Developing Classical Thinkers

The problems in American secondary education cannot be solved by simply throwing money at the problem. They require innovative but practical insights to help drive down costs while creating more value for students, teachers, and parents. In this episode of Developing Classical Thinkers, Robert Luddy explains his philosophy of continuous improvement and value creation and how he applies these insig...

In this episode, Joseph Wolak will present strategies for teaching junior high mathematics for teachers. He will present tips on classroom management, strategies for grading, and some ideas for building inquiry-driven lessons with the Saxon math curriculum. Mr. Wolak is joined by Ashley DiPenta and Naomi Back, members of the Thales junior high staff.  Lesson plans and materials are all available u...

The success of the classical education movement continues to generate headlines in major publications and the support among parents hoping to see better educational options for their students continues to grow. As the number of classical schools continues to increase, whether they are charter schools, independent private, or parochial schools, people are now debating the extent to which, if any, c...

In this webinar, Kristin Gyure and Katie Jones present an overview of Direct Instruction and their best teaching practices for meaningful and effective engagement and learning. Mrs. Gyure received a B.A. in Child Development and Family Studies from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She serves as Assistant Head of School at Thales Academy Wake Forest. Mrs. Jones served as the Head of Sc...

Virtue refers to the habits of moral excellence, something that cannot necessarily be taught but classical educators must try and incorporate into their lessons each and everyday. To this end, Robert Luddy and Winston Brady provide this webinar for our character education program, the need to teach virtue and character formation, and a book to aid in the pursuit of noble character, "Super Habits"...

There is great power in our ability to observe the world around us. We must make time to stop and see, for we never know when a small observation leads to a great encounter with truth. Students need to be trained in the way to discover truth by developing the naturalists ability to take an interest in what they can observe. Naturalists like John Muir, Wendell Berry, Jacques Cousteau and Dian Fosse...

Conferences for teachers tend to be "mountaintop" experiences. These events are fruitful times of learning and reflection on the art of teaching and why the task of education is so vitally important today. On this episode of Developing Classical Thinkers, Winston Brady interviews three Thales staff members about their recent experience traveling to Potomac, Maryland and attending the Heights Forum...

Is Christmas "classical"? And by "classical," we mean an idea, a book, a value, an institution, or an ideal originating in the ancient world vivified by the Judeo-Christian tradition during the medieval period. In this episode, Winston Brady, Josh Herring, and Will Begley discuss the joys and difficulties of the Christmas season, where the holiday originated from, what the day truly means, and som...

Classical education strives to preserve the past to give hope for the future. We recognize that the more we know about the past, the more confident our hope is that the future will be better, brighter, and more full of the joy and opportunities we hope to see in the world. The Christmas season is a particularly important time to reflect on such things, given the distance between what Christmas is...

An epic poem is by definition, a long poem on themes of universal importance. Every culture seemingly has one of its own, but a few have risen to the top as being one of a handful of epics that are must-reads on every Great Books program. In this episode, host Winston Brady speaks with Anthony Esolen about epic poetry and what makes an epic, epic.  Anthony Esolen is the Distinguished Professor of...

In this lecture, Dr. Chelsea Wagenaar offers her insights into leading robust discussions and explore common pitfalls to leading a good discussion in a literature (or other humanities) course, as well as numerous strategies to get students comfortable, talking, and invested in the material. Dr. Wagenaar also looked at ways teachers can respond to students during discussion and work to overcome any...

In this episode, Winston Brady and Josh Herring discuss about the Certificate in Classical Education Program at Thales College. CCEP for short, this is a certificate program that teaches the unique purposes and goals behind classical education, allowing classical educators to excel in their field and help their students to fulfill their potential. The Certificate in Classical Education Philosophy...

According to tradition, the first Thanksgiving was celebrated at Plymouth Plantation in 1621.  102 settlers had crossed the Atlantic on board the Mayflower and landed off the coast of Cape Cod. They did not call themselves pilgrims, but the word pilgrim–meaning someone who undertakes a long, difficult journey for a spiritual purpose–is the best way, perhaps the only way, to describe these settlers...

Teaching is more than information transfer; it involves personal formation and imparting a "way of being" toward your subject matter (and, ideally, toward life in general). This formative approach is in line with both certain approaches to teaching that can be found in certain examples of both ancient and modern pedagogy. It can open up new vistas for students and teachers alike, as will be demons...

In this episode, science and educational consultant Tom Hardy looks at a brief overview of science and science education in the United States since World War II. Tom Hardy is a friend of Thales Academy and Thales Press, working as a consultant for mathematics and science curricula. He holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry and has done graduate work at the University of Chicago in mathematics educ...

In this session, Brian Balfour will look at issues making headlines in the news such as inflation, price controls, and tariffs. He will explain how and why inflation sets in, why price controls create shortages of vital goods and services, and why tariffs help create cartels and higher prices passed onto consumers. Lastly, Mr. Balfour will present why free markets offer a better alternative as pre...

For American writers, there is something of a quest in American literature to write the great American novel. Such a work would typify the American experience in the same way Homer's epics or Virgil's "Aeneid" did for ancient Greece and Rome, respectively. And while there are many great American novels, there is not one unquestioned work that earns this distinguished honor.  Mark Twain, John Stein...

The keynote address from the Fall Classical Summit, 2024. In this talk, Dr. Ryan Olson examines the value of classical education and the role the study of great books and great ideas contributes to the formation of great character. to resist the sweep of impoverished influences by nurturing your personal and professional soul in the moral sources of the rich Classical tradition we have inherited....

In 1845, Congress passed a law designating the first Tuesday in November as election day. Henceforth, the nation would vote every four years for a Presidential candidate, members of the House of Representatives, and, depending on the year, a suite of Senate candidates, with elections for other offices occurring in by-years depending on the state and the locality.  The act of voting each year is of...

Why do we dedicate one night of the year to wearing costumes and asking for candy? How did such an odd holiday become an established part of the American calendar? Should students at a classical school be celebrating such a holiday? Is Halloween classical? In this episode, Winston Brady and Josh Herring talk through the ways Halloween may or may not be classical. Halloween largely derives from the...

In this webinar, Winston Brady, Kellie Scripter, Chris Scripter, and Matt Ogle conducted a model seminar for teachers over the opening chapters of Quintilian's "On the Education of an Orator." They presented and modeled best practices for seminar teaching and the kinds of habits, disposition, and overall love of learning teachers need to encourage in their students. That way, students and teachers...

History, as the name implies, is a story, and history, at its best, is the most engaging and exhilarating story. As a story told about the past, the study of history contains meaningful insights about the present; insights that, if properly presented, should inspire students to make better choices in the future. Thus, the study of history holds a particularly important role in classical education,...

Today's episode is from a short training video produced by Thales Press for classical educators. Classical educators use conversation in the classroom as a teaching method. By asking questions, we can determine if a student is off task and not listening, and we can help students understand a difficult concept. And thoughtful, meaningful engagement in a good discussion is one of the simplest ways t...

Today's episode is from a short training video produced by Thales Press for classical educators. In this recording, Winston Brady covers three helpful, simple rules (although they are more like “hypothetical scenarios") gleaned from years he taught middle school. Classroom management for classical educators requires a unique mix of leadership principles. Teachers should be patient and kind; they s...

In a sense, grades shouldn't matter. Learning should be a joyful activity undertaken for its own sake. Grading and assessing can do much to stifle a student's appreciation, curiosity, and wonder. Yet, at the same time, a contemporary school with large classes has few other means to encourage students to do the work and provide feedback on their behavior. After all, grades communicate valuable feed...