Classical Et Cetera

In this delightful roundtable episode of Classical Et Cetera, Shane sits down with Martin Cothran and special guest Cheryl Swope, author of "Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child". This revolutionary book guides parents, teachers, and schools in implementing the beauty, depth, and richness of a classical education with struggling students and students with special needs. Cheryl and...

What does it mean to be a good teacher? How do we conduct a classroom well? Where do we find encouragement for the day-in day-out rhythm of the educational life? To kick off the new year, the team sits down to talk about their own personal experiences as educators in the classical field. Join Martin, Tanya, and Paul as they tell their stories about their profession as teachers. While every day pos...

Tanya, Paul, and Martin return to discuss great books. The table begins with a breakdown of what the great books are and what distinguishes them from other literature before discussing their favorites from the lineup. Are you looking for something new to read? Martin has recommendations for long, expertly-written novels. Or, maybe you're seeking a shorter read? Paul has just the books for you. And...

What do The Lord of the Rings, Winnie the Pooh, and the Christmas Story share in their narrative framework? Eucatastrophe. A term coined by J.R.R. Tolkien in his article, "On Fairy-Stories," eucatastrophe finds its place as a literary trope throughout literary history. But how does it fit with the Christmas story? And how can we see the coming of the Christ child as the most remarkable example of...

We make a lot of curriculum for many different ages and stages. But why is the process and vision for curriculum crucial to its success in the classroom? What differentiates a school or homeschool with a complete curriculum against one without an integrated vision? How should we think about curriculum? In this episode Tanya, Paul, and Martin sit down with Shane to talk about the vision, integratio...

In this episode, Shane, Tanya, Martin, and Paul talk about their personal pursuit of an intellectual life. What are the benefits of living into an intellectual lifestyle? What differentiates one intellectual life from another? And how should we as parents, teachers, and cultivators of the Good, True, and Beautiful exemplify the intellectual life in our homes? Join us for another great discussion o...

We’ve touched on why Memoria Press is Classical, Christian, and Traditional. But, that’s not all that sets us apart. In this episode, Shane, Tanya, Martin, and Paul explain the benefit of a serious education and the lost art of taking school seriously—Gravitas. Gravitas: What is it? Why is it important? What does it look like in a classroom versus in the home? Should homeschoolers practice Gravita...

Why is Memoria Press Christian? Why have we chosen to teach and publish from an ecumenical perspective? What is a cosmology and how does it differ from a worldview?  Today the table sits down to talk about Memoria Press' Christian perspective on the world of education. You'll hear about  how a Christian worldview forms our perspective, how we organize our curriculum to teach from a position of Chr...

What does traditional mean, and why is Memoria Press traditional? Does practicing traditional education mean that we’re “old fuddy-duds?” Or, perhaps, “young fuddy-duds?” In this episode you’ll hear about why Memoria Press is traditional in its education. And, you’ll learn about why being traditional isn’t a bad thing.  In this season of Classical Et Cetera, Shane sits down with a panel of MP's fi...

Why are we classical educators? Why did Memoria Press choose classical education over other forms? Is there something special about classical education? What is classical education? In this brand new season of Classical Et Cetera, Shane sits down with a panel of MP's finest to talk about our core beliefs, tenets, and pillars of education. Join Tanya, Martin, and Paul for this episode on the signif...

What are geometry and astronomy? How do geometry and astronomy relate to arithmetic and music? Should students study astronomy? In this episode, Shane Saxon and Mitchell Holley answer these questions and more! Join us as we discover the true meaning and importance of the seven liberal arts. To many, the liberal arts are foreign concepts. To those versed in the classics and classical education, the...

What are Arithmetic and Music? And, how are they related to one another? How should we approach studying these liberal arts? Shane Saxon and Mitchell Holley delve into arithmetic and music, the first two liberal arts of the Quadrivium. Join us as we discover the true meaning and importance of the seven liberal arts. To many, the liberal arts are foreign concepts. To those versed in the classics an...

What is rhetoric at its core? Why is it important for modern students? Who do we base our standards of rhetoric off of? In this episode, "What is Rhetoric?", Shane Saxon and Mitchell Holley explain the significance of rhetoric in the liberal arts. Join us as we discover the true meaning and importance of the seven liberal arts. To many, the liberal arts are foreign concepts. To those versed in the...

What is Logic? How does making valid distinctions and arguments help us communicate? Is there a difference between modern and traditional logic? In this episode, Shane Saxon and Mitchell Holley discuss logic in the context of a liberal arts education. Join us as we discover the true meaning and importance of the seven liberal arts. To many, the liberal arts are foreign concepts. To those versed in...

Is grammar the rules that define language or the language itself? How does grammar fit into the seven liberal arts and the trivium? What role does grammar play in a classical education? In this episode, "What is Grammar?", Shane Saxon and Mitchell Holley answer these questions, and more. Join us as we discover the true meaning and importance of the seven liberal arts. To many, the liberal arts are...

What are the seven liberal arts, and why do Classical institutions around the world hold them so dear? Is Dorothy Sayer's model of education rooted in the seven liberal arts? What does it mean to have a liberal arts education? Join Shane Saxon and Mitchell Holley as they discuss the true meaning and place of the Trivium and the Quadrivium. In this six part series, "Discovering the Seven Liberal Ar...

Classical Et Cetera: Season 1 had many great moments as friends and colleagues sat down to discuss the ins and outs of Classical Education. Shane Saxon brought in amazing guests to cover a broad range of topics, from Greek Tragedies to farming. We hope you’ve enjoyed this first season of Classical Et Cetera!    Classical Et Cetera will continue into Season 2 this coming Fall, so make sure to subsc...

Today, Shane Saxon sits down with Paul Schaeffer to discuss what it means to be a good leader. They also answer the question, “does Classical Education create leaders?” All this and more in this episode of Classical Et Cetera.

In this episode, Dustin Warren joins Shane Saxon in the studio to talk about top moments from 1500-1800 A.D. in Classical Education. The period after the Middle Ages (or the Great Middle as Dustin calls it), 1500-1800 A.D. offers many fun stories that encourage a breadth of history knowledge. Listen in as Dustin eloquently recounts these stories!

In this episode, Mitchell Holley joins Shane Saxon in the Classical Et Cetera Studio to discuss why moral philosophy is critical for understanding Classical Education. Shane and Mitchell discuss the question, “why care about moral philosophy?”, and Mitchell brings light to the sometimes unfamiliar world of moral philosophy.

In this episode, Shane discusses with Jon Christianson whether writers should use the passive voice. Jon wrote an article entitled, “A Defense of the Passive Voice”, wherein he argues that the passive voice is proper to use in some cases. However, Shane takes issue with this argument. You’ll hear Shane and Jon debate the use of the passive in writing, especially in relation to younger students.

In this episode, Shane Saxon and Tanya Charlton remember the inspiring life and legacy of Memoria Press and Highlands Latin School Founder Cheryl Lowe. Memoria Press was founded by Cheryl Lowe . Cheryl was the author of the popular Latin programs Latina Christiana , Lingua Angelica , and the Latin Forms Series , as well as The Greek Alphabet , Classical Phonics , First Start Reading , English Gram...

In this episode, Shane talks with Martin Cothran about his article “What is a Curriculum?” published by Memoria Press. In the article, Martin outlines the elements that make a successful curriculum. Shane follows up on this article, asking Martin about “what got left on the cutting room floor?” If you enjoy Martin’s writing on the many facets of Classical Education, you’ll love this episode.

In this episode, Shane Saxon continues his conversation with Kyle Janke, an English teacher at Highlands Latin School, about the significance of William Shakespeare’s King Lear in Classical Education. Both Shane and Kyle love The Bard’s plays, and they discuss the narrative structure of King Lear from the perspective of classical educators. This episode is part two of two, so if you haven’t heard...

Today, Shane Saxon talks with Kyle Janke, an english teacher at Highlands Latin School, about the significance of William Shakespeare’s King Lear in Classical Education. Both Shane and Kyle love The Bard’s plays, and they discuss the narrative structure of King Lear from the perspective of classical educators. This episode is part one of two, so be sure to follow the podcast to ensure that you don...