Classical Education

About Our GuestMargarita Mooney Suarez (Clayton)* is an Associate Professor in the Department of Practical Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. She founded The Scala Foundation in 2016 and continues to serve as Scala’s Executive Director. Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of artists (culture creators), liberal arts education, and religion (liturgy, personal prayer, theology).NotesIn this episode, Trae and Margarita Mooney Suarez (Clayton) take a closer look at the philosophical underpinning of modern education. The late American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer John Dewey maintains a massive influence on how contemporary schools and families think about learning and the role of the school and its teachers. Dewey’s philosophy of education, while seemingly positive on some points, is ultimately grounded in the denial of the spiritual needs of students and a rejection of tradition. As a result, Dewey's views have contributed to the rise of beliefs and practices that effectively turn teachers into little more than bureaucratic therapeutic reformers, cut off from tradition with little to no approaches to teaching outside the scientific method applied across subjects. Today, most schools strip students of traditional beliefs and practices and expect them to build a future on no sure foundation. If we want to undo the influence of Dewey and restore a common unity between the church, the household, and the school, we will need some help. Enter Jacques Maritain and Luigi Giussani. * Margarita married David Clayton after this recording and now shares his last name.  Some topics and ideas in this episode include:Deep Rot in Our Education System The Influence of Philosophy on Education Jacques Maritain and Luigi Giussani's Concerns with John Dewey Teachers as Beuarocratic Therapeutic ReformersTruth and The Scientific Method   All Education as Moral Education The Freedom to Choose What’s Right Teaching as an Art Common Unity Between Household, Church, and School  Tradition and Authority Deconstruction, Questioning, and Scepticism Resources and Books & Mentioned In This EpisodeAfter Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyreA Common Faith by John Dewey Letters to a Young Education Reformer by Frederick M. HessThe Crisis of Western Education by Christopher DawsonThe Burnout Society by Byung-Chul HanEducation at the Crossroads by Jacques MaritainThe Risk of Education: Discovering Our Ultimate Destiny by Luigi Giussani Margarita’s Foundation and Books SCALA Foundation The Acton Institute 28th Anniversary SpeechThe Love of Learning: Seven Dialogues on the Liberal Arts The Wounds of Beauty: Seven Dialogues on Art and Education_________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Used with permission. cellists: Sara Sant' Ambrogio and Lexine Feng; pianist: Alyona Waldo  © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved ★ Support this podcast ★

About our GuestsDax Stokes is the host of the award-winning podcast "The Vampire Historian," and a frequent lecturer on the topics of Dracula and vampire folklore. As an academic librarian in the North Texas area, he has organized two symposia on vampire studies featuring scholars from across the United States. His published works on Dracula can be found in IndieJudge Magazine, the Fantastika Journal, Vamped.org, and at thevampirehistorian.com. Melissa Smith-Lauro is a corporate writer and content strategist who taught literature & composition at the university level for eight years. She’s the indefatigable mother of four sons who play baseball and attend in-person classes at the Flint Academy in Arlington, TX, and online classes with Miss Esther’s Integrated Homeschool Curriculum through the Classical Learning Resource Center. For fun, she works with local creatives to produce collaborative, beautiful, story-driven multimedia children’s content. Melissa is a proponent of Charlotte Mason principles, classical education content, and Montessori education methods. She is a gentle parenting enthusiast and an advocate for ADHD and autism awareness, accommodation, and inclusion in classical schools. Show NotesTrae and Adrienne invited Dax and Melissa to discuss the two most famous monsters in gothic fiction literature, Frankenstein and Dracula. The big ideas in these classics help us wrestle with what it means to be a human being through exploring the rich stories of these two monsters. What is a monster, and why should we read these books? Should students in classical schools read them? Join us as we explore these two famous monsters and their authors.Be sure to check out The Vampire Historian podcast with Dax Stokes too! Movies MentionedDracula (1992) The Coppola Version- Portrays all forms of DraculaGothic: Movie with Julian Sands and ShelleyMary Shelley’s FrankensteinCount Dracula: BBC 70’s version with Louis JourdanThe Search of Dracula: documentaryDracula Dead and Loving It (Mel Brooks and Leslie Nielson)Nofaratu (destroyed from law suit)Young Frankenstein with Gene Wilder (a Mel Brooks film)YouTube on Albertus Magnus, St. Thomas Aquinas and the Robot Books mentioned1818 version of Frankenstein1831 version of FrankensteinTransylvanian Superstitions by Emily GerardIn Search of Dracula: The History of Dracual and vampires The Icelandic Dracula , 1901 - Powers of Darkness: The Lost Version of Dracula by Bram StokerSwedish version of Dracula  - not translated into English yetVarney the Vampire (Penny Dreadfuls)The Vampire Book (Now the Vampire Almanac)Dr. John Polidori’s The Vampyre (1819)_________________________________________________________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 PhilharmonicSpecial Music: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 561; Public Domain classics sourced from the: https://archive.org/. © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved  ★ Support this podcast ★

About Our GuestFerdi McDermott studied Languages at Edinburgh University before a decade in Catholic publishing in London. In 2002 he founded Chavagnes International College, an international Catholic school for boys (www.chavagnes.org). He now combines leadership of the school with a lectureship in English literature at the Vendée Catholic university, ICES (www.ices.fr). He is pursuing a doctorate in Education through the University of Buckingham.NotesIn this episode, Adrienne and Trae join Headmaster Ferdi Mcdermott on a journey through the French countryside and into the historic site of a Roman villa turned thirteenth-century monastery, turned junior seminary now operating as a Catholic boarding school for boys that offers a classical Christian education for students from all over the world. To support this good work, please visit their website here. Some topics and ideas in this episode include:Living and Teaching in a Place with a Long History Teaching and Modeling Physical, Intellectual, and Spiritual Virtues The Key Role of the Chapel in the Life of a School The History of Classical Education in Europe The Influence of Ancient Egypt on Education Traditional Catholic Education  What Makes a Good Teacher? Why Should Teachers Sing to Their Students? Resources and Books & Mentioned In This EpisodeLetters to Captains by Andre Charlier Godliness and Good Learning by David Newsome John Senior on the cultural soil being depleted “The Twelves Virtues of a Good Teacher” by Br. Agathon  The National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools (NAPCIS)“Lay Catholics in Schools” by The Sacred Congregation of Catholic Education “The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium” by The Sacred Congregation of Catholic Education “Divini Illius Magistri” by Pope Pius XIFerdi’s Favorite Quote (Corrected):“To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.”- St. John Henry Newman Don’t miss Mr. McDermott singing a hymn in honor of St. John Henry Newman at the end! Please Support us on Patreon._________________________________________________________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 © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved  ★ Support this podcast ★

About our Guest: Dr. Matthew Post Assistant Professor of Humanities and Associate Director, Saint Ambrose Center for Catholic Liberal Education and Culture at the University of Dallas. He has spent his career teaching the Great Books of the Western tradition, having worked in Canada, Japan and Slovakia in addition to the U.S. In the Slovak Republic, he had the privilege to build a Great Books program at a school whose mission was to renew classical education after decades of communist rule had obscured the country’s history and traditions. His research explores how best to understand and promote virtue, service and leadership through education. His academic interests include the ancient Greeks, St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, the Enlightenment, the American Founding and German Idealism.Show NotesThe art of teaching encompasses freedom which allows for students to rest in a state of wonder. If we allow students to enjoy the ideas that they are learning, it captures the essence of teaching with beauty as the center of the lesson. Beauty is not just about a master teacher conducting a symphony, but about all the teachers and the spirit of the school working in community because beauty has form and unity. As Dr. Post unpacks the transcendentals (truth, goodness, and beauty). He explains that If a soul is disordered, the “good” helps to reorder the soul in order to know beauty. Dr. Post also explores where order comes from. The activity of making sense of an idea leads us to commune with or engage with truths that are unchanging. He builds upon these ideas and how they operate through good teaching. The episode closes discussing the importance of the poetic Homer texts, and how they point us towards what true forgiveness looks like. Some topics in this episode include:What is beauty? and How did the Greeks approach beauty through poetry?What are the transcendentals?How does formation help students to recognize beauty?How do teachers balance The True, The Good, and The Beautiful in classroom instruction?How does constraining or forcing, The True, The Good, and The Beautifu affect a student when they go out into the world?The Greek importance of Kalos Agothas (kalokagathos) for the attainment of virtue through a genuine submission to truth.Approaching education with a spirit of reverence for truth to lay a foundation in beauty.Books & Resources In This EpisodeThe Ethics of Beauty by Timothy PatitsasThe Iliad and The Odyssey by HomerPlatonic Texts:The RepublicTimaeusThe SymposiumFavorite Quote & A book that is neglected: Quote: "I have kissed the hands that slew my children" - HomerA neglected work that is worth looking at: The Captives (a play about slavery) by a Roman comedian, PlautusPlease Support us on Patreon_________________________________________________________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 © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved ★ Support this podcast ★

About Our Guest Daniel Olushola is the founder and former headmaster of Reformation Wall School. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Covenant University and was trained in Business Management and Entrepreneurship by African Management Initiate (AMI), Kenya, and Global Business Foundation, Nigeria.Daniel Olushola is reforming education in Nigeria. What started as a small gathering in a two-bedroom apartment has grown into a thriving classical Christian school in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.In our interview, we observed that Daniel constantly uses one phrase throughout our conversation: "I'm still learning."  We are delighted that Daniel and his staff have taken on the task of learning and bringing classical education to their part of the world. We hope you are encouraged by hearing the story of Reformation Wall School. Please visit the school's website here if you want to see more and support this good work.Some topics and ideas in this episode include:The state of education (materially and philosophically) in NigeriaHow discovering a Youtube video about a classical Christian school in the states encouraged Daniel to investigate classical education for his own country The importance of educating virtuous human beingsThe joys of reading great books like The Iliad and Plato's Republic for the first time as an adult The universality of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty Charlotte Mason and "living books" Resources Mentioned In This EpisodeThe Rafiki Foundation If you want to support the work at Reformation Wall School, please consider sponsoring a student. Read more about how to become a sponsor here. If you would like to discuss sending books, supplies, or other means of support, please contact Reformation Wall School through their website here. 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 © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved ★ Support this podcast ★

About our Guest: Dr. Angel Parham is Associate Professor of Sociology and senior fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia.  Her area is historical sociology, where she engages in research and writing that examine the past in order to better understand how to live well in the present and envision wisely for the future.  Her research and teaching are inspired by classical philosophies of living and learning that emphasize the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty. She shares this love of history and of classical learning through Nyansa Classical Community, an educational non-profit focused on K-12 students which provides lower and upper school curricula in the humanities to schools and homeschools. Parham is the author The Black Intellectual Tradition: Reading Freedom in Classical Literature, published with Classical Academic Press (2022). She is also the President of the Board of Academic Advisors for the Classic Learning Test (CLT) which takes an approach to academic testing that seeks to reconnect knowledge and virtue.  Parham completed her B.A. in sociology at Yale University and her M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.If you would like to volunteer or write for Nyansa Classical Community, email Angel. Angel.Adams.Parham@Gmail.com or visit Nyansa Classical Community here.  Show NotesDr. Paham discusses her Christian outreach through Nyansa Classical Community (a non-profit Classical after-school program).  Nyansa works alongside schools to help them give beautiful classical texts in public schools for the children who stay for after-school care. We also dive into the debate between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois in the eduation of African-Americans.  We also discuss "What is a liberal arts eduation and why does it matter?" The origins of "liberal" means that it is freeing and to truly flourish. Some topics in this episode include:Why Homer is important for all students and to help develop good foundations for understanding a virtue-based learning environmentWhat is the African-American tradition?The education debate between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du BoisWhy a liberal arts education casts a vision for the future and why it matters. Anna Julia Cooper's impact on the tradition of African-American educationWhat is the true heritage of the African-American education in The United States? The grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages according to the essay, "The Lost Tools of Learning" by Dorothy Sayers. What is the black intellectual tradition? The importance of learning languages from other cultures to fully explore other cultures and their literatureBooks In This EpisodeThe Iliad and The Odyssey by HomerSong of Solomon by Toni MorrisonOmeros by Derek WalcottUp From Slavery by Booker T. WashingtonMusicans in the Black TraditionJoseph BologneOpera CréoleBook she wishes she had read earlierThe Republic by PlatoPlease Support us on Patreon_________________________________________________________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 © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved ★ Support this podcast ★

About our Guest: Dr. Richard Ferrier was born April 18th 1948, Berkeley California, married wife Kathyrn 1972, 8 children, 9 grandchildren. He is currently a faculty member  with Thomas Aquinas College (1978-present).  B.A. Liberal Arts 1971, St Johns College, AnnapolisM.A. and Ph.D History of Science 1980, Indiana UniversityTeacher at Key School, Annapolis 1969-74 (taught Algebra, Geometry, Physics, Greek, English and American Lit, Drama, and Music)Founding Board Member St. Augustine Academy, Ventura California.Chairman Ventura County Republican Party 1991-2, Vice Chairman "Yes on 209" campaign, 1996. Prop 209 banned, by Constitutional Amendment, preferential treatment by race, sex, or ethnicity in state agencies. It passed and is still state law.His most recent book is The Declaration of America,Our Principles in Thought and Action, published by St. Augustine's Press.   Show NotesDr. Ferrier is a true sage in classical education and his wisdom shines in this discussion. Hearing from his heart as a dad and grandparent was an absolute blessing. This interview was an absolute delight. We jumped from beautiful topic to beautiful topic. Dr. Ferrier and Trae shared several personal stories and especially discuss the upbringing of boys during several various points in this episode. The bullet point summary, as well as the book list,  provides a good snap shot of the depth and breadth of this conversation.  He wisely said "We live in a world of riches, why should we waste our minds?"Some topics in this episode include:Defining classical education and making free menLiberal Arts v. Servile Arts (useful arts)Arithmetic & Geometry as the music and dance of the quadriviumThe importance of music for the human soul Civics through American patriotic hymnsThe importance of reading to your childrenHow to read well and simply delight in great books from Dr. Seuss to the best American Speeches to Homer and back to nonsense poetry! The arts of grammar, logic/dialectics, and rhetoricTeaching rhetoric with the best speechesThe importance of integrative instruction through the 7 Classical Liberal Arts and the useful artsWhy practitioners in the "useful arts" NEED to know how to think well and communicate wellEducating boys and giving them great books as well as hands on experience with tools and going fishingAdventitious learning The difficulties in homeschooling that drive a parent to online learningHe shared his personal testimonies with homeschooling his children and what struggles they hadBooks & Resources In This EpisodeMother GooseDr. Seuss (The Cat in the Hat)Ogden NashThe Declaration of IndependenceThe Constitution of the United StatesEdward Lear's Book of NonsenseJabberwocky by Lewis CarrollHomer's Illiad and OdysseyLincolns' Speeches and Euclid's Elements"John Brown's Body" by Stephen Vincent Benét"By the Waters if Babylon" by Stephen Vincent Benét"The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benét"The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Lord ByronThe Christmas Carol by Charles DickensI Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth GoudgeLandmark BooksTolkien TrilogyFaustPensées by Blaise PascalDostoevsky"Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse"The Glass Bead Game" by Hermann Hesse "Beneath the Wheel" by Hermann HesseCalvin Coolidge's Speech on The Declaration of Independence: Lecture by Dr. FerrierMoviesGettysburgJohn AdamsKen Burn's Civil War seriesCasablancaFavorite QuoteVirgil when he is looking at the destruction of his home. "sunt lacrimae rerum"--- Tears for thingsPlease Support us on Patreon_________________________________________________________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 © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved ★ Support this podcast ★

About our Guest: Steve Mittwede, PhD, EdSDr. Mittwede is privileged to be a teacher of Earth Science at Randolph School in Huntsville (Rocket City!), Alabama, after having taught at two great classical schools in Texas for the past seven years. Heartily committed to lifelong learning, his most recent degree was an EdS in Educational Leadership from Columbia International University (CIU), following degrees in geology from The College of William and Mary (BS) and the University of South Carolina (MS and PhD), the last two while concurrently working as a full-time mineral resources geologist for the South Carolina Geological Survey.  During that time in South Carolina, he married Dana, and they were blessed with four sons in close succession – all now grown, married, and raising their own broods (13 grandchildren and counting!). Steve also has an MA in intercultural studies from CIU and an MTh in theology from Union School of Theology/University of South Wales (UK). With his family, Steve lived for 23 years in Ankara, Turkey where he worked as an educator, academic researcher, consulting geologist, and scientific/technical editor. His main research “squeeze” over the last few years has been the great Peripatetic, Theophrastus, a paragon of scholarly virtues that are especially applicable in science education.Show NotesAdrienne interviews master teacher, Dr. Steve Mittwede on the art of teaching science. As an expert in the classroom, Steve brings practical ideas for teachers to consider for good, truth-driven instruction. He discusses in detail how to help students use good language (grammar mode of the trivium) to help them in habits of attending and defining their observations. We also discuss the truth pursuits around the unity of knowledge and how important this is to the foundation of integerated instruction. If truth is a foundation to classical education, then integrating all the "subjects" together ought to matter! His Three Realms of Knowing is a construct he developed about 20 years ago showing students that everything fits together. Some topics in this episode include:What is a good definition of science?How should science text books be used?What are best practices in the art of teaching science?How to engender conversations for good scientific hypotheseWhy nature study is critical for good science practices with studentsHow scientific thinking can help us integrate and make connections to all truth and reality. The Law of NoncontradictionHorizontal integration of science with poetry and Socratic inquiryBooks & Resources In This EpisodeAristotle's Metaphysics"Learning Scholarly Virtues from Theaphrastus" by Dr. Mittwede, published by SCLOpus Majus by Roger BaconPoems for Science classHymn before Sun-rise, in the Vale of Chamouni By Samuel Taylor ColeridgeI Am Like a Slip of Comet by Gerard Manley HopkinsQuotes that Dr. Mittwede uses in his science classes"Truth, like gold, is not be obtained by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold."- Leo Tolstoy"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."- Jack LondonPlease Support us on Patreon_________________________________________________________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 © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved ★ Support this podcast ★

About our GuestsKevin Moore is an experienced educator of young learners as well as a respected instructional leader. Presently, Kevin's attention and energies are consumed by two ventures of which he is a Co-Founder, Long-View Micro-School and The Number Lab. Long-View Micro School is a STEM focused, highly innovative, learner-centered educational environment thoughtfully designed for upper elementary and middle-school-aged learners.  Through his work at Long-View, Kevin is committed to impacting the educational landscape locally by adding to the diversity of schooling options for families in Austin Texas. In his work with The Number Lab, Kevin helps to design and facilitate professional development seminars for teachers who provide mathematics instruction to young learners. These seminars are meant to help teachers strengthen their own conceptual understandings of mathematics and inspire a culture of learning in their classrooms that engages learners as mathematicians. Kevin’s work with The Number Lab connects him with educators throughout the United States and beyond.  Kaylie White is an experienced educator at Long-View Learning, where she strives to transform mathematics education by working with both young learners and educators from across the country. Kaylie designs and leads learning experiences for young mathematicians at Long-View Micro School — a STEM-focused, highly innovative, learner-centered educational environment designed for upper elementary and middle-school-aged learners. Through Long-View’s teacher-facing work, Kaylie creates and facilitates professional development for teachers, including in-person workshops, Field Study Days at Long-View Micro School, and virtual coaching. She also leads the social media marketing for Long-View Learning. Kaylie is a bold, creative, and passionate educator who sees herself as a learner first. She eagerly works to collaborate with her team to continuously iterate and improve the learning experience for all. When she is not teaching and learning, Kaylie enjoys time with her husband and one-year-old son in Austin, Texas where they cook, hike, read, play soccer, and cheer on Austin FC.Follow their work: Instagram: long_view_learning School’s instagram:  long_view_atx Website: long-view.com  Professional Development from The Number Lab (Long-View Team) Find Support from the team at https://www.long-view-learning.com/Show NotesAdrienne and Trae interview two master teachers in mathematics from Long- View Micro School in Austin, Texas. While Long-View is a progressive school, they have discovered the truth of dialectis in the classroom. While they do not formally consider their methods as classical, and their terminology may be different than common terms in classical education, they truly embrace the art teaching math dialectically. Teaching math is not about state standards or facts and formulas to memorize, but rather it is a discipline that is engaging, interesting, and helps students learn thinking and communication skills which are common to the goals of classical education. Some topics in this episode include:The high abilities of children to wrestle with big ideas and participate in deep and meaningful workThe importance of a healthy community of learners with teachers as facilitators who will challenge and mediate students through meaningful ideasChildren need opportunities to grapple with complex ideas so that they can learn the art of dialectics (Longview school is not classical and does not call it the art of dialectics, but that is inadvertently what is being discussed). Real understanding emerges from the messiness of learning how to be precise with good language, with communication, and with tapping into creative ways of solving problems.Setting a school culture where learning is a process that everyone does together..Books & Resources In This EpisodeA Mathematician's Lament: How School Cheats Us Out of Our Most Fascinating and Imaginative Art Form by Paul Lockhart and Keith Devlin  Visilbe Learning by John HattieDaring Greatly by Brené Brown Learner-Centered Teaching by Maryellen WeimerPlease Support us on Patreon_________________________________________________________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 © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved ★ Support this podcast ★

About our GuestAmy Sloan and her husband John are 2nd-generation homeschoolers to 5 children from 7 to 17 years old. The Sloan family adventures together in NC where they pursue a restfully-classical education. If you hang out with Amy for any length of time you’ll quickly learn that she loves overflowing book stacks, giant mugs of coffee, beautiful memory work, and silly memes. At any moment she could break into song and dance from Hamilton, 90s country music, or Shakespeare. Amy writes at HumilityandDoxology.com and hosts the  “Homeschool Conversations with Humility and Doxology” podcast. Follow Amy on her website Humility & Doxology and her podcast Homeschool Conversations.Show NotesAdrienne interviews Amy and discusses the ins and outs of homeschooling. Amy shares her experience as a second generation homeschooler. She discusses how classical education shaped her life as a student and now as a homeschool mom.  Many golden nuggets of wisdom are shared between Adrienne and Amy as they explain the common experiencs typical in the life of a homeschooler. Listen and be encouraged not to give up or to seriously consider homeschooling as a solid educational choice for your family. Some topics in this episode include:The hard realities in homeschoolingPrioritizing sibling frienships in a homeschoolThe common stresses in most homeschoolsCultivating integrative learning: being purposeful to connect all the subjectsThe Christian classical idea of teaching with a spirit of humilityAmy discusses the end goals to help answer the question, "why should I homeschool?".How to consider outsourcing needs and options as a homeschoolBooks & Resources In This EpisodeMissy Andrew's memoir, My Divine ComedyThe Liberal Arts Tradition by Clark and Jain Better Together by Pam BarnhillTeaching From Rest by Sarah MacKenzieFor the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer McaulayPodcasts from Homeschool Conversations mentioned in this episode as most helpful for getting started in homeschooling:Dr. George Grant interviewAnn Karako InterviewJami Marstall interviewPam Barnill and Heather Tully interviewKaren Glass InterviewAdrienne Freas InterviewCindy Rollins InterviewCurriculum Mentioned:Sonlight CurriculumAmblesideOnline CurriculumSaxon MathMath-U-SeeRightStart MathThe quote that Amy shared:"What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place. Modesty has moved from the organ of ambition. Modesty has settled upon the organ of conviction where it was never meant to be. A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth. This has been exactly reversed. Nowadays the part of a man that a man does assert is exactly the part he ought not to assert, himself. The part he doubts is exactly the part he ought not to doubt, the divine reason. Huxley preached a humility content to learn from nature, but the new skeptic is so humble that he doubts if he can even learn. Thus, we should be wrong if we had said hastily that there is no humility typical of our time. The truth is there is a real humility typical of our time, but it so happens that it is practically a more poisonous humility than the wildest protrations of the aesthetic. The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping, not a nail in his boot that prevented him from going on. For the old humility made a man doubtful about his efforts which might make him work harder. But the new humility makes a man doubtful about his aims, which will make him stop working altogether." - G.K. Chesteron, Orthodoxy (ch. 3)Please Support us on Patreon _________________________________________________________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 © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved ★ Support this podcast ★