Your First Look at Pre-Conference Workshops at the National Symposium for Classical Education

The National Symposium for Classical Education is fast approaching, and attendees are excited for the opening keynote address, Gratitude and the Modern Condition, with Matthew B. Crawford, author of the New York Times best-selling work “Shop Class as Soul Craft.” While this exciting opening event will take place on the main stage at the Mission Palms Hotel in Tempe, Arizona, on Wednesday, February 19^th at 6 PM, the Symposium actually kicks off earlier in the day with the new addition of Wednesday Workshops this year.

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Carol McNamara, Director of the Great Hearts Institute, and her team are pleased to offer several pre-conference workshops addressing topics fundamental to classical education. These workshops begin at 2 PM, after registration, and offer inspiration for both the beginner in Classical Education to the tenured educator or seasoned education partner in the field.

An Introduction to the Liberal Arts and Classical Education
February 19, 2:00-3:00 PM
With more and more classical schools coming into existence, there is an increased need to answer the basic question: What is classical education? Although there are notable differences from one implementation to another, there are also key core characteristics. Join Jake Tawney, Chief Academic Officer for Great Hearts Academies, on a tour through the seven liberal arts, the foundation of classical education, and the basic principle guiding the content and pedagogy of each discipline.

The Roots of Welcome: A Workshop on Classical Education for Students with Disabilities and Learning Differences
February 19, 2:00-3:00 PM
In this session, Thomas Doebler, Sr. National Director of Exceptional Student Services at Great Hearts and Amy Richards, Affiliate Professor and Chair of Philosophy, Eastern University, will review the question of disability in classical, liberal arts education in light of the classical understanding of what it means to be human, and how it conflicts with modern practice of special education. It will act as a springboard to other sessions on accessibility.

Whose Shakespeare Is It, Anyway?
February 19, 2:00-3:00 PM
After the success of this workshop at the 2024 Symposium, Eminent Shakespearean editor, and ASU Regents Professor Sir Jonathan Bate, and LAMDA Course Leader and renowned theatre Director Nick Hutchison present a further dynamic, interactive workshop on editorial choices across the centuries since the First Folio of 1623, how those choices have illuminated or dimmed our understanding of the plays, and how those choices play out on a stage. Revisiting some of this year’s texts, and approaching a variety of new ones, this is a Shakespearean masterclass for returning symposiasts and freshmen alike.

“As Kingfishers Catch Fire” Poetry Seminar
February 19, 3:15-4:15 PM
Mike Austin (upper schools) and Cammie Passey (lower schools), National Directors of Curriculum for Great Hearts Academies, will be hosting a seminar on “As Kingfishers Catch Fire” by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Come kick off your Great Hearts Classical Education Symposium experience by engaging in enriching conversation centered on this beautiful text.

The Socratic K-5 Classroom 1.0: An Introduction
February 19, 3:15-4:15 PM
Jerilyn Olson, Great Hearts Chief People Officer will lead an introductory session about Socratic teaching in the K-5 classroom. K-5 Teachers often wonder how the Socratic Method applies in a K-5 classroom – are Kindergartners really supposed to seminar on Aristotle? In this workshop, we will discuss lesson planning with inquiry in mind, unit introductions that inspire wonder, and the “sweet-spot” questions that follow. For Great Hearts Staff: Please note that this is the same workshop offered at Great Hearts New Faculty Orientation.

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.

REGISTER TODAY for the 2025 National Symposium for Classical Education to take advantage the special early bird pricing that expires soon.

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