Experience Some of The National Symposium for Classical Education From Home Facebook Twitter Email This Post Great Hearts Institute March 18, 2024 This week, hundreds of classical educators, school leaders, and families will share in the classical education movement at the Phoenix Convention Center for the 2024 National Symposium for Classical Education. Those who will be in attendance on Wednesday, March 20th through Friday, March 22nd will have access to the full suite of specialist panels and workshops. There is still time to register for this event live and in-person, but if you are not able to physically be there, you can still experience several sessions live, completely free of charge, talks, panels, and keynotes from the comfort of your own home or office. While it does not give you the same experience as participating in person, this free feature will keep you from missing out on great conversations from some dynamic leaders in the field. To access these talks, you will need to register at https://institute.greatheartsamerica.org/online-registration/ Here’s what we have lined up for you: Wednesday, March 20th, 6:30 PM Keynote Fairy Tales as the Music of the Spheres with Jonathan Pageau Our old stories have been remembered, retold, refined in different guises for thousands of years. For that very reason, what we consider Fairy Tales, although at first glance fanciful and absurd, contain patterns of attention, of harmony and disharmony, what Pythagoras called the Music of the Spheres. For being remembered and retold, they hold a key to what is important to us as humans. We will explore these patterns of consciousness, how stories frame and underlie our experiences with rhythm, how they shape us and our children by attention and care. Thursday, March 21st, 8:30 AM Keynote Rescuing Socrates with Roosevelt Montás Roosevelt Montás, from Columbia University, takes us on a journey through the Great Books that changed his life, discussing their significance for a new generation. What is the value of a liberal education? Traditionally characterized by a rigorous engagement with the classics of Western thought and literature, this approach to education is all but extinct in American universities, replaced by flexible distribution requirements and ever-narrower academic specialization. Many academics attack the very idea of a Western canon as chauvinistic, while the public increasingly doubts the value of the humanities. In this keynote, Dominican-born American academic Roosevelt Montás tells the story of how a liberal education transformed his life and offers an intimate account of the relevance of the Great Books today, especially to members of historically marginalized communities. Thursday, March 21st, 10:20 AM Finding the Right College Hear from Jonathan Sanford, Jacob Howland, and Richard Avramenko on navigating the college selection process for classically educated students. Thursday, March 21st, 11:35 AM What Makes a Great Book? Join Sir Jonathan Bate, Roosevelt Montás, Catherine Zuckert, and Michael Fink in a rich discussion on the essence of great literature. Thursday, March 21st, 1:35 PM Keynote Classical Education: Cultivating the Leaders the World Needs with the Honorable Tony Abbott The West is suffering from a crisis of confidence and leadership. A symptom and cause of this malaise is the demoralization of our education systems. The incipient return of classical education to Western classrooms promises to restore morale and morality to Western societies. Mr. Abbott’s talk will reflect on the consolation and counsel that the Great Books have offered him throughout his leadership career and make the case for classical education as the means to cultivate the leaders that the world needs. Thursday, March 21st, 3:30 PM The Revolution of the Great Conversation Anika Prather of The Living Water School gives a talk about how the Great Conversation brought about liberation to all of us. Friday, March 22nd, 8:30 AM Keynote Virtue and Liberal Learning with Jennifer Frey Jennifer Frey of the University of Tulsa discusses the relationship between virtue and liberal learning in today’s world. The classical education movement has made great strides towards reconnecting knowledge and virtue in K-12 education. In higher education, however, virtue pedagogy has either been entirely absent, or it has been tied to specific professional or vocational training. In this talk, hear the potential seen in higher education by looking at general, liberal education that focuses on the study of classic texts as one of the most promising contexts for virtue pedagogy in young adults, and how it differs from, but is related to, virtue pedagogy in the K-12 grades. Friday, March 22nd, 10:20 AM ChatGPT and Classical Education Explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and classical education with Jake Tawney and Andrew Zwerneman. Friday, March 22nd, 11:35 AM Navigating Difficult Conversations in the Classroom Join Jacob Howland, Karen Taliaferro, Dan Scoggin, and Ian Rowe for insights on handling challenging discussions with grace and intellectual rigor. Friday, March 22nd, 1:35 PM Keynote Let Mercy Lead with Toyin Atolagbe To say that the classical education movement is growing is an understatement. In the past couple of years, it has exploded across the country as more and more families are attracted to the human formation it offers and more and more teachers have sought a home in a school that promises Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. With this influx comes a new wave of challenges such as digital distractions, mental health issues, burgeoning emphasis on standardized testing, inadequate resources and personnel to name a few. These challenges pervade the hallowed halls of our academic sanctuaries causing unrest for students, teachers, and administrators in the discharge of their daily responsibilities. The goal of this speech is to remind us all that as torchbearers of the classical tradition, during these tough times, our hearts must beat ceaselessly to the harmonies of humaneness, for it is through mercy that we transcend the confines of mere instruction to forge enduring connections with the sacred souls entrusted to us. May mercy lead us all to a place of victory where the fruits of our service to humanity translate to raising a new generation of leaders who will impact the next generation. Friday, March 22nd, 3:30 PM Athletic Excellence in Classical Education Discover the importance of physical excellence alongside intellectual development with Jay Heiler, Jack Doody, Christine Jagge, and Zach Hilton. The Symposium will focus on renewing the Great Conversation concerning great works and perennial ideas. This year we will underscore the importance of teaching and modeling the conversations that lead to insight–among colleagues, between teachers and students, with families, and across our communities. At a time when our society most needs genuine dialogue, classical schools provide a sanctuary of genuine civility. Join us to discover how classical education embodies the good conversations, providing both the means and the model for a more civil society. To join these inspiring sessions and close our symposium with a day of learning and reflection, please visit: https://classicaleducationsymposium.org/2024livestream/ Do you have a story or know of a story that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts? Please contact jmoore@greatheartsamerica.org.
