Athens, Rome, & the Nameless North

Athens, Rome, & the Nameless North by Dr. Ben Reinhard at Hearth and Field. The classical education movement, it may be observed, is enjoying something of a moment. It was not always so: for generations, the American educational establishment neglected liberal education (in favor of vocational training and STEM), and derided the western canon in the name of diversity and multi-culturalism. But recent years have seen that same establishment begin to collapse, like an octopus dragged to land, under its own bloated weight. With the corruption and incompetence of the establishment now visible to all with eyes to see, its newly liberated subjects have good reason to seek an alternative. And that alternative is, increasingly, classical. Read

Catholic University of America Panel Explores How Christians Should Think About AI by Tessa Gervasini at Catholic News Agency. The Catholic University of America (CUA) hosted a panel this week to discuss how Christians should think about the developing technology surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). The Sept. 23 panel was hosted by CUA’s Institute for Human Ecology, which works to identify the economic, cultural, and social conditions vital for human flourishing. The group discussed the threats posed by AI, the future of the technology, and the Church’s place in the conversation. Read

IFS Submits Public Comment on A.I. in the Classroom by Sophie Anderson, Jared Hayden and Michael Toscano at The Institute for Family Studies. Our rising generations of teachers and students ought to be equipped with the skills necessary to master this new technology. However, we must tread carefully and deliberately, understanding that without due prudence, the integration of A.I. into schools has the potential to subvert the rights of parents and states, place students in harm’s way, undermine learning outcomes, and augment the public’s distrust of A.I. technologies. Read

Screens and Children: We’re Losing the Next Generation by Sebastian Morello at The European Conservative. It is well known that dopamine is the hormone which chiefly influences both the driving and reinforcing of habits. According to Dr. Marisa Azaret, who has spent considerable time investigating the effects of screen addiction on children, “the stimuli produced by screens can activate the dopamine reward system in the brain, creating a dopamine feedback loop similar to those found in the brains of nicotine or cocaine users.” Screentime, she says, “floods a person’s brain” with strong but fleeting doses of dopamine, on which he consequently becomes utterly dependent. The upshot is that our progeny will have highly diminished impulse control in comparison to their antecedents. A generation of animals is on its way. Read

In Defense of Children’s Work by Brandon McNeice at Front Porch Republic. For most of human history, children’s work lived inside the household economy: milking before school, stacking split wood, sweeping a shop floor, carrying casseroles through a church kitchen, running a paper route before dawn. The aim wasn’t résumé padding but membership. Work stitched children into the daily fabric of place—into the habits, adults, and neighbors that give shape to a young person’s sense of identity and duty. Read

Building Parent-Teacher Rapport featuring Kyle Blackmer at The HeightsCast. In broader society, mistrust increasingly defines the parent-teacher relationship. But it doesn’t have to be this way. As seventh grade core teacher and Heights parent, Kyle Blackmer shares a practical vision for sound parent-teacher relationships. It begins with understanding parents and teachers in their true, cooperative roles for a child’s good. And it ends with developing real friendship between parents and teachers as they pursue this good together. Listen

Tired Teachers? Take Inspiration from the Wonderful Blessed Álvaro by Cerith Gardiner at Aleteia. A few weeks into the new school term, many teachers may already feel the weight of the year. The names still blur together, lesson plans don’t always (or ever!) match the reality of the classroom, and every pupil brings a new psychology to appreciate...If you're already feeling weary in the classroom, here's how Blessed Álvaro del Portillo can boost your teaching practice. Read

Speak the Truth in Love: Effective Teacher Evaluations that Honor the Dignity of the Human Person by Colleen Richards at The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education. When we love well, when we evaluate in love, this leads to human flourishing in our faculty and staff.  Having a flourishing faculty and staff leads to flourishing classrooms, offices, and buildings and grounds.  And a flourishing school culture and environment fosters the flourishing of children and their families.  Sometimes there is a temptation to say that we don’t have time for a lot of reflection — we’re busy with the mission!  But if we neglect what love requires, we diminish our capacity to carry out the mission. Read

Leaders in Catholic Education: Dr. Daryl Hagan and Lumen Accreditation by Dr. Melissa Mitchell at Word on Fire. Lumen Accreditation, offered through The Catholic University of America, advances and promotes the distinctive excellence of K–12 Catholic school education. Guided by Christ and illumined by the Church’s rich educational heritage, we accompany Catholic school communities as they strive for continuous growth in fulfilling their mission. Read

From Ohio to Erbil: Student Missionaries Help Revive Catholic Education in Iraq by Georgena Habbaba at Catholic News Agency. After joining St. Thomas Mission, an initiative run in partnership with the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Alex McKenna, along with fellow students from Ohio’s Franciscan University of Steubenville, arrived in Iraq to teach in the archdiocese’s schools and experience life and faith there. Read

Diocese of Allentown Catholic Schools Lead in Academic Excellence, Outperforming State and National Averages by Cara Meskill at AdToday. The Diocese of Allentown is seeing great success at the local level. Using grade 8 as a benchmark, students in diocesan schools outperform Pennsylvania public school students by an impressive 14% in both reading and math proficiency, as evidenced by comparing diocesan students’ STAR scores to statewide PSSA scores. This demonstrates the strength of Catholic education in the region and reflects the dedication of educators, the support of families, and a commitment to high standards founded in faith and community. Read

Featured: Truth Hidden When Not Sought After: Dr. Newman Against Artificial Intelligence (AI) Webinar at The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education. Join the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE) for "Truth Hidden When Not Sought After: Dr. Newman Against Artificial Intelligence (AI)," a webinar co-hosted by the Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology and the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE). The Augustine Institute's Dr. Christopher Blum will lead the discussion on two timely topics: Artificial Intelligence and St. John Henry Newman. As announced by Pope Leo XIV in August, St. John Henry Newman (1801-1890) is soon to be named Doctor of the Church. Although he lived when a ‘computer’ was a person whose job it was to perform mathematical calculations, Newman understood the principle on which we must take our stand if we are to use the tools of artificial intelligence appropriately. That principle is that the human mind is perfected by attaining the habitual possession of the truth. We look forward to seeing you at this free webinar on Thursday, Oct. 9 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET. Register Here

Throwback Thursday

Andrew Zwerneman on Enduring Loves That Shape History at Anchored at the Classical Learning Test on September 13, 2022. On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Andrew Zwerneman, founder and president of Cana Academy. Cana Academy is a nonprofit providing classical education resources and seminars for teachers. Andrew discusses the importance of how we teach history, highlighting the dangers of a fragmentary view which redefines the past by specific egregious failures. Andrew points out the corroded connections in modern academia between philosophy and revelation, faith and reason, and tradition and our present experience. He shares how Christianity and Western culture have fostered an extremely diverse American culture, and emphasizes the importance of focusing our history on enduring loves. Listen