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Posts Tagged ‘Classical Education’

The State of Classical Christian Education; Part 3

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

This a continuation of an interviewed  of me by Andrew Kern (a friend and founder of the Circe Institute ) for a revision of his book on Classical Christian Education. I wanted to share my answers to some of the questions with you. I will share them one or two at a time:

3.       What misconceptions do you encounter re classical education

I think that some see learning as a means to an end–the end being Christian dominion. Too often we have some pretty unbiblical ideas about this “dominion”. Christ’s work is typically accomplished through suffering and love. We tend to think that we can come into the kingdom by our wits and by crushing down our enemies. This is just another (snootier) iteration of the political mythology that claims that things would be right if we just elected the right people. I have seen some parents that were saddened because the first wave of CCE educated people have not demolished unbelieving culture and set up the New Jerusalem yet. I think that this is very short sided. Classically educated kids are doing great things. I see a lot of hope in them. I just don’t think that the way to cultural influence looks like a corporate takeover.

Another misconception is that classical Christian education is salvific or at least highly sanctifying and that it works sort of ex opere operato. So parents believe that our school will make their kids love the things that they themselves do not love. I feel at points like I am working to reunite not parents to their children, but grandparents to their grandchildren (i.e., the parents are from a different culture than their children and grandchildren).

The State of Classical Christian Education; Part 2

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

This a continuation of an interviewed  of me by Andrew Kern (a friend and founder of the Circe Institute ) for a revision of his book on Classical Christian Education. I wanted to share my answers to some of the questions with you. I will share them one or two at a time:

(more…)

The State of Classical Christian Education

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

Recently, I was interviewed by Andrew Kern (a friend and founder of the Circe Institute for a revision of his book on Classical Christian Education. I wanted to share my answers to some of the questions with you. I will share them one or two at a time: (more…)

Classical Education and Discussion

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

I am in Florida for an ACCS board meeting. I covet your prayers as we have a lot of big decisions to make about the future of the Association. (more…)

In Omnibus Veritas

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

Today sort of marks the end of an era. For the last decade many of us at Veritas Academy (and others all over the country) have been working on the Omnibus Project. Today, Omnibus VI goes on sale (this is the last volume of the project). Here is the cover: (more…)

Steve Jobs; Part 1—Jobs and a Liberal Arts Education

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

Over Christmas break (on the long travel between my home and my home—Lancaster and Mt. Vernon, IN), I listened to the new biography on Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson. You should read this book. Few people have more to transform and humanize the interaction of man and machine than Jobs. His legacy is mammoth, and I believe that the impact of his work will reverberate into the future (his impact might only be at its beginning at present!). I am going write a few blog post on my reaction to the book and to Jobs. I knew little about him going in and came away from the book surprised by some of what I learned. First: (more…)

Neat Post!

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

Here is a post on the importance of failure in education. I really enjoyed it and thought that you might too:

Blog Thinkwell

The End of an Era?

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Recently, I finished the last few files for Omnibus VI. Omnibus is a six year pattern of working through the great books. It is extensive (but not comprehensive—after you are done there are plenty of other books that you should be reading). I have been working during the last 10 years on creating curriculum for the project serving as the managing editor of the project. I also wrote a few chapters in each volume. Volume VI is the last volume, so now, some would say, the project is over. (I am glad that I will not be writing quite as much and that I can broaden my reading.) (more…)

Macbeth for 4th Graders?

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Some recent questions arose concerning our 4th grade play. Typically, we have done Macbeth (a substantial, but revised, version for kids). Sometimes parents have some concerns with the choice of Macbeth. There are two root concerns, but they end in one questions: “Is Macbeth really appropriate for 4th graders?” To parse it, the concerns are: “Can 4th graders really handle Shakespeare’s content academically?” The second, and usually loudest, concern is: “Is this play—full or murder, intrigue, and sin—appropriate for 4th graders?” In this brief space I will attempt to answer both of these concerns.

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Christianity and Writing

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

Here is a neat video from Douglas Wilson concerning why Christians should write and what they should write about:

Douglas Wilson Video