In Plato’s Republic, Socrates describes the soul as having three motivations: wisdom (or virtue) is the motivation of the mind, honor (or praise) is the motivation of the chest, and pleasure (or wealth) is the motivation of the belly.
book review, mortimer adler
Mortimer Adler, Paideia, and Classical Education Read More »
A couple of weeks ago, I was angry at a friend. During a conversation, he had said some things that frustrated me, made me feel unwanted, and it resulted in me not wanting to be around anyone else for awhile. Shortly thereafter, a couple of other friends invited me to lunch, and I refused to
Socrates often opined that all he knew was that he knew nothing. This is such a good pattern for us. Some of the most frustrating teaching moments for us or for our students or children are those moments when we think we’ve got something all figured out.
Why should tests cause us suffering rather than blessing? Finding a test that encourages instead of depressing.
Dear A—, I hope all is well! As promised, I am writing to offer you any advice I can as you start out your journey with your new family and teaching. This is the first letter, but I hope our correspondence will continue for as long as it proves to be helpful. The first thing
Stories are the most powerful tool for communicating truth. Truth is a logos and idea that must be incarnated for the mind to apprehend it, to contemplate it, and then to incarnate it itself. The classical educator, the parent, the teacher, the mentor, each leads another in the hope that the student, child, or apprentice
The Power of Story: Perfect for Children, Dangerous for Adults Read More »
Joshua Gibbs recently authored the article, “Engaging Culture, Cloak For Mediocrity: Giving Up On Pop Music.” What follows is intended to be a response to Josh’s article, although it might be better understood as a reaction. This is because, for the most part, I agree with his conclusions. For example, Josh writes, I have long
A Cloak for Mediocrity and the Good Neighbor: Questions about Pop Culture Read More »
A walk on a cool, winter afternoon can be bracing. The crisp, cool wind blowing along the street pierces straight to the bone. The extremities of your face stiffen as the chill reaches them. Green needles wave on pine branches as the wind passes through them. A single sentence passes into my mind, on this
No Rest for the Wicked, but What About Students and Teachers Read More »
Seek ye first the walk and all these things will be added unto you. Why walk? When I was a child, people would walk a path around the mall. They started early on Saturday mornings and would have already walked many laps before I arrived, pocket full of quarters, to challenge the arcade. Walkers still
Looking to Scripture for examples of how Jesus was taught can be a tricky endeavor. It is my intent both to remain within the bounds of Christian orthodoxy and to learn something from the analogy of Scripture without making it say more than it does. Forgive me when I inevitable fail on either of those
The Mother of Our Lord and Teaching Children to Read Read More »
