
Classical Commons
Are you interested in teaching at a classical school? A school administrator in need of talent and resources? A supportive parent, business owner, or lobbyist? Classical Commons is building a network of classical K-12 schools, exceptional teachers, and pedagogical resources to advance classical liberal arts education in the 21st century.
Join us every Tuesday at 1 PM ET for conversations from the cutting edge of K-12 classical ed, and join our community at www.classicalcommons.org.
Episodes
21 episodes
Words that made America | Allison Ellis and Martin Cothran
Allison Ellis (Mount Titano Media) and Martin Cothran (Memoria Press) join us to discuss "Finding Our Words," a collection of great American speeches and why recovering the art of rhetoric is vital for education and civic life today.In ...
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45:53

Sustaining classical's growth | Dan Coupland and Ben Beier
Professors and scholars Dr. Dan Coupland (Dean of the Graduate School of Education) and Dr. Ben Beier (Chair of the Education Department) join us from Hillsdale College to discuss the growth of classical education, the vocation of teaching, and...
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46:26

The medieval mind | Junius Johnson
Theologian, medievalist, musician, and storyteller Junius Johnson joins us to explore how Lewis, fairy tales, and the medieval imagination shaped his vocation—and why recovering this vision matters for classical education today. In this episode...
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57:50

Building a legacy in classical ed | Krystyn Schmerbeck and Andrew Salzmann (Benedictine College)
Krystyn Schmerbeck and Andrew Salzmann join us from Benedictine College to share the story behind their brand-new Master’s program in Classical Education. Drawing on decades of teaching, consulting, and institution-building, they describe a bol...
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52:39

Classical ed's Achilles heel | Robert Pondiscio
Robert Pondiscio, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins us to discuss the rising demand for classical schools, the challenge of preparing teachers for this model, and why curriculum and cultural literacy remain central to st...
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44:15

Visual rhetoric | Patrick Halbrook
Rhetoric and humanities teacher Patrick Halbrook (Cary Christian School) and co-founder of Paidea Graphics joins us to share his journey into classical education, the evolving role of rhetoric in the classroom, and how beauty and design shape t...
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31:35

Reconnecting knowledge and virtue | Jeremy Wayne Tate
Founder and CEO of the Classic Learning Test (CLT), Jeremy Tate, shares the story behind launching a disruptive alternative to the SAT and ACT, and his vision for restoring virtue and knowledge to education. In this episode, we discuss:📖 Th...
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29:28

The Ancient Language Institute | Ryan Hammill and Jonathan Roberts
Ryan Hammill and Jonathan Roberts, co-founders of the Ancient Language Institute, share how their unique pedagogy is transforming the way students engage with Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and even Old English. In this episode, we discuss:📖 Why the...
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37:17

Making classical simple | Rebecca and Brinton Smith
Brinton and Rebecca Smith, founders of Classical School Solutions, share their journey from homeschooling and leading schools to developing literacy resources that meet the needs of today’s classical classrooms. In this episode, we discuss:...
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35:04

Ancient models, modern greatness | Alex Petkas
Classicist and Cost of Glory host Alex Petkas joins us to explore how the ancient heroes still speak to modern life, why the classics matter for moral formation, and how his journey from gamer to scholar to entrepreneur reveals the enduring rel...
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57:14

Are we asking enough of our children? | Allison Ellis
Allison Ellis, founder of Mount Titano Media, joins the Classical Commons Podcast to share how her journey from finance to homeschooling led her to advance liberal arts tradition for a new generation through publishing. In this rich conversatio...
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35:31

Participatory reading and poetic encounter | Christine Perrin
What do we gain reading together in the classroom? Poet and master teacher Christine Perrin joins us to reflect on poetry as a shared encounter. Drawing from decades of experience, she offers a powerful vision for how poetry can shape souls. In...
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57:30

The atelier tradition | Juliette Aristides
Is the traditional fine arts apprenticeship dead? Master painter and teacher Juliette Aristides joins us to explore the calling of the artist, the lost tradition of the Atelier, and how beauty and leisure shape the soul. In this episode, we dis...
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42:22

Private schools for the public good | Russ Gregg
Is classical ed for everyone? Can it thrive in communities that have endured the "soft bigotry of low expectations?" Hope Academy founder Russ Gregg joins us to share a powerful story of urban educational renewal through classical Christian edu...
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33:49

What is the Drummond case? | Kate Anderson
Is it constitutional to grant charters to religious schools? Kate Anderson of the Alliance Defending Freedom joins us to discuss St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond—a live Supreme Court case over a classical Catholic scho...
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21:34

Humane mathematics | Francis Su
How do we work with students who aren't "math people?" What are we to make of math's relationship to the liberal arts? Dr. Francis Su (Harvey Mudd College), author of "Mathematics for Human Flourishing" joins us to discuss humane math pedagogy ...
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24:01

Teaching music like we used to | Carol Reynolds
Music education used to be different. How was it different, and what do educators—whether in public schools, classical schools, or of homeschool students—need to know to teach music effectively and humanely? Music and culture educator Dr. Carol...
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49:00

Classical architecture for classical schools | Nicolas Charbonneau
How can schools start building beautiful buildings again? There are some very encouraging projects in the works that can provide a blueprint! Architect Nicolas Charbonneau joins us to explore:📖 The training of a classical architect📖...
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42:01

Classical education and disability | Amy Richards
Can classical education serve students with special needs? Can it stay classical? Can it be truly humane? Amy Richards, author of "Disability and Classical Education," joins us to explore:📖 Wendell Berry's "Great Economy" for the classr...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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39:42

Working with Pete Hegseth, pioneering a classical network, and more | David Goodwin
David Goodwin, founder of the Association of Classical of Christian Schools and co-author with Pete Hegseth of the #1 New York Times Bestseller "Battle for the American Mind," joins us to discuss leadership in classical schools. We explore:...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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38:58

Building intellectual community among K-12 teachers | Chris Perrin
Chris Perrin of Classical Academic Press, a true luminary of the classical renewal movement, joins us to discuss his long career in K-12 liberal arts education! Together, we explore:📖 The lessons of founding a classical school, with its...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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56:24
