Developing Classical Thinkers

Many students and teachers have not gone back to school yet. But, Thales Academy has been in session for almost a month now--what have we learned, and what can listeners pick up on as far as the best practices to get the year off on the right track?Join Winston, Matt, and Josh as they discuss the first days of school and the best pieces of advice they've gotten for how to set up their students for success. In brief, here are the top three pieces of advice for teachers:(1) It is easier to "lighten up" than to "tighten up." (2) No more than rules. (3) Find the best in each student and tell that student's parents about it.

On today's episode of Developing Classical Thinkers, host Winston Brady interviews a former student and honorary-Thales alumnus Lyle Broughton. Lyle is a chain reaction artist, meaning that he builds complicated, intricate, and winsome machines and films doing simple tasks in the most complicated and roundabout ways possible. Check out Lyle's work at his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/jackofallspades98

Do classical schools deliver on their promises? Thales Academy can answer the question by simply pointing to the remarkable academic achievements of last school year, which are similar at both high school campuses and consistent with every graduating class since its inception. Check out the episode to hear the benefits of classical education and how Thales Academy is helping preparing its graduates to not just survive but thrive in the colleges and careers of their choice.

How does mathematics fit within a classical education? Does the emphasis on the humanities crowd out mathematics? Will students develop the mathematical skills they need if they are classically educated? Listen to this episode and learn how mathematics, classically taught, can help students develop academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and a confidence that our world is orderly and beautiful–skills all students need for the world in which they live.Check out our Thales Press YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram for more information and content like this. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-5t4R8RSLX9A-CWJC9wDQInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thalespress/

What is the West? What does the Western tradition mean? What makes an idea, a book, or an author part of the Western tradition? To answer these questions, Josh Herring will draw on the ideas and framework of scholar Russell Kirk. Dr. Kirk described Western Civilization as a developing process, with the cities of Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and Philadelphia contributing specific concepts to the idea of the Western tradition. Today, members of the present generation have inherited this literary and historical tradition and are tasked with curating their inheritance for future generations.Josh Herring has taught at Thales Academy since 2013 and has written extensively on issues related to Classical education and the humanities. He is currently the Dean of Classical Education at Thales Academy Apex and a doctoral candidate at Faulkner University.This webinar was streamed on July 25, 2022.

It is often said in education that, "Whoever is doing the work is doing the learning." The typical format of a lesson involves the teacher teaching a concept, and then the student practicing that particular skill through a series of problems meant to reinforce that skill. Such a practice looks different in different classrooms and subject areas, but the goal remains the same: help students learn the material through practice, with the teacher providing meaningful feedback and coaching to students as needed.  As the final episode in a triptych of episodes on classical pedagogy, host Matt Ogle talks to Winston Brady and Josh Herring about the idea of guided practice and how to manage a classroom of students who are actively working.

Why should we study the humanities, subjects like history, English, or philosophy? Shouldn’t the humanities make way for more relevant, more practical subjects, such as STEM education? We study subjects like history and literature for their own sake (they make us happy), and they help us learn what it means to be human. Listen to this episode from Thales Press to learn more about how the subjects in the humanities contribute to human flourishing and human happiness so that such subjects are relevant now more than ever.Check out our Thales Press YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram for more information and content like this. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-5t4R8RSLX9A-CWJC9wDQInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thalespress/

How does science fit in with a classical education? Does a Classical education really downplay the sciences in favor of reading old, outdated, and unnecessary books? In reality, a classical education teaches students how to think creatively, ask thoughtful, engaging questions, and formulate inquiries, all of which lie at the heart of the scientific method.Listen to this episode and learn how science, taught classically, can help students appreciate the beauty, harmony, and wonder of the natural world.Check out our Thales Press YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram for more information and content like this. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-5t4R8RSLX9A-CWJC9wDQInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thalespress/

In this presentation at the Conference of Miletus, Matt Ogle explains what the transcendental idea of beauty. Beauty is, in short, the apprehension of truth by the senses and the recognition that the world is orderly and life is meaningful, realities to which classical teachers should direct their students' attention.Matt Ogle is the Head of Classical Education at Thales Academy. He has taught both the humanities and the sciences and has served in a variety of leadership roles over his long career in education. Matt delivered this conference presentation at the Conference of Miletus on July 11, 2022. The Conference of Miletus was a series of short, TED-talk-style lectures from members of the Thales Academy leadership team discussing what is true, what is good, and what is beautiful and the importance of these transcendental ideas to classical education.The theme music is Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" performed by John Harrison and the Wichita State University Chamber Players.

In this presentation at the Conference of Miletus, Josh Herring examines the transcendental idea of the good, drawing from the writings of Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas and integrating the idea of the good with the goal of the teacher to bring about the very best in their students. Josh Herring is the Dean of Classical Education at Thales Academy and a humanities teacher. He is also the Director of the Thales debate program and coordinates debate tournaments for middle and high school students in the Raleigh area. Josh delivered this conference presentation at the Conference of Miletus on July 11, 2022. The Conference of Miletus was a series of short, TED-talk-style lectures from members of the Thales Academy leadership team discussing what is true, what is good, and what is beautiful and the importance of these transcendental ideas to classical education.The theme music is Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" performed by John Harrison and the Wichita State University Chamber Players.