What is a good teacher?

Most of us can name a teacher who made a lasting impact, not just through information, but through formation, awakening curiosity, shaping understanding, and building confidence. In this BaseCamp Live episode, host Davies Owens sits down with classical educator and mentor Carrie Eben, co-author of The Good Teacher: 10 Pedagogical Principles That Will Transform Your Teaching, to explore the often-overlooked piece of classical Christian education, how we teach, not only what we teach.

Carrie has spent more than 25 years serving in classical education across schools and homeschooling. She is a founding board member at Sager Classical Academy in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and a head mentor for the Searcy Institute Master Teacher Apprenticeship in the Ozark Mountain region. Together, Davies and Carrie discuss why classical schools must often “make” teachers through mentorship and apprenticeship, and why pedagogy matters because the teacher is not merely delivering content, the teacher is shaping the classroom culture and the student’s loves.

The conversation centers on two foundational principles that set the rhythm for great teaching:

Festina Lente, “make haste slowly,” a reminder that learning cannot be rushed. Wonder, contemplation, repetition, and embodied learning take time, and growth happens step by step.

Carrie also turns to the importance of assessment, explaining that it should align with the purpose of education and the nature of the student, not simply a score. She highlights relational approaches like narrative assessment, and practical options like narration, oral work, debates, and live demonstrations of understanding, especially in a world navigating new pressures like AI.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

Why pedagogy is central to classical Christian formation
How “make haste slowly” reshapes classrooms and homes
Why “much, not many” protects depth, wonder, and love of learning
How assessment can become more relational, meaningful, and aligned with virtue
Encouragement for teachers who want language and confidence for what they are already doing well

Multum non multa, “much, not many,” a call to prune. Depth matters more than volume, and fewer things done well forms students more effectively than trying to cover everything.

Resources Mentioned:

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

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