

Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Education Podcast
Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Education Podcast
A 20-minute podcast featuring professors, K-12 teachers, and friends of Hillsdale College, all speaking about classical education—what it is, why it’s still relevant today, and what makes it unique. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 29, 2025 • 47min
Whitman, Melville, and the Poetry of the Civil War
Kelly Scott Franklin, associate professor of English at Hillsdale College, delivers a lecture on the Civil War poetry of Walt Whitman and Herman Melville. This lecture was given at the Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence seminar, “The Art of Teaching: Upper School Literature” in February 2025. The Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence, an outreach of the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office, offers educators the opportunity to deepen their content knowledge and refine their skills in the classroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 26, 2025 • 18min
Supporting Virtue Instruction Over Summer Break
Colin Mullaney, assistant director for school leader development for Hillsdale College K-12 Education, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss summertime virtue instruction, family activities that naturally promote virtue, and how to beat summer laziness. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 22, 2025 • 48min
Practical Structures for Teaching Close Reading
Aaron Schepps, upper school principal at Atlanta Classical Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, delivers a lecture on practical tips for teaching students to read closely. This lecture was given at the Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence seminar, “The Art of Teaching: Upper School Literature” in February 2025. The Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence, an outreach of the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office, offers educators the opportunity to deepen their content knowledge and refine their skills in the classroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 19, 2025 • 20min
Hallmarks of a Classical Summer
Sonja Bindus, teacher support lead for Hillsdale College K-12 Education, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss making the most of the summer, minimizing screen time, and summer activities that are both fun and educational. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 15, 2025 • 41min
The Value of Diagramming Sentences
Daniel Coupland, dean of the Diana Davis Spencer Graduate School of Classical Education and professor of education at Hillsdale College, delivers a lecture on how diagramming sentences makes students better at language. This lecture was given at the Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence seminar, “The Art of Teaching: Reading and Writing” in March 2025. The Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence, an outreach of the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office, offers educators the opportunity to deepen their content knowledge and refine their skills in the classroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 12, 2025 • 22min
The Necessity of Summer Break
Mike Roberts, headmaster at Hillsdale Academy in Hillsdale, Michigan, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss why summer break helps support students, teachers, administrators, and parents in the pursuit of a classical education. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 8, 2025 • 45min
Practical Tips for Teaching Western Civilization in Elementary School
Kenneth Calvert, professor of history at Hillsdale College and former headmaster of Hillsdale Academy, delivers a lecture on making the ancient world exciting for young students. This lecture was given at the Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence seminar, “The Art of Teaching: Western Civilization” in April 2025. The Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence, an outreach of the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office, offers educators the opportunity to deepen their content knowledge and refine their skills in the classroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 5, 2025 • 16min
Governing a Hillsdale Classical School
Jed Hartings, founder and current board chair of Cincinnati Classical Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss how to build a school's board, how to locate a building for a school, and how Hillsdale College's K-12 Education Office assists in school governance. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 1, 2025 • 53min
The Progressive Revolution
Paul Moreno, the William and Berniece Grewcock Chair in Constitutional History, professor of history, and dean of social sciences at Hillsdale College, delivers a lecture on the rise of progressivism and the administrative state. This lecture was given at the Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence seminar, “The Art of Teaching: American History” in January 2025. The Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence, an outreach of the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office, offers educators the opportunity to deepen their content knowledge and refine their skills in the classroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 28, 2025 • 19min
Portrait of a Graduate
Stephen Shipp, headmaster at Seven Oaks Classical School in Ellettsville, Indiana, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss developing a "Portrait of a Graduate" to help guide your students, setting proper expectations for your graduates, and keeping true to your school's mission over the years. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.