The Consortium Podcast

Ep 67 - Dr. Scott Postma on Mastering the Academic Essay

This is Episode 67 of the Consortium Podcast, an academic audio blog of Kepler Education.

In this episode, Dr. Scott Postma delivers a breakout session on Mastering the Academic Essay. Fundamentally, good writing is clear thinking made visible. This means precision is the capital concern of any essay. This talk discusses how to teach students to say what they mean and say it appropriately, precisely, concisely, and vividly.

This talk was given at the 2024 Consortium conference in Maynard, MA on July 12-13, 2024.

Kepler's Consortiums provide resources and regional connections for Christian families, teachers, and educational organizations to expand the reach of classical education and foster human flourishing for generations to come.

The New England Consortium of Classical Educators (NECCE) exists to point New England to the unifying Truth found in Christ and His creation, the Good of fellowship with like-minded individuals, and the Beauty reflected in great works of literature, science, and art, through teaching, conversation, and conferences.

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Dr. Scott Postma lives in the chimney of Idaho with his wife of nearly 35 years. He has four adult children and more than a handful of delightfully rambunctious grand babies. He is the president of Kepler Education, edits The Consortium: A Journal of Classical Christian Education, teaches humanities courses for high school and college students, and is a religious practitioner of the ancient art of Tsundoku. He has two forthcoming books: A Primer on Classical Christian Education and a work on Recovering Christian Humanism for a Post-Christian Culture. You can find his other writings on Substack at Books and Letters.

Ep 66 - Dr. Scott Postma on Unstupiding Ourselves: The Truth About the High Calling of Classical Christian Education

This is Episode 66 of the Consortium Podcast, an academic audio blog of Kepler Education.

In this episode, Dr. Scott Postma delivers a keynote address titled, "Unstupiding Ourselves: The Truth About the High Calling of Classical Christian Education." His talk takes up a case made in a 2022 article by social psychologist, Jonathan Haidt, who argued that a particular change in the way social media works made the past 10 years of American life uniquely stupid. Drawing from the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, Haidt accurately describes a nation that is suddenly disoriented and unable to speak the same language or recognize the same truth. Dr. Postma argues classical Christian education is capable of unstupiding society in the generations to come by restoring a sensus communis and cultivating rational public discourse.

This talk was given at the 2024 Consortium conference in Maynard, MA on July 12-13, 2024.

Kepler's Consortiums provide resources and regional connections for Christian families, teachers, and educational organizations to expand the reach of classical education and foster human flourishing for generations to come.

The New England Consortium of Classical Educators (NECCE) exists to point New England to the unifying Truth found in Christ and His creation, the Good of fellowship with like-minded individuals, and the Beauty reflected in great works of literature, science, and art, through teaching, conversation, and conferences.

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Dr. Scott Postma lives in the chimney of Idaho with his wife of nearly 35 years. He has four adult children and more than a handful of delightfully rambunctious grand babies. He is the president of Kepler Education, edits The Consortium: A Journal of Classical Christian Education, teaches humanities courses for high school and college students, and is a religious practitioner of the ancient art of Tsundoku. He has two forthcoming books: A Primer on Classical Christian Education and a work on Recovering Christian Humanism for a Post-Christian Culture. You can find his other writings on Substack at Books and Letters.

Ep 65 - Sarah Abbott on Navigating Stories with Students.

This is Episode 65 of the Consortium Podcast, an academic audio blog of Kepler Education.

In this episode, Sarah Abbott teaches the practice of "Navigating Stories with Students." Her talk provides criteria for classifying books by certain qualities and she provides examples of four kinds of stories that need to be negotiated: whole stories, broken stories, bent stories, healing stories.

This talk was given at the 2024 Consortium conference in Maynard, MA on July 12-13, 2024.

Kepler's Consortiums provide resources and regional connections for Christian families, teachers, and educational organizations to expand the reach of classical education and foster human flourishing for generations to come.

The New England Consortium of Classical Educators (NECCE) exists to point New England to the unifying Truth found in Christ and His creation, the Good of fellowship with like-minded individuals, and the Beauty reflected in great works of literature, science, and art, through teaching, conversation, and conferences.

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Sarah Abbott is a classical educator and student with over twenty-five years of experience teaching, training, writing, coaching, and administrating. She serves as the Head of Outreach and Teacher Training for the Consortium, which allows her to do exciting things like lead a one-of-a-kind book club in her home and conduct trainings in classical pedagogy. Sarah is a Lecturer of Classical Education at Southeastern University and an Area Representative for Classical Conversations. Since graduating her homeschooled son, Sarah now devotes her time to learning about literature and the arts to discover connections between them and culture, and ultimately to uncover what it means to be human.

Ep 64 - Sarah Abbott on Truth Through Narration

This is Episode 64 of the Consortium Podcast, an academic audio blog of Kepler Education.

In this episode, Sarah Abbott teaches the practice of "Truth Through Narration." Her talk provides models for helping students grow in attention and retention by using the method of "retelling after hearing or seeing." Charlotte Mason noted, “The mother who trains her child to strict accuracy of statement about things small and great fortifies him against temptations to the grosser forms of lying…”

This talk was given at the 2024 Consortium conference in Maynard, MA on July 12-13, 2024.

Kepler's Consortiums provide resources and regional connections for Christian families, teachers, and educational organizations to expand the reach of classical education and foster human flourishing for generations to come.

The New England Consortium of Classical Educators (NECCE) exists to point New England to the unifying Truth found in Christ and His creation, the Good of fellowship with like-minded individuals, and the Beauty reflected in great works of literature, science, and art, through teaching, conversation, and conferences.

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Sarah Abbott is a classical educator and student with over twenty-five years of experience teaching, training, writing, coaching, and administrating. She serves as the Head of Outreach and Teacher Training for the Consortium, which allows her to do exciting things like lead a one-of-a-kind book club in her home and conduct trainings in classical pedagogy. Sarah is a Lecturer of Classical Education at Southeastern University and an Area Representative for Classical Conversations. Since graduating her homeschooled son, Sarah now devotes her time to learning about literature and the arts to discover connections between them and culture, and ultimately to uncover what it means to be human.

Ep. 63 - Why Irving Babbitt Matters to the Modern Renewal of Classical Christian Education

This is Episode 63 of the Consortium Podcast, an academic audio blog of Kepler Education.

In this episode, Dr. Scott Postma leads a breakout session on Why Irving Babbitt Matters to the Modern Renewal of Classical Christian Education at the 2024 Consortium conference in Maynard, MA on July 12-13, 2024. Babbitt sought to recover a moral imagination and revive the classical virtues of temperance, justice, courage, and wisdom—even the Christian virtues of faith, hope, and charity—as they were timeless and essential for the cultivation of a balanced and harmonious life.

Kepler's Consortiums provide resources and regional connections for Christian families, teachers, and educational organizations to expand the reach of classical education and foster human flourishing for generations to come.

The New England Consortium of Classical Educators (NECCE) exists to point New England to the unifying Truth found in Christ and His creation, the Good of fellowship with like-minded individuals, and the Beauty reflected in great works of literature, science, and art, through teaching, conversation, and conferences.

Scott Postma is Christian humanist who lives in the chimney of Idaho with his wife of more than 30 years. He has four adult children and (presently) seven delightfully rambunctious grand babies. He is a practitioner of the ancient art of Tsundoku, president of Kepler Education, editor of the The Consortium: A Journal of Classical Christian Education, and teaches dual credit courses for high school students in partnership with Faulkner University and Colorado Christian University .

Ep. 62 - Heatherly Sylvia: How to Homeschool Without Losing Your Mind

This is Episode 62 of the Consortium Podcast, an academic audio blog of Kepler Education.

In this episode, Heatherly Sylvia provides three principles for simplifying homeschooling that will provide your family with a restful learning experience without compromising quality or rigor. Her talk was given at the 2024 Consortium conference in Maynard, MA on July 12-13, 2024.

Kepler's Consortiums provide resources and regional connections for Christian families, teachers, and educational organizations to expand the reach of classical education and foster human flourishing for generations to come.

The New England Consortium of Classical Educators (NECCE) exists to point New England to the unifying Truth found in Christ and His creation, the Good of fellowship with like-minded individuals, and the Beauty reflected in great works of literature, science, and art, through teaching, conversation, and conferences.

Heatherly Sylvia is homeschooling mom and the head of mentorship and discipling at the New England Consortium of Classical Educators. She is passionate about the Word and words; her love of literature, language, and classical pedagogy is contagious. A passionate speaker, teacher, and mentor, she has a reputation for making difficult concepts approachable and practical. Heatherly is co-founder of the New England Consortium for Classical Educators, where she focuses on equipping life-long learners and homeschooling parents. She lives with her husband and two children in Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

Ep. 61 - Dr. Josh Mayo - Cheerful Truth: The Need to Let Go of Pretentious Sophistication

This is Episode 61 of the Consortium Podcast, an academic audio blog of Kepler Education.

In this episode, Dr. Joshua Mayo, associate professor of English at Grove City College, gives his second keynote address on Cheerful Truth—the need to let go of pretentious sophistication—at the 2024 Consortium conference in Maynard, MA on July 12-13, 2024.

Kepler's Consortiums provide resources and regional connections for Christian families, teachers, and educational organizations to expand the reach of classical education and foster human flourishing for generations to come.

The New England Consortium of Classical Educators (NECCE) exists to point New England to the unifying Truth found in Christ and His creation, the Good of fellowship with like-minded individuals, and the Beauty reflected in great works of literature, science, and art, through teaching, conversation, and conferences.

Josh Mayo is chair and associate professor of English at Grove City College, where he teaches British literature, composition, and the “Good Books” (feel free to ask him about this favorite term). He and his wife Bethany, along with their five children—Ezra, Silas, Ainley, Zoe Claire and Finn—live in Western Pennsylvania (in a technical sense). But for most of the year, Josh’s soul dwells in a little fishing village in Maine called “New Harbor.” Additional relevant notes: he feels inspired by Beowulf, confused by Flannery O’Connor, and elated by Dickens.

Ep. 60 - Dr. Josh Mayo - Is Literature Theology?

This is Episode 60 of the Consortium Podcast, an academic audio blog of Kepler Education.

In this episode, Dr. Josh Mayo delivers a keynote address at the 2024 Consortium conference in Maynard, MA on July 12-13, 2024.

Kepler's Consortiums provide resources and regional connections for Christian families, teachers, and educational organizations to expand the reach of classical education and foster human flourishing for generations to come.

The New England Consortium of Classical Educators (NECCE) exists to point New England to the unifying Truth found in Christ and His creation, the Good of fellowship with like-minded individuals, and the Beauty reflected in great works of literature, science, and art, through teaching, conversation, and conferences.

Josh Mayo is chair and associate professor of English at Grove City College, where he teaches British literature, composition, and the “Good Books” (feel free to ask him about this favorite term). He and his wife Bethany, along with their five children—Ezra, Silas, Ainley, Zoe Claire and Finn—live in Western Pennsylvania (in a technical sense). But for most of the year, Josh’s soul dwells in a little fishing village in Maine called “New Harbor.” Additional relevant notes: he feels inspired by Beowulf, confused by Flannery O’Connor, and elated by Dickens.

Ep. 59 - Timothy Knotts on Truth and Reality: Recovering the Lost Mythos

This is Episode 59 of the Consortium Podcast, an academic audio blog of Kepler Education.

In this episode, Timothy Knotts, Chief Philosophical Officer and Bursar for the New England Consortium of Classical Educators, delivers the opening keynote address for the 2024 conference in Maynard, MA on July 12-13, 2024.

Kepler's Consortiums provide resources and regional connections for Christian families, teachers, and educational organizations to expand the reach of classical education and foster human flourishing for generations to come.

The New England Consortium of Classical Educators (NECCE) exists to point New England to the unifying Truth found in Christ and His creation, the Good of fellowship with like-minded individuals, and the Beauty reflected in great works of literature, science, and art, through teaching, conversation, and conferences.

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Ep. 58 - The Recovery of the Classical and Christian Roots of the Social Sciences with Dr. Robert Woods - Pt.5

This is Episode 58 of the Consortium Podcast, an academic audio blog of Kepler Education.

In the final episode of this series, Dr. Robert Woods wraps up the conversation surrounding the key concepts from his forthcoming book, Neither Angel Nor Beast. Dr. Woods explains what he believes is the essential need in modern education to recover a humane understanding of the social sciences.

In large part, modern education treats the social sciences with the philosophical is. That means, the human condition is studied as merely observation of what man tends to do. In classical and Christian thought, however, subjects in the social sciences, like anthropology, have historically explored the human condition in relationship to the philosophical ought, the Norms relating to man's ideal conditions and purposes.

Dr. Woods has been a Classical Christian educator for nearly 20 years. He has a B.A. in biblical studies and ministry from Point University, an M.A. in religious studies from Barry University, and a Ph.D. in humanities from Florida State University, and most recently, he earned a D.A. from Harrison Middleton University. He developed and chaired the Great Books Honors College at Faulkner University for more than 15 years and is the author of Mortimer Adler: The Paideia Way of Classical Education, published by Classical Academic Press.

Dr. Woods teaches adult learning courses and leads the Teacher Certification Program at Kepler Education. You can find his courses at the link provided.