Developing Classical Thinkers

In many ways, the Classical education movement began with “The Lost Tools of Learning,” a lecture delivered by Dorothy Sayers at a Vacation Course in Education at Oxford in 1947. In this episode, we’ll take a look at the life of Dorothy Sayers, walk through “The Lost Tools of Learning,” examine some objections to her argument raised by Classical educators, and end with how Thales implements some of the ideas in “The Lost Tools of Learning” into our school.

Here are some links to resources referenced in today’s episode:

Direct Instruction: https://www.thalesacademy.org/academics/what-is-direct-instruction

Dorothy Sayers’ Lost Tools of Learning: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eRn-UqzHShRg5tZVifqcPEXeW3yktKfk/view?usp=sharing

Dorothy Sayers Society: https://www.sayers.org.uk/

On this episode, Winston Brady interviews Dr. Anika T. Prather about the value of a Classical education and the role Classical texts played in shaping the minds of leaders in the African-American community, notably Frederick Douglass, Anna Julia Cooper, W.E.B. DuBois, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., among others.

Dr. Anika T. Prather earned her B.A. from Howard University in elementary education. She also has earned several graduate degrees in education from New York University and Howard University. She has a Masters in liberal arts from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland and a PhD in English, Theatre and Literacy Education from the University of Maryland at College Park. Her research focus is on building literacy with African American students through engagement in the books of the Canon and recently self-published her book “Living in the Constellation of the Canon: The Lived Experiences of African American Students Reading Great Books Literature.”

She has served as a teacher, supervisor for student teachers, director of education and Head of School. Currently she teaches in the Classics department at Howard University and is the founder of The Living Water School in Southern Maryland. In her research, Dr. Prather focuses on “building literacy with African American students through engagement in the books of the Canon”—that is, reading through the books in a Great Books curriculum to inspire in her students a lifelong love of learning.

"Living in the Constellation of the Canon: The Lived Experiences of African-American Students Reading Great Books Literature": https://www.amazon.com/dp/172493337X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_DJo9EbDYGWCEV

This is our third (and final) interview with Dr. Don Devine. In the interview, Devine and Winston Brady, Dean of Academics at Thales Academy, talk about current trends in education, the importance of reading the very best books, and Devine's experience working in the Reagan administration.

Don Devine is a well-respected professor and civil servant with a long career in academia and public service. He is also the author of the new book, "The Enduring Tension: Capitalism and the Moral Order." Devine is a passionate supporter of Classical education, and he wrote much of the scope and sequence of our high school program at Thales Academy.

We have provided links to Don Devine’s new book, "The Enduring Tension," in the show notes below and our website for more information about our academic program and our influences.

Don Devine, The Enduring Tension: https://www.amazon.com/Enduring-Tension-Capitalism-Moral-Order/dp/1641771518

Thales Academy JH/HS Curriculum Overview: https://www.thalesacademy.org/academics/what-is-classical-education

In the second of three interviews with Dr. Don Devine, Josh Herring, Dean of Students at Thales Academy, discusses the role of education in promoting civic virtue and the importance of local, public associations. 

Don Devine is a well-respected professor, civil servant, and author with a long career in academia and public service. Devine is also a passionate supporter of  Classical education, and he wrote much of the scope and sequence of our high school program at Thales Academy. He is also the author of a new book, "The Enduring Tension: Capitalism and the Moral Order," that examines the idea of "freedom and [the] tradition moral scaffolding sufficient to hold the walls and preserve the best of capitalist civilization," (from the book's description).  

We have provided links to Don Devine’s new book in the show notes below and to our website for more information about our academic program and our influences. 

Don Devine, "The Enduring Tension": https://www.amazon.com/Enduring-Tension-Capitalism-Moral-Order/dp/1641771518

Thales Academy JH/HS Curriculum Overview: https://www.thalesacademy.org/academics/what-is-classical-education

Thales Academy’s Influences: https://www.thalesacademy.org/influences

In this episode, Bob Luddy, the founder and Chairman of the Board of Thales Academy, interviews Don Devine about his new book, "The Enduring Tension: Capitalism and the Moral Order," as well as the habits of visionary leaders and the significance of Classical education. Don Devine is a well-respected professor, civil servant, and author with a long career in academia and public service. Devine is also a passionate supporter of Classical education, and he wrote much of the scope and sequence of our high school program at Thales Academy. As Bob and Don discuss in the interview, a Classical education imparts to students timeless wisdom that helps them become confident, Classical thinkers. This interview is the first of three interviews with Don Devine.

We have provided links to Don Devine’s new book, "The Enduring Tension," in the show notes below and our website for more information about our academic program and our influences.

Don Devine, "The Enduring Tension": https://www.amazon.com/Enduring-Tension-Capitalism-Moral-Order/dp/1641771518

Thales Academy JH/HS Curriculum Overview: https://www.thalesacademy.org/academics/what-is-classical-education

Thales Academy’s Influences: https://www.thalesacademy.org/influences

How might a Classical education prepare students for the challenges of the modern world? How might the values and virtues of a Classical education help shape the minds and characters of students for the better? To help explore the link between a Classical education and strong, confident leaders and thinkers, this episode looks at the education of George Washington, how moral exemplars from Classical Antiquity helped forge the character of the first president of the United States, and how George Washington’s example has uniquely benefited our country.

If you are interested in reading more about the life of George Washington, check out the following resources:

Thomas Ricks’ First Principles: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084VRH86P?pf_rd_r=ACMRQ6NTH0XZ8XJS0C9X&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8

Joseph Ellis’ His Excellency: George Washington: https://www.amazon.com/His-Excellency-Washington-Joseph-Ellis-ebook/dp/B000FC2K92/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=joseph+ellis+his+excellency&qid=1610375179&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Richard Brokhiser’s Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington: https://www.amazon.com/Founding-Father-Rediscovering-George-Washington/dp/0684831422/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=richard+brookhiser+rediscovering+george+washington&qid=1610375240&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Cincinnatus from Livy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aLO2U8B94E0c9QLEZwHWMqFNdSQxh8Rm83FKpyO9CgY/edit

George Washington’s Farewell Address: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hFBLkCXKzOFC_eneJmmGYxZ9hnKft631aNEPc-0zkrM/edit?usp=sharing

What is the value of a Classical education in the modern world? How does reading Plato, Aristotle, and Shakespeare help prepare anyone for a career in engineering or finance or some other field only tangential related to a Classical education. To find out, we spoke with Savannah Josey, a 2019-graduate of Thales Academy, Apex and a current Business Fellow at Elon University in Burlington, North Carolina, to see how her time at Thales prepared her for the rigors of her business program.

Since this is technically season three of Developing Classical Thinkers, we created this very brief episode to reflect on the past two seasons of our podcast and to look forward to the kinds of episodes we will produce this upcoming year.

Host Travis Copeland leads a discussion about William Shakespeare's "King Lear" with Will Begley, Jessie Gillooly, and Josh Herring.

Questions for the episode are available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HJN53sqWxlV21FwsPqCXE-1Y654Jriu0ZRRPbcej09c/edit?usp=sharing

Track out break is upon us. Thales is a year-round school: we go for 9 weeks of in-person instruction and 3 weeks of trackout break. Today, December 18, is the last day of the first semester and the first day of the three-week holiday. But how can students make the most of their time off from school? 

In this episode Travis Copeland, Jessie Gillooly, Will Begley, Josh Herring, and host Winston Brady offer some advice on what students should do to get the most out of their break. 

Also, check out our upcoming episode on Shakespeare's "King Lear," coming out next Tuesday. Questions for the episode are available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HJN53sqWxlV21FwsPqCXE-1Y654Jriu0ZRRPbcej09c/edit?usp=sharing