The Commonplace

As you now know, there’s a new language beyond the classical wardrobe door. We recognize it well enough to know we love what’s being said but we find ourselves hardpressed to translate it to share what is meant. Never fear. I’m joined today by the wonderful Heidi White to learn more of what classical educators mean when they say, “Classical education nourishes the soul.”It’s even better than it sounds.__________Heidi White, M.A., is a teacher, editor, podcaster, and author. She teaches Humanities at St. Hild School in Colorado Springs. She is the author of the forthcoming The Divided Soul: Reuniting Duty and Desire in Literature and Life. She is a contributing author, speaker, consultant, and Atrium instructor at the Circe Institute and a weekly contributor on fiction, poetry, and Shakespeare on the Close Reads Podcast Network. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Anselm Society as well the Academic Advisory Board for the Classical Learning Test. She writes fiction, poetry, and essays, and she speaks about literature, education, and the Christian imagination. She lives in Black Forest, Colorado with her husband and children.Find her work:www.closereads.substack.comwww.circeinstitute.org/atriumwww.instagram.com/heidiwhitereads__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 600+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, Summer Planning Series, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

Reading good stories is a no-brainer for the mom coming through the classical wardrobe. We know, in our guts, this is something we ought to do for our children. But once we actually start reading stories, we can find ourselves with a lot of questions. What’s a good story? What about magic? Won’t my kids be confused if I give them the Bible and myths? What do I do with Disney?!Well, today’s episode is for you. I’m joined by my friend, Emelie Thomas, to discuss all things story. Emelie is kind of famous in Common House for her wise words on story and her ability to name a picture book for any occasion. I know you’ll love listening to her. __________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 600+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, Summer Planning Series, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

If we want to cultivate virtue in our children (and, let’s be honest, in ourselves), we need to learn about the sacramental imagination. Some define it as "seeing the love of God in all things” but I’m partial to seeing “a halo to the edges of all earthly things”. Without this awareness of God’s Reality, how do we know the way further up and further in?__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 625+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, Summer Planning Series, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

In this mini-series on virtue, I think it important to consider the miry bog we find ourselves in. We’ve inherited philosophies and practices that make cultivating virtue more difficult than one might imagine. We’re looking for the function of an organ we’ve nearly destroyed. But, don’t worry. There’s a path out of the bog. __________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the (almost) 600 mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, Summer Planning Series, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

Mothers at the ready! Guard the city gates!Actually, I’m not kidding. Your child’s soul is a bit like a city, and, in the pursuit of virtue, Plato, Mason, and St. John Chrysostom have quite a bit to say about guarding the City of Mansoul and the imitation of goodness. Swords at the ready?__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 525+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join two current, self-paced courses: Habits 101 & How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

Every so often, I like to lift the veil a bit to show what happens in Common House (formerly known as Patreon but now significantly better). I hope you enjoy today’s exclusive resource about the power of story and, well, a story. Grab your kids and a cup of coffee and enjoy a tale of fair Bren and faithful Brohen!*Note: I did not name my oldest two children Bren and Brohen. Just to clarify.JOIN US IN COMMON HOUSE | $9/mo and almost 500 women from around the world learning to make truth, goodness, and beauty commonplace in their homes__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 475+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join two current, self-paced courses: Habits 101 & How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

Exploring catchphrases like 'truth, goodness, and beauty' and the challenges faced by homeschooling moms in providing a classical education. Discussing the potential for good and evil in children, the role of education in shaping character, and the classical understanding of education as a means of attaining virtue. Exploring the connection between education and virtue in the classical world, the different types of virtues, and the importance of practice and nourishment for the soul. Introducing the concept of teaching virtue through a classical education.

Exploring the overwhelming options and challenges of homeschooling. The impact of blind spots on decision-making in education and the importance of aligning with God's definition of reality. Applying Aristotle's Four Causes to education. Exploring the initiators of change and the formation of individuals in education. The importance of having good answers to the four causes of education and Lady Wisdom as a reliable guide.

The podcast explores the ancient origins of classical education, delving into the influence of Homer and Plato. It discusses the loss of transcendence in modern education and the importance of studying old books. The journey of knowledge and the pursuit of goodness are examined, focusing on the views of Plato and Aristotle. The shift in education is explored, highlighting the power of classical education in nurturing virtue and wisdom.

If I can give you a captain idea for this season, for all that’s to come, it would come from my dear St. Jack, or, as you might know him, C.S. Lewis. He once wrote, “For the wise men of old the cardinal problem had been how to conform the soul to reality.”This is classical education. And it’s on the other side of the wardrobe. Let’s go.__________You can find the full episode notes here. You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 400+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join two on-going, self-paced courses: Habits 101 & How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op