https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog daily 0.75 2023-12-15 https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/why-read-whole-books monthly 0.5 2023-12-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1702510449564-RPU3UQZ33VJREMHOCRQB/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Why Read Whole Books? - “Literature can be a shared experience that shines through each individual background, economic status, all Lexile levels - all of it. To know that every 9th grader in the school has read the Illiad and knows the first nine opening lines gives us a foundation for broader conversations as humans.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1702511853460-OPE0VT1092L6K0M9Q6YG/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Why Read Whole Books? - These two first layers build toward what we call author level questions. Those are the ideas and questions that drew a genius to write this work of literature in the first place. Normally it’s not that big of a set of questions. What is the role of children in the life and imagination of adults? Why is it that we lose a sense of meaning as we get older? Ought everything be permitted or should we live according to moral boundaries? These are questions that I’ve discussed over the last few weeks with my seniors. The process of reading an entire work is to ease into a tense and disturbing and important encounter with these questions that bothered these geniuses enough to write these novels that we have now inherited as the great texts of our civilizations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1702511412943-8RG1GD2F8W8NQUBFGZYT/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Why Read Whole Books? - “When people ask me what classical education is, one my favorite one-off answers is ‘we read whole books’ because I think it is a microcosm of the entire approach…Most educational institutions view students as eventual job-havers rather than life-livers, wives, husbands, parents, and friends. And when you start from that end you come up with much more diminished means.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/30690bfc-7d57-4abf-83f6-211b6acd0600/Screenshot+2023-12-13+161357.png Blog - Why Read Whole Books? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/diversity-in-classical-schools monthly 0.5 2023-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/ff2f379d-4366-4507-9553-ed05b0011864/unsplash-image-8ML_M_BRI-M.jpg Blog - Diversity in Classical Schools - “There is an idea that in order for a curriculum to be legitimate, you have to be representative of every culture. You need a book for Australia, a book for Africa…But if we play by those rules then at some point we are going to exclude someone simply because of time constraints. We have to choose, so how do we do that? We have to fall back on: What are the best books?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1674502120871-M4ECRR3CQKO5XZC9MGKN/unsplash-image-KJgkqQcdynQ.jpg Blog - Diversity in Classical Schools - Well, the fact that it is yet another white, European, dead guy doesn’t mean anything to me - and I don’t think it should mean anything to anyone. The fact that one author or character is European and the other author or character is not European is not the deciding thing. The deciding thing is who can make the best case for why this book should be studied to advance our understanding of human nature. In modern times some have adopted a view that race is truly fundamental - that everything can be seen through that lens. When we do that in literature we fail to understand what an author writes in their own terms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1674502180573-R2JLMUAP9GLCCCWJG63W/unsplash-image-oARTWhz1ACc.jpg Blog - Diversity in Classical Schools - “That painting, or statue just invited us to have a conversation about slavery in America - which is a real thing and we need to talk about it always and forever. We want to give a full portrayal of the human experience… …Every human being remains a human being and has vices. A statue of that person invites a conversation about that struggle.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/03384edd-1035-4eb2-9cfc-a556c99f46a3/unsplash-image-WmzeEeHnfW4.jpg Blog - Diversity in Classical Schools - Even though our grandparents or great-grandparents are dead, we can still look back on them and respect the lessons they had to teach us. Those lessons don’t go away just because a person has passed - in fact it’s sharpened by that fact. The fact that they look different or live in a different civilization or time misunderstands the general humanness of the thing. It’s kind of funny, actually. People who say that something limits our view of human things because we don’t represent each culture, or really just a short list of cultures we want, have a very crabbed view of education and human nature. An education that thinks instead about what it means to be human doesn’t get caught up in those disputes because they narrow rather than expand a student’s view, from the beginning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/6699e9cb-0e35-4014-b135-5213f5ac20e2/Screenshot+2023-01-23+141200.png Blog - Diversity in Classical Schools - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/4-faqs-about-special-education monthly 0.5 2022-10-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1666886633794-CD5B1PICZNHWD8TK5FD7/unsplash-image-AXc2uwl4Cik.jpg Blog - 4 FAQs about Special Education - “The best classical schools understand that excellence is not found in teaching just one type of student… …an excellent classical school works to include and instruct every student.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1666886114008-S5TN1I72CGNIKAV4RWBX/unsplash-image-kZO9xqmO_TA.jpg Blog - 4 FAQs about Special Education - “Ultimately, there is no distinction between general and special education students when it comes to a classical school’s ultimate metric of success… …The end goal is the same no matter the student.” https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/classical-vs-classical-christian-whats-the-difference monthly 0.5 2022-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1663683530110-GLKZYTUGX13GBDDMF74I/unsplash-image-QEVICslCN5o.jpg Blog - Classical vs. Classical Christian - What’s the Difference? - “I think, ultimately, both Christian and public classical models are best equipped to accommodate diverse worldviews in the classroom… …That is, if they live up to their core principles” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1663687503441-A72QQA5WXS3HQMHR5UUJ/unsplash-image-2RRq1BHPq4E.jpg Blog - Classical vs. Classical Christian - What’s the Difference? - Many classical Christian schools ask that parents or students sign a statement of faith, but some do not. In the instance that a statement was signed insincerely or not signed at all - how does a school such as yours authentically instruct a student who does not share the same principles? Part of it is that we don’t have a tradition of an “alter call” or a call for students to ask Jesus into their hearts in the school setting. The idea is that we present things. Every model of education serves a god or an end of some kind - even if its the god of economic utility or citizenship. It’s not that those things are illegitimate - in fact they might be quite good at helping the school to achieve excellence within its own context. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/69f97d51-4399-40d9-bccd-125ee8132c74/unsplash-image-GpCodheuWn0.jpg Blog - Classical vs. Classical Christian - What’s the Difference? - “But classical education is not a specialty form. It’s not elitist, or for students of particular academic giftedness… …It’s for any student who desires to desire learning. “ https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/mathematics-for-human-flourishing monthly 0.5 2022-07-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/18b5efff-e511-427e-b0ca-d04b286cbfff/Capture.JPG Blog - The Next Book Every Parent Should Read - Looking for something new to read? Move this to the top of your list. Have you ever classified yourself as “not a math person”? Have you ever heard your child say that about themselves? If so, I have the perfect book for you. In his book Mathematics for Human Flourishing, Francis Su sets out to show readers two things. First, that practicing mathematics develops virtues which help people find happiness. Second, that pursuing mathematics builds habits of mind that equip students to reach their full potential both personally and professionally. Now, if you think this is a book about the nitty-gritty of mathematics and you’re worried about the fact that you, like me, have not taken a math class in quite a few years, then fear not! This is a book about how everyone, and I do mean everyone, is a mathematician. Mathematics for Human Flourishing shows readers in an approachable, story-like format how the study of mathematics fulfills our innate human desires. The work is inspiring and uplifting, and will revolutionize the way you think about math. It will shape the way you, as a parent, approach the topic of mathematics in your own home and give you tools to start seeing math as a pathway to living a good life. It is one of my top recommendations for parents and teachers alike. Find your copy here. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/fostering-friendship monthly 0.5 2022-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1649279426537-85R5QYEOEQSPFETLI5P6/unsplash-image-ajY31ULBU2M.jpg Blog - Fostering The Virtue of Friendship At Home - You will notice that this definition speaks of friendship as a verb - meaning it requires that something happen. Friendship is a “striving” and “cultivation.” It is something we exhibit over and over again. I also want to draw attention to the point that this definition describes relationships that are “based on a love of the same thing.” Indeed, this means that those we show friendship to are not just those that we would traditionally qualify as our “friends.” To possess the virtue of friendship, we must bring it to any relationship that has common ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1649279723113-HOQXRYF5PM8F6KULFY8L/unsplash-image-o3tIY5pIork.jpg Blog - Fostering The Virtue of Friendship At Home - #1 Identify and name friendship whenever possible When your child shares with others, apologizes first, refrains from tattling, or speaks positively rather than complaining - these are instances of friendship. When your child chooses to give a classmate the benefit of the doubt instead of assuming the worst, or recognizes that their teacher works hard to help them to learn - these are instances of friendship. When we see these things occurring it is important to name them explicitly and intentionally as friendship. The sooner we can help our children to understand friendship as a virtue worth possessing, the better! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1649282006469-255KBET70JTA3Z6AGD46/unsplash-image-J154nEkpzlQ.jpg Blog - Fostering The Virtue of Friendship At Home - #2 Look for opportunities to demonstrate friendship Remember that friendships rarely just happen by chance. Perhaps in our youngest years this is the case. But, as I’m sure many understand in an all-to-familiar way, forming friendships beyond grade school can be challenging. More than that, though, without intentional actions friendships often grow distant. Try talking to your child about their current friends and classmates. What do they value in those friends? What do they appreciate? What are some ways that they can show that friend they are cherished? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1649282322385-Y4BDEMRRYJQSF7CM2NOR/unsplash-image-AWidiBoRO08.jpg Blog - Fostering The Virtue of Friendship At Home - #3 Cheer on friends when they do well. This last tip is perhaps the easiest to fit into your everyday life. There are so many moments in a child’s day that offer occasion for disappointment or envy. How many times have you heard something like this? “Mom, Johnny got to pick out of the prize bucket today and I didn’t!” “Ugh. Tyler always does better on tests than I do.” “Olivia got another gold behavior star…it’s so annoying.” https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/preparing-for-classical-school monthly 0.5 2022-02-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/cc261e9d-c5a2-45cf-ba19-f7018a64b856/unsplash-image-K7JEYFDictM.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School -For Kindergarten -For 1st-12th Grade Refresh math essentials Read and Write Start Talking about Virtue Work on Organization, Handwriting, and Typing -For Parents Read list of recommended items Look through the school’s website Continue to practice your own virtue https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1643664526704-GLS7Q2NZSN8BPO429EHA/unsplash-image-QMDap1TAu0g.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1643663805290-5VQ58J4YACYP6AWEXCNW/unsplash-image-liiusuaISP0.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1643662604704-N477CVTBK6OKRRUUCQT5/unsplash-image-r9T0LZv8xWQ.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1642628552555-O784T6S4YPY14PT6BJ2H/unsplash-image-rGeEvMgGM28.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1643662891160-IVWN99002VVZDGA4TTMP/unsplash-image-IiDaKOZa-H8.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1642628084786-GPBSQUWXL8GCUNKIS3F6/unsplash-image-mO3s5xdo68Y.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1642628170663-15OUB17THJGG1ICLZ54K/unsplash-image-2MH5KECTvz8.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1642628223743-S3YS2T556ASLT4VG0UCY/unsplash-image-mfB1B1s4sMc.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1642628239703-C1R0D6KOSPYC4GVX5A3G/unsplash-image-k2Kcwkandwg.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1642628330229-W007F87SLWWHQUZAR2ZF/unsplash-image-h2aDKwigQeA.jpg Blog - Preparing For Classical School https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/8-questions-every-parent-should-ask-on-a-tour monthly 0.5 2021-12-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638561820265-5ZILQK36MRCUY1F1QY7Z/unsplash-image-PC91Jm1DlWA.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638561855263-LDI2F7FP2UU2WC0Q53T9/unsplash-image-b4Jtjvu10f4.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638561891012-YUPA6U4O9GHV18660X59/unsplash-image-VLaKsTkmVhk.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638562111439-7H1FI6EAAICONI4QBW7W/unsplash-image-fw7lR3ibfpU.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638562335316-X8MMO42IJ3M4IDRD18NT/unsplash-image-JDqYwfKPzEs.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638562418794-Q9TIYX4PZX3GFH687N6H/unsplash-image-8q5rl4rdK_0.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638562500660-MGONIT0M8A5WGT1WMUES/unsplash-image-0RDBOAdnbWM.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638562736773-HOUUKH3IIK671Q97N9JE/unsplash-image-mO9vKbG5csg.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638562910383-ML04HDCD31ZYPQZI8512/unsplash-image-iggWDxHTAUQ.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638562939407-SK33F96J45WR2RRFXDIN/unsplash-image-9qbPV3dvna0.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638562976852-KL9WXTTEQE69DUAK9S74/unsplash-image-J5JGYwxeDc4.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1605631950074-5B449LO6MEP0XHN8YI04/image-from-rawpixel-id-427376-original.jpg Blog - 8 Questions Every Parent Should Ask On A Tour https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/why-does-classical-education-work monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/b6ea4c9a-9fe4-4222-a952-7a8308a05d16/Capture.jpg Blog - Why Does Classical Education Work? Meet Dorothy Sayers - If you remember from this article, classical education has its roots in Ancient Greece. Before Sayers, though, not many people took the time to explain just why we do what we do in classical classrooms and the lasting impact it has once students leave. For Sayers, the answer is in child psychology. Classical education engages a child in one of three stages of development - each one naturally fitting with the tendencies of a child’s age. As you read through the rest of this article, I’m guessing that there will be a fair number of head nods and knowing smiles as you recognize the traits in your own child. For those well-versed in classical education, you will recognize these three stages as corresponding with the subjects and arts that make up the Trivium. For those new to classical education, consider these the essential or introductory arts of classical education. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/2ae60cbb-b25a-4159-823c-a5b164991165/unsplash-image-zYUn4R37o_U.jpg Blog - Why Does Classical Education Work? Meet Dorothy Sayers - “To learn six subjects without remembering how they were learned does nothing to ease the approach to seventh; to have learned and remembered the art of learning makes the approach to every subject an open door.” -Dorothy Sayers in The Lost Tools Of Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/f87885fd-0550-4173-943d-f339163f4db3/unsplash-image-BVM9Q6Qfy00.jpg Blog - Why Does Classical Education Work? Meet Dorothy Sayers - They crave, to a certain extent, to challenge the things they have been taught thus far. Remember when I mentioned that some of you will have a knowing smile? Well, just know that Sayers sympathized with the families of middle school-aged children. Psychologically, students in this stage have a powerful tendency toward discursive reason - or, thinking through a problem step by step. In the classroom, teachers start to move away from the memorization that marked elementary school and more towards discussions including questions that complement this unique stage of learning. In history, you might hear something like “Was this behavior justified?” while in literature students try their hand at persuasive essays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1638205138717-YD7W28518MPS3XBXXGWS/unsplash-image-BNvk1zqEAjc.jpg Blog - Why Does Classical Education Work? Meet Dorothy Sayers - The gift of classical education, in particular, is that it leaves students with a greater creative ability and deliberate eagerness to know and do more. They are primed to enter life after high school with the prowess to continue learning - in whatever arena they choose. Classical education gives children knowledge, yes, but more importantly, we give them essential tools - hammers, saws, chisels, etc. - that they can take with them as they approach any new problem or question. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/starting-the-year-strong-habits-for-a-classical-home-life monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1631640761882-35ZM6AWK60DFTFPSXEM2/Common_Sense_Classical_Pencils Blog - Starting the Year Strong: Habits for a Classical Home Life - #1 Stay Organized #2 Consider your dinnertime or commute conversations #3 Add small, virtue-oriented tasks to your daily life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1631640955932-8XFS6P5LRHF9ZLW9ELI8/Common_Sense_Classical_Planner Blog - Starting the Year Strong: Habits for a Classical Home Life - “Children and teenagers often think that organization is a tedious task, and they fail to see that it actually makes their lives easier and success in school more attainable.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1631641217170-S75Y64BCH78ZKG87PZ7G/Common_Sense_Classical_Bag_End Blog - Starting the Year Strong: Habits for a Classical Home Life - “What do you find interesting? What do you wonder more about? What was confusing? What was absolutely hilarious? Bring these questions to the dinner table or your afternoon commute. “ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1631641667180-8JTJ0OA8AG5ZF9JZ7FTP/Common_Sense_Classical_Sword Blog - Starting the Year Strong: Habits for a Classical Home Life - “Heroism for a second-grader looks quite different than it does for a general or a hobbit. No second-grader leads men into battle… …but all second graders fret about ordering their own food at a restaurant, and being the first to apologize, and lending a hand to the woman in the grocery store who has just dropped an armful of groceries.” https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/why-children-thrive-without-technology monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1620674242217-3O8212DOAPM9GD8VF78X/unsplash-image-pXmyDPziB8w.jpg Blog - Why Children Thrive Without Technology - You get where I’m going with this. In districts across the country, the mere mention of an iPad in elementary classrooms will turn teachers against each other faster than the debate over mechanical vs. Number 2 pencils. Well, at least that’s a pretty hot debate at my school. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1620667724563-B5QL5KM5Z6KU1V4C9KML/Common+Sense+Classical+-+airpods-unsplash-image-j_UHrIaV-8M.jpg Blog - Why Children Thrive Without Technology - “All schools - classical or not - must ask questions about their priorities. How much do they value face-to-face interaction? At what cost?… Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1620673084218-1X6ZD2WAMI0EOTO01XQI/Common+Sense+Classical+-+learning-unsplash-image-KdeqA3aTnBY.jpg Blog - Why Children Thrive Without Technology - School culture is positively impacted Imagine a school where the students walk around with their heads up, greeting each other and their teachers, discussing what they just talked about in class. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1620673509817-E962R1OQPF1AFG8DJ0O1/Common+Sense+Classical+girl-reading-Dr.+Seuss-unsplash-image-p_KJvKVsH14.jpg Blog - Why Children Thrive Without Technology - Children are more interested in the world around them When the conversation in the classroom revolves around content rather than tech skills, children have more interesting conversations. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/habits-for-student-writers-writing-as-sport monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1618843164675-X5RMF9CWA2QG467HCTHE/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-2kL6gvBX09Q.jpg Blog - Habits for Student Writers: Writing as Sport - Allow me to explain: To write really well feels just as deft and breathless as running an extraordinary play toward a net, and it depends just as much on the lessons that a body learns in playing a sport. Why? Sports teach us to cope with tedious, even painful progress toward an end. They teach us to pace ourselves — to spare our energy at the start of a thing and exert it fiercely at the right moments. And they demand that we think tactically about when to drive straight forward at a goal, and when to build a slow play around the far reaches of a field. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1618843742184-M6J8P9ZNJSGHBM6A55CU/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-CkjvR87_NYg.jpg Blog - Habits for Student Writers: Writing as Sport - Rest, in my experience, is severely underestimated by students. As they approach an essay, your students should sleep well, but not too much. They should eat well the night before. In the crucial hours before they start to write, they should eat lean, avoiding heavy, fatty meals and sweet desserts, which make a writer jumbled and slow. Caffeine is good in small doses, but never late at night when it disrupts sleep and ruins a student’s potential for the following day. #2 Sports Remind Us How to Work and Clear our Minds Hard physical work reminds us of how to delay our gratification, reminding us of how to endure tedium and pain for the delicious rest that follows. If your student hasn’t worked out or played hard in too long, her mind has forgotten this lesson, and simply can’t rally itself to the hard work of writing. Prompt her to give it a reminder. Challenge her to a game of 1-on-1. Send her outside on a run. 20 minutes is all she needs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1618843313885-O664ZT92JVSZIKJJ101S/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-C7h_31Lz16Y.jpg Blog - Habits for Student Writers: Writing as Sport - “When you sit down to write, your body will try its hardest to distract you. Don’t listen to it. Sit at the keyboard for ten minutes, and refuse to lift your hands from the keys…” https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/overheard-at-a-classical-school-part-two monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1618242459059-1MH11UUVCO5U0FJXHGZT/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-RovCBKMfK_k.jpg Blog - Overheard at a Classical School: Part two - Then I remembered. This was the day of the 10th grade medieval feast to celebrate the end of reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I should have remembered this more quickly given that my husband organizes the event. As such, the weeks leading up to this very feast took quite a toll on my kitchen. Between food preparation and the painting of a giant green head, there weren’t many spaces left in my house untouched by paint, papier-mache, or medieval armory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1618242657628-2U9BJ6GAOJLI4PDJ5EBV/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-QmtGwXAJVKc.jpg Blog - Overheard at a Classical School: Part two - With a mighty thrust, the small 10th grade girl swung her ax and….nearly decapitated the Green Knight (her axe hung up in the styrofoam neck that my husband thankfully held a safe distance from his real one). A trickle of laugher followed as the Green Knight called, “Swing true-er!” One more swing and the knight was finished. The room erupted with cheers of celebration and the knight’s noble adversary was given great honors. The rest of the class period was occupied by feasting, delightful conversation, and games and sports fitting of the times (axe throwing, mostly). When I’ve told this story in the past, I’ve gotten one of two reactions. Families either think it’s awesome or they think it’s awesome and pretty nerdy. While I’ll concede that it is a little nerdy and definitely agree that it’s awesome, I very rarely get the chance to talk about why we hold the feast at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1618243426025-N1J4HEMU2WNK2M69TNKU/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-MXz3EMkLGL8.jpg Blog - Overheard at a Classical School: Part two - Specifically, celebrating in this way, where we do honor to the strangeness and even playfulness of a book, we remind ourselves that literature is a thing that brings us joy. You see, reading literature at a classical school goes beyond learning vocabulary words and summary skills. We read so we can examine lives - both our own and those within the pages. We read, to remind ourselves that every life has meaning and a story worth hearing. That kind of work deserves a grand celebration and joyful feasting. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/habits-for-student-writers-writing-sustainably monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1617046907169-HRYW2LUFHTI9616GRPJO/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-514dv0uzWwk.jpg Blog - Habits for Student Writers: How to Write Sustainably - For the average student - the type who saves writing until a few nights before it is due - a baffling amount of time goes into the act of thinking about, and worrying about, and planning, and typing, and rewriting an essay. If we were to average the total minutes spent in thought and anxiety against the total words of the final product, what would we find? I assume that most students are procrastinators. And I assume that, if we include worry as a kind of work, we will find that they actually spend more time working than their non-procrastinating peers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1617047023957-CIXJEN8PWXBDXR0QN9FX/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-KYxXMTpTzek.jpg Blog - Habits for Student Writers: How to Write Sustainably - It takes 45 minutes to write something good. It takes 90 minutes to make us miserable, and 120 to exhaust us for days on end. When I tell a new group of students that they should avoid writing for more than 100 minutes at a time, some chuckle as if they know something I do not. Many have written their best papers in brutal stints of 4 or 5 hours apiece. Others bear the scars of having written for upwards of 10 hours in a sitting. But not one who laughs actually likes to write. These students know writing as the thing that terrifies and exhausts them. The idea that it could be leisurely or fun is beyond their belief. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1617047348868-CPPRSDQ6X6BXICGXXNE1/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-u3ajSXhZM_U.jpg Blog - Habits for Student Writers: How to Write Sustainably - My work was better, and I was happier; I had time and energy enough to build sentences that pleased the ear and felt good to write. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/are-classical-schools-elitist monthly 0.5 2022-02-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1616442599992-JNIU2SGCMTDKEBTSCQCR/Common+Sense+Classical-GVCA-3427.jpg Blog - Are Classical Schools Elitist? - The mission of an educator should be taken with the utmost gravity and that seriousness is not out of place. However, when educators take themselves too seriously - they start to resemble those crusty parodies you see of teachers - like the teachers in Dead Poet’s Society who slam Latin textbooks on desks and stick their noses up at Robin Williams. Suddenly, teachers who should be delighting in the content they teach find themselves joylessly parroting lessons and scolding students with unnecessary tenor. I’m happy to say that the classical educators, leaders, and administrators that I work with - both here in Colorado, but also across the country - are far from elitist. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1616442809379-8WQGSPE27DYHVWXBF6HG/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-WTYUFK84i4k.jpg Blog - Are Classical Schools Elitist? - “We are about love — the love of knowledge, and virtue, and people, and the world in which we live. All we’d like to do is share.“ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1616443097578-R2V2OU0F5WNM8LV3FQHM/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-cIwxMATsLz4.jpg Blog - Are Classical Schools Elitist? - To start, we really believe in what we teach. We feel that it is true and lovely and can be defended as really being that way. Our detractors balk at this. They claim that we teach Western political philosophy because it keeps the powerful people in power, and that we teach great books because they keep people tame and in-line. Hence the accusations of elitism: our detractors see our work as somehow preserving the status of the elite (whomever the “elite” may be). We disagree. Our aim is simply to teach people — people of all kinds and classes — how to live a good and happy life in society with others. Do we claim to know what a good life looks like? Do we claim to be able to distinguish the good from the bad? Certainly. Do we do that for the sake of oppressing the low and protecting the high? Certainly not. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1616443328455-R760RJS3CLD9L3O9U5FH/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-pxeDEWijY5Y.jpg Blog - Are Classical Schools Elitist? - “Any student with the desire to succeed can be successful at a classical school.” https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/habits-for-good-writers-where-and-when-to-write monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1615832272912-Q6AM3EJ9M7BXXJL6F05N/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-8XddFc6NkBY.jpg Blog - Habits for Student Writers: Where and When to Write - Turning a writer free to write an essay without the proper habits is like turning her out onto a soccer field with none of the right practice: the experience is certain to be painful and simply must end in misery. But a glorious thing happens when a student-writer has the right habits in place: she discovers that, at its core, writing is a kind of play. She will learn that even the most academic of prose is motivated by the same playful, artistic spark that charges the work of a musician, or a painter, or an athlete. It is the life within the toil — the thing that takes work and all its rigors and turns it into joy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1615832638208-DT46JIFVH925LRK6I7MR/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-m0l5J8Lqnzo.jpg Blog - Habits for Student Writers: Where and When to Write - “I’ll enjoy whatever else I have left to do because it feels like a reward from the hard word-work of the morning. “ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1615833107458-NX7W66OHAXU1RXM6IBXW/Common+Sense+Classical-unsplash-image-k86_YnmIpW0.jpg Blog - Habits for Student Writers: Where and When to Write - What if her cleverness is already drained from the day? She should run, or play a hard game of basketball, or go to track practice. Hard physical work brings cleverness right back. If she has a great deal to do, she should save her more systematic work (math and science) for immediately afterward, and she should do her reading after dinner, as a kind of rest. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/finding-happiness-in-school monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1614877273465-M5E1NWMH2H39PK9YYRI8/Common+Sense+Classical-image.jpg Blog - Finding happiness in school - In the world of classical education, we understand that a school is more than just a dispenser of information — it’s a community for its students. It’s a place where they learn what it means to live well and live well with others. Part of living well within a community means being able to find and take responsibility for your own happiness. Children are still learning - so we do a lot to help them with this, which is what we mean when we talk about school “culture.” But there are a lot of ways for students to get started on their own https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1614877107436-6WW83RNZL6B207MSFA75/Common+Sense+Classical-image.jpg Blog - Finding happiness in school - “Wouldn’t we all rather go to a school where students look each other in the eye and inquire into the wellbeing of their teachers? Where the seniors know the freshmen’s names? “ https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/science-and-math-in-a-classical-school monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1614297601384-BUZWJGB5QNRVHL6MEHB1/Common+Sense+Classical+-math+and+science+board Blog - Science and Math in a Classical School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1614296407470-HOO7BI0Z36QMHY7UPJT5/Common+Sense+Classical+-plants Blog - Science and Math in a Classical School - Classical schools take a different approach to math and science than you may be used to. They focus on being “content-oriented” rather than “process-oriented.” In the most lighthearted sense, this means that, at a classical school, we study the stars because they are interesting, numbers because they are fun, and the human body because it is cool. In a higher sense, we love these things and we like to understand them, so we study them carefully. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1614296715511-JG0330F136J5FA5MOQ93/Common+Sense+classical+-+math Blog - Science and Math in a Classical School - “That’s because, in these lessons, students are asked to consider questions like: What knowledge from past problems can we use to solve this problem? How can we use our reason to get to the next step? Why did you choose to do that?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1614297972358-MGYK1Q4ECX78TI9JBJYQ/Common+Sense+Classical+-Telescope Blog - Science and Math in a Classical School - Make no mistake: classical students are not limited to careers in the fine arts and humanities. In fact, the abilities and habits that they learn in a classical curriculum put them at a great advantage in the workplace. This is in part because what they learn with us has no expiration date. It’s also because classical education is an education in what it means to be human. Science and math have a part in that. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/overheard-at-a-classical-school monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1613253739586-SW6H1G8JC0HT8461GKDV/Common+Sense+Classical-girl+with+backpack-image.jpg Blog - Overheard at a Classical school - I hope this story gives you a similar feeling. Considering I have no shortage of these kinds of tales, you can look forward to hearing more like this one very soon. Anyways, the families arrive for the tour, and we get started in 9th grade Rhetoric. Now, this time of year is particularly classical for Rhetoric students. They are working on their semester project: writing a speech in which they assert which virtue is best. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1613251846368-Q9NHI6VRTKQIF0892DDN/Common+Sense+Classical-paint+jars-image.jpg Blog - Overheard at a Classical school - “Well, it makes me think of art. I look at that picture, and I know it’s beautiful - not just because of the way it looks but because it’s not something I can do yet… …I’d love to be able to paint like that someday or to do what Socrates did.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1613253812587-SUER9FUHY39MQV94U0NT/Common+Sense+Classical+-+painting-image.jpg Blog - Overheard at a Classical school - This comment completely changed the course of the conversation because the students suddenly saw, embodied on the wall in front of their eyes, what it meant to be beautiful. You see, Socrates died a heroic death. The corrupt elites in Athens wrongly accused him of impiety and sentenced him to death. When pressed to renounce his beliefs and live, he declined. When encouraged to flee his cell by night, he chose to stay. As he told his friends, he would not turn coward merely to save his own skin. When at last he was forced to drink poison — the scene which this painting depicts — none in Athens could claim to love Justice more than Socrates. This 9th grade student showed us why beauty is indeed attractive in a profound way. Things that are truly beautiful attract us because they inspire us to embody something higher. They challenge us to make ourselves more than we currently are. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/inspiring-wonder-in-your-home monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1612561216211-XT5UNBBFCGVGQX4JNIWA/Common+Sense+Classical-image.jpg Blog - Inspiring wonder in your home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1612561313785-AQNU1A5GXW3UJJVPAI2T/Common+Sense+Classical-book%2C+flowers%2C+and+coffee Blog - Inspiring wonder in your home - “Beautiful books help bring stories to life. They stand on shelves inviting children to flip through their pages...” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1612561802030-CB4IRIUWVLFQG8I0Q6E7/Common+Sense+Classical+-+blanket%2C+popcorn%2C+mags Blog - Inspiring wonder in your home - The next time you read a book or watch a movie together, try changing up the conversation afterward. If your child expresses a specific opinion about a character or storyline, ask something like, “Have you considered it this way?” and present an opposite view. Try playing out different scenarios. What would have happened if a character made a different choice in the story? What if the location had been different? How would the story have ended if one of the supporting characters hadn’t been around? Showing them how you pursue wonder in your own life will pave the way for them to do it too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1612562064012-XWYN4GMNAZCLZSO8O1P0/Common+Sense+Classical+-+boy+with+strawberries Blog - Inspiring wonder in your home - “Wonder lives wherever we are elevating the ordinary and making it meaningful. That is where children learn to ask “how?” and “why?” It’s where they find the desire to know more.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1612562167729-EVNPO3T9VTEL2MWY6S7L/Common+Sense+Classical+-+boy+gardening Blog - Inspiring wonder in your home - Cooking, gardening, and activities like them are just like any other hobby. One pleasant encounter leads to another, which leads to another. Pretty soon, your second grader will be asking why you use one type of flour over another. They’ll watch in amazement as you pluck an enormous squash from your garden and exclaim something like, “Next time, we have to grow a watermelon!” Wonder lives wherever we are elevating the ordinary and making it meaningful. That is where children learn to ask “how?” and “why?” It’s where they find the desire to know more. It’s how we raise lifelong learners. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/what-is-classical monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1611179795786-DZGNEWW56WYYM693SMIX/Common+Sense+Classical+-+kaboompics_Woman+with+organizer+%26+man+with+laptop.jpg Blog - What is classical education? - Classical schools come in all shapes and sizes. They can be public, private, Christian, non-Christian, charter, district, or some combination of those. For example, the school I work at is a tuition-free, public, charter school. But there are also several classical schools in our area that are private, and some that are private and Christian. The bottom line is this: classical education is available through a variety of school types and is suitable for every child. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1611178138847-Z1TJYZLDDN6BK2IHIDXW/Common+Sense+Classical+-+kaboompics_School+supplies+used+in+math+class%2C+geometry+or+science.jpg Blog - What is classical education? - “Children have limited time in school, and it is our responsibility to make it count... …At a Classical school, your children will learn about what history has claimed as the best, most vital, and most worthy of their time. “ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1611176918344-QDQ4SU75WRIXZ0SQQKNF/Common+Sense+Classical+-+line+of+books Blog - What is classical education? - Did you know that Edward Everett, a famous orator at the time, spoke for two hours before Lincoln? Yet Lincoln’s is considered the Gettysburg Address and has endured in history classes, political speeches, and pop culture references for generations. But the distinguishing factor in these works and authors is not just that they have endured. It’s that they speak to human happiness in a tangible, lasting way. Shakespeare teaches us the importance of virtue in even the smallest interactions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1611179850228-MR64VR81A7K2FV501ZBV/Common+Sense+Classical+-+kaboompics_School+supplies+used+in+math+class%2C+geometry+or+science+%281%29.jpg Blog - What is classical education? - “It is so lovely to see teachers and students who take their work seriously but do not take themselves too seriously… …Whether it be through feasts, outdoor lessons in science, or musical and theatrical performances, students have opportunities to joyfully engage in learning at a classical school.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1611182227691-X4IXT8LJ7839QJOSV685/Common+Sense+Classical-kaboompics_Book+%26+spring+flowers+%281%29.jpg Blog - What is classical education? - Take the family, for example. Families closely guard and keep certain traditions alive. The culture and customs of a family continue because the leaders of that family are intentional about explaining their significance to the children. Belonging to any family comes with certain obligations and expectations. On a larger scale, a society is handed down over and over again from parents to children. That society survives when its citizens have a firm understanding of their place within it. And so, a classical education ensures that its students are informed of their civic rights and responsibilities. As for the individual student - I think it’s safe to say that secondary (or K-12) education is one of the most if not the most formative experiences in a child’s life. And yes, classical education is for families who care about college and career readiness. Education at a classical school is an excellent academic education. My classical school, Golden View Classical Academy, has a lot to boast about in terms of SATs, PSATs, and raised scholarship dollars. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/the-first-3-steps-to-supporting-your-classical-student-at-home monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1609879008423-TDMYU69UJ3QT9ZJ3TR88/Common+Sense+Classical+-+reading+in+bed Blog - The first 3 steps to supporting your classical student at home: - “Discuss what they are reading and ask questions. Delight in the plot with them. Experience their outrage at senseless characters. You won’t regret it. “ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1609880202303-BWPUPVT6ZQU3W0GGDDAL/Common+Sense+Classical+-+reading+nook-image.jpg Blog - The first 3 steps to supporting your classical student at home: - The same is true for kids! Babies come to learn that their crib is a place for sleeping, not for playing; that their high chair is a place for eating; and that when mom gets the car keys out it means they are going somewhere and have to put shoes on. It becomes automatic. Likewise, when you have an area of your home or apartment set aside for reading, it becomes special. More than that - it becomes a part of their day and their routine. They take comfort in its stability and look forward to the time spent there together. My son knows that the chair in his room is for reading. He’s big enough now that when he sits there on his own, he immediately grabs (and then subsequently throws) a book from the shelf. Now, you might live in a small space where this seems impossible. I totally get that. When I lived in my apartment in college, my kitchen table served about 8 different purposes. I mean, we had a couch, but that was a tough place to balance 3-4 different books for a research paper. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1609880638399-LRGDB01PERX48R3JQNBR/Common+Sense+Classical+-+ipad+stack Blog - The first 3 steps to supporting your classical student at home: https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/blog-post-title-one-6e543 monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1608578740235-R4JRBUYKDFUCPIJ4GRR6/Common+Sense+Classical-10547650_10154435264680707_5487456103508515069_n.jpg Blog - What my doctor brother taught me about classical education. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1608579019034-SPE2QIFBN3ZAF4RZYUVB/Common+Sense+Classical-33022262_10160426951515707_3982719011757490176_o.jpg Blog - What my doctor brother taught me about classical education. - I think we sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that conversation is a natural skill. That some individuals burst into the world capable of stringing lovely, coherent thoughts together without much effort at all. That there are those lucky ducks who perfectly interpret social cues and dynamics. The rest of us unlettered dribblers will just have to suffer in antisocial silence. But the truth is, the qualities I see in my brother were not born; they were practiced and honed. They come from habit and a disposition toward other people and the world. They come, in short, from his education. An education that emphasized the importance of virtuous character as equally as academic instruction. An education founded on face-to-face conversation in the classroom and patient persistence despite disagreement in that conversation. In short, a classical education. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/9-reasons-to-teach-latin-in-2021 monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1609781593812-9DPW0LFUHV62AR9D9S8E/image.jpg Blog - 9 Reasons to learn Latin - 2. Students who take Latin do better in other subjects. Translating a sentence in Latin requires a systematic approach. There is, at least in the beginning, a step-by-step process that students follow to identify elements within a sentence. Learning this systematic approach actually improves a student’s learning skills. Students in Latin spend a lot of time acquainting themselves with English grammar and spelling. In that sense, they are better prepared for the reading and writing elements across all their academic subjects. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1609783047160-ZGSN8WWZOYDB753503ZP/Common+Sense+Classical+-+learning+latin Blog - 9 Reasons to learn Latin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1609782723902-QZEFEW7XQJ9CGLOQZUMX/Common+Sense+Classical+-+image.jpg Blog - 9 Reasons to learn Latin - 7. Latin is all around us I mean this quite literally. Latin is literally all around us - you just might not have noticed it. Take the U.S one-dollar bill, for example. That bill alone carries three Latin phrases: annuit coeptis, Novus ordo seclorum, and e Pluribus Unum. These mean “He has approved our undertakings,” “a new order of the ages,” and “out of many, one,” respectively. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/3-ways-classical-is-practical monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1609876706307-LQSCQ0EEI0PSU73TQ77W/Common+Sense+Classical+-+girl+with+face+in+book Blog - 3 ways a classical education is practical. - “…I was taught to have a disposition of tenacity when encountering a problem. In my classes, we asked big, difficult questions and worked toward answers through discussions.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1608582483478-5TW9NUMTSFAOZ4YPAXPQ/Common+Sense+Classical+-+kaboompics_Top%2Bview%2Bof%2Ba%2Bmarble%2Bdesk%2Bwith%2Bcoffee%252C%2Bnotebooks%2Band%2Bpen.jpg Blog - 3 ways a classical education is practical. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1608582764626-4CEQTA7LY900P2S1775Y/Common+Sense+Classical-+image.jpg Blog - 3 ways a classical education is practical. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1608583084494-0S32TPMVJET4NJUAIZDI/Common+Sense+Classical+-+Hamlet+-image.jpg Blog - 3 ways a classical education is practical. - I can remember reading Shakespeare’s King Lear for the first time and audibly gasping when Regan rips out Gloucester’s eyes. I was sitting in my sorority dining room surrounded by people, and the whole room went quiet as I exclaimed that I could not believe what had just happened and couldn’t wait to ask my professor about it the next day. Now, that’s not to say that kids can’t also read what they want when they’re at home. I’m speaking now solely to what schools teach in their curriculum. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1608583643688-QUT7B63TS64R9W2XAKED/Common+Sense+Classical+-+writing+and+coffee-+image.jpg Blog - 3 ways a classical education is practical. - You should know that I thought seriously about adding clapping hand emojis at the end of that sentence. When you add the first two points I made about problem-solving and curiosity together, you get a person who is confident in the knowledge that whatever life throws at them - they will figure it out. https://www.commonsenseclassical.com/blog/why-i-hate-acronyms monthly 0.5 2021-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1609785819806-YQ9CXSJTNVZ5TSX3LCOE/Common+Sense+Classical+-+meuseum+wall-+image.jpg Blog - Why I hate acronyms: A visitor’s guide to classroom decor. - “...What we surround ourselves with matters. What we consume impacts us more than we know.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1609876114318-V0EKPFST8VVP6JXU6CP9/Common+Sense+Classical+-+classroom Blog - Why I hate acronyms: A visitor’s guide to classroom decor. - 1. Do the walls have white space? I appreciate a classroom that has decoration, but the classrooms I find most appealing are the ones that keep it simple. When there is white space, I can focus on the few intentional pieces of decoration displayed. More importantly, I’m not distracted by my desire to read everything around me and can actually listen to what the teacher is saying at the front of the class. Next time you’re touring a school, take a moment to note how you feel when you walk in. Do you feel overstimulated and bombarded? 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I’m Megan Atherton. I’m the program director and founder of Common Sense Classical - a blog designed to help you understand and enjoy classical education. I’m so happy you’re here! I’m a graduate of Hillsdale College and the student affairs coordinator at a K-12 classical school in Golden, Colorado. I have worked with thousands of prospective families and students who are delighted when they finally discover classical education. I live for the moment when a lightbulb goes off in a parent’s brain and they ask me “Wait why wouldn’t you go to a classical school?” I’ve been asking myself the same thing for years. I started CSC for you. To help you, to entertain you, and to show you what’s possible for classically educated children. So come with me! Let’s take a closer look together. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fb2c4eae5a7d2234971abc7/1605647412122-D6GHBQDJEG65FHGZZT8T/kaboompics_Small+notebooks+with+colourful+pencils+in+a+jar+on+a+wooden+desk.jpg About - School. 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