Classical Education Symposium 2024 Program
KEYNOTES:
Fairy Tales as the Music of the Spheres
Jonathan Pageau
Our old stories have been remembered, retold, refined in different guises for thousands of years. For that very reason, what we consider Fairy Tales, although at first glance fanciful and absurd, contain patterns of attention, of harmony and disharmony, what Pythagoras called the Music of the Spheres. For being remembered and retold, they hold a key to what is important to us as humans. We will explore these patterns of consciousness, how stories frame and underlie our experiences with rhythm, how they shape us and our children by attention and care.
Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation
Roosevelt Montás
What is the value of a liberal education? Traditionally characterized by a rigorous engagement with the classics of Western thought and literature, this approach to education is all but extinct in American universities, replaced by flexible distribution requirements and ever-narrower academic specialization. Many academics attack the very idea of a Western canon as chauvinistic, while the general public increasingly doubts the value of the humanities. In this keynote, Dominican-born American academic Roosevelt Montás tells the story of how a liberal education transformed his life, and offers an intimate account of the relevance of the Great Books today, especially to members of historically marginalized communities.
Classical Education: Cultivating the Leaders the World Needs
The Honorable Tony Abbott
The West is suffering from a crisis of confidence and leadership. A symptom and cause of this malaise is the demoralization of our education systems. The incipient return of classical education to Western classrooms promises to restore morale and morality to Western societies. Mr Abbott’s talk will reflect on the consolation and counsel that the Great Books have offered him throughout his leadership career and make the case for classical education as the means to cultivate the leaders that the world needs.
Virtue and Liberal Learning
Jennifer Frey
The classical education movement has made great strides towards reconnecting knowledge and virtue in K-12 education. In higher education, however, virtue pedagogy has either been entirely absent, or it has been tied to specific professional or vocational training. In this talk, I will explain the potential I see in higher education by looking at general, liberal education that focuses on the study of classic texts as one of the most promising contexts for virtue pedagogy in young adults, and how it differs from, but is related to, virtue pedagogy in the k-12 grades.
Let Mercy Lead
Toyin Atolagbe
To say that the classical education movement is growing is an understatement. In the past couple of years, it has exploded across the country as more and more families are attracted to the human formation it offers and more and more teachers have sought a home in a school that promises Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. With this influx, comes a new wave of challenges such as digital distractions, mental health issues, burgeoning emphasis on standardized testing, inadequate resources and personnel to name a few. These challenges pervade the hallowed halls of our academic sanctuaries causing unrest for students, teachers, and administrators in the discharge of their daily responsibilities. The goal of this speech is to remind us all that as torchbearers of the classical tradition, during these tough times, our hearts must beat ceaselessly to the harmonies of humaneness, for it is through mercy that we transcend the confines of mere instruction to forge enduring connections with the sacred souls entrusted to us. May mercy lead us all to a place of victory where the fruits of our service to humanity translates to raising a new generation of leaders who will impact the next generation.
SCHOLARLY TALKS:
An Introduction to the Liberal Arts and Classical Education
Jake Tawney
With more and more classical schools coming into existence, there is an increased need to answer the basic question: What is classical education? Although there are notable differences from one implementation to another, there are also key core characteristics. Join Jake Tawney, Chief Academic Officer for Great Hearts Academies, on a tour through the seven liberal arts, the foundation of classical education, and the basic principle guiding the content and pedagogy of each discipline.
Teachers as Intellectuals, Not Technicians
David Diener
Many 21st-century teachers view themselves primarily as technicians: they are professional educators who have been trained with a set of skills that, when correctly employed, will produce the desired outcomes. In this seminar, however, I argue that teachers should view themselves primarily as intellectuals, not as technicians. Teachers are master learners whose primary job is to model a life of learning for their students and to lead students on a path of learning that they also are traveling. In addition to examining the conceptual differences between these two paradigms, I also will consider some practical applications of this understanding of teachers as intellectual guides. I will focus in particular on how teachers conceive of their purpose, how they interact with students in and out of the classroom, and what teachers and administrators alike understand to be excellent teaching and worthwhile professional development.
Jane Austen’s Advice to Instagram Girls
Colleen Sheehan
Social media is having a devastating effect on the emotional and mental health of America’s youth, especially teenage girls, as social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has demonstrated. Social media thrives on the superficiality of unexamined opinions and accusations—or first impressions. This is the very phenomenon Jane Austen warns against. “We have all a better guide in ourselves,” Austen teaches, “if we would attend to it, than any other person(s) can be.” Sheehan will explore Austen’s advice about coming to know – and trust – ourselves, and how this might be an antidote to some of the problems of our time, including and especially for the Girls of Gen Z.
Civics and the Liberal Arts
David Bobb
Strong civic education must be grounded in the liberal arts. This session will explore how to build a civics curriculum and civic culture in your school and classroom that upholds the liberal arts tradition, resists politicization, and teaches students what it means to be an American.
The Revolution of the Great Conversation
Anika Prather
A talk about how the Great Conversation brought about liberation to all of us.
Plato and Aristotle on the Purpose of the Law
Christopher Frey
Contemporary liberalism attempts to navigate the fragile balance between autonomy and oppression—between securing the individual good of the citizen and the collective civic good. Liberals are reasonably wary of laws that codify a single objective conception of the human good and compel all citizens to pursue it. I will discuss a very different conception of the law and its purpose that Plato and Aristotle defend: that the purpose of the law is to bring about virtue, and therefore happiness. According to these philosophers, individual and common goods are not opposed. Their conception of the law is far different from what is now presently accepted and few are willing to adopt these ancient proposals. But understanding them better allows us to see the deficiencies in the present political consensus more clearly. In particular, it will allow us to see how the state can exist for the sake of a good life, and not for the sake of life only.
The Jewish World of Alexander Hamilton
Andrew Porwancher
Drawing from his award-winning book from Princeton University Press, Professor Porwancher’s lecture debunks a string of myths about the origins of this founding father to arrive at a startling conclusion: Hamilton, in all likelihood, was born and raised Jewish. For more than two centuries, his youth in the Caribbean has remained shrouded in mystery. Hamilton himself wanted it that way, and most biographers have simply assumed he had a Christian boyhood. With a detective’s persistence and a historian’s rigor, Dr. Porwancher upends that assumption and revolutionizes our understanding of an American icon.
The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves
Alexandra Hudson
Alexandra Hudson will argue that there is an essential difference between civility and politeness. Too often, whether they want more or less civility, people conflate these terms. But she thinks it’s imperative we disambiguate them to better understand the terms of engagement we want in society. Politeness is manners, technique, behavior. Civility is a disposition of the heart, a way of seeing others as our fellow human beings with equal moral worth, and worthy of a bare minimum of respect in light of that moral equality and human dignity.
Crucially, actually respecting others requires telling hard truths, and having robust debate. Sometimes, respecting ourselves requires setting boundaries, and telling people no. Telling hard truths, and saying no to others, is uncomfortable. It feels impolite. We fear offending others. But in fact, it’s an important means of respecting the dignity of others, and ourselves.
Her book, “The Soul of Civility,” is a sweeping history of social norms across history and culture written in the hope of changing the way you view the role of manners and morals in human social life. (published by St. Martin’s Press October 10, 2023)
Why do Families Choose Classical Schools?
Albert Cheng
Dr. Albert Cheng from the Classical Education Research Lab at the University of Arkansas will present data on the growth of classical schooling. Come learn about how large the growth has been, why parents are increasingly choosing classical education for their children, and what this all means for teaching, learning, and leadership in classical schools.
The Myth of Relevance and the Relevance of Myth
Edward Mulholland
We are a few decades into a trend that argues that students are best served by reading things that are “relevant” to their lives and to the “real world.” It is interesting how this only seems to apply to academic subjects. Nobody thinks gym training is useless because it uses especially crafted weights (as opposed to hay bales or the opposing team’s defensive linemen) to target specific muscle groups. This talk shall argue first that the “real world” as defined by pedagogical fads is a moving target at best, an ideological fiction at worst. And second, drawing on Stratford Caldecott, that the truths communicated by myth and fantasy are often more real than today’s headlines, indeed often “deeper magic from before the dawn of time.”
Michael Oakeshott and “The Voice of Poetry in the Conversation of Mankind”
David Rothman
Michael Oakeshott (1901-’90) was an English philosopher and political theorist who wrote about a great range of subjects, including education. His brilliant yet often overlooked essay “The Voice of Poetry in the Conversation of Mankind” (1959) presents one of the most compelling and carefully developed concepts of civilization as a conversational process in the history of philosophy. In particular, Oakeshott calls for greater attention to be paid now to the voice of poetry, by which he means all artistic creation, along with the voices of practicality and of reason, as we seek to lead rich, meaningful lives in in an open, free and democratic society. Oakeshott’s argument has profound implications not only for how we understand the arts and their role in our lives and in society, but also for how we approach the entire process of education.
LEADERSHIP SESSIONS:
APEX Highlight: Hiring for Mission Fit
Alison Chaney; Zack Withers; Neil Gillingham
This workshop gave a glimpse into a course that highlights one of the critical building blocks of a virtuous faculty culture – hiring for mission fit. In a school with a focus on virtue ethics, the teachers serve as models to the students, as a type of character friend who will always carry the best interests and moral growth of the students firmly in their hearts. We will discuss some of the key components of the hiring process and host an open forum to allow for questions and sharing of ideas across participants.
Planning More Effective PD Workshops for Teachers
Corinne Jacobson; Mary Chin
In this workshop you will learn and discuss essential elements for creating professional development workshops of your own. We will discuss ways to identify needs and build momentum around key-levers of success. Join us for this hands on session and meet like minded colleagues who want to deliver the best professional development.
Cultivating Rising School Leaders
Helen Hayes
You’re a smart, capable leader, and everyone looks up to you. In fact, no one can picture the school without you, and pretty soon you are answering every teacher question and parents always want to go right to the top. This session helps strong leaders get stronger by thinking about and cultivating a strong second tier of leadership on their campuses.
APEX Highlight: Instructional Coaching
Mary Chin; Jennifer Ramirez
This session will offer attendees a sneak peek into the newly developed APEX course on Instructional Coaching that will be launching July 2024. We will share some resources and strategies to utilize during the coaching process that are explored during the course. The second half of the workshop will explore ways to reach teachers at all levels of experience to ensure that faculty at all levels are feeling supported in their growth.
Employee Management: Coaching and Documenting for Better Performance and Better Outcomes
Julia Gillingham; Lea-Ann Reikes
Employee Management – it’s just coaching! In this interactive session, participants will learn strategies to coach an employee to higher performance. Participants will work through a case study and walk away with best practices regarding documentation and guidelines for performance coaching.
APEX Highlight: Leadership through Change
Deborah Rickey
As leaders, we understand change is part of our work. Especially in education, implementing and working through change has become part of what every school leader faces. Changes in personnel, curriculum, policies, students, parents, facilities, and so many more become part of the leader’s work. However, most leaders have not had the time to think through the process of change, understand how adults work through change, and reflect on how they personally work through change. The APEX course was designed to help leaders understand how to lead through change, prepare for change, and understand the many perspectives on change. This session will be an introduction to the topic of Leadership Through Change.
K-5 WORKSHOPS:
Strengthening Literacy Skills through Poetry
Laurel Fischer
In classical circles, there is often a tension between the new and the traditional. In recent years, the Science of Reading has taken a more prominent role in national conversations about education. Classical teachers agree that reading is important, but often want to focus more on the soul than the science. In this workshop, we will examine some classical best practices for teaching poetry, as well as what the science of reading says about poetry instruction. We will find that what was old is new again, and many of our most beloved pedagogical ideas have simply been rebranded. Attendees will:
• learn about how the various strands of Scarborough’s Rope are addressed in good Poetry instruction
• examine a snippet of a Socratic poetry lesson together
• dive in and apply instructional ideas to an actual poem
Teaching Latin and Modern Languages through Stories
Laura Eidt
In this workshop, teachers of Latin and Modern Languages will experience age-appropriate story-based language lessons. The lessons presented are informed by an understanding of the Art of Grammar as “imitative practice” through which students learn to be “at home in language” (Clark/Jain, The Liberal Arts Tradition, p. 48) and by current research on second language acquisition, which emphasizes input as the sine qua non. Storytelling not only helps students learn to be at home in a second language and is considered one of the most effective approaches to language learning. Focusing on the fable of the Mouse and the Lion, we will experience a picture study, tiered versions of the story, and various activities that help students internalize vocabulary and grammar and lay the foundation for a deep understanding of grammatical structures.
Engaging our Students in Scientific Exploration
Lisa Armstrong
Children possess an innate curiosity about the world, and an ardent desire to understand how it works. As educators, it is our duty to nourish that curiosity by creating the conditions for students to question natural processes and delight in their discovery. How do we begin to plan for and provide opportunities for exploration, as well as deeper and richer inquiry, beginning in the elementary years? In this workshop, K-5 classical teachers will shift their mindset from simply “revealing the facts” to Socratically guiding students through hands-on shared experiences of natural phenomena, increasingly rigorous investigations and experiments, and collaborative group discussions, to make connections throughout the scientific world. This session will provide educators with ideas for activities and resources to help bridge these connections and support them in leading students to see the world as an intricately connected whole, which is worth knowing and investigating for its own sake.
Singapore Math (R) Methodology within a Classical Framework
Jessica Kaminski
Singapore’s approach to mathematics fosters a love and understanding of mathematics that creates lifelong learners. It partners beautifully with the classical framework through the use of real-life experiences, opportunities to create meaning from mathematical situations and allow students to explain why mathematics works. Learn more about the four fundamentals of Singaporean pedagogy for math and see just what a difference it can make for your students!
The Science and Soul of Reading: Grades K-2
Elizabeth Gonzalez
This K-2 workshop will focus on building readers through the science of reading. It will also explore how to employ the science of reading classically by employing the Socratic method and maintaining a Spalding focus.
A Stitch in Time: Tools for Developing Students’ Historical Imagination
Kevin Ringeisen
Depictions of Arthur’s round table knights jousting for sport is about as historically accurate as supposing Joan of Arc enjoyed shredding the halfpipe on a skateboard – that is to say, sport removed from their historical moments by some 600 years. As moderns, we have inherited a particular image of the Middle Ages as a time impoverished of intellectual & technological progress, of regressive social customs, and more broadly informed by a shroud of medieval fantasy tropes and modern misconceptions than actual historical knowledge. In this workshop, you will participate in classroom discussions and activities designed to pierce that shroud and help students to engage with the medieval world on its own terms, to see how unfamiliar the majority of historical human experience is to the modern individual, while also appreciating how deeply human and similar these times remain. Designed for elementary teachers, this workshop will benefit anyone interested in teaching history through the use of primary sources, artifact-first instruction, historical simulation, and any teacher looking for strategies to prevent content-area classes from devolving into a reading class about their content area.
Fostering Math Fact Fluency
Jessica Kaminski
The quick recall of math facts can help a student to work quickly through more challenging problems. However, the speed at which students master their math facts can vary depending on a student’s number sense. Let’s explore just what math fact fluency truly is and the three-step process students go through each time they learn a new set of facts to help make memorization that much easier.
Little Republics: Civic Education and Civic Virtue in Every Classroom
Rachel Humphries
Grammar students need time and opportunity to explore the civic virtues introduced in a classical curriculum deeply. In modern society, the classroom has become an essential environment for practicing republican virtues. This session will help attendees explore their pedagogy, practice, and classroom rules to better to promote self-governance and citizenship in our youngest students.
The Science and Soul of Reading: Grades 3-5
Taylor Stefaniak
In this workshop, we will explore how to teach state standards through beautiful literature. This session will focus specifically on teaching literature in third, fourth, and fifth grade. How can we teach the fundamental skills of reading while simultaneously cultivating a love for reading? Together, we will delve into the science of reading and how to teach reading classically.
The Socratic K-5 Classroom 2.0: The Art of the Question
Cammie Passey
In the essay “Teaching, Learning, and Their Counterfeits,” Mortimer Adler defines teaching as one of the cooperative arts alongside the likes of farming or healing. That is, the practitioners of such arts are called to facilitate that which naturally occurs; without intervention plants grow, bodies heal, and children wonder and learn. What, then, is the role of the farmer, doctor, or teacher? In the case of education, the teacher’s role is to assist students as they lift themselves from a state of unknowing to a state of understanding, and the primary activity through which this is accomplished is questioning, particularly Socratic questioning. In this session, we will explore the nature of Socratic questions (including what makes a question Socratic) and the various ways they are employed in instruction. We will also engage in the process of designing a lesson built upon Socratic inquiry. This session is appropriate for K-5 teachers and school leaders looking for practical tools and hands-on experience in crafting Socratic questions as part of the lesson planning process.
The Socratic K-5 Classroom 1.0: An Introduction
Jerilyn Olson
K-5 Teachers often wonder how the Socratic Method applies in a K-5 classroom – are Kindergartners really supposed to seminar on Aristotle? In this workshop, we will discuss lesson planning with inquiry in mind, unit introductions that inspire wonder, and the “sweet-spot” questions that follow. For Great Hearts Staff: Please note that this is the same workshop offered at Great Hearts New Faculty Orientation.
6-12 WORKSHOPS:
Whose Shakespeare is it, Anyway?
Sir Jonathan Bate; Nicholas Hutchison
Eminent Shakespearean editor, and ASU Regents Professor Sir Jonathan Bate, and renowned theatre Director and LAMDA Course Leader Nicholas Hutchison present a dynamic, interactive workshop on editorial choices across the centuries since the First Folio of 1623, examine how those choices have illuminated or dimmed our understanding of Shakespeare’s plays, and explore how those choices play out on a stage.
Teaching Euclid’s Elements to High School Students
Michael Austin
Many Classical schools choose to use Euclid’s Elements as the textbook for their High School geometry classes. This workshop is for those who are interested in learning the pedagogical practices that make this difficult endeavor possible for the modern student. We will look at some interesting proofs in Euclid as a jumping off point for thinking about how to teach them.
Imitating Their Way to Beautiful Writing: Teaching the Classical Method of Imitation in a Fresh Way to Grades 6-12
Gregory Roper
From the ancient world until quite recently, all of the arts have been taught by imitation: painters in the Renaissance copied out painstakingly the works of their masters, jazz musicians transcribe Charlie Parker solos note by note. In writing we somehow lost that idea, even though Cicero, Chaucer, Shakespeare, and everyone else learned this way until just a few decades ago. In this workshop, based on The Writer’s Workshop, which ignited interest in imitatio in classical schools’ writing pedagogy, I will introduce you to this ancient, medieval, Renaissance, and early modern technique and show you how you can use it in your own classrooms to develop your students’ writing skills and powers.
Unsolved Mathematical Mysteries
Jake Tawney
One of the best ways to elicit a sense of wonder and a depth of inquiry about mathematics is through the use of unsolved problems. Many of these problems can be understood by elementary, middle, and high school students. In this session, we will look through several of the more famous problems, explore what is and is not known about them, and relate them to classroom curriculum.
The Debate Among Latin Pedagogical Approaches: Beginning with the End in Mind
Luke Patient
Teaching Latin has always been one of the core elements of classical education. But the way in which Latin has been taught and the conscious purposes which have made it central to the curriculum have changed over time. Today, there is a vibrant debate concerning the pedagogical principles which ought to inform our Latin instruction (think of “Living Language” vs. “Grammar-Translation”). In this session, we will discuss the question, “how should we teach Latin?” The case will be made that our answers should be informed by pragmatic concerns (skill-sets of available teachers), but also, importantly, our understanding of the answer to the question, “why do we teach Latin?” It is hoped that we can have a congenial discussion which will challenge individuals holding all positions in the pedagogical debate to think carefully about the answer to this question. This session is appropriate for both Latin teachers and school leaders hoping to help shape the pedagogy of their Latin program in a way which harmonizes with their school’s unified embodiment of the classical educational tradition.
Lead Your Humane Letters Students to Read Closely
Andrew Zwerneman
This workshop focuses on how to lead seminars on classic works of literature. The session will have two parts: First, we will work through two short samples, one expository, another imaginative. Second, we will conduct an exercise in which we improve some poorly formed questions on classic texts. In both parts, our goal will be to develop our skills at leading students to read closely.
Modeling Instruction in the Science Classroom
Alexis Fulton
Attendees will experience a science modeling class that spans disciplines and scales to gain an understanding of the process and goals of teaching a science class through modeling cycles. Questions, lab coats, and creativity are all welcome!
Economics Workshop: To Truck, Barter, and Exchange
Melanie Brintnall
What makes a thing valuable? Why do we trade? Who benefits from trade? What can, in the words of Adam Smith, our “propensity to truck, barter, and exchange” tell us about what it means to be human? In this workshop, we will explore such economic questions through selected activities from a high school economics classroom. Participants will ponder the meaning of wealth, exercise their “propensity to truck, barter, and exchange”, and reflect on what this propensity tells us about the human condition. In doing so, our hope is that they will walk away with a sense of how students might encounter some foundational concepts in this discipline that is far from dismal!
Lead Your Students to See the Past
Andrew Zwerneman
This workshop focuses on how to teach history. We will make our way through three of the kinds of material historians work up into their narratives: Maps, Data, and Original Documents. Our goal will be to develop good Socratic questions to ask of each of the three source types. Our sources will be three maps—one topographic, another, political, and a third, a data map—plus one original document: Marx’s Communist Manifesto.
Student Misconceptions in a Science Classroom
Darryl Orletsky
Students do not enter our classrooms as blank slates; rather, they enter with robust notions about how the physical world works that are often quite different from accepted scientific findings. Recognizing and overcoming these notions are difficult tasks but also instrumental in effective teaching.
K-12 WORKSHOPS:
How to Draw Stick Figures: A Classical Approach to Figure Drawing
Brighton Demerest-Smith
In this hands-on drawing workshop Brighton Demerest-Smith will dispel the cultural myth that so many cannot draw stick figures. He will walk through how the stick figure is at the root of all great master figure drawings. He will build out from the stick figure to an understanding of the three-dimensional form of the human body. During this session you will analyze how the greatest Masters of picture making used constructive methods of drawing to create some of the most iconic images from the Western Cannon Art.
An Examination of Music in the Classical Liberal Arts Tradition
Laura Pyper
Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul. – Plato
As an essential liberal art, music pervades all aspect of life. Even the most primitive societies understand the power of music. Teaching music to children is more than just the transfer of technical facts, conveying historical information, or even helping students develop their musical talent. It is an experience in the quest for beauty and the practice of infusing that beauty into our daily life.
We will discuss the role music plays in the educational lives of our school communities and the opportunity to include the art within core curriculum components. There will be best practices for the music classroom and a brief overview of pedagogical processes. We will conclude our time by making sweet music as we explore beautiful compositions appropriate for multiple settings and ages.
Classical Pedagogy and Teach Like a Champion
John Peterson
This session will explore the compatibility between the techniques of Teach Like a Champion and the idea of education informing it and the classical classroom. It will reflect Dr. Peterson’s experience using this text in his Classical Pedagogy course along with alternative sources, and the insight of teachers who have drawn from it. What is the basis for such compatibility as can be found, and where are the points of conflict with the classical vision of education?
Immersion Language Teaching for Literature-Based Programs
Karyn Mercado; Anthony Fredette; Karla M. Ramos Gemoets
Reading great literature allows one to experience a language in its most beautiful and profound form. Preparing students at the K-12 level to read literature in a second language presents unique challenges. In this session, we will discuss the benefits of an immersion approach to teaching that can help students develop the language fluency and comprehension skills needed to experience authentic literature. Participants will have the opportunity to experience mini-lessons as language learners and observe teaching strategies that can be used with different languages and at various levels, from Kindergarten through High School.
EDUCATION ACCESSIBILITY WORKSHOPS:
Human Flourishing: Access to the Treasures of the Classical Tradition
Heather Washburn
As inheritors of the vast treasures of the classical tradition, we acknowledge our moral obligation to share this inheritance with others. In this inheritance, we find the Aristotelian axiom: “All men by nature desire to know,” which reveals that humans possess an innate desire to acquire knowledge and learn about the world around them. Unfortunately, the current educational landscape fails to provide children with access to the richness of this tradition. Instead, it caters to their appetite rather than inspiring their intellect and forming their moral imagination. Classical schools provide children with the opportunity to fulfill their innate desire to learn and, in so doing, experience human flourishing.
Belonging in a Human Community – Navigating Classical, K-12 Education for Students with Disabilities
Thomas Doebler
A major theme of the current classical renewal in education is the question of the place of students with disabilities or other learning differences in the classical school or classroom. The impulse of the classical renewal is clear: it recognizes the ennobling and humanizing effect of this education for all children, and seeks to provide this education to habilitate them to lead meaningful lives in the ever demanding and complex world they find themselves in. The lofty ideals, the formation of the hearts and minds of children through rigorous study of classical literature, philosophy, mathematics, arts, and sciences are all designed to facilitate this habilitation. But how do we make this experience available to those who seemingly do not fit the mold that classical schools have created? Especially, how do we do this well within the limits of K-12 educational systems and laws? By studying and understanding the underlying anthropology of classical education, attending to the human telos within the transcendent order, and taking for granted a person’s basic belonging in a human community, we arrive at a set of beliefs and thus guides for decision-making that can help us author a unique roadmap towards becoming educated in the classical sense for any student.
Serving Disadvantaged Communities
Crystal Cruz; Mac Esau; Heidi Vasiloff
A movement to provide classical education for all families who desire it has emerged in the last two decades. This egalitarian vision aims to ensure that classical schools are available to all, including those in disadvantaged communities. This workshop invites participants to hear from a panel of experienced Great Hearts leaders who have dedicated their careers to making classical education accessible to all families. The panelists will expound on the challenges that schools in disadvantaged communities face. They will discuss the practical steps taken to support students’ physical, emotional, and academic needs and the positive impact of classical education in the classrooms, communities, and lives of the students. This workshop will provide an opportunity to understand the intricacies of classical education and how it can be effectively implemented in different communities.
Shepherding One’s Classical Community in the Digital Age
Amber Dyer
Fellow of the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture and Great Hearts Irving Upper School Headmaster, Dr. Amber Dyer, will share her latest research on technology, the adolescent brain, and human flourishing in the digital age. This workshop will offer both philosophical and practical applications for school leaders who wish to better shepherd their faculty, students, and families to think intentionally about technology. Attendees will learn how to instantiate data-based campus technology policies, host effective parent symposia and student-led seminars on technology, lead communities to explore related classical texts, and readily answer the following questions with an abundance of data: “Why do Silicon Valley executives and coders send their children to low-tech, high-human schools like Great Hearts?” “What do classical schools do differently when it comes to technology, and how does it enable their scholars to flourish?”
Everyone Come and Feast: Diversity in Classical Education
Anika Prather
A talk about changing our perspectives on making classical education diverse, and instead of welcoming diverse human experiences to be in conversation with the classical tradition.
Equipping our Teachers for the Work of Formation
Tony Cruz; Leanne Fawcett; Monet Lessner
Over the past two decades, there has been a noticeable surge in the popularity of classical education. This growth has been accompanied by an increase in the number of students with behavioral challenges, including those who exhibit persistent lower-level behaviors that require intervention. Not only do classical academy teachers need to be proficient in classical curriculum and Socratic instruction, but they now require specialized training in a variety of strategies to support children with a wide range of behavioral needs. This panel will delve into different methods that can be employed to benefit every child, including students with persistent off-task behaviors and those with significantly escalated behaviors.
PANEL DISCUSSIONS:
What is Socratic Teaching?
Andrew Salzmann; William Perales; Lauren Grudem; Joelle Hodge
This panel explored the Socratic mode or method of teaching. What is it? How does it proceed? What is the purpose or end of Socratic education? Is it the best means of teaching? What is the role and responsibility of the teacher in the context of Socratic teaching? Is it the the instructional means best suited to achieve the ends of classical education?
Finding the Right College for the Classically Educated Student
Jonathan Sanford; Jacob Howland; Richard Avramenko
Where should classically educated students go for their post-secondary education? How can classical schools guide their students towards institutions that will build on the classical foundation of their K-12 education? This panel heard from representatives from the University of Dallas, The University of Austin, and the School of Social and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University.
What Makes a Great Book?
Sir Jonathan Bate; Roosevelt Montás; Catherine Zuckert; Michael Fink
The reading and study of “Great Books” are at the heart of a strong classical education curriculum but what qualifies a book as a “Great book?” There is a crisis of confidence in education across the United States that often makes it difficult for us to agree on what constitutes a “Great Book.” So, what are the characteristics of a “Great Book?” To earn the status of a “Great Book,” what must a text teach us about the human condition, its virtues, vices, beauty, wisdom, character, what the great questions are for a human being, and the place of the human in our political communities, in the world, the universe, our own communities?
Book Bans: Separating Facts from Fiction
Robert Pondiscio; Daniel Buck; Sarah Skwire; Jay Greene
In this panel discussion, the speakers surveyed recent events that have been (mis)reported as instances of “book banning.” The goal of the panel was to discern the important distinction between the legitimate curation of K-12 reading lists (for reasons of age-appropriateness, or to cultivate certain sentiments and virtues in readers, for instance), and ill-judged censoriousness.
ChatGPT and Classical Education
Jake Tawney; Andrew Zwerneman; Erik Twist
The ChatGPT era has provoked angst in the education community, leading some to question whether the student essay should be abandoned in favor of other pedagogies. As educators wrestle with the implications of AI, we would do well to start with the raison d’être of education and the place of writing therein. The panelists discussed the purpose of student writing, the challenges presented by ChatGPT, and solutions to those challenges.
Navigating Difficult Conversations in the Classroom
Jacob Howland; Karen Taliaferro; Dan Scoggin, Ian Rowe
Classical Education engages students in conversations about the subjects and questions fundamental to the pursuit of knowledge for every human being, through the consideration of the great works of literature, history, and philosophy that form our common understanding of the world. The content of these conversations is often complex, perplexing, even troubling, and sometimes complicated by the challenge of events in the world beyond the academy. The purpose of this panel was to discuss how to engage classical education students in challenging subjects through the study and discussion of the great books and classical texts.
Athletic Excellence in Classical Education
Kyle Navarrette; Jack Doody; Christine Jagge; Zach Hilton
Some academics might consider sport mainly as popular culture, or a mere social fad; others might see it as an unwelcome demand on students’ time, better dedicated to the study, scholarship and life of the mind with which classical education is most concerned. Those of a different view would say that so far as pursuit of Truth, Goodness and Beauty are concerned, there are few fields of human activity combining all three more harmoniously than sport. In Plato’s “Republic,” Socrates explains that a good education combines the harmonization of athletics and the liberal arts. He argues that the human being “who makes the finest mixture of gymnastics with music and brings them to his soul in the most proper measure is the one of whom we would most correctly say that he is perfectly and well harmonized” (412a). So, does the inclusion of competitive athletics in a classical education harmonize the human soul? Does the immense popularity of sport in the modern world reflect in some way the human attraction to Truth, or to the transcendent? Are there ways in which competitive sport tests acquired knowledge and otherwise soundly forms the human person? Does participation in competitive sport develop the listening and comprehension skills, as well as the practical and competitive intelligence of students to enhance their preparation for the world beyond secondary school? Is there as much to be learned and acquired of virtue on the playing field as in the library, as much sound formation under the lead of a skilled coach as under a master scholar? And finally, what will now become of the connection between scholarship and sport, as collegiate athletics become increasingly professionalized?
OPERATION WORKSHOPS:
Navigating the Educational Landscape: Mastering Market and Competitive Analysis
Ben Lindquist; Cody Bendix; Daniel Pyke
In an increasingly competitive educational environment, understanding the market dynamics and positioning your school effectively is crucial. This workshop offers an overview of the methodologies utilized in market and competitive analysis, emphasizing the importance of regular market assessments. Attendees will learn how to gather and interpret relevant data, including demographic trends, competitor offerings, and community needs. We will also discuss practical techniques for efficiently collecting and analyzing market information, using case studies to illustrate how these insights can guide strategic planning and operational adjustments.
Designing Effective Annual Fundraising Campaigns for Schools
Kyle Vander Meulen; Genevieve Peterson
This workshop is aimed at introducing school administrators and development staff to the fundamentals of creating and maintaining an annual fundraising campaign. It will focus on strategies to ensure the campaign’s success and alignment with the school’s operational needs, while distinguishing it from capital campaigns.
Blueprint for Financial Success: Strategic Planning and Budgeting in Schools
Ben Lindquist; Cody Bendix; Daniel Pyke
Effective financial management is a cornerstone of successful school administration. This workshop offers a practical overview of key aspects of financial planning and budgeting in the school context. We’ll cover designing or improving the school’s chart of accounts to better reflect operational realities and strategic goals. The session will delve into strategies for efficient monthly financial close processes, establishing a productive meeting cadence for strategic budget planning, and leveraging current technologies for visualizing and tracking financial data.
Revising for Excellence: Streamlining School Policies & Procedures
Julia Gillingham; Bianca Ulibarri
Keeping school policies and procedures up-to-date is essential for the smooth operation and legal compliance of any educational institution. This workshop offers a deep dive into the best practices for revising school policies and procedures. Participants will learn about setting a practical review and revision cadence, ensuring that document updates occur at optimal times throughout the academic year. We will explore process design techniques for efficient policy review, including stakeholder analysis and engagement strategies. The session will cover how to involve various school community members – from staff and parents to the board – in the policy revision process, ensuring that changes reflect the school’s needs and values. Attendees will gain insights into aligning policies with educational goals, legal requirements, and best practices in school administration. The workshop will also address common challenges in policy revision and provide solutions for navigating them effectively.
Enrollment Growth Blueprint: Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Students
Mitchell Slater
The ability to attract new students and retain current ones is crucial for the vitality and growth of any school. This workshop will address the multifaceted approach required to increase enrollment numbers effectively. Participants will learn about the importance of key transition grades—such as kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grades—where parents often make crucial decisions about their child’s education. The session will cover strategies for marketing the school to prospective families, including branding, open houses, and personalized tours. We will also discuss how to create compelling narratives around the school’s unique offerings, develop ambassador programs, and harness testimonials. The workshop will highlight the significance of understanding and addressing the needs and concerns of both students and parents for retention. Attendees will be provided with actionable deliverables, such as checklists for setting up successful school tours, templates for communication plans, and guidelines for implementing an effective ambassador program.
Design for Success: Navigating the School Startup Journey
David Denton; Cody Bendix; Lauren Grudem
Starting a new school is a complex and challenging endeavor that requires careful planning and execution. This workshop is designed to guide future school founders and leaders through the process of starting a school, with a focus on both charter and private models. We’ll explore the critical stages of school development, including ideation, planning, securing funding, recruitment, curriculum development, facility procurement, and compliance with educational regulations. The session will offer practical advice on project management, highlighting essential steps and timelines to ensure all necessary components are effectively managed. Attendees will learn about balancing various needs and requirements, from educational philosophy and curriculum choices to operational and legal considerations. This workshop will also address common challenges and provide solutions for navigating them successfully.