Classical Education

About the Guest

Patrick Egan is a founding director of Educational Renaissance and Academic Dean at Clapham School. He previously served as an administrator at Providence Classical Christian Academy in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned a B.Mus. in Music History and Literature from Illinois State University, an M.Div. and Th.M. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Patrick and his family spent three years living and studying in St Andrews, Scotland, where he earned a PhD from the University of St Andrews. In addition to his work within the classical Christian educational movement, he has also taught courses in New Testament and Biblical Greek at colleges and seminaries in the US and UK, currently serving as Visiting Instructor in New Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. In 2016 Patrick published Ecclesiology and the Scriptural Narrative of 1 Peter. Patrick regularly writes on the intersection of classical education and modern research at educationalrenaissance.com.

Show Notes

Dr. Patrick Egan forms a framework of classical tradition for today with Charlotte Mason studies. Dr. Egan opens this episode with a brief history of Clapham school and its values pointed towards The Good, The True, and The Beautiful. Their discovery of Charlotte Mason is interesting. Adrienne asks Dr. Egan to share about their application of classical methods aligning to the work of Charlotte Mason.  He also discusses Charlotte Mason’s brilliance on the epistemology of how a child learns. He points towards Charlotte Mason’s anthropology of a child and how it can influence our pedagogy while complimenting the telos of a classical education. 

Some Topics and Ideas in this Episode 

• They discuss the importance of the Spanish Chapel fresco called “Triumph of Saint Thomas Aquinas”, and its impact on Mason’s understanding of a Christian liberal arts education.
• How does Charlotte Mason fit into the tradition?
• If we did not have the Dorothy Sayer’s essay, could Charlotte Mason have been the force that awakened the classical ed movement? 

Resources and Books & Mentioned In This Episode

"What is a Learner?: Reading Charlotte Mason through Aristotle’s Four Causes" by Dr. Egan

Education Renaissance Podcast with Dr. Egan: https://educationalrenaissance.com/podcast/

https://www.wilberforceschool.org/

https://amblesideschools.org/category/bill-st-cyr/

Plato's Dialogues

St. Augustine's Confessions

Lost Tools of Learning, by Dorothy Sayers

The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise

Fresco: “Triumph of Saint Thomas Aquinas”, circa 1365. Fresco. Florence, S. Maria Novella, Cappellone degli Spagnuoli (Spanish Chapel), left wall. Charlotte Mason on the Spanish Chapel fresco, 

The books that Dr. Egan wished he had read sooner: 

A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason (6th volume)
The Abolition of Man, by C.S Lewis

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This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.

Support this podcast:

OUR MISSION

We exist for the benefit of both parents and teachers. Teaching is an art and teachers need opportunities to cultivate their craft. Parents need to feel confident that their children are receiving the best education possible. Therefore, our goals are to help parents make well-informed decisions about the education of their children, and to help teachers experience true joy in their vocation. We desire to bridge a large gap that currently exists between most classical schools and the parents who send their students to these schools. 

Immersing both parents and teachers into the beauty of good teaching is paramount to our goals! Our formative sessions are designed to be LIVE so that you can experience classical education through participating and doing. This is what is expected in classical education. In order to mentor you well, we invite you to participate for a full classical experience. Our online sessions assume modeling, imitation, and meaningful conversation as the basis of experiencing good teaching. 

OUR SERVICES
If you like our podcast, you will love our online sessions! We offer immersion sessions so you can experience classical pedagogy. A complete listing of our courses is at  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/

Becoming an effective educator requires participation and doing, not merely listening to the ideals of a theory being talked about. Experiencing the labor of thinking, speaking, and asking questions is non-negotiable for a real classical experience. For this reason our courses are LIVE and not recorded. Participation is paramount to a true classical education.

• Teachers and Home Educators: Grow in your craft of teaching! Do you want to know how to apply what we discuss on our podcast? Check out our affordable on-line immersion courses with master teachers.  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/
• Parents: Do you want to understand how to support your student in a classical school? Or, do you simply want to know more about classical education?  Consider our affordable book seminars. Explore why a classical education is truly a beautiful way of learning. Our book seminars and immersion sessions can you help you make an informed choice as well as help you understand how to support your children who may attend a classical school. 

About our Guest

Kon Bouzikos is currently the President and cofounder of ACES (Australian Classical Education Society). The Australian Classical Education Society Inc. is an association for students, parents, educators, politicians, experts and like-minded individuals who wish to see classical education introduced within the Australian educational landscape.

The roots of education are based on the seven Liberal Arts (the Trivium and Quadrivium) and it is now time that this type of education which is not elitist is offered to students in Australia. A broad based education that is concerned with human formation, reading the great books and allowing students to see connections between the different subjects is so vital and necessary today. The renewal for classical education which began in America 40 years ago is urgently needed in Australia. The educational landscape is about to change in Australia!

He is an experienced Primary and Secondary School Teacher and has worked in Orthodox, Catholic, Government and Independent Schools. His subject areas include: the Humanities, Religious Education and Modern Greek. He values the Seven Liberal Arts and the importance of a Christian Classical education. Kon enjoys dialogue and critical thinking in order to elicit the truth during conversations. Greek philosophers such as Plato, Socrates and Aristotle continue to shape his views of education. 

Kon’s  educational qualifications are

Educational Qualifications

2008-2009: Graduate Certificate in Catholic Studies

Australian Catholic University Melbourne Campus – St. Patrick’s

2003-2005: Master of Education, Leadership & Management in Educational

Organizations

The University of Melbourne

1995: Graduate Diploma in Education, (SOSE, History, Modern Greek)

Monash University

1989- 1991 Bachelor of Arts, Politics and Modern Greek

Sign up for their newsletters at the ACES website: http://www.classicaleducation.org.au/

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Show Notes

This enlightening podcast conversation with Kon Bouzikos and Adrienne is all about the spreading passion for education reform across Australia. Australia Classical Education Society (ACES) was formed in 2021, and it reaches far and wide. For the love of learning, ACES has a deep interest in sharing experiences with others. 

With great passion, Kon affirms that the Australians need and want Americans who are immersed in the classical education movement to teach them and help direct them. They need our help as the endeavor to awaken Australia to the beauty of a liberal arts education.  Kon and Adrienne discuss topics of great importance for all educators. This episode will even inspire Americans who wish to know more about the classical education movement at large.

Some Topics and Ideas in this Episode Include: 

• Why reform education in Australia?
• What are the responses from educators when you invite them to ACES ? 
• Do you have home schools and charter schools in Australia?
• What resources for Classical Education are available in Australia?

Sign up for their newsletters at the ACES website: http://www.classicaleducation.org.au/

Resources and Books & Mentioned In This Episode

The Abolition of Man by C. S. Lewis

Poetic Knowledge by James Taylor

How to Read a Book: The Art of Getting a Liberal Education by Mortimer Adler

St. Basil, Address To the Youth (AKA: Young Men on the Right Use of Greek to Men)

Pastor Douglas Wilson books

The Australian book distributor for classical education resources is Sara Flynn. Email her at: [email protected]

Her website is: https://logosaustralis.com/

Campion College:

https://www.campion.edu.au/

On-line Courses with Beautiful Teaching Consultants: https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/

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SUPPORT
This is a listener supported podcast. Considering the drama we have seen on Patreon and other social media platforms, we encourage listeners to support this podcast through donations. Part of your support goes to fund professional editing, hardware, software as well as other fees. It also frees Adrienne up to be more involved in the content creation, participation on other platforms, and public speaking.  You can donate by visiting our website at https://www.classicaleducationpodcast.com/support

Credits:

Sound Engineer: Andrew Helsel

Logo Art: Anastasiya CF

Music: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic

© 2023 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About the Guests

Four Teachers from Coram Deo Academy (CDA): A Christian, classical, and collaborative university model network with three campuses in the DFW Metroplex. 

• Yvette Cavender (Principal, Grammar School): Yvette Cavender began her partnership with Coram Deo Academies (CDA) as a parent in 2004, when her children were in grammar school.  Soon after, she began teaching second grade, and is now the Grammar School Principal at the Flower Mound campus.  She has seen the benefits of classical education play out in the lives of her own children and considers it a privilege to collaborate with others in teaching and training students under CDA’s model. Mrs. Cavender holds Bachelor’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Political Science and Economics.  She is a certified teacher in the state of Texas. Yvette and her husband live in Carrollton.  Their son Chapin is a computational biophysicist at UC-San Diego and their daughter Raegan is a grammar school teacher. 
• Kelly Whitney (4th Grade Teacher): Kelly holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from Messiah University. After teaching in the public school system for several years, Kelly stayed home with her children and began to homeschool the oldest of their 4 boys in Kindergarten. She and her family have been at CDA for 21 years now with the youngest graduating this May. She has taught at CDA for the last 14 years in both 2nd and 4th grade.
• Leah Jones (3rd Grade Teacher): Leah has been a teacher for 12 years. She started in public school and then homeschooled her daughter for a year and then began teaching in a university model school in Frisco, TX. In 2016 her family made the decision to move to CDA. She has been

Show Notes
Teachers experienced surprising results when they transitioned from Bible history through facts and information, to a full liberal arts, story-based classical approach in their school. Adrienne opens by asking how narration became a formal part of the pedagogy for Coram Deo Acadmies. The Principal and three teachers define narration and describe their own experiences in the classrooms. They discuss their initial apprehensions and then their perseverance as they noticed how much the students loved it!  You’ll hear about some wonderful outcomes, and how the benefits of narration carry over into every grade level. 

Some Topics and Ideas in this Episode 

• How do you define Narration?
• How were you feeling when you first began implementing narration?
• What apprehensions did you have and how did you work through these?
• What type of training did you have? 
• What happened when your students began to practice narration?

Resources and Books & Mentioned In This Episode

Classical Me, Classical Thee by Rebekah Merkle

Know and Tell: The Art of Narration by Karen Glass

Caught Up in a Story: Fostering a Storyformed Life of Great Books and Imagination with Your Children by Sarah Clarkson

Humility: True Greatness by C.J. Mahaney
_________________________________________________

This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.

Support this podcast:

OUR MISSION

We exist for the benefit of both parents and teachers. Teaching is an art and teachers need opportunities to cultivate their craft. Parents need to feel confident that their children are receiving the best education possible. Therefore, our goals are to help parents make well-informed decisions about the education of their children, and to help teachers experience true joy in their vocation. We desire to bridge a large gap that currently exists between most classical schools and the parents who send their students to these schools. 

Immersing both parents and teachers into the beauty of good teaching is paramount to our goals! Our formative sessions are designed to be LIVE so that you can experience classical education through participating and doing. This is what is expected in classical education. In order to mentor you well, we invite you to participate for a full classical experience. Our online sessions assume modeling, imitation, and meaningful conversation as the basis of experiencing good teaching. 

OUR SERVICES
If you like our podcast, you will love our online sessions! We offer immersion sessions so you can experience classical pedagogy. A complete listing of our courses is at  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/

Becoming an effective educator requires participation and doing, not merely listening to the ideals of a theory being talked about. Experiencing the labor of thinking, speaking, and asking questions is non-negotiable for a real classical experience. For this reason our courses are LIVE and not recorded. Participation is paramount to a true classical education.

• Teachers and Home Educators: Grow in your craft of teaching! Do you want to know how to apply what we discuss on our podcast? Check out our affordable on-line immersion courses with master teachers.  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/
• Parents: Do you want to understand how to support your student in a classical school? Or, do you simply want to know more about classical education?  Consider our affordable book seminars. Explore why a classical education is truly a beautiful way of learning. Our book seminars and immersion sessions can you help you make an informed choice as well as help you understand how to support your children who may attend a classical school.  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/
• Schools: We offer professional development for schools onsite or online. Email Adrienne at [email protected] for more information. 

_________________________________________________________

Credits:

Sound Engineer: Andrew Helsel

Logo Art: Anastasiya CF

Music: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic

About the Author
Until his retirement in 2015, Vigen Guroian was Professor of Religious Studies in Orthodox Christianity at the University of Virginia. He is now a Permanent Senior Fellow of the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal, Senior Fellow at the Center on Law and Religion at Emory University, Distinguished Fellow of the John Jay Institute, and Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum. He also is on the faculty of Memoria College online and is the author of ten books including The Orthodox Reality: Culture, Theology, and Ethics in the Modern World.  Dr. Guroian is also a frequent speaker at classical education conferences. 

Show Notes
Adrienne and Vigen discuss the new chapters added to the second edition of Tending the Heart of Virtue which include: 

• The Triumph of Beauty in The Nightingale and "The Ugly Duckling"
• The Goodness of Goodness: The Grimms' "Cinderella" and John Ruskin's The King of The Golden River
• Obedience and The Path to Perfection in George MacDonald's The Wise Woman: A Double Story
• An expanded biographical essay

Ideas that were discussed include: 

• Discussions for parents and teachers, about the impact from the book Tending the Hearts of Virtue.    
• The depth and meanings of fairy tales such as beauty and transformation, judgment, obedience, and truth. 
• Ways to read, listen, and allow the stories to unfold imagination and real life lessons. 

Books and Resources Mentioned

Books by Vigen Guroian

• Tending the Heart of Virtue: How Classic Stories Awaken a Child's Moral Imagination (the second edition) 
• Inheriting Paradise: Meditation on Gardening 
• Rallying the Really Human Things: Moral Imagination In Politics, Literature, and Everyday Life

Other Stories

"The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen

"The Nightingale" by Hans Christian Andersen

"Cinderella" by The Brothers Grimm

"The Juniper Tree" by The Brothers Grimm

The King of the Golden River by John Ruskin

The Wise Woman: A Double Story by George MacDonald 

"The Fantastic Imagination" by George MacDonald

The Princess and The Goblin by George MacDonald

The Little Lame Prince byDinah Maria Mulock Craik

The Victorian Fairy Tale Book by Michael Hearn

Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Other authors mentioned: Charles Dickens, Homer,C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton and Greek Myths

The Second Edition of Tending the Heart of Virtue can be purchased through all major book sellers. 

• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0195384318
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195384314

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• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 330 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 019538430X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195384307

The Book the Vigen wishes he had read earlier in his life: The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis

Adrienne's favorite book by Dr. Guroian is The Melody of Faith: Theology in an Orthodox Key

_______________________________________

This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.

OUR MISSION

We exist for the benefit of both parents and teachers. Teaching is an art and teachers need opportunities to cultivate their craft. Parents need to feel confident that their children are receiving the best education possible. Therefore, our goals are to help parents make well-informed decisions about the education of their children, and to help teachers experience true joy in their vocation. We desire to bridge a large gap that currently exists between most classical schools and the parents who send their students to these schools. 

Immersing both parents and teachers into the beauty of good teaching is paramount to our goals! Our formative sessions are designed to be LIVE so that you can experience classical education through participating and doing. This is what is expected in classical education. In order to mentor you well, we invite you to participate for a full classical experience. Our online sessions assume modeling, imitation, and meaningful conversation as the basis of experiencing good teaching. 

OUR SERVICES
If you like our podcast, you will love our online sessions! We offer immersion sessions so you can experience classical pedagogy. A complete listing of our courses is at  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/

Becoming an effective educator requires participation and doing, not merely listening to the ideals of a theory being talked about. Experiencing the labor of thinking, speaking, and asking questions is non-negotiable for a real classical experience. For this reason our courses are LIVE and not recorded. Participation is paramount to a true classical education.

• Teachers and Home Educators: Grow in your craft of teaching! Do you want to know how to apply what we discuss on our podcast? Check out our affordable on-line immersion courses with master teachers.  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/
• Parents: Do you want to understand how to support your student in a classical school? Or, do you simply want to know more about classical education?  Consider our affordable book seminars. Explore why a classical education is truly a beautiful way of learning. Our book seminars and immersion sessions can you help you make an informed choice as well as help you understand how to support your children who may attend a classical school.  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/
• Schools: We offer professional development for schools onsite or online. Email Adrienne at [email protected] for more information. 

_________________________________________________________

Credits:

Sound Engineer: Andrew Helsel

Logo Art: Anastasiya CF

Music: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic

© 2023 Beautiful Teaching, LLC. All Rights Reserved

About our Guest: 

Dr. Forman is active in his community having served on the Roseville Joint Union High School District Governing Board from 2000 to 2004. He was the chair of the Placer County Republican party from 2005-06. He served as Board Member and President for CORE Academy, a charter school in Placer County from 2006 to 2009. He currently serves as Founder, and Board Chairman of John Adams Academy, a K-12 charter of 3 schools and 4500+ scholars located in the Sacramento California area. In 2012 the Freedom Foundation recognized Dr. Forman for his efforts in founding John Adams Academy with the George Washington Honor Medal in 2012.  In 2013 he was also honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the BYU Alumni Association. He mentors at the academy, is a frequent lecturer and authored many academic and timely articles on the principles of risk management, independence, finance, and freedom in America. 

Education has the power to change a person, a community, and a country. His blog may be found at https://ldeanforman.blog/. His book on how to start a classical charter school may be found at Leading a Revolution in Education.

www.johnadamsacademy.org

“Children Should Be Educated in the Principles of Freedom” John Adams

Special Performance: 

John Adams Academy Choir, Vertus. Performing "America The Beautiful," directed by Greg Blankenbehler, Secondary Music Teacher, Director of Choir, Arts Department Chair. 

Vertus was awarded in 2021-2022:   First Place, Gold Rating (90th percentile), Adjudicator’s Award (95th

Percentile–scored 98 out of 100), Maestro Award (outstanding soloist) at Heritage Festival (Nashville, TN)

Click here to view the many Accolades for Vertus

Show Notes

In this episode, Adrienne interviews the founder of John Adams Academy, a public charter school in California. Dr Forman’s love for a beautiful education is evident through his passion for this country and his love of the arts. He shares the history of John Adams Academy as well as some important tips for anyone interested in starting a school.  

Some topics in this episode include:

• The humble beginnings of John Adams Academy to its great success and recognition today as an exceptional school
• The beautiful elements of classical education and how these lead students to truth
• Tips on starting a school and hiring good teachers
• Creating a mission statement and school culture
• Teacher formation

Books & Resources In This Episode

Leading a Revolution in Education

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution
Steven Covey on Seven Habits

______________

This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.

OUR MISSION

We exist for the benefit of both parents and teachers. Teaching is an art and teachers need opportunities to cultivate their craft. Parents need to feel confident that their children are receiving the best education possible. Therefore, our goals are to help parents make well-informed decisions about the education of their children, and to help teachers experience true joy in their vocation. We desire to bridge a large gap that currently exists between most classical schools and the parents who send their students to these schools. 

Immersing both parents and teachers into the beauty of good teaching is paramount to our goals! Our formative sessions are designed to be LIVE so that you can experience classical education through participating and doing. This is what is expected in classical education. In order to mentor you well, we invite you to participate for a full classical experience. Our online sessions assume modeling, imitation, and meaningful conversation as the basis of experiencing good teaching. 

OUR SERVICES
If you like our podcast, you will love our online sessions! We offer immersion sessions so you can experience classical pedagogy. A complete listing of our courses is at  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/

Becoming an effective educator requires participation and doing, not merely listening to the ideals of a theory being talked about. Experiencing the labor of thinking, speaking, and asking questions is non-negotiable for a real classical experience. For this reason our courses are LIVE and not recorded. Participation is paramount to a true classical education.

• Teachers and Home Educators: Grow in your craft of teaching! Do you want to know how to apply what we discuss on our podcast? Check out our affordable on-line immersion courses with master teachers.  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/
• Parents: Do you want to understand how to support your student in a classical school? Or, do you simply want to know more about classical education?  Consider our affordable book seminars. Explore why a classical education is truly a beautiful way of learning. Our book seminars and immersion sessions can you help you make an informed choice as well as help you understand how to support your children who may attend a classical school.  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/
• Schools: We offer professional development for schools onsite or online. Email Adrienne at [email protected] for more information. 

_________________________________________________________

Credits:

Sound Engineer: Andrew Helsel

Logo Art: Anastasiya CF

Music: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic

© 2023 Beautiful Teaching, LLC. All Rights Reserved

About our Guests

Randan Steinhauser with Sweetwater Scholé in greater Austin: Randan Steinhauser is a mother of four who recently launched a Charlotte Mason-inspired homeschool co-op, Sweetwater Scholé. In addition to their home education, her children attend a University-Model Classical Christian collaborative school in Austin, Texas. Randan is the founding partner of Steinhauser Strategies where she works with clients on education-related efforts including school choice and homeschool freedom. Prior to moving home to Austin, Randan was in Washington, DC where she worked for former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Randan has worked in more than 40 states on educational freedom initiatives. A native of South Carolina, Randan holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of South Carolina and an M.A. in Communications from John’s Hopkins University. 

Valerie Bishop with Living Education co-op in Flower Mound, TX:  Valerie is the founder and Director of Living Education Co-op in Flower Mound, Texas, a Charlotte Mason-inspired Fine Arts co-op, where she teaches high school and middle school classes History & Humanities and Shakespeare. Valerie also creates Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum for her high school classes and greatly enjoys seeing her students rise to the challenge of delightful, rigorous coursework. She is passionate about republishing and bringing classic books to life with classic paintings, such as Story of the Greeks, Story of the Romans, Saints and Heroes Vol. I, Saints and Heroes Vol II, and forthcoming illustrated versions of Homer and Virgil’s epic poems. Valerie has been married to Troy for 22 years and has six children, ages 18 to 6. Prior to homeschooling, Valerie earned an Associates of Arts from The Art Institute of Dallas and enjoyed a career creating content as a graphic designer.

Jennifer Hartenburg with Bluebonnet Scholars in Houston, TX: Jennifer Hartenburg is a Published writer and classroom teacher, Jen Hartenburg holds a bachelor of arts in English Literature and a master of arts in Education from Biola University where she remains a perpetual member of the Torrey Honors Institute. She began teaching literature and writing in 1997 and helped pilot an interactive online program for high school students through Biola University beginning in 2000. She has been offering summer writing camps and classes in the Houston area since 2015, and she is an Accomplished Instructor with the Institute for Excellence in Writing. Her educational approach continues to be informed and refined by the living stream of Christian tradition, the classical liberal arts heritage, and the writings of folks such as Charlotte Mason, Jacques Maritain, C.S. Lewis, and Sofia Cavalletti. A homeschool parent/teacher of two, Jen also enjoys hiking, dancing, drinking tea, listening to the rain, and writing. Her poetry and creative non-fiction have appeared or are forthcoming in literary journals including Rattle: Poets Respond, Weber—The Contemporary West, The Saint Katherine Review, The Other Journal, Dappled Things, and The Christian Century. Jen is continually rediscovering the power of word and world to startle and heal us with beauty.

Show Notes
Have you wondered how to bring a breath of fresh air to homeschool? Classical Education host, Adrienne Freas, brings forth workable ideas from her guest panel members. 

• Valerie Bishop for the love of learning, started a co-op fulfilling the mission to carry out a living education. 
• Randon Steinhauser listened to the needs of others. Wanting a blended style of learning inspired by nature, she created a nature-focused gathering. One of the biggest challenges has been to find ways to accommodate more and more students. 
• Jennifer Hartenburg started a hybrid homeschool community in the Christian Liberal Arts Tradition which grew out of a Charlotte Mason book club she began in 2016. 

The ideas shared in this podcast are truly inspiring, while surprisingly simple. Gathering with others is golden wherever you begin your homeschool journey. Listen to the end of this podcast for the inspirational closing quotations. Ask yourself what your homeschool community would look like, while remembering that "the flowers aren’t new, but the children are. "- Charlotte Mason. 

Some Topics and Ideas in this Episode Include:

• Biggest challenges in starting a co-op
• Building your classical education community 
• Specific steps in order to begin with intention and clarity 
• Modeling, teaching, and delegating tasks according to gifts
• Ways to include creativity in your homeschool 

Adrienne's Favorite Mason Quotation:
"All is mystery, being what the heart of man could not conceive of unless it had been revealed.

'Great is the mystery of Godliness: God manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.' [1 Tim 3:16] And what a barren and dry land should we dwell in if our spirits were narrowed to the limits of that which we can comprehend! Where we err is in supposing that mystery is confined to our religion, that everything else is obvious and open to our understanding. Whereas the great things of life, birth, death, hope, love, patriotism, why a leaf is green, and why a bird is clothed in feathers––all such things as these are mysteries; and it is only as we can receive that which we cannot understand, and can discern the truth of that which we cannot prove, and can distinguish between a luminous mystery and a bewildering superstition, that we are able to live the full life for which we were made."
- C. Mason, Ourselves, 201. 

Resources and Books & Mentioned In This Episode

Course Offerings for Bluebonnet Scholars: https://www.bluebonnetscholars.org/class-offerings/

Primary Curriculum for Sweetwater Scholé: https://www.bewildandfree.org/youngnaturalist

A Thinking Love by Karen Glass

Ourselves by Charlotte Mason

______________________________

This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.

OUR MISSION

We exist for the benefit of both parents and teachers. Teaching is an art and teachers need opportunities to cultivate their craft. Parents need to feel confident that their children are receiving the best education possible. Therefore, our goals are to help parents make well-informed decisions ...

About our Guests

1. Dr. Matthew Post: University of Dallas, Director of the St. Ambrose Center for Catholic Liberal Education and Culture; Assistant Professor of Humanities
2. Dr. Matthew Bianco: Chief Operations Officer for the CiRCE Institute
3. Dr. Gary Hartenburg: Houston Christian University, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Director of Honors College
4. Peach Smith: founder of Sacred HEART Academy, Koinonia Academy: Curriculum Coordinator, Lead Teacher, College Counselor
5. Karen Glass: AmblesideOnline Advisory Committee, Author, Speaker, and Teacher

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Show Notes

What is virtue according to the tradition? Adrienne invited five distinguished guests: Dr. Matthew Post, Dr. Matthew Bianco, Dr. Gary Hartenburg, Karen Glass, and Peach Smith to discuss the topic of virtue in education. They engage in dialogue to contemplate an understanding of, and perhaps define virtue. Is it possible to teach this hallmark of Classical Education? 

Are children virtuous for sitting when told? How ought virtue be taught and can it be taught? What’s the practical end of teaching virtue? These are all questions we ponder in this episode to further our understanding of what virtue is and how to attain it. 

Some Topics and Ideas in this Episode Include: 

• What is virtue according to the tradition?
• How do we define virtue?
• Elements of virtue according to Plato, Aristotle, and the Bible.
• Teaching through stories and a caring life.
• What about the Charlotte Mason perspective of teaching virtue?

Resources and Books & Mentioned In This Episode

Virtues in Practice program

The Bible-Philipians 4:8 and 1 Thessalonians 4:9

The Meno by Plato

The Cratylus by Plato

A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason (first 20 pages)

Formation Of Character by Charlotte Mason (Part 4)

Poetic Knowledge: The Recovery of Education by James S. Taylor

Aesop's Fables by Aesop

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass 

The Souls of Black Folk (Ch. 6: of the training of black men) by W. E. B. DuBois

The Education of Black People by W. E. B. DuBois

Works of Jane Austen such as Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park

__________________

This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.

OUR MISSION

We exist for the benefit of both parents and teachers. Teaching is an art and teachers need opportunities to cultivate their craft. Parents need to feel confident that their children are receiving the best education possible. Therefore, our goals are to help parents make well-informed decisions about the education of their children, and to help teachers experience true joy in their vocation. We desire to bridge a large gap that currently exists between most classical schools and the parents who send their students to these schools. 

Immersing both parents and teachers into the beauty of good teaching is paramount to our goals! Our formative sessions are designed to be LIVE so that you can experience classical education through participating and doing. This is what is expected in classical education. In order to mentor you well, we invite you to participate for a full classical experience. Our online sessions assume modeling, imitation, and meaningful conversation as the basis of experiencing good teaching. 

OUR SERVICES
If you like our podcast, you will love our online sessions! We offer immersion sessions so you can experience classical pedagogy. A complete listing of our courses is at  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/

Becoming an effective educator requires participation and doing, not merely listening to the ideals of a theory being talked about. Experiencing the labor of thinking, speaking, and asking questions is non-negotiable for a real classical experience. For this reason our courses are LIVE and not recorded. Participation is paramount to a true classical education.

• Teachers and Home Educators: Grow in your craft of teaching! Do you want to know how to apply what we discuss on our podcast? Check out our affordable on-line immersion courses with master teachers.  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/
• Parents: Do you want to understand how to support your student in a classical school? Or, do you simply want to know more about classical education?  Consider our affordable book seminars. Explore why a classical education is truly a beautiful way of learning. Our book seminars and immersion sessions can you help you make an informed choice as well as help you understand how to support your children who may attend a classical school.  https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/
• Schools: We offer professional development for schools onsite or online. Email Adrienne at [email protected] for more information. 

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Credits:

Sound Engineer: Andrew Helsel

Logo Art: Anastasiya CF

Music: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic

© 2023 Beautiful Teaching, LLC. All Rights Reserved

About Our Guests
Richard W. Rohlin is an Orthodox Christian, author, podcaster, medievalist, and data analyst living in Grand Prairie, TX. A husband and father, he is the co-host of The Amon Sul Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio, regularly contributes to Jonathan Pageau's The Symbolic World YouTube channel, has published several works of fiction and non-fiction, and currently has several projects under development, including a collection of essays called Finding the Golden Key: Essays Toward a Recovery of the Sacramental Imagination. His most recent book, the Akboritha, a work of liturgical mythopoeia, is available from Darkly Bright Press.

Dr. Reno Lauro is a Classical Education Curriculum and Pedagogy Specialist for Coram Deo Academy. He received his Ph.D. from the University of St. Andrews Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts in 2011, where he wrote on J. R. R. Tolkien’s philosophy of Mythopoeia. For the past ten years, he has worked at the intersection of Humane and Digital learning. 

After completing his degrees, Theology (MDiv) and History (BA), Reno apprenticed for 18 months on the Palme d’Or winning film The Tree of Life with director Terrence Malick, which transformed his understanding of the Classics, the modern world, and how to communicate the relationship between the two. He has taught at the graduate and undergraduate levels (University of Dallas and University of Arizona) and in both Lower and Upper School classrooms of Classical Schools. Before coming to Coram Deo Academy. He served as the Assistant Headmaster at Saint Peter’s and of a Great Hearts Archway School. He also worked closely with the CEO of the globally recognized BASIS.ed charter schools to create and pilot seminar-style history courses as alternatives to AP classes.  

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Show Notes
In this episode, Reno Lauro and Richard Rohlin introduce us to the fatherly nature of Tolkien. Beginning with a definition of Mythopoeia, we then dive into The Letters of Father Christmas. Richard unpacks a brief history of these letters and how they developed into a full-fledged story about Father Christmas and the happenings at The North Pole. The Spirit of Christmas quickly become the center of our conversations. Our guests discuss the idea that Christmas lore helps us navigate the general hardships of daily life. Reno says, "These tales have teeth in reality and make sense of the life we live." The rich tradition of folk tales, stories, and myth helps us to see the implications of the incarnation and to make sense of the real God we see in the Christ Child. Richard closes by reading from Tolkien's Mythopoeia, saying, "Our whole understanding of the cosmos goes back to Christmas!" 

Some Topics and Ideas in this Episode Include: 

• Celebrating the Spirit of Christmas in your home
• What are some misunderstandings about Christmas and Santa Clause?
• From St. Nicholas to Santa Clause, how ought Christians celebrate Christmas?
• The origins of Christmas as a pagan holiday
• Real and true are two different things and they have a necessary relationship to help our children engage the world as an enchanted space. 

Connect with Richard's Resources:

• Jonathan Pageau's Symbolic World, Medieval Universal History playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N5s4n_lwB8&list=PLVX4HUUPrIY_M2uZP3yW6EEiod3fGD6FD&ab_channel=JonathanPageau 
• Amon Sul Podcast (Tolkien & Orthodox Christianity): https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/amonsul 
• The Akboritha (mythopoeic liturgical fantasy): https://darklybrightpre
• ss.com/akboritha/

Connect with Reno's Resources:

• Reno Lauro's blog, Time Out of Joint
• Reno's Tolkien's House of Being Facebook Page

Other Titles Mentioned:

• The Letter's From Father Christmas by J.R.R Tolkien
• Chesterton's Essay Santa Clause and Science
• Christmas at a Crisis for Civilization by Chesterton
• A Christmas Carol by Dickens
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
• The Two Babylons: Or, the Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod by: Alexander Hislop
• Mythopoeia by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Tree of Life film by Terrence Malick
• Tolkien's essay on The Green Knight
• Anglo-Saxon Advent poem Christ I

Dr. Reno Lauro ends our podcast reading the first sentence in this poem. The whole poem is stunning! 

Now, hope-filled, we look for healing,
brought to the world's people through the word of God,
who was in the beginning with the almighty Father
equally eternal with God, and now became
flesh, free of failings, born of the virgin,
a support to the sorrowful. God was with us,
seen without sin; together dwelt
the mighty Measurer's child and the son of man,
at peace among the people. We may ever address
our thanks to the lord of victory for his deeds,
because he chose to send himself to us.

Online Courses with Beautiful Teaching Consultants: https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/

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Credits:

Sound Engineer: Andrew Helsel

Logo Art: Anastasiya CF

Music: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic

 
© 2022...

About Our Guest
Jarrid Looney was born and raise in southwestern Virginia until 2004. He then attended Berea College, from whence he graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor’s in Theatre and Classical Civilizations. He attended Royal Holloway, University of London for his Master’s Degree and Doctorate of Philosophy in Classics. Dr. Looney has taught English, History, Spanish, Latin, and a plethora of electives. He currently serves as Millennium Charter Academy's Upper School Director. In his free time, Dr. Looney enjoys hiking, fishing, camping, cooking, gardening, and reading. He enjoys all of his hobbies with his wife, Erin, and their children.

Show Notes
In this episode, Trae and Dr. Looney discuss how to reimagine education through the lense of Scholé. If you want to understand what is at the heart of a humane education both for students and teachers, this episode will inspire you to embrace scholé as the foundation of a beautiful education. Dr. Looney gives an anechdote of applying scholé in an AP history and literature class while applying the phases of the trivium into the lessons. Dr. Looney emphasizes that the pedagogy and schedule of a school reflect its anthropological position. Administrators need to establish the culture and carefully consider blocks of time for each class in order to lay the proper foundation for scholé.

Some Topics and Ideas in this Episode Include: 

• Definition and application of scholé
• What is labor and how do we work with joy?
• How does this philosophical idea of scholé work practically in the classroom with students?
• What makes real culture and how do cultivate good culture in our learning environment?
• How does the school administration invite the school faculty into this way of living?

Resources and Books Mentioned / Referenced 

• Season 1 Episode 11 on May 6, 2023 Episode with Dr. Gary Hartenburg on Aristotelian Education
•  Aristotle: Education for Virtue and Leisure published by Classical Adademic Press.
• Leisure the Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper
• The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
• John Senior's 1,000 Good Books
• The Restoration of Christian Culture by John Senior
• The Magician's Nephew
• The Hobbit
• The Dead Poet's Society

On-line Courses with Beautiful Teaching Consultants: https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/

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Credits:

Sound Engineer: Andrew Helsel

Logo Art: Anastasiya CF

Music: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic

 
© 2022 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

About Our Guest

Diana Cunningham is the founding headmistress of Lindisfarne Hall, a classical Anglican school in Fernandina Beach, Florida.  

Learn more about the good work going on at this school at https://www.lindisfarnehall.com. 

Notes

In this episode, Diana Cunningham shares with Trae how a homeschool resource center at a church turned into a full-scale classical Christian school. 

From a very young age, Diana was touched by the importance of atmosphere within places of education. Now that she serves as a school headmistress, she can intentionally nurture an atmosphere informed by classical principles, aimed at beauty, and structured by tradition and worship.  

Some Topics and Ideas in this Episode Include: 

• Creating an Atmosphere Worthy of 10,000 Hours of a Student’s Classroom Life 
• How Academics Can Create Tunnel Vision 
• Designing a School Schedule as a Christian Oasis 
• Incorporating a Contemplation Period (An Unexpected Student Favorite) 
• How Non-Churched Students Fall in Love With Traditional English Hymns 
• The Faculty is the School 
• The Church as an Authority 
• Learning by Listening to Church Bells 
• The “Hidden Curriculum” 
• Charlotte Mason’s Principals of Education 
• “Socratic Narration” 
• Teaching History with Primary Sources 
• Avoiding Workbooks (How to “Keep the Words in their Habitat”)
• Initiating Teachers into the Philosophy of Classical Education 
• The Limitations of the Scientific Method 
• The Church Calendar and the Life of the School 
• Sorting Students into Houses (Yes, like Harry Potter)  
• The Lives of the Saints 

Resources Mentioned / Referenced

• Read More about the Classical Approach at Lindisfarne Hall Here
• Find Academic Plans and Sample Reading Lists Here 
• Get a Peak into the Life of the School on Facebook 

On-line Courses with Beautiful Teaching Consultants: https://beautifulteaching.coursestorm.com/

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Credits:
Sound Engineer: Andrew Helsel
Logo Art: Anastasiya CF
Music: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic
 
© 2022 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved