Anchored by the Classic Learning Test

On this episode of Anchored, Chelsea is joined by Sean Maltbie, the Headmaster of Sacred Hearts Academy, as well as Father Robert Alan Sirico, the retired pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They share their personal stories of Sacred Heart, and how they built a community of teachers who are faithful to the academy's mission. They also discuss cultivating unity between teachers, parents, administrators, and pastors to make the academy work. Father Sirico explains that the goal of Sacred Heart is simple compared to other Catholic schools, stating that they are all about "getting people to heaven." 

On this episode of Anchored, Chelsea is joined by Kimberly Begg, Director of Programs and General Counsel of the Ortner Family Foundation. She discusses the foundation's latest project, the Catholic School Playbook. Catholic School Playbook is an online resource designed to help anyone interested in strengthening their Catholic school, including school leaders, pastors, superintendents, teachers, and parents. She explains that Catholic education is in crisis because it has adopted too many traits of modern education and that the best Catholic schools are faithfully Catholic. She states that we need to return to the way the Catholic church taught for 2,000 years in order to nurture the curious nature of children. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Chelsea are joined by Andrew Seely, Co-Founder of Institute for Catholic Liberal Education, and Elisabeth Sullivan who is the Executive Director of Institute for Catholic Liberal Education. They discuss the issues that dominate much of Catholic education and schooling in the modern world. They also explain the difference between true Catholic education and classical education, stating that classical education provides the origins whereas Catholic education provides the end. They share how important it is for teachers to be able to express their Catholic faith in Catholic schools, adding that the world is a different place through the eyes of faith. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Chelsea Niemiec, CLT's Director of Catholic School Partnerships. Chelsea discusses how CLT plans to honor National Catholic Schools Week through our podcast, Anchored. She shares her childhood education experience, and how public school stiffled her sense of wonder. Chelsea also shares her journey from studying nutrition at Texas A&M University to becoming a substitute teacher, finding her love for classical education, and then teaching at a catholic classical school. She explains how she incorporated her education in nutrition to teaching, stating that teaching is about looking at the whole picture. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren and Arooba are joined by Mr. Jason Caros, the headmaster at Founders Classical Academy in Lewisville, Texas, and Shrita Bhat, a high school junior at Founders. Mr. Caros shares how his interest in classical education began and what led him to become a headmaster at Founders Classical Academy. He explains that a public charter school like Founders delivers a classical education by rooting itself in the true, the good, and the beautiful. Shrita Baht discusses a speech she wrote on tyranny, government, and the Constitution. She explains how the founding fathers envisioned America and what we can do to unify the nation.You can read Shrita's full speech on our blog: https://t.co/ouT8Xm0E8k

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Dr. Michael P. Krom and Dr. Jason Jividen of Saint Vincent College. Dr. Jividen is Associate Professor of Politics in the McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government while Dr. Krom serves as chair of the Philosophy department, director of Benedictine Leadership Studies, and director of the Faith and Reason Summer Program. They discuss Saint Vincent College's curriculum and what makes the college unique, such as the presence of monks on campus.  They also discuss the difference between online and on-campus learning, and how studying in person allows students to form cultural relationships. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Tamara Long, the Vice President for Enrollment Management at Abilene Christian University. Tamara discusses a new opportunity for high school juniors to visit Oxford as part of Abilene Christian University's study abroad program. She explains the importance of studying abroad for students, how it can benefit them in finding their calling, and the planning that went into making this program possible. She also explains how Abilene's study abroad program differs from those of other colleges and universities by maintaining its commitment to the university's Christian mission. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Dr. Brian A. Williams, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and Dean of the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University. Dr. Williams discusses his love for books and mythology as a child. He shares his academic journey: initially wanting to become a lawyer, and even briefly opening his own cafe, but then uncovering his interest in the classical tradition and attending Oxford University. He shares how teaching at Oxford transformed his mindset about grading and assessments, and helped him realize that teaching without grading felt more like coaching. Dr. Williams explains in detail how placing more importance on grades can take away a child's love for learning. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by Bethany Mandel, a conservative American columnist and political and cultural commentator. Bethany shares the extreme hardships she faced growing up. Losing her mom at the age of 16, and then her dad to suicide, Bethany often battled with poverty. She explains that what she had to overcome as a young university student shaped much of her conservative views as an adult. She discusses the importance of her current project, Heroes of Liberty, a new children’s biographical book series on great Americans throughout history, and Facebook's attempt to shut down her ad account due to "disruptive content." 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by Christy Shipe,  Chairman of the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association (NCFCA) Board. Christy shares her own homeschool story - which began in 1982. Her father was the founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association. When Christy was in her junior year of college, she was hired by HSLDA to start a debate league for homeschool students. She explains that students who are educated classically have a natural understanding of logic, analysis, and communication which lays the groundwork for knowing how to debate well. She states the mission of the NCFCA is to challenge and equip Christian students to communicate truth with integrity and grace.