The Well-Trained Mind podcast

Latest Episodes:

Making Classical Education Accessible w/ Keith Nix Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

Summary: In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett chat with Keith Nix, the Head of School for Veritas School in Richmond, VA. They discuss the differences between classical education in a home school setting versus a school setting as well as the challenges of making classical education accessible to all students.

Show notes:

Veritas School Website

Potential Questions to Ask Before Enrolling in a Classical School:

How do you adapt for students who come in at different levels or are on different developmental paths? What are your strategies?
How do you ensure that students are known by their teachers and by your administrators?
Can we talk to a family or two who were new here last year?
How can I afford this school? What is your financial model?
How often can kids go outside? Do teachers have power to create breaks? (particularly for younger children)
What is the philosophy of discipline?
What is the emphasis on athletics?
How much attention are you giving to the arts? What are your aspirations for the future?
What are your faculty attrition rates?
What are your student attrition rates?
How does the governance of the school function? How does the board of the school relate to the head of school?
Who is on the board? How many are related to the founder?
What is your philosophy around grading?

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro
(02:38) - Pros and challenges of classical education at home vs in an institutional setting
(21:50) - How to make classical education more accessible to more families
(32:57) - How do non-traditional schools help with growing classical education
(39:02) - Red flags to look out for when finding a classical school
(47:41) - Questions to ask when you visit a classical education institution
(52:50) - One last question
(54:22) - Outro AND ANNOUNCEMENT!!

Is Classical Education Necessarily Eurocentric w/ Dr. Anika Prather Nov 03, 2023

Show notes

Show notes:

Dr. Prather’s Website

Dr. Anika's Suggested Authors to Include in Your Study of the Cannon:

Octavia Butler
Anna Julia Cooper
James Baldwin
Martin Luther King
Corretta Scott King
Ralph Ellison
Richard Wright
Alain Locke
Langston Hughes
Carter G. Woodson
Other Harlem Renaissance Author

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro with Dr. Anika Prather
(02:22) - Is there Eurocentrism in classical education?
(09:01) - Finding a better word than "eurocentrism"
(12:33) - Marxist philosophy in classical education
(15:00) - How to get to synthesis
(38:16) - Classical education is understanding the human condition
(42:20) - Wrapping up
(42:39) - Outro

Classical Education vs. Other Education Methods Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

Show Notes:

More on Charlotte Mason: Susan's Article on Classical Education and Charlotte Mason
More on Unit Studies: Susan's Article on Unit Studies
More on Unschooling: Unschoolers.org
More on Montessori: American Montessori Society or Association Montessori Internationale \

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro
(01:10) - Charlotte Mason compared to classical education
(13:46) - Unit studies compared to classical education
(23:09) - Montessori compared to classical education
(32:47) - Unschooling compared to classical education
(42:51) - Liberal arts compared to classical education
(45:15) - Our *second* favorite approaches to education
(46:53) - Outro

Classical Education for College Bound Students Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

Summary: In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett discuss how a classical education prepares students for university education and what adjustments may need to be made to ensure your student is a competitive applicant.

Show Notes:

Tests We Discuss:

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Intro
(01:05) - Starting off with a piece of advice
(04:13) - Preparing for college at the rhetoric stage
(10:31) - Seven tips (and a bonus!) for making the transition to college
(11:02) - Tip #1: Identify a range of potential colleges
(12:23) - Tip #2: Get credits on a transcript
(27:08) - Tip #3: Practice receiving instruction from multiple sources
(31:43) - Tip #4: Decide whether to take standardized tests
(38:38) - Tip #5: Look into achievement based testing
(44:44) - Tip #6: Get used to using a checklist and planner
(48:27) - Tip #7: Start collecting letters of recommendation
(50:43) - BONUS!: How to align classical courses to a high school transcript
(56:23) - Outro

The Importance of Modeling, Copying, and Memory Work Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett discuss one of the most important, albeit misunderstood, elements of a classical education: modeling and copying.

Show Notes:

"In Defense of Memorization" by Michael Knox Beran
Via Forbes “Why Memorizing Stuff Can be Good for You”

(00:00) - Intro
(00:52) - Modeling, copying and how we learn
(07:31) - Copying and modeling in the writing stage
(25:07) - Copying and modeling in the rhetoric stage
(30:52) - Quick sidenote!
(32:37) - Memorization in the educational process
(39:59) - Debunking misconceptions about memorization
(40:18) - Misconception #1: Memorization is opposed to critical thinking
(43:23) - Misconception #2: People forget what they memorize
(44:48) - Misconception #3: Memorization is will kill a love for learning
(48:04) - Putting Susanna on the spot
(50:47) - Outro

Where Is Classical Education Going? Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

Summary: In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett discuss the recent politicization of classical education and the future of this ancient method of learning.

References:

Article Round-Up:

Timecodes

Where did Classical Education Come From? Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

Summary:

In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett tell the story of classical education and explain how it changed across different time periods.

Further Reading and References:

Kern, Andrew and Gene Veith. Classical Education: The Movement Sweeping America. Circe Institute.
Perrin, Christopher. “The Legacy and Modern Renewal of Classical Education.” Classical Academic Press. https://classicalacademicpress.com/blogs/classical-insights/the-legacy-and-modern-renewal-of-classical-education.
Markos, Louis. “The Rise of the Bible-Teaching, Plato-Loving, Homeschool Elitists.” Christianity Today. https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/september/classical-christian-schools.html.
McCoy Brandon, “Classical Education: An Attractive School Choice for Parents,” Manhattan Institute, Date Published: July 29th, 2021 https://manhattan.institute/article/classical-education-an-attractive-school-choice-for-parents.
William, Michael. “Confusing Classical Education with Conservative Education.” Classical Liberal Arts Society. https://classicalliberalarts.com/classical-catholic-education/confusing-classical-education-with-conservative-education/.

Historical Correction: Horace Mann was the Secretary of Education for the Massachusetts State Board of Education, rather than the secretary of the Philadelphia Board of Education.

(00:00) - Intro
(00:43) - The loadedness of the phrase "Classical Education"
(03:10) - The historical foundations of Classical Education
(04:18) - Classical Education in Classical times
(17:48) - Classical Education in America
(42:31) - Touching on topics for the next episode
(45:57) - Outro

What Classical Education Isn't Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

Summary:

In this follow-up episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett debunk common misconceptions about classical education. No, you do not have to teach your child Latin to be a classical homeschooler!

(00:00) - Intro
(01:52) - Classical Education isn't Latin-focused
(10:41) - Classical Education isn't just for the "Super Academic"
(21:06) - Classical Education isn't curriclum-dependent
(22:24) - Classical Education isn't safe
(32:40) - Restating the negatives as positives
(33:48) - Outro

What is Classical Education? Sep 13, 2023

Show notes

Summary:

In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett discuss what classical education really means.

Links:

Gideon Burton – BYU teacher on classical education.

https://hum.byu.edu/directory/gideon-burton

Susan’s article on classical education – What is classical education?

(00:00) - Intro
(00:43) - SJ's idea of Classical Education
(05:53) - SWB's idea of Classical Education
(09:35) - Principles of Classical Education
(14:17) - Introduction to Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric Stages of Learning
(17:32) - Grammar
(20:05) - Logic
(28:33) - Rhetoric
(34:27) - Quotes from Classical Educators
(35:31) - Wrapping up

Our Education Journeys Aug 25, 2023

Show notes

Summary:

In this inaugural episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett get personal. They share stories from their nontraditional upbringings and discuss the pros and cons of growing up homeschooled.

Links: