Jason Barney on Charlotte Mason, Modern Science, and The Classical Tradition

About our Guest

Mr. Barney serves as the Principal of Coram Deo Academy in Carmel, IN. In 2012 he was awarded the Henry Salvatori Prize for Excellence in Teaching from Hillsdale College. He completed his MA in Biblical Exegesis at Wheaton College, receiving The Tenney Award in New Testament Studies. Before coming into his current position, Jason served as the Academic Dean at Clapham School, a classical Christian school in Wheaton, IL. In addition to his administrative responsibilities in vision, philosophy, and faculty training, Jason has taught courses in Latin, Humanities, and Senior Thesis from 3rd-12th grades. He regularly speaks at events and conferences, including SCL, ACCS, and the CiRCE Institute. He has published A Classical Guide to Narration with the CiRCE Institute and A Short History of Narration through Educational Renaissance, where he blogs regularly on ancient wisdom for the modern era.

Show Notes

Jason Barney places Charlotte Mason squarely within the classical tradition. In this conversation, Jason points to multiple attestations within the classical tradition and contemporary science that demonstrate that Mason was on to something right in her philosophy and practices. 

In our conversation, Jason lays out some of the problems with the modern factory education model. He explains how the art of narration fosters what contemporary scientists call "durable learning" or deep and lasting knowledge retention. Jason also takes on Bloom's Taxonomy and explains how it risks enshrining the teacher in modernism when they would be better served reading The Abolition of Man. 

Some topics in this episode include:

Charlotte Mason and the Classical Tradition 

Modern Education Movements: Ruseau, Pestalozzi, John Lock, Monstasori 

Lessons from Contemporary Psychology and Neuroscience 

Narration, Retrieval Practice, and Durable Learning 

Practicing Narration in the Classroom 

Why Students Can't recall What They Just Read/Heard

Problems With the Factory Model of Education 

Narration Leading to Good Conversations

Problems with Blooms Taxonomy

Making Time to Read  

Resources and Books & Mentioned In This Episode

A Short History of Narration 

A Classical Guide to Narration 

Educational Renaissance on Charlotte Mason 

Bonus Podcast 

Jason and I continued our conversation and talked in-depth about one of his favorite books for teachers, Teach Like A Champion by Doug Lemov. If you want to listen to that conversation, please support us on Patreon. 

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Credits:

Sound Engineer: Andrew Helsel

Logo Art: Anastasiya CF

Music: Used with permission. cellists: Sara Sant' Ambrogio and Lexine Feng; pianist: Alyona Waldo

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