teachers often wrestle with what this looks like in the classroom. An understanding of curriculum and its incarnational role will greatly influence the development of the whole child.  Habit training is unpacked as an intellectual virtue at the heart of the entire foundation of a classical education.Discussion Points:How can we best help children grow?What is curriculum?-- Is it the books you are reading or is it the standards, benchmarks, and roadmaps that drive the instruction in the classroom?How does our definition influence our classroom instruction?As Christian Classical educators, is there another way to view curriculum that is centered on an incarnational model?What are some challenges with having check lists? Are there helpful checklists?Why is habit training so important and in what areas do we need to focus on?How can our habit training influence our standards and grading rubrics?Resources we Discussed:Andrew Zwerneman podcast interview has all the resources that will help you with grading: https://classicaleducationpodcast.transistor.fm/episodes/leading-assessing-seminars-with-andrew-zwerneman-from-cana-academyClassical Education Rubric Checklist: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VYej2Qw2GrEItZI_wZjAy0hf7OS3oYpz/view?usp=drive_linkCatholic (virtue-based) Standards:https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/educator-resources/resources/academics/catholic-curriculum-standards/#standards-and-resources________________________________________________________This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.Support this podcast: ★ Support this podcast ★ _________________________________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic © 2024 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About our GuestChris earned a BA in Philosophy from Gettysburg College and an MAT in Elementary Education from Towson University.  He has been a classroom educator and administrator for 29 years, having served in public, independent, and classical schools.  His is an author, speaker, and consultant in classical education, as well as an online and in-person teacher, coach, and tutor.Along with his professional pedigree, he is a lifelong practitioner of several of the common arts profiled in his book, Common Arts Education.  For more than thirty years, Chris has sought out training for and advanced his skills in armament, agriculture, material-working arts, ancestral skills, preparedness, and more.  He is a practicing musician, amateur radio operator, and avid outdoorsman, all of which serve to inform and shape his ongoing development of, and in, the arts. Chris founded Always Learning Education in order to serve teachers, schools, homeschool families, and others who are interested in learning and propagating the common arts.   He lives on a small homesteaded farm in central Virginia with his wife and three homeschooled sons.\https://alwayslearningeducation.net/Show NotesIn this episode, Chris Hall shares a few of his favorite poems and discusses poetry for science lessons! This episode will inspire you in the delightfulness of integrating poetry and stories into science lessons.Poems on this EpisodeWhen I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer By Walt WhitmanThe Peace of Wild Things By Wendell BerryShakespeare's Sonnet 37_______________________________________Remembering Season 1, Episode 3 Chris Hall joined our podcast to discuss the common arts https://share.transistor.fm/s/a08b71cbThat podcast episode can be heard here. We discussed the following: What are the common arts? How do they relate to a classical education? How do we bring up the whole human being, thriving in wonders of life and right ordered relationships? How to balance and bolster both common arts and liberal arts in education. _______________________________________________________SCL FALL RETREAT, 2024Chris and I were both invited to lead the teacher track sessions at Society for Classical Learning's 2024 fall conference in Dallas the last weekend in October. We are collaborating and are creating not only some wonderful sessions on the theory of classical education but also practical sessions where you will leave feeling equipped.  You will discover the transcendentals (truth, goodness, and beauty)— through theory and hands-on practicum sessions. This conference is not only for classroom teachers but also for home educators.  Tickets are on sale at the Society for Classical Learning website be sure to look for their link to the fall retreat so you can read more about this conference, our sessions, and register online.https://www.societyforclassicallearning.org/fall-retreat-24/ ________________________________________________________This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.Support this podcast: ★ Support this podcast ★ _________________________________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic © 2024 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About our GuestAndrew J. Zwerneman serves as Cana Academy’s President and as one of their MasterTeachers. For 40 years, he has taught and consulted in secondary schools that emphasize classic humanities. For 19 years he headed schools—2 at the public charter school, Tempe Preparatory Academy in Tempe, Arizona, 17 at Trinity School at Meadow View in Falls Church, Virginia. He is the founder and owner of The Academy Project, LLC, which wrote the original curricula and trained faculties for Thomas MacLaren School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Trinity Academy in Portland, Oregon. Education: B.A., A.B.D., University of Notre Dame; M.A., St. John’s University. He is the author of History Forgotten and Remembered (2020) and The Life We Have Together: A Case for Humane Studies, A Vision for Renewal (2022).https://www.canaacademy.org/Show NotesLeading seminars is one of Andrew's areas of expertise. Adrienne invited him back on the show to discuss the principles of leading great seminars and how to give grades that matter.Discussion Points:Referring to Zwerneman's "10 for 10: How to Grade Seminar Participation" the following are discussed:Why seminars are an important pedagogy for classical schoolThe  principles for guiding good seminars Distinguishing between the higher habits of mind and the skilled habits of work What are some good reasons for grading seminars and how to grade themResources from Cana Academy10 for 10: How to Grade Seminar Participationhttps://www.history250.org/8 Tips for Leading a Great Seminar Discussion8 Tips On Coaching a Reluctant Discussanthttps://www.canaacademy.org/free-resources : scroll down to Seminar Leadership Videoshttps://www.canaacademy.org/shopExample of Free Sample: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57e9653aebbd1a90d5cf34c6/t/5dfbd171db0c927d0316e45e/1576784250891/IliadGuideFreePreview+Secured.pdf________________________________________________________This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.Support this podcast: ★ Support this podcast ★ _________________________________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic © 2024 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About The GuestAnna-Marie Carter is an enthusiastic classical education convert. After years of disillusionment under the philosophy of progressive education, she had about given up teaching altogether. Her hope in education was saved by a call to teach music at Founders Classical Academy of Mesquite where she made lifelong friends and fell in love with the craft. She continues this love by sharing her joy for the fine arts with her students in and out of the classroom. Anna-Marie teaches alongside her gracious husband Daniel at Founders Classical in Tyler where they are raising their sweet children Amelia, Remington, and Clara Mae.Show Notes & HighlightsAdrienne introduces you to Anne-Marie Carter in a completely joyful interview about creatively connecting History of the world and History of America through the arts. Anne-Marie Carter falls in love with teaching after moving from a scripted school to  Founder’s Classical School in Tyler, Texas. They discuss some of the following: Why and How to make an artful Book of the Centuries.Presenting a feast of ideas, to love many things and care about many things.The art and music teacher collaborates with the classroom teachers. Creativity and how to grade the student's work.What materials are neededYOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/6lbOdS6Hq8YThe second half of this interview is all visual. To view the examples and hear how to make a book of centuries, visit our YouTube Channel. youtube@classicaleducationpodcast_________________________Books MentionedCharlotte Mason quote about history: (Vol. 6, 178), Mason's section on the teaching history begins on page 169 in vol. 6) Consider This: Charlotte Mason and The Classical Tradition by Karen GlassBooks by Charlotte MasonAbolition of Man by C S LewisThe Living Page by Laurie BestvaterThe Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-ExuperyLes Miserables by Victor Hugo ________________________________________________________This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.Support this podcast: ★ Support this podcast ★ _________________________________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic © 2024 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About The GuestMariah Martinez has worked in education since 2015 as a teacher, curriculum developer, and mentor teacher. Mariah attended the Honors College at Houston Baptist University where she received a B.A., double majoring in Philosophy and English. In 2021, she received a Master of Humanities  in classical education from the University of Dallas. She is certified as a 7-12 ELAR instructor in the state of Texas. She began her teaching career at a Great Hearts school in San Antonio and now works at a Founders Classical charter school in Texas. She has eight years of middle and high school teaching experience and is a founding faculty member of the high school at her current location where she now serves as the assistant headmaster for the upper school. She has experience not only with developing classical curricula for the high school environment but has also developed guides for creating house systems and student leadership positions. Mariah's goal is to help make the methods of classical education and the philosophies behind them accessible for all.Show NotesMariah Martinez shares what she has learned about Classical pedagogy and how to apply this art of teaching classically, simply and well. She shares her experience working at a classical charter school and the impact that it has had on her students. She also shares about the two types of classical pedagogy which she will expand on at the Vital Ideas Conference, 2024.Some Highlights:What you must have in order to obtain good pedagogy;  from Norms and Nobility by David HicksDoes the state of education matter?What leads to an incomplete education?What happens with isolation and online programs?How do we form well ordered minds and souls?Two types of pedagogy and the subcategories Observed differences that Classical Education has made in the students at her schoolResources Mentioned Norms and Nobility by David Hicks ---An affordable REISSUE of Norms and Nobility releases August 6, 2024 (look for the blue book with the introduction by Andrew Kern)Crime and Punishment by DostoyevskyAudiobook: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Narrated by: Virginia Leishman ________________________________________________________ONE day left to register for the conference on June 28-29, 2024Vital Ideas Online Classical Education Conference Information -https://www.beautifulteaching.com/conference________________________________________________________This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.Support this podcast: ★ Support this podcast ★ _________________________________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic © 2024 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

David V. Hicks, a former Chief Academic Officer and renowned author, shares insights from his extensive career in education. He discusses the transformative power of classical education and critiques contemporary educational practices. Hicks emphasizes the need for inquiry and curiosity, linking myths and historical revolutions to moral constructs. He advocates for a return to classical texts and principles to foster deeper learning and community engagement, while reflecting on the challenges of modern educational ideologies.

This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.  Our team provides immersion courses, seminar led book studies, and comprehensive support for parents & K-12 classical educators.This episode was sponsored by Classic Learning Test (CLT), Beautiful Feet Books, and Eighth Day Books! Conference attendees have a chance to win gift certificates from these sponsors as well as our other conference sponsors! Join us for our First Conference!  Explore some of our Conference Sessions on this episode: Discuss your conference topic and what can attendees expect to take away from your session?Karen Glass: The Children Ask for Bread Peach Smith: Teaching Science Classically for K-12 Mark Signorelli: Before the Books & Story and CivicsAaron Mitchell: Teaching Euclid as a Way Beyond Gnostic Cartesian MathematicsMariah Martinez: Introducing Two types of Classical Pedagogy: Mimetic and Socratic & Recitation: A Rhetorical Art for PreK-12Jonathan Fiore: The Things We Carry– Two Graduates of Classical Education Reflect on its ImpactAdrienne Freas: Loving Many ThingsSome Question We Discuss:What does the term "Vital Ideas" mean and why is it the them for our first classical education conference?Who has had the greatest influence on your philosophy of education and why?"what makes being an educator in the classical tradition different than just being an educator per se?"What do you think are the greatest difficulties for classical educators?_________________________________________________________________________Vital Ideas Conference Information -https://www.beautifulteaching.com/conference$20 off Discount Code: IDEAS20note: copy/paste exactly without any spaces before or after.It is good through June 20. DETAILED PROGRAM GUIDEConference Recordings: All sessions will be recorded. Live attendance is greatly encouraged, but come and go as needed. The recording will be available 2 weeks after the conference. The recordings will be available for 9 months.Sessions: We have 16 sessions and 12 Speakers! Our sessions are for parents, home educators, classroom teachers, and school leadership. Each breakout in the program is marked with the recommended audience to help you choose the right sessions for  your needs. See the detailed program guide! ________________________________________________________This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.Support this podcast: ★ Support this podcast ★ _________________________________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic © 2024 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About The GuestBryan Smith has been in education for over thirty years, primarily in schools with a liberal arts or classical education philosophy. His own education at the University of Dallas was a solid classical liberal arts formation in great texts, classical Greek, and rhetorical practice.Bryan has worked in private schools for most of his career, but for a decade he worked with Great Hearts Academies, a charter school network operating in Arizona and Texas. He began his employment at Great Hearts as the founding head of school for one of eleven Arizona campuses. During Great Hearts’ expansion into Texas, Bryan served as the founding headmaster for the first network school in the Dallas / Fort Worth Metro area. Bryan’s most recent work as a consultant has allowed him to continue helping school staff with planning, solid pedagogical and administrative practices, classroom management and student culture.You can find Bryan Smith on LinkedInShow NotesBryan Smith and Adrienne Freas of Beautiful Teaching, reflect on what is attractive about a Liberal Arts Education. They talk about the principles that define a classical school, and why the ethos of classical education imparts a hopeful view of humanity. A noble end unfolds from permanent and universal reflections. The principles that anchor classical schools are discussed in this significant podcast. All educators will appreciate the wisdom of how to place school on course either to develop or to improve. Some Key Moments Include:What books are really necessary for a classical school to include on their lists?Why The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius ought to be in every classical highschool curriculumWhat the early Christians thought about educationClassical education is rooted in common assumptions--these are elaboratedResources MentionedThe Consolation of Philosphy - BoethiusThe Discarded Image - C.S. LewisEssay “Schooling in Byzantium” by Bryan Smith (this will be a chapter in a new book coming out by St. Vladimir's press with essays compiled by David Hicks. More info coming soon)St. Basil on Prepositions: The Human ConditionThe Iliad &The Odyssey - HomerThe PsalterAtigoneBooks 1 and 2 of SamuelOn the Incarnation by Saint Athanasius the Great of Alexandria with an introduction by C.S. Lewis PlatoThe Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. LewisFrog and Toad series - Arnold Lobel"The Allegory of the Cave" from Plato's RepublicParadise Lost- John MiltonThe Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoevsky Poetry by Virgil________________________________________________________This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.Support this podcast: ★ Support this podcast ★ _________________________________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic © 2024 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About The GuestsACCESS LITERACY TEAMDorothy KardatzkeI live with my husband in Columbus, Ohio. I taught for more than 25 years in both general education classrooms and in classrooms for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Since 1997, when I was first trained in the English code, all my literacy instruction has been delivered using programs that are Orton-based. I left the classroom in 2018 to create space to write curriculum, and train/coach teachers. However, I will always be a teacher. It is who I am! I tutor little folks and big folks in literacy whenever I have the chance.​I had a rather circuitous educational journey which offered me the opportunity to embark on what I do presently. I completed a double major in Elementary Education and Deaf Education from Augustana College. I later completed post-graduate work in Linguistics and Language Development at the University of South Dakota and Neuroanatomy  at The Ohio State University.​During leisure time, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, hiking, fishing, canoeing, camping and cross-country skiing.Melody FurnoMy husband and I live in Columbus, Ohio where I taught an Orton-based Method for literacy in Kindergarten and first grade classrooms for 19 years. Encountering struggling readers in the classroom motivated me to enroll in coursework and to research current information on reading disabilities and dyslexia to set up interventions in the classroom.​Since leaving the classroom, I have used an Orton-based Method to train and consult teachers in literacy across the country and tutor struggling readers in 4th and 5th grades for Columbus Public Schools. ​I enjoy nature, fishing, hiking and biking. My special interest is to encourage faith-based ministries to play a part in addressing youth and adult illiteracy.   Show NotesPhonics programs are an important foundation for teaching students how to read. There are many programs and they differ widely. Learn about the unique features of this program. Discover what is important when looking for a phonics curriculum for your students.  Dorothy Kardatzke  and Melanie Furno are the founders of Access Literacy.  Their phonics curriculum,  Literacy Essentials: Journey from Spelling to Reading is commonly used in classical schools.  In this interview, they articulate the details that explain what a good phonic-based program looks like and why it matters. The Access Literacy program supports the road to integrating the components of writing, thinking well, and reading well. _____________________________________________Note: Adrienne does not recieve compensation for recommending any curriculum on her podcast. The purpose of presenting curriculum on the podcast is to help parents and school leadership make well-informed decisions on curriculum that is most aligned to the classical tradition. _____________________________________________ ResourcesLink to their Home page: https://www.accessliteracy.com/Parent page including phonogram videos: https://www.accessliteracy.com/parentsLink for ordering teaching materials through Hillsdale: https://www.accessliteracy.com/projects-2Link for ordering the Student Orthography Notebook: https://www.accessliteracy.com/projects-2Books mentionedWhy Our Children Can’t Read, and What You Can Do About It by Diane McGuinnessAuthor in the Science of Reading field — Dr. Louisa MoatsThe Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton- PorterHow to Read a Book by Mortimer AdlerHow To Read a Difficult Book (free link to one page essay) by Mortimer Adler________________________________________________________This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.Support this podcast: ★ Support this podcast ★ _________________________________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic © 2024 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved