Classical Education

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 ★

Guest BiographiesDr. Laura Eidt received her BA in English Literature and Linguistics from the University of Hamburg (Germany) and her MA and Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Texas at Austin. She has been teaching Spanish, German, Comparative Literature, and Humanities at the University of Dallas since 2006 and has published on German and Spanish poetry and on ekphrasis. For many years she taught an applied foreign language pedagogy class that sent students to local area schools to teach their language to elementary children, and she was a mentor at a bilingual school in Dallas for four years. Her courses include classes on foreign language pedagogy, teaching classical children’s literature, and great works in the modern world. She is the faculty advisor for UD's Classical Curriculum team and is currently writing a Latin curriculum for K-5rd grade.Robin JohnstonRobin Ann Johnston is a daughter, sister, wife, mother of five, grandmother of four (so far,) and a convert to Catholicism.  She graduated from Loyola University of New Orleans in 1985, cum laude, with a bachelor's degree in Cognitive Psychology and a minor in music. When her children were all old enough to go to school, she returned to the workforce as a teacher for Mount St. Michael Catholic School (MSMCS) in south Dallas. Robin taught mostly ELAR and World History during her years there, for grades ranging from 4th to 12th. As the lead middle-school teacher, she was instrumental in transitioning the school’s culture and curriculum instruction to a classical model. During those decades, Robin was given the “Work of Heart” award for excellence in teaching (twice) by the Catholic Diocese of Dallas.  After retiring from teaching full time, she began writing classical ELAR and Humanities curriculum lessons and novel study guides. Robin’s passion is for igniting students’ hearts with a love for learning and helping teachers have a toolbox of ideas that are easy to use while making a real difference in the classroom.  She is now working on a master's degree in Humanities and Classical Education. In her free time, she likes to craft, read, swim, and, along with her husband of 35 years, babysit the grandchildren. Show NotesIn this episode, Adrienne, Robin, and Laura continue their conversation on teaching literature. They delve deep into the art of narration, responding to common objections, and ways to use narration as a life-giving assessment.     Some topics and ideas in this episode include:How to Assess NarrationsRead-Aloud RecommendationsModeling Delight and Play Through Narration What is a “living book”?Is Narration Just a Tool? What About Violence in Fairy Tales? Book Recommendations for Pre-K - Elementary, Middle School, and High School  Resources and Books & Mentioned In This EpisodeThe Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. LewisInstitutes of Oratory: or, Education of an Orator by Quintilian Pre-K - 5 Eric Carle Jan BrettTasha Tudor Jerry Pickney Astrid Lindgren (Dr. Eidt’s favorite) George MacDonald The Princess and the Goblin (Librivox Recording) The Wise Women Undine The Complete Tales of Winnie The Pooh by A.A. Milne Audio Drama with Judy Dench, Stephen Fry, et al. Rabbit Ears Radio Barbara Cooney Ingrid D'AulairesWilliam Steig Beatrix Potter

Guest BiographiesDr. Laura Eidt received her BA in English Literature and Linguistics from the University of Hamburg (Germany) and her MA and Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Texas at Austin. She has been teaching Spanish, German, Comparative Literature, and Humanities at the University of Dallas since 2006 and has published on German and Spanish poetry and on ekphrasis. For many years she taught an applied foreign language pedagogy class that sent students to local area schools to teach their language to elementary children, and she was a mentor at a bilingual school in Dallas for four years. Her courses include classes on foreign language pedagogy, teaching classical children’s literature, and great works in the modern world. She is the faculty advisor for UD's Classical Curriculum team and is currently writing a Latin curriculum for K-5rd grade. Robin JohnstonRobin Ann Johnston is a daughter, sister, wife, mother of five, grandmother of four (so far,) and a convert to Catholicism.  She graduated from Loyola University of New Orleans in 1985, cum laude, with a bachelor's degree in Cognitive Psychology and a minor in music. When her children were all old enough to go to school, she returned to the workforce as a teacher for Mount St. Michael Catholic School (MSMCS) in south Dallas. Robin taught mostly ELAR and World History during her years there, for grades ranging from 4th to 12th. As the lead middle-school teacher, she was instrumental in transitioning the school’s culture and curriculum instruction to a classical model. During those decades, Robin was given the “Work of Heart” award for excellence in teaching (twice) by the Catholic Diocese of Dallas.  After retiring from teaching full time, she began writing classical ELAR and Humanities curriculum lessons and novel study guides. Robin’s passion is for igniting students’ hearts with a love for learning and helping teachers have a toolbox of ideas that are easy to use while making a real difference in the classroom.  She is now working on a master's degree in Humanities and Classical Education. In her free time, she likes to craft, read, swim, and, along with her husband of 35 years, babysit the grandchildren. Show NotesIn part one of this two-part episode, we reconsider the foundations of good reading with the help of influential thinkers like C.S. Lewis and Mortimer Adler and think about how an overabundance of “screen time” paired with modern “reading strategies” and a focus on “college prep” pale in comparison to the potential for life transformation within the classical tradition.    Some topics and readings in this episode include:How can we become good readers? Why is beauty harder to analyze than truth? What role should “vocabulary words” play in our approach to teaching literature? “College Prep” vs. Pursuit of Transcendence Reading and the Fear of GradesThe Role of Morals and Virtues in Teaching Literature The Origin and Place of Plot Analysis Is it ever ok to skim when reading? Narration and Picture Study Readings and Resources An Experiment in Criticism by C.S. Lewis How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler Walking on Water by Madeleine L’Engle“Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins Heidi by Johanna SpyriAesop’s Fables Little Red Ride Hood  _________________________________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 GuestMariah Martinez has worked in education since 2015 as a teacher, curriculum developer, and mentor teacher. Mariah was introduced to a progressive version of classical education through her high school's International Baccalaureate program. She was later immersed in a traditional classical atmosphere through her honors program in college. Mariah attended the Honors College at Houston Baptist University, where she received a B.A., double majoring in philosophy and English. She also holds an M.A. in humanities with a concentration in classical education from the University of Dallas. She is certified as a 7-12 ELAR instructor in Texas with an additional ELL (English Language Learner) supplement. Currently, she teaches at a Founders Classical charter school in Northeast Texas and works as a freelance consultant for Beautiful Teaching. Show NotesIn this episode, Adrienne, Trae, and Mariah have a wide-ranging conversation about establishing the proper relationship between teacher, student, and text. Mariah is admittedly not the "fun teacher." Still, students enjoy her classes, make discoveries in her classroom, and learn to take up a posture of humility and understanding toward the stories and ideas she teaches.            Some topics and ideas in this episode include:Rewards and Risks of Class Discussions How to Respond to Ideological CommentsHow to Foster a Posture of Understanding The Role of Narrative Across SubjectsAvoiding the Infantilization of TeenagersAn Engaging Approach to Narration  Mariah's Online Course - Teaching Disputation: Well-ordered Thinking for a Disordered World Resources and Books & Mentioned In This EpisodeThe Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" by Christopher MarloweBeautiful Teaching Online Courses Mariah's Favorite Quote:  "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." – Henry David Thoreau_________________________________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 GuestKiernan Fiore has worked as a teacher, administrator, teacher trainer, and curriculum developer since 2011. After receiving a Charlotte Mason classical home education, she earned a BA in English (summa cum laude) from Hillsdale College and an MA in English (Merit) from King's College, London. She is certified in 4-8th Grade ELAR and Social Studies in Texas. She began her teaching career at a private Charlotte Mason school and since then has worked in private, charter, and virtual schools to promote the benefits of classical education. Currently, she works as a freelance consultant for Beautiful Teaching and writes for the City of Ladies newsletter. Show NotesIn this episode, Adrienne and Trae enter into a critique of neoclassical education, joined by Kiernan Fiore. Together, they consider how educators in the renewal of classical education can reflect on how the wholesale adoption and systematizing of one Dorthy Sayers essay has led to critical departures from the tradition. In this conversation, we claim that Charlotte Mason affirmed and restored person-honoring principles and practices from the classical tradition in her time. We also point out that neoclassical education in practice tends to suffer from a pragmatism inherited from progressive philosophies of education. Finally, Kiernan paints a beautiful picture of the proper relationship between systematic lesson planning and teaching in the spirit of classical education.            Some topics and ideas in this episode include:Classical vs. Neoclassical Classical Education Appropriate for Our Time State and Societal Pressures on Parents and Teachers Teaching Classically in a Nonclassical School The Christian baptism of classical education Neoclassical vs. Classical Narration Systems vs. Conversations within Relationships Narration as Assessment or Art? Lesson Planning in the Spirit of Classical Education Resources and Books & Mentioned In This Episode“The Lost Tools of Learning” by Dorthy Sayers  Jason Barney on Charlotte Mason, Modern Science, and The Classical Tradition“Mending Wall” by Robert Frost Beautiful Teaching Online Courses Kiernan’s Favorite Quote:  "Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life." - Charlotte Mason’s Parents' National Educational Union motto _________________________________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 GuestJason Caros serves as the headmaster at Founders Classical Academy. He graduated from Florida State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts with concentrations in History and Religion. He also holds a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. Mr. Caros was a high school history teacher and a district-level curriculum administrator for more than fifteen years. In 2012, he was selected by Hillsdale College's Barney Charter School Initiative and Responsive Education Solutions to serve as the first headmaster of Founders Classical Academy, a K-12 grade classical charter school in Lewisville, TX.  Mr. Caros attributes the growth and success of the school to the efforts of an excellent faculty and staff, supportive parents, dedicated students, and the work of its parent organization, Responsive Ed. In addition to his headmaster duties, Mr. Caros loves to teach his high school Western Civilization I class. Mr. Caros lives in Flower Mound with his wife and children; his daughter is a Founders alumna, and his son attends Founders as a rising junior.Show NotesIn this episode, Adrienne and Trae meet with headmaster Jason Caros to discuss the American Classical Charter School model. Founded initially as a Barney Charter School Initiative in American Classical Education, Founders Classical Academy in Lewisville, Texas, is an example of a thriving charter school. They are part of the Responsive Education Solutions (RES) charter schools community with a mission to provide education options that promote a free society with moral and academic excellence. Mr. Caros shares stories about how a love of learning and reading paired with patriotism bring his community together. Mr. Caros describes how commencements, holiday programs, and events focused on civic virtue give shape and meaning to the life of his school.  Furthermore, Mr. Caros explores the qualities of a good teacher pertaining to the classical categories of Logos, Pathos, and Ethos. Mr. Caros explains how the stability of his school rests on consistency in the faculty and maintaining ongoing alumni relationships. Some questions in this episode include:What are the qualities of a good headmaster?How do you foster deep conversations in pursuit of the highest good in your particular context?What is at the heart of American Classical Education?How do you retain teachers?How do you support your faculty?Resources and Books & Mentioned In This EpisodeDante’s Inferno by Dante AlighieriParadise Lost by John MiltonThe Divine Comedy by Dante AlighieriShakespearean Plays by William Shakespeare The Abolition of Man by C.S. LewisNicomachean Ethics by AristotleRepublic by PlatoCicero by PlutarchThe Roots of the American Order by Russell KirkVideo: Jordan Peterson interviews Yeonmi ParkThe Bill of RightsThe Constitution of the United States of America The Restoration of Christian Culture by John SeniorNorms and Nobility: A Treatise on Education by David V. Hicks_________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Used with permission. cellists: SaraSant'' Ambrogio and Lexine Feng; pianist: Alyona Waldo  © 2022 Beautiful Teaching. All Rights Reserved ★ Support this podcast ★

About our GuestMr. 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 NotesJason 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/HeardProblems With the Factory Model of Education Narration Leading to Good ConversationsProblems with Blooms TaxonomyMaking Time to Read  Resources and Books & Mentioned In This EpisodeA 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. _________________________________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 ★