Classical Education

About the GuestsKathleen Cotter Clayton is the daughter of Dr. Joan A. Cotter, author and developer of the RightStart™ Mathematics program. Kathleen is involved with curriculum development and has written or co-authored 17 manuals. She travels, teaches online middle-school classes, and speaks across the US and Canada, sharing the mission to help children understand, apply, and enjoy mathematics. Kathleen has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and has two Masters Degrees from the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. In her spare time, Kathleen designs and creates mathematical quilts and loves to travel all around the world. Teresa Foltin is the School Liaison with RightStart Math. She has a Bachelor's in English Literature and a Master’s in Student Affairs in Higher Education. Previously the Director of Student Activities at an American university in Germany, she is now a homeschooling mom of five. Teresa travels across the US talking to parents and teachers, calming, encouraging, and exciting them about math education. She is interested in adoption, travel, horses, gardening, and reading. The Foltin family lives in Colorado on a small homestead with a menagerie of critters.Contact RightStart Math: Mention that you heard about them from The Classical Education Podcast. Sign up for help & more info: https://rightstartclassroom.com/Website: https://rightstartmath.com/Show NotesUplifting describes this conversation about Mathematics with guests, Cathleen Cotter Clayton, and Theresa Fulton of RightStart Math. When games are involved, everyone wants to participate. When a math program is written and approved by an electrical engineer and a physicist, as an excellent and intuitive way to teach math, why not share it!  Forget the tears, and fears about fractions. Find out the stories behind it’s success and the how and why this math program fits within the Classical Tradition of education for grades Kindergarten through eighth grade.Some Ideas Discussed:Success in Homeschool and School ProgramsA fearless experience with fractionsHistory of Right Start Math and the Research behind itAdrienne’s homeschool story “Enjoying Math!”How RightStart Math fits into the Classical model and similarities with the medieval time period (Treviso Arithmetic)The importance of place valueGeometry and the QuadriviumRight Start Math TutoringRight Start Support and Presentations for SchoolsBooks & Ideas MentionedCasting Out Nines ( RightStart calls in "check numbers". This is a video explanation)Treviso Arithmetic InformationTreviso Arithmetic PDF (Explains place value and casting out nines and other interesting ways of teaching math the medieval way)The Robe by Lloyd C. DouglasThe Magnificent Obsession by Lloyd C. DouglasComing soon to be published: a new book by Dr. CotterAfter the recording, Adrienne found an interesting public domain book on Gutenburg called A Scrap-Book of Elementary Mathematics. It has interesting and old tricks for teaching arithmetic that seems to align nicely with this way of teaching math. ________________________________________________________Upcoming Workshop Links:Society for Classical Learning Winter Workshops, 2024 (scroll to read more about Adrienne's Narration Intensive)Snapshot Series Courses by Beautiful Teaching Master TeachersSign up for Beautiful Teaching Monthly Newsletter by visiting the website! Let us help you discover what a beautiful education should look like. Subscribe to this Podcast on your favorite podcast app!Meet our Team, Explore our Resources andTake advantage of our Services!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 © 2023 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

Dr. Junius Johnson, a writer, teacher, and musician, talks about the art of teaching in classical education. He emphasizes the importance of approaching all subjects creatively, cultivating a lifelong relationship with texts, and fostering open discussions. He also explores the role of imagination in teaching and discusses the theme of good kings in Beowulf and its relevance to King Arthur in the Quest of the Holy Grail. Additionally, he shares insights on rereading books, incorporating dialectic discussions in math class, and teaching fairy stories.

About the GuestAlex Markos is part of the Humanities faculty at the Geneva School of Boerne, TX, where he currently teaches 9th grade Greek and Roman history and literature. Last year (2022-23), he created and taught a class on virtue for the freshmen and previously taught 3 rd -5 th grade Latin for six years at Geneva. He holds a B.A. in History and Classics from Hope College and an M.A. in Apologetics from Houston Baptist University (now Houston Christian University). For his Apologetics capstone project, he developed a curriculum for teaching virtue through Scripture and Greek mythology. He has spoken four years in a row for the nationwide Society for Classical Learning summer conference on topics including Greek mythology, The Chronicles of Narnia, incorporating leisure in the classroom, and the art of crafting a new class. He has a passion for classical Christian education and aims to inspire his students to love learning and to grow in virtue.Show NotesOriginally aimed at learning how to create a new class, we diverged into a lot of practical information that teachers will love! Alex Markos shares his love of books as the son of our former podcast guest Dr. Louis Markos. In this episode, the joy of teaching really comes out as Alex focuses on what the process looks like when creating a new class. He walks us through the brainstorming process and the many practical and thoughful ways in which to engage students!  As the discussion unfolds you will learn how to create a spirit of inquiry and ultimately how to help students order their affections.  Some Ideas Discussed:The importance of integrating a class with other classesHow to create a class cathechism and why it mattersWhat are the practical implementations and expectations from a good class?How to read hard textsHow to help students create great questions in order to have good discussionsHelping students undertsand basic categories of questionsHelping students think deeply about application of big ideasBooks Discussed in This Episode Include:The Lord of the RingsThe Chronicles of NarniaThe Blue Fairy BookThe Red Fairy Book Augustine's ConfessionsNicomachean Ethics by Aristotle"Allegory of the Cave" from The RepublicCelebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard Foster________________________________________________________Upcoming Winter Workshop Links:Fundamentals of a Charlotte Mason Education 7 Week Intensive (with Karen Glass, Kiernan Fiore, and Adrienne Freas) Snapshot Series Courses by Beautiful Teaching Master TeachersSociety for Classical Learning Winter Workshops, 2024 (scroll to read more about Adrienne's Narration Intensive)Sign up for Beautiful Teaching Monthly Newsletter by visiting the website! Let us help you discover what a beautiful education should look like. Subscribe to this Podcast on your favorite podcast app!Meet our Team, Explore our Resources andTake advantage of our Services!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 © 2023 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About The GuestDr. Phillip J. Donnelly is Professor of Literature for the Great Texts Program in the Honors College at Baylor University. His teaching and research focus on the connections between philosophy, theology, and imaginative literature, with particular attention to Renaissance literature and the reception of Classical educational traditions.  He serves on the editorial board of Principia: A Journal of Classical Education.  He is the Director of the Texas Chapter of the Alcuin Fellowship and serves on the national board for the Alcuin Fellowship.  He is the author of The Lost Seeds of Learning: Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric as Life-Giving Arts (Classical Academic Press) and Milton’s Scriptural Reasoning (Cambridge Univ. Press).  He is the co-editor (with D.H. Williams) of Transformations in Biblical Literary Traditions (Univ. of Notre Dame Press). Show NotesThis engaging conversation gives voice to the nature of verbal arts. As written in his book, The Lost Seeds of Learning: Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric as Life-Giving Arts,  Dr. Phillip Donnelly offers the image of a living seed to represent purposeful communication. From this episode, you will gain a vision for skills learned in the classroom that are alive, not detached, with a new sense of enthusiasm for the art of grammar.  Some points of discussion include: Why is the trivium so important?What is the core function of the trivium?Why a seed metaphor?What is grammar in the trivium?Books Mentioned in the EpisodeFor 15% off CAP products use discount code CEPODCAST15 at checkout.Dr. Donnelly's book is published by CAP (Classical Academic Press)The Classical Trivium: The Place of Thomas Nash in the Learning of His Time by Marshall McLuhanConfessions by St. Augustine (trans. Maria Boulding)________________________________________________________Upcoming Winter Workshop Links:Fundamentals of a Charlotte Mason Education 7 Week Intensive (with Karen Glass, Kiernan Fiore, and Adrienne Freas) Snapshot Series Courses by Beautiful Teaching Master TeachersSociety for Classical Learning Winter Workshops, 2024 (scroll to read more about Adrienne's Narration Intensive)Sign up for Beautiful Teaching Monthly Newsletter by visiting the website! Let us help you discover what a beautiful education should look like. Subscribe to this Podcast on your favorite podcast app!Meet our Team, Explore our Resources andTake advantage of our Services!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 © 2023 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About The GuestJake Weidmann is a professional artist and certified as one of nine Master Penman in the world. Certified through IAMPETH (International Association of Master Penman, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting) in July 2011, Weidmann holds the title as the youngest Master Penman by three decades and the youngest to ever attain the title. Weidmann’s peers (other Masters) are noted for working with the White House, Queen Elizabeth and the Pope. His journey into calligraphy has been the “special sauce” for everything he now creates, incorporating the traditional calligraphic flourishing into his fine art. Weidmann is self-taught in each of his disciplines (calligraphy, painting, drawing, woodworking, and engraving). Coined by 5280 Magazine as today’s Renaissance Man, Weidmann’s analog mediums defy the digital-centric age we live in as he employs old world tools and techniques to achieve his finished works. While he typically works with private clients, Weidmann has worked with Apple, Inc., Crossway Books, and Biola University and has spoken from countless stages including Tedx and Thinq and was featured on PBS Television.Website: jakeweidmann.comFacebook: facebook.com/jakeweidmannInstagram: @jakeweidmannShow NotesWhen deciding how to apply the art of penmanship for children in your schools, you will want to consider the evidence that supports handwriting as a foundation for literacy. Beyond the evidence that connects the hands in creativity and flourishing communication, you’ll hear why, how, and what tools to use in applying the art of penmanship.  Some topics and questions covered in this episode:Dependency on technology to the detriment of healthy child development Will you speak to cursive writing and learning to read? What is the history behind Spencerian Cursive and why is it important?What should educators look for in curriculum for penmanship?How is cursive tied to phonics?How do writing tools make a difference?What tips do you have for teachers?ResourcesCommercial about Jake that Adrienne uses at teacher trainings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvSyQDu49pIThe following are affiliate links for Jake Weidmann:https://www.amazon.com/shop/jakeweidmann1) link to Michal Sull's curriculum for kids --also here: https://spencerian.com/2) link to blackwing pencils3) link to pilot varsity pen4) link to Jake's pens that he sells or will sell.5) Brian Guelle's fountain pensMaster Penman Society: https://www.iampeth.com/master-penman-societyA book that Jake wishes he had read earlier in his life: A Joy For Ever by John Ruskin________________________________________________________Let us help you discover what a beautiful education should look like. Subscribe to this Podcast on your favorite podcast app!Meet our Team, Explore our Resources andTake advantage of our Services!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 © 2023 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About the GuestKaren Swallow Prior, Ph. D., is a reader, writer, and professor. She is the author of The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis (Brazos, 2023); On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books (Brazos 2018); Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More—Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist (Thomas Nelson, 2014); and Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me (T. S. Poetry Press, 2012). She is co-editor of Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues (Zondervan 2019) and has contributed to numerous other books. She has a monthly column for Religion News Service. Her writing has appeared at Christianity Today, New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, First Things, Vox, Think Christian, The Gospel Coalition, and various other places. She hosted the podcast Jane and Jesus. She is a Contributing Editor for Comment, a founding member of The Pelican Project, a Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum, and a Senior Fellow at the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture. She and her husband live on a 100-year-old homestead in central Virginia with dogs, chickens, and lots of books.Show NotesAdrienne Freas and Karen Swallow Prior enjoy discussing the idea of culture creation through great literature. Why not think of reading for enjoyment instead of just reading for an assignment? Enjoy more balance while gaining an enriching approach to literature. Some Questions Include:How is the book, On Reading Well helpful for parents and teachers?What do you believe is helpful in your books and what do you hope teachers and parents will take away ? What is your view concerning critical theory in contrast with the idea of reading well? What are the implications for how we teach students?Resources and books mentioned:Artist Makoto Fujimura On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great BooksThe Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in CrisisMoby DickThe BibleTo Kill A MockingbirdUncle Tom’s CabinJane EyreGerard Manly Hopkins poetryEast of Eden________________________________________________________Let us help you discover what a beautiful education should look like. Subscribe to this Podcast on your favorite podcast app!Meet our Team, Explore our Resources andTake advantage of our Services!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 © 2023 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

Headmaster Jon Jordan shares his wisdom and experience as the headmaster of a Christian classical school in Dallas. He discusses helping parents embrace the school mission, supporting staff and families in classical education, understanding virtues as moral muscles and their impact on education, strengthening moral muscles through spiritual disciplines, and integrating virtues into education.

Dr. Brian Williams, Dean of the Templeton Honors College, discusses classical education and its ongoing conversation. He explores 'poetic knowledge', announces upcoming webinar courses, and emphasizes the significance of a liberal arts education. The transformative power of Dante's Comedy and the importance of reading the entire Divine Comedy are also highlighted.

About the GuestJohn (Jack) Muir Laws is a principal leader and innovator of the worldwide nature journaling movement. Jack is a scientist, educator, and author, who helps people forge a deeper and more personal connection with nature through keeping illustrated nature journals and understanding science. His work intersects science, art, and mindfulness. Trained as a wildlife biologist and an associate of the California Academy of Sciences, he observes the world with rigorous attention. He looks for mysteries, plays with ideas, and seeks connections in all he sees. Attention, observation, curiosity, and creative thinking are not gifts, but skills that grow with training and deliberate practice. As an educator and author, Jack teaches techniques and supports routines that develop these skills to make them a part of everyday life.He is the founder and president of the Wild Wonder Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging nature connection and conservation through attention, curiosity, art, science, and community. Laws is the founder and host of the Nature Journal Club, a family-friendly, intergenerational community that connects with nature through art and field journaling. He has recieved numerous and prestigous rewards in environmental educaiton.  He has written and illustrated books about art and natural history including The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling (2016), The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds (2012), Sierra Birds: a Hiker’s Guide (2004), The Laws Guide to the Sierra Nevada (2007), and The Laws Pocket Guide Set to the San Francisco Bay Area (2009). He is a regular contributor to Bay Nature magazine with his “Naturalists Notebook” column. He is the primary author and editor of the curriculum: Opening the World through Nature Journaling. This free teaching guide is kid-tested and teacher-approved and integrates science, language arts, and visual arts through keeping a nature journal. He is the founder and host of the Bay Area Nature Journal Club, monthly free nature sketching workshops, field trips, and events, connecting people with nature through art.Visit his website for many FREE resources: https://johnmuirlaws.com/Show NotesLearn how to create a spirit of inquiry! Learn how to order your affactions towards the good and the true! Join Adrienne and John Muir Laws to learn the secrets behind keeping good nature journals and why it is perhaps one of the most important practices for a good and beautiful education. Hear their stories reflecting on personal experiences in the great outdoors, and their passion to help students order their affections towards things that are good and true. Topics Discussed include:Why nature journals?  Ordering the affections towards the good and trueGrowth Mindset and helping students grow towards their full capacityPractical ideas for getting startedHow to assess nature journals (what to do and what NOT to do)Resources to help with nature studyResources MentionedJohn Muir Laws YouTube Channel (lots of FREE resources)Nature Journal Connection (free educational videos for teachers-- not students-- to help create lessons)Nature Journal Educators Forum (FREE online meetings. See his calendar for event links to the meetings)Wild Wonder FoundationHow To Teach Nature Journaling (Free download by John Muir Laws)_________________________________________________________Whether you are a teacher or a parent, ask yourself…What is the purpose of education?  What is the beginning of education, AND does it ever come to an end? What type of education is best, and what type of education might I or my child pursue in the future? Let us help you discover what a beautiful education should look like. Where Should I Start?Subscribe to this Podcast on your favorite podcast app!Meet our Team, Explore our Resources andTake advantage of our Services!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 © 2023 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

A young poetry enthusiast and her homeschooling mom discuss the importance of poetry for children. They explore personalized birthday shout out poems, favorite poems like 'My Shadow' and 'Mr. Nobody', and the benefits of reciting poems for deeper understanding. The hosts share their passion for poetry and how it can enhance learning and emotional connections in everyday life.