Developing Classical Thinkers

In today's episode, Josh Herring, Matt Ogle, and Travis Copeland discuss three poems by Wendell Berry: 'What We Need is Here,' 'The Peace of Wild Things,' and 'A Small Porch in the Woods.'

Wendell Berry is a novelist, poet, essayist who lives and farms in Henry County, Kentucky. He studied English literature at both the University of Kentucky and New York University before returning to his hometown to again take up the life of a farmer. His agrarian style elevates the beauty of the natural, wild world focused on the particularities of place.

For more information about Wendell Berry checkout theberrycenter.org.

'What We Need is Here':
https://www.awakin.org/read/view.php?tid=2144

'The Peace of Wild Things':
https://onbeing.org/poetry/the-peace-of-wild-things/

'A Small Porch in the Woods': https://drive.google.com/file/d/125v0eSFpCBYWBZYrJoJipDw2PoeHARDd/view?usp=sharing

On today's episode, Winston speaks with Connor Boyack, the founder of the Libertas Institute, a Utah-based non-profit thinktank. He is also the author of the Tuttle Twins books, a children’s book series that introduces young readers to economic, political, and civic principles. On the show they discuss the creative process behind the books and the key thinkers and ideas of Austrian economics.

More information about the Libertas Institute can be found here: https://libertas.org/

In today’s episode, we look at the value of studying history as a subject in and of itself. Today, many people criticize history as an academic enterprise on several fronts: one, whether or not history is useful to study at all and two, if we study history, we tend to focus on certain monumental figures to the neglect of other voices within the historical narrative.

To that end, what people, places, and voices in history should we focus on in studying history? What are the principles upon which we should study history? What is the goal of studying history, and how might the study of history contribute to positive character development and human flourishing?

In this episode, we examine these questions and solicit answers from a wide array of opinions from teachers and educators on the content, purpose, and value of studying history, including Wilfred McClay, an intellectual historian at Hillsdale College, Leah Klein, the Chair of the History Department at Thales Apex, Clifford Humphrey, Director of Admissions at Thales College, Terry Stoops, Director for the Center for Effective Education at the John Locke Foundation, and Bob Luddy, the founder of Thales Academy.

For further reading, please check out:
Shannon Watkins, “Reinvigorating the Teaching of American History”: https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2020/02/reinvigorating-the-teaching-of-american-history/

Wilfred McClay’s “Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story": https://www.encounterbooks.com/books/land-of-hope-paperback/

Robert Strassler’s “The Landmark Herodotus,” and “The History of the Peloponnesian War,”

DCT Survey Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/u/1/d/1MQ69P9i_EGLA6vIY7v2PH9HSDkZ38RW59xqTUJtRDkY/edit?usp=forms_home&ths=true

Thales founder Bob Luddy offers our listeners lessons for our students in regards to good character, personal integrity, and virtuous leadership, oriented on "Lessons from Youth," "Lessons in Business," and "Lessons for the Future."

In today's episode, Winston Brady speaks with Sheel Chandra, graduate of the class of 2018 and a current student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, about his experiences at Thales and what it means to be "Classically educated."

In today’s episode, we look at the life of the abolitionist leader, author, and noted orator Frederick Douglass (1818-1895). Born into slavery on a plantation in Tuckahoe, Maryland, Frederick Douglass endured great suffering and hardship during his childhood and adolescent years. Despite the often harsh treatment he endured from his masters, and the lengths they went to keep Frederick illiterate and uneducated, Douglass succeeded in teaching himself to read and later chanced upon a rhetoric textbook called "The Columbian Orator," a work that contained samples of noteworthy speeches from ancient Greece and Rome as well as contemporary speeches. "The Columbian Orators" and the speeches it contained helped, in part, to inspire Douglass to take whatever steps needed to gain his freedom.

Our 8th grade students read Douglass’ autobiography, "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass," and in today’s episode, we examine the small part that texts from the Classical world, such as those included in "The Columbian Orator," had in forming the character of Frederick Douglass.

For more Information, check out the following resources:
Winston Brady, “The Legacy of Frederick Douglass,” available at https://blog.cltexam.com/the-legacy-of-frederick-douglass/

“The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,” at Dover Thrift: https://store.doverpublications.com/0486284999.html

Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” available at the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University, available at https://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/what-to-the-slave-is-the-fourth-of-july/

Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Socratic Seminar reading, available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NhxtMlf5skV1zIiJr5PDBAN3bD01_oiRUYRKEuijNZA/edit?usp=sharing

Developing Classical Thinkers' Survey for New and Upcoming Episodes: https://forms.gle/TVQANRjbQHiymxVs7

In this episode, Winston Brady speaks with Andrew Pudewa, the founder and director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW, for short). IEW's mission "is to equip teachers and teaching parents with methods and materials which will aid them in training their students to become confident and competent communicators and thinkers," and Andrew shares those tips and insights with our listeners today. 

More information about IEW can be found here: https://iew.com/intro-iew/history-mission-people/mission

For more information on influences at Thales Academy and how we equip students to be talented writers and Classical thinkers, check out our influences page at https://www.thalesacademy.org/influences

Developing Classical Thinkers' Survey on New and Upcoming Episodes: https://forms.gle/TVQANRjbQHiymxVs7

In this episode, Will Begley, Josh Herring, and Travis Copeland discuss the poetry of Richard Wilbur. They focus on the poems "A Wood" and "4C," which are available for you to read here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mJYY27pCAbK4SFqCpbs1w5mOvuI0dcd-hvhUto03pDk/edit?ts=601c197c

Richard Wilbur (1921-2017) was an American poet and literary translator who is often associated with a movement known as New Formalism.

In his poetry, Wilbur used traditional and nonce forms to explore the universals visible in everyday experiences. This episode will focus on two of Wilbur’s poems, both of which highlight and recast things that are overlooked or underrated.

More information about Richard Wilbur can be found here at the Poetry Foundation: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/richard-wilbur

In this episode, Travis, Will, and Josh referenced dogwood trees, maltese crosses, and the Romantic poet John Keats.
Here are links to photos of these items.
Dogwood Trees: https://www.thespruce.com/thmb/EwwBIhCoH2lMfvyyMB2BtS4i-UA=/2667x2000/smart/filters:no_upscale()/pink-dogwood-172784414-b9cc9ba1f47d46b9950abcf91c1b14b9.jpg

Maltese Crosses: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Malteserkreuz.svg/1200px-Malteserkreuz.svg.png

John Keats’ “When I have Fears That I May Cease to Be”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44488/when-i-have-fears-that-i-may-cease-to-be

Josh Herring, Dean of Student for Thales Academy Rolesville, went on The Open Door podcast; as part of their discussion, Mario Ramos-Reyes asked Josh what it means for Thales Academy to be a classical school. His answer is given in this episode of Developing Classical Thinkers.

If you're interested in the Open Door Podcast, you can check them out at https://www.spreaker.com/user/wcatradio/wcat-radio-the-open-door-010821b

In this episode, Josh Herring, Winston Brady, and Matt Ogle discuss the idea of a “No Excuses” Discipline Policy as taken from the book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Teachers." "Battle Hymn" was written by the faculty at the Michaela School, a “free school” (similar to charter schools in the U.S.) in Britain.



Josh, Winston, and Matt focused on one essay, “No Excuses Discipline Changes Lives” by Michaela teacher Jonathan Porter. While the group didn’t agree with everything in the essay, it was fascinating to read about school culture and classroom management at another school across the pond. In the discussion, the group focuses not on a "no excuses" system but instead on how to build a positive, engaging classroom environment uniquely suited to the needs and culture of Thales Academy.


If you would like to hear more about the Michaela School, check out an interview with their founder, Katharine Birbalsingh, on Anchored, the podcast of the CLT, available here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anchored/id1530053338?i=1000494860076