Developing Classical Thinkers

In the second of three interviews with Dr. Don Devine, Josh Herring, Dean of Students at Thales Academy, discusses the role of education in promoting civic virtue and the importance of local, public associations. Don Devine is a well-respected professor, civil servant, and author with a long career in academia and public service. Devine is also a passionate supporter of  Classical education, and he wrote much of the scope and sequence of our high school program at Thales Academy. He is also the author of a new book, "The Enduring Tension: Capitalism and the Moral Order," that examines the idea of "freedom and [the] tradition moral scaffolding sufficient to hold the walls and preserve the best of capitalist civilization," (from the book's description).  We have provided links to Don Devine’s new book in the show notes below and to our website for more information about our academic program and our influences. Don Devine, "The Enduring Tension": https://www.amazon.com/Enduring-Tension-Capitalism-Moral-Order/dp/1641771518Thales Academy JH/HS Curriculum Overview: https://www.thalesacademy.org/academics/what-is-classical-educationThales Academy’s Influences: https://www.thalesacademy.org/influences

In this episode, Bob Luddy, the founder and Chairman of the Board of Thales Academy, interviews Don Devine about his new book, "The Enduring Tension: Capitalism and the Moral Order," as well as the habits of visionary leaders and the significance of Classical education. Don Devine is a well-respected professor, civil servant, and author with a long career in academia and public service. Devine is also a passionate supporter of Classical education, and he wrote much of the scope and sequence of our high school program at Thales Academy. As Bob and Don discuss in the interview, a Classical education imparts to students timeless wisdom that helps them become confident, Classical thinkers. This interview is the first of three interviews with Don Devine. We have provided links to Don Devine’s new book, "The Enduring Tension," in the show notes below and our website for more information about our academic program and our influences. Don Devine, "The Enduring Tension": https://www.amazon.com/Enduring-Tension-Capitalism-Moral-Order/dp/1641771518Thales Academy JH/HS Curriculum Overview: https://www.thalesacademy.org/academics/what-is-classical-educationThales Academy’s Influences: https://www.thalesacademy.org/influences

How might a Classical education prepare students for the challenges of the modern world? How might the values and virtues of a Classical education help shape the minds and characters of students for the better? To help explore the link between a Classical education and strong, confident leaders and thinkers, this episode looks at the education of George Washington, how moral exemplars from Classical Antiquity helped forge the character of the first president of the United States, and how George Washington’s example has uniquely benefited our country. If you are interested in reading more about the life of George Washington, check out the following resources:Thomas Ricks’ First Principles: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084VRH86P?pf_rd_r=ACMRQ6NTH0XZ8XJS0C9X&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8Joseph Ellis’ His Excellency: George Washington: https://www.amazon.com/His-Excellency-Washington-Joseph-Ellis-ebook/dp/B000FC2K92/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=joseph+ellis+his+excellency&qid=1610375179&s=digital-text&sr=1-1Richard Brokhiser’s Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington: https://www.amazon.com/Founding-Father-Rediscovering-George-Washington/dp/0684831422/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=richard+brookhiser+rediscovering+george+washington&qid=1610375240&s=digital-text&sr=1-1Cincinnatus from Livy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aLO2U8B94E0c9QLEZwHWMqFNdSQxh8Rm83FKpyO9CgY/editGeorge Washington’s Farewell Address: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hFBLkCXKzOFC_eneJmmGYxZ9hnKft631aNEPc-0zkrM/edit?usp=sharing

What is the value of a Classical education in the modern world? How does reading Plato, Aristotle, and Shakespeare help prepare anyone for a career in engineering or finance or some other field only tangential related to a Classical education. To find out, we spoke with Savannah Josey, a 2019-graduate of Thales Academy, Apex and a current Business Fellow at Elon University in Burlington, North Carolina, to see how her time at Thales prepared her for the rigors of her business program.

Since this is technically season three of Developing Classical Thinkers, we created this very brief episode to reflect on the past two seasons of our podcast and to look forward to the kinds of episodes we will produce this upcoming year.

Host Travis Copeland leads a discussion about William Shakespeare's "King Lear" with Will Begley, Jessie Gillooly, and Josh Herring. Questions for the episode are available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HJN53sqWxlV21FwsPqCXE-1Y654Jriu0ZRRPbcej09c/edit?usp=sharing

Track out break is upon us. Thales is a year-round school: we go for 9 weeks of in-person instruction and 3 weeks of trackout break. Today, December 18, is the last day of the first semester and the first day of the three-week holiday. But how can students make the most of their time off from school? In this episode Travis Copeland, Jessie Gillooly, Will Begley, Josh Herring, and host Winston Brady offer some advice on what students should do to get the most out of their break. Also, check out our upcoming episode on Shakespeare's "King Lear," coming out next Tuesday. Questions for the episode are available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HJN53sqWxlV21FwsPqCXE-1Y654Jriu0ZRRPbcej09c/edit?usp=sharing

Host Matt Ogle, Travis Copeland, Josh Herring, and Winston Brady discuss an essay written by American educator and author Mortimer Adler, entitled "Teaching and Learning." The essay is itself a microcosm of much of Dr. Adler's educational philosophy. As a professor at Columbia University and the University of Chicago, Dr. Adler favored reading and discussing significant, meaningful texts from the Western canon as the primary means of instruction. In this episode, our teacher-panel examines how to bring Dr. Adler's philosophy into the typical 6-12 classroom in this episode. Show notes available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UMuiB9VN_jVDlSnuL5d8yKnshCVxOgb6-EqWC8uMeuw/edit

In this episode, host Josh Herring, Rebecca McLane, Will Begley, and Winston Brady discuss the purpose of college, the reasons for attending college, and all the ways that students might get the most out of their college experience.

A Great Books discussion with Matt Ogle, Will Begley, and Winston Brady over some shared themes and motifs across Ovid's "Metamorphoses" and the Gospel of John.