Dr. Scoggin Brings Character to the National Symposium for Classical Education

At the heart of every Great Hearts academy is a profound belief in the transformative power of wonder. A belief championed by Dr. Daniel Scoggin, co-founder of Great Hearts Academies. This February, Dr. Scoggin will share his wisdom and passion at the 2025 National Symposium for Classical Education, delivering a K-12 workshop titled “Character Begins in Wonder.”

In his workshop, Dr. Scoggin invites educators to reflect on an essential question: How can we, as teachers and leaders, create a school culture that sparks a deep sense of wonder in our students? This sense of awe, he argues, is the foundation for moral growth and character development. By guiding students to engage with Truth, Goodness, and Beauty through the greatest works of Western tradition, educators can plant the seeds of virtue that grow into lifelong wisdom and prudence.

The session promises to be both inspiring and practical, offering concrete strategies for cultivating wonder in classrooms and campuses. “I think the more the modern education systems and offerings point to test scores and simplistic utilitarian thinking, the more wise families sense they are being sold a lesser reality,” Scoggin explained in an interview with Cana Academy. “We are realizing that the best hedge against the vicissitudes of fortune will always be the permanent: clear thinking, wisdom, and character, which a classical education is ideally structured to inculcate as a foundation for life-long learning.”

Over twenty years ago, he started as the headmaster of a classical, liberal arts academy in Tempe, AZ. In 2004, he authored the original Great Hearts business plan, laying the groundwork for what has become a network of 50 academies across Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and beyond. Today, Great Hearts serves nearly 30,000 students.

Scoggin’s leadership has been instrumental in the organization’s growth, from securing philanthropic partnerships to developing innovative programs such as the Great Hearts Online academies and the faith-based Great Hearts Christos schools. With a Ph.D. in English Literature, an M.A. in Character Education, and a wealth of experience in education leadership, he brings unmatched expertise to the classical education movement.

His personal life reflects his professional commitment to nurturing young minds and hearts. At home in Mesa, Arizona, Scoggin has raised two adult daughters who are Great Hearts graduates, and with his wife Tiffany, is now raising two younger daughters who attend Great Hearts Christos.

The K-12 workshops at the National Symposium for Classical Education will allow attendees to further immerse themselves in the theme: Cultivating Wonder. There will be interactive workshops on History, Lesson Planning, Art, Poetry, Physics, Essays, Shakespeare, Logic, and more! We will be joined by several experts including Andrew Zwereman, Satyan Devadoss, Nick Hutchison, and Alexandra Umlas.

The National Symposium for Classical Education, set to take place at the Mission Palms Hotel in Tempe, Arizona, February 19-21, 2025, promises to be an inspiring event for educators and enthusiasts of classical education. The Symposium is the annual flagship event of the Great Hearts Institute, which is dedicated to renewing the tradition of classical education by directly supporting educators, school leaders, and families.

The Symposium draws participants from across the nation and beyond, uniting educators, school leaders, and public intellectuals to explore ideas in classical curriculum, pedagogy, and school leadership. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear from Scoggin alongside other expert voices, including keynote speakers Jessica Hooten Wilson, Sir Jonathan Bate, and Matthew Crawford, making this year’s event one not to be missed.

REGISTER TODAY for the 2025 National Symposium for Classical Education to take advantage of early-bird rates at checkout.

REGISTER TODAY FOR SYMPOSIUM

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