How should parents and teachers respond when children learn differently? Should the curriculum change for each child, or should the child be formed by the curriculum?

In this episode of _Classical Et Cetera_ we discuss teaching children with different personalities and temperaments, and why the modern idea of “learning styles” may not be the right place to begin. We explore the difference between temperament and aptitude, how to maintain consistent academic standards, and practical ways parents can help very different children succeed within the same curriculum. Along the way, we offer encouragement for homeschool families navigating daily challenges while keeping the long view of education in mind.

In this episode of Classical Et Cetera we turn from fiction to Christian nonfiction books that have shaped our faith. From _Mere Christianity_ and Augustine’s _Confessions_ to biographies, letters, and works on prayer and discernment, we share the books that have strengthened, challenged, and sustained us. This isn’t a canon, but rather an honest conversation about the titles we return to and why they matter for classical Christian readers.

*What We're Reading* from This Episode: 

"Galahad and the Grail" Malcom Guite (Leigh & Tanya)

"Sense and Sensibility" Jane Austin (Tanya)

"With God in Russia" Walter Ciszek (Tanya)

"A Tale of Two Cities" Charles Dickens (Tanya)

"No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" Alexander McCall (Paul)

"A Confederacy of Dunces" John Kennedy Toole (Paul)

In this episode of _Classical Et Cetera_ we talk about home libraries—what they are, how they grow, and why they matter. From organizing (or not organizing) shelves to collecting meaningful editions, this conversation explores how the books in our homes reflect the life of the mind. We discuss lending versus hoarding, building a collection that is actually used, and why a home library is more than bookshelves—it’s a culture of reading lived out in the home.

*What We're Reading* from This Episode: 

"Christianity & Culture" T.S. Eliot (Martin)

"Sense and Sensibility" Jane Austin (Tanya)

"The Digital Delusion" Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath (Tanya)

"Galahad and the Grail" Malcom Guite (Tanya)

"Olav Audunssøn" Sigrid Undset (Kathy)

"Marce Catlett" Wendell Berry (Paul)

"No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" Alexander McCall (Paul)

"Climbing Parnassus" Tracy Lee Simmons (Paul)

In this episode of _Classical Et Cetera_ we explore the idea of "poetic knowledge"—a way of knowing that begins with experience and imagination before moving to analysis. Has modern education become too abstract, too quickly? We discuss the role of wonder in learning, the proper order of education, and why children need to encounter reality as a whole before breaking it into parts. From literature and discussion to classroom practice, this conversation considers what it means to begin learning well.

*What We're Reading* from This Episode: 

"Paradise Lost" John Milton (Ian)

"The Big Sleep" Raymond Chandler (Martin)

"Climbing Parnassus" Tracy Lee Simmons (Paul)

"The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" Alexander McCall Smith (Paul)

What happens when screens replace books and classroom technology replaces thinking? In this episode of Classical Et Cetera we examine research showing how screens, scrolling text, and digital note-taking undermine attention, memory, and deep learning. Drawing on neuroscience and classroom experience, we discuss why scrolling isn’t reading, why speed and engagement aren’t the same as understanding, and why technology-heavy classrooms often produce less learning, not more.

The Digital Delusion by Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath is the book that inspired this episode's conversation.

*What We're Reading* from This Episode: 

"Marce Catlett" Wendell Berry (Tanya & Paul)

"What Happened to You?" Bruce D. Perry & Oprah Winfrey (Paul)

"The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" Alexander McCall Smith (Martin) 

In this mailbag episode of _Classical Et Cetera_ we respond to listener questions on a range of parenting and homeschooling topics. We talk about limiting video games, responding to boredom in children, and how much attention homeschool parents should give to modern pop culture versus older stories, books, and models. Drawing on principles of classical education, we explore how attention, imagination, and formation shape a child’s learning. Join the conversation as we think through these questions together!

*What We're Reading* from This Episode: 

Stoner" John Williams (Paul)

Against the Machine" Paul Kingsnorth (Tanya)

North and South" Elizabeth Gaskell (Tanya)

Marce Catlett" Wendell Berry (Tanya)

Sense and Sensibility" Jane Austen (Tanya)

By Her Own Design" Piper Huguley (Jessica)

How should adults think about reading goals for the coming year—and how do you read more books without letting reading become a burden?

In this episode of _Classical Et Cetera_ we talk about reading goals for 2026 and what it takes to build a reading life that lasts. Whether you’re an avid reader, returning after a long break, or feeling overwhelmed by unfinished books, this conversation explores better ways to read with intention and balance. We discuss fiction and nonfiction, reading for work versus pleasure, and why shared reading and conversation matter so much.

Comment your reading list for 2026! Book recommendations are always welcome.

*Tanya's Stack of Books* 

Sense and Sensibility — Jane Austen 

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating — Elisabeth Tova Bailey 

Absent in the Spring — Agatha Christie 

The Door — Magda Szabo 

Mystery and Manners — Flannery O'Connor 

The Headmaster — John McPhee 

Marce Catlett — Wendell Berry 

*Martin's Stack of Books* 

The Giver — Lois Lowry 

Booth Tarkington Biography 

Wonderworks — Angus Fletcher 

The Master and His Emissary — Iain McGilchrist 

Primal Intelligence — Angus Fletcher 

The Digital Delusion — Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath 

The Last of the Mohicans — James Fenimore Cooper 

Quo Vadis — Henryk Sienkiewicz 

Sense and Sensibility — Jane Austen 

The Jungle Book — Rudyard Kipling 

*Paul's Stack of Books* 

The Greek Way — Edith Hamilton 

The Biological Farmer — Gary F. Zimmer 

The Liturgy of the Land — Thomas D. Van Horn & Jason M. Craig 

Against the Machine — Paul Kingsnorth 

The Wild Orchid — Sigrid Undset 

The Southern Tradition at Bay — Richard M. Weaver 

The Ministry of Fear — Graham Greene 

*Jessica's Stack of Books* 

I Beheld the Mountains — Joseph Payne 

The Modern Proper — Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer 

Remarkably Bright Creatures — Shelby Van Pelt 

Little Women — Louisa May Alcott 

By Her Own Design — Piper Huguley 

There is no shortage of advice about how Latin _should_ be taught—immersion, conversation, grammar-first, or a blending of methods. In this episode of _Classical Et Cetera_ we step back and ask a more fundamental question: what should be the real _goal_ of learning Latin, and how should that goal shape the way we teach it? We discuss grammar versus immersion, reading and speaking, and why different methods produce very different results—especially for children. Join us as we clarify common misconceptions and answer several listener questions!

*What We're Reading* from This Episode: 

"Hamnet" Maggie O'Farrell (Tanya)

"Hamlet" William Shakespeare (Tanya)

"North and South" Elizabeth Gaskell (Tanya)

"Trust" Hernan Diaz (Paul)

"Mythology" Edith Hamilton (Martin)

"Plutarch's Lives" Plutarch (Martin)

"Practical Theology" Peter Kreeft (Martin)

"The Portrait of a Lady" Henry James (Martin)

Is a classical education practical in today’s world of trades, technology, and rapidly changing careers? In this episode of _Classical Et Cetera_ we explore that question through the real-life experiences of two classically educated graduates—one studying computer science, the other pursuing a trade. Together, we discuss how classical education prepares students not for a single job, but for many possible paths. From plumbing to programming, we examine transferable skills, lifelong learning, and the formation that equips students for real work and real life.

Due to technical difficulties this episode is audio-only. Thanks for bearing with us, and we'll see you next week!

*What We're Reading* from This Episode: 

"Trust" Hernan Diaz (Paul)

"Every Thing You Ever Wanted to Know About Heaven" Peter Kreeft (Danny)

"Oathbringer" Brandon Sanderson (August)

What do we really mean when we talk about the liberal arts? In this episode of Classical Et Cetera we walk through the introduction to Sister Miriam Joseph’s _The Trivium_ and explore the classical understanding of education. Rather than focusing on methods or grade levels, we talk about what education *is* — how grammar, logic, and rhetoric function as tools of the mind, and why education is more than just the accumulation of information.

Read the sample from Sister Miriam Joseph's book that we use for this episode: https://www.memoriapress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/The-Trivium-The-Liberal-Arts-of-Logic-Gramm…/?utm_source=PodBean&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=202

And watch part one of this conversation right here! https://youtu.be/by_fbsFjStk?si=SzS6jf_bV91-j_40/?utm_source=PodBean&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=202

*What We're Reading* from This Episode: 

"The Roy Grace Series" Peter James (Tanya)

"Against the Machine" Paul Kingsnorth (Martin)

"A Christmas Memory" Truman Capote (Martin)

"Holistic Management" Allan Savory (Paul)