Classical Education

About our GuestSean Johnson holds an M.A. in English from the University of Dallas, and he teaches Great Books at Veritas School in Richmond, Virginia. Sean has reviewed movies for FilmFisher.com, and is a frequent contributor to The Circe Institute’s blog and print journal FORMA. As you notice in this interview, Sean loves family, food, and film.  After the show,  consider listening to Sean Johnson’s talk “The Devil Loves a Picky Eater.” Show NotesIn this episode, Sean Johnson and Trae Bailey converse on the proper relationship between family, food, and film in the classical classroom and home. Here Sean suggests movies for the whole family, what to cook with your kids, and how to deal with picky eaters.Some topics in this episode include:Our cultivated culture of pickiness  How the kitchen can inform the classroom The difficult roles of teachers and parents Narration in the home Reviewing Films and Praising Well Graham Greene’s novels and screenplaysLectio Divina   Alcohol and Drinking CultureHow to watch movies with your family The proper place for the television in the home Sean’s film recommendationsBooks &  Resources Mentioned In This EpisodeFORMA Journal The Republic, Socrates  The Supper of The Lamb: A Culinary Reflection, Farrar Capon  The Third Man, Graham Greene Our Man in Havana, Graham, Greene High NoonThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Charlie Chaplin Movies WALL-E  Ratatouille The Incredibles Sean’s Favorite Book & Quote: Beauty for Truth’s Sake, Stratford Caldecott “Is he enough of a pagan to die for the world, and enough of a Christian to die to it?” - G.K.Chesterton, Orthodoxy _______________________________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 GuestDr. Reno Lauro received his PhD from the University of St. Andrews Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts in 2011, where he wrote on J. R. R. Tolkien’s philosophy of Mythopoeia. For the past 10 years, he has worked at the intersection of Humane and Digital learning.After completing his degrees, Theology (MDiv) and History (BA), Reno apprenticed for 18 months on the Palme d’Or winning film The Tree of Life with director Terrence Malick, which transformed his understanding of the Classics, the modern world, and how to communicate the relationship between the two. He has taught at the graduate and undergraduate level as well as in both Lower and Upper School classrooms of Classical Schools. Most recently, Reno has served as the Assistant Headmaster at St. Peter’s Classical School in Fort Worth, TX and of a Great Hearts Archway School and also worked closely with the CEO of the globally recognized BASIS.ed charter schools to create and pilot seminar-style history courses as alternatives to AP classes.Reno resides in Ft. Worth, Texas with his wife and 4 gloriously active young boys. He is passionate about philosophy, history, and beautiful teaching. He currently works as a Classical Pedagogy and Curriculum Specialist for Coram Deo Academies in DFW. He also is an active consultant for Beautiful Teaching: Consulting in Classical Education Philosophy & Pedagogy.His 2 Bonus Podcast Episodes can be downloaded from our Patreon Page here.Show NotesWe discuss Tolkien’s view of education through the lens of cosmology, anthropology, and story. Reno discusses the theological implications between language and story and how this view ties to the recovery of Christian classical education. Philology is the foundation of the humane letters and there is more to learning than the seeking and the mining of literature in an academic way. This “lifeless” and “dull”  style of the university in Tolkien’s Valedictory Address to the University of Oxford, points to a larger anthropological view of education. This leads us to think of education as a living, breathing, and whole that is multi-faceted and varied. In this world of machines, we need to recover the fullness of human life. Key Text: We discussed at great length from The Valedictory Address to the University of Oxford refers to J.R.R. Tolkien's retirement speech from the University of Oxford, delivered on 5 June 1959. The valedictory speech is included in J.R.R. Tolkien, Scholar and Storyteller: Essays in Memoriam. Another draft was published in The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays (1983).Some topics in this episode include:What was Tolkien's struggle with his peers at The University and how does it show us his philosophy of education?Tolkien as a Dante for the technocratic ageEncountering education as a living, breathing, whole within the cosmosThe medieval view of educationWhat was Tokien’s relationship with the cosmos and trees and how does this influence his view of learning? Books & Titles Mentioned In This EpisodeThe Inklings: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and Their Friends by Humphrey Carpenter (chapters 2-3)Secret Fire: The Spiritual Vision of J.R.R. Tolkien by Stratford CaldecottMythopoeia by J.R.R. TolkienThe Discarded Image by C.S. LewisThe valedictory speech is included in J.R.R. Tolkien, Scholar and Storyteller: Essays in Memoriam. Another draft was published in The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays (1983).Reno's quote at end of podcast:Hail Earendel, brightest of angels,Sent to men over middle-earth,And true radiance of the sun,Fine beyond stars, you always illuminate,...Source: Christ I poem from Anglo-Saxon advent liturgy_________________________________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 GuestSteven J. Bourgeois, PhD has been a practicing teacher for the past 32 years. Working primarily in Oregon and Texas, he has taught high school German, string orchestra, humanities, and applied music in addition to several years as a head tennis coach. After completing a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2012, he accepted a position as Executive Director of Research, Evaluation, and Instruction at Responsive Education Solutions, one of the largest charter school organizations in Texas. After recently retiring, Dr. Bourgeois has transitioned to full-time educational consulting, focusing services on teacher attrition, distributive leadership, student motivation, and classical methods. Leveraging his skills in data analytics, survey design, and data visualization, he currently supports leaders in independent, traditional public, and charter schools. Dr. Bourgeois currently serves as an adjunct professor at UT Arlington teaching doctoral-level courses in qualitative research. Additionally, he teaches courses within the Classical Education Department of the Braniff Graduate School at the University of Dallas. Dr. Bourgeois has a record of publications in peer-reviewed educational journals and presentations at state, regional, national, and international conferences in the areas of student motivation and engagement, along with conceptual pieces on authentic engagement and intrinsic motivation.Research by Dr. BourgeoisTeaching as Entertainment: An Examination of EffectsHigh-achieving, cognitively disengaged middle level mathematics studentsThe indirect effects of school leadership on achievementPraise in the elementary classroom: The teacher’s perspectiveContingent rewards in the elementary classroom: The teacher’s perspectiveIntrinsic motivation and authentic engagement: A conceptual discussionMotivation for academically gifted students in Germany and the US: A phenomenological studyShow NotesDr. Bourgeois, Adrienne, and Trae discuss potential solutions to cultivating motivation so students can develop true virtue. They discuss modern research and the effects of praise on student motivation. Some classical school have beautiful mission statements, but their practice does not necessarily align with the philosophical truths that encourages internal motivation. For true virtue formation, students and teachers need intrinsic motivation and this is a bit more complicated than most typical practices in schools today. Some practical questions in this episode include:Please define for our listeners the differences between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. What exactly is motivation and what role might it play in the life of a school? Is it really the job of the teacher to motivate students? And at the Highschool level (Which is where we are working) is there any hope in saving the curious nature of the learner inside of them?How do we get away from an excessive assesment mentality? Should we give prizes for reading? What does Charlotte Mason say about motivation? How can we encourage teachers today who want to transition to a more classical way of approaching student performance? These questions help us to wrestle with the idea that all education ought to be humane and focused on helping students with internal motivation. The expectations of parents, teachers, and boards on can hamper the experience of a truly classical educaiton.Resources  and Quotes Mentioned In This EpisodeOld School podcast Episode 25: On Motivation and Learning Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason quote: “the Desire of Knowledge (Curiosity) was the chief instrument of education; that this desire might be paralysed or made powerless like an unused limb by encouraging other desires to intervene between a child and the knowledge proper for him; the desire for place,––emulation; for prizes,––avarice; for power,––ambition; for praise,––vanity, might each be a stumbling block to him.... the delightfulness of knowledge is sufficient to carry a pupil joyfully and eagerly through his school life and that prizes and places, praise, blame and punishment, are unnecessary insofar as they are used to secure ardent interest and eager work. The love of knowledge is sufficient.”Essay by Simone Weil (correct title was not stated on the podcast):Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies With a View to the Love of God by Simone Weil “'Motivation' has become the bete noire of modern educators. How can the young be moved to learn? By rewards and promises of rewards? By such inducements the young will go through the motions of education, but they will remain unmoved. But how then? Why, by exposing them to the Muses, where no phenomenon is seen except under the aspect of wonder. Mistake me not: wonder is no sugary sentimentality but, rather, a mighty passion, a species of fear, an awe-full confrontation of the mystery of things. Through the Muses the fearful abyss of reality first calls out to that other abyss that is the human heart; and the wonder of its response is, as the philosophers have said, the beginning of philosophy not merely the first step; but the arche, the principle, as one is the principle of arithmetic and the fear of God the beginning of Wisdom. Thus wonder both starts education and sustains it."- Dennis Quinn_________________________________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 GuestSoren Schwab, M.Ed is a passionate educator with a decade of experience in K-12 education. Born and raised in Germany, Soren moved to the US in the late 2000’s to pursue his literature and theology studies. He earned a B.A. in English from Hillsdale College and an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from Colorado Christian University. For many years, Soren led the English Department at The Vanguard School, a classical charter school in Colorado Springs. He joined CLT in 2018 and currently serves as the Vice President of Partnerships. Soren and his wife Paula live in Annapolis, MD where they enjoy kayaking, hiking, and rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles.CLT Resource: https://www.cltexam.com/Show NotesThe Ethos, Pathos and Logos in Forming a New Model of TestingRather than teach to test, creating “testing fatigue”, the classical movement has ideas for making the content matter. Consider a new and helpful tool for Classical renewal. In this podcast, Soren Schwab discusses (CLT) Classical Learning Test, with Adrienne and Trae as they voice the many known questions and concerns about testing. Studies have proven that make the case for better content. There is a disconnect between evaluating a student’s achievement of test content, and a real aptitude by students who reason through a problem. Here, we explore something less exhausting than testing for days.Some topics in this episode include:Here is a common question: How do we deal with tests? How can content help change the outcome?Is it a popular need to look for learning gaps in students?Why not test prep?How do we address the big question about aptitude vs. achievement ?Colleges and Universities that accept the CLT:https://www.cltexam.com/colleges/Books & Titles Mentioned In This EpisodeSoren's favorite quote originally in German: "Tradition ist nicht das Halten der Asche, sondern das Weitergeben der Flamme" - ein berühmtes Zitat, geprägt von Thomas Morus (1478-1535).The Gutav Mahler paraphrase "Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire."_________________________________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 ★

Dr. Gary Hartenburg discusses Aristotelian Education, emphasizing virtues, leisure, and practical wisdom. He explores the link between leisure, education, and character development. The podcast delves into Aristotelian education's influence on modern practices and the importance of cultivating good human qualities before academic studies.

Parent and Headmaster John Heitzenrater discusses raising virtuous children, emphasizing parental responsibility and character development. Topics include instilling virtues, shaping willpower, fostering humility and community, navigating student behaviors with patience, and the role of discipline in classical education. The conversation highlights the importance of empathy, consistency, and bridging education with family life for student growth.

Delve into the impact of music in education with Professor Carol, nurturing children's talents, blending musical influences, and the power of nursery rhymes. Explore online workshops, the value of music education resources, and the importance of humility in teaching.

Guest BiographiesDr. Laura Eidt received her BA in English Literature and Linguistics from the University of Hamburg (Germany) and her MA and PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Texas at Austin. She has been teaching in the Spanish, German, Comparative Literature, and Humanities Programs at the University of Dallas since 2006 and 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. Dr. Patrick M. Owens was born and raised in New York City where he graduated from Fordham University. In his pursuit of the Classical languages Dr. Owens moved to Montella, Italy to study at Vivarium Novum and then to Rome, where he earned his Ph.D. at the Salesian University. He has taught Latin, Greek, and Classical literature at the middle school, high school, and university levels. When he is not teaching, Dr. Owens continues his research on Latin literature and the history of Latin pedagogy. Additionally, he works as a consultant for schools developing curricula for Latin and Classical education. He and his wife Mallory, who is also an accomplished Latinist, raised two children in a bilingual home. Show NotesDr. Laura Eidt and Dr. Patrick M. Owens join Adrienne to discuss Latin. Both guests bring a wealth of information about classical education and teaching Latin.Their love for Latin is also contagious! This episode will not only give practical advice about incorporating Latin into your life, but the history of how to teach Latin is quite interesting.Taking us back to antiquity and through the Renaissance, Dr. Eidt and Dr. Owens unfold the history of teaching Latin as a living experience. Classical education ought to be joyful and beautiful. The immersion approach for children is not common in most Latin programs on the market today. But the University of Dallas is launching a K-5 Storybook Latin approach that is great for both homeschoolers and classroom teachers who have little to no experience with Latin! Some questions in this episode include:What is classical education? What can a parent do to help their child become interested in Latin (or Greek)What is the history of Latin education? What is the tradition of the trivium and how is it different from the neoclassical trivium? What is the role of Latin in the trivium, and what age ought a child begin learning Latin?  Books Mentioned: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric CarleInstitutes of Oratory by QuintilianOrbis Pictus by John ComeniusDidactica Magna (The Great Didactic), by John Amos ComeniusThe Narnia series by C.S. LewisMan’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl Latin Resources for Adult Learning:Hans H. Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata: Familia RomanaSchola LatinaVivarium NovumPaideia InstituteVeterum Sapientia Institute (for Catholic Learning) For more information on the University of Dallas’s K-5 Latin:https://k12classical.udallas.edu/k-12-curriculum/k-5-latin-curriculum/  For consulting information from Dr. Patrick M. Owens: Dr. Patrick M. Owens offers Classical education and Latin language consulting to K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. Dr. Owens works with educators who want to develop vibrant and successful academic programming through remote consulting or on-site professional development. He has worked with groups of every size from large State Universities to small homeschool coops. You can reach him at: PatrickM.Owens@gmail.com_________________________________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 ★

Award-winning author Jessica Hooten Wilson discusses the importance of cultivating a new imagination through reading for holiness. The conversation covers supporting sanctity and truth in family life. Chapters explore legacy, nature study, challenges in classical education, virtual reality solutions, upcoming book releases, and book recommendations.

Joshua Gibbs discusses engaging students with voices from the past, shaping their affections through delighting in common things, and instilling a love for the right things. Practical questions include the goals of a classical teacher, teaching in alignment with those goals, and developing a taste for good things. The episode emphasizes teaching with love, authenticity, maturity, responsibility, and gratitude.