The Clapham School Podcast

In this episode, Mrs. Woodhouse and Mrs. Escobar explain how Clapham's approach to math really trains students to become creative problem-solvers who understand why math works, not just how.

Check out the Clapham School blog for some helpful resources on how you can help your own students with math: https://www.claphamschool.org/training-problem-solvers-math-at-clapham/

In this episode of the Clapham School podcast, we explore the virtues of Latin with Clapham Latin faculty Susanna Etzel. Susanna describes her journey with language learning and provides an argument for studying language in the first place, and specifically Latin. Learn how Clapham teaches Latin--including to transfer students--trains students in perseverance, and equips them for language learning through our Latin program.

Clapham School’s vision and mission support the end goal of cultivating students who embody the Portrait of a Graduate:

Our vision is for Christ-centered, joyful, and servant-hearted learners and leaders who:

• Believe and cherish the Gospel, enjoying a growing faith in Jesus Christ

• Participate in the local body of Christ, the Church

• Study the Bible, pray, and serve faithfully

• Read deeply and charitably; reason truthfully and rigorously; debate passionately and graciously

• Speak and write with wisdom and conviction

• Engage creation with wonder that awakens creativity and the pursuit of the Good, True, and Beautiful

• Practice the virtues of courage, integrity, compassion, and perseverance

• Love and serve Christ the King, proclaiming the gospel and serving one’s neighbor wherever God calls

In this episode, we hear from the 2025-2026 student leadership team as they reflect on their favorite achievements and memories from this school year.

In this episode, Kelsey Peterson walks us through some exciting curricular updates to composition at Clapham School. We also dig into the value of writing in the age of AI, and learn more about the exciting projects that Clapham students will get to engage in as we continue to honor our tradition of Charlotte Mason narration at school. Don't miss this episode!

For those who are interested, here's a link to Paul Kingsnorth's Writers Against AI campaign.

See Kelsey's essay Writing is for Humans at the Front Porch Republic and one of her creative writing pieces here.

In this episode of the Clapham Podcast, Head of School Kolby Atchison shares a vision for biblical parenting. This talk was given at the spring Curriculum Night on April 16, 2026.

Join Clapham EII (Kindergarten) faculty Sara Jones and Rebecca Kim as they discuss the distinctive aspects of Clapham's approach to Kindergarten. At Clapham, our Explorers program is characterized by wonder, curiosity, and joyful discovery, all founded on the firm conviction that, as Charlotte Mason insisted, children are persons. Learn how we provide children with a feast of living ideas and inspire wonder through everything from nature study to handiwork to manipulatives in math. Most importantly, we take every opportunity to point to the Creator through intentional discipleship throughout the school day.

Excited to learn more, including about our full-day Discovery option? Click here!

Listen in to last Friday night's banquet as House Deans Dr. LeMahieu [Olivet], Mrs. Becker [Emmaus], Mrs. Peterson [Athens], and Mrs. Bramsen [Alexandria] address their respective houses with encouragement and affirmations for specific students. Our House system exists to support student life at Clapham, allowing every student to be known and loved throughout our Secondary School. Houses foster belonging and fun, as well as the context for some friendly and energetic competition throughout the year. Curious to know more? Check out https://www.claphamschool.org/houses/ to learn more!

Clapham's Upper School seniors join us for an episode discussing their recent mission trip to the Dominican Republic with GO Ministries!

Want civilization to crash? Lock up the Great Books. Head of School Kolby Atchison and Class 8 faculty member Isabella Vander Woude discuss the definition of the Great Books and why these texts are key to preserving a flourishing society and cultivating thoughtful, wholehearted, lifelong learners.

Further reading: Breaking Bread With the Dead by Alan Jacobs

Passing the Torch by Louis Markos

Check out Clapham's Secondary and Upper School here.

At Clapham School, every single middle school student is guaranteed to have a significant experience with Shakespeare through spending each spring semester studying and performing a Shakespeare play. As a classical school, Shakespeare is naturally part of our curriculum, but why? How does the Great Books canon serve our students, and in what way do they support and engage with a biblical worldview? How can parents serve their students as they approach the formidable task of memorizing and performing lines in front of a live audience? Leah Becker and Hannah Bramsen discuss all this and more in our most recent episode.