2022 Workshop Talk | 59:39 | All Grade Levels, Academics & Curriculum, Teacher & Classroom, General Classroom, Rhetoric & Composition
Summary
Intentional discussions about great ideas and great books can change how our students think, what they love, and how they live. But meaningful discussions are incredibly complex events. How can we become better at developing the abilities and habits that lead to rich, transformative discussions in our classrooms? After briefly considering the philosophical and historical underpinnings of Socratic discussion, this talk will focus on ten habits of good Socratic discussions and how to train students in those habits, with the goal of equipping students to become thoughtful discussion leaders themselves. We will also consider ways to transform our broader school and faculty cultures to create an environment in which Socratic discussion thrives.
Speaker
Dr. Heather Jennings is the dean of curriculum at the Ambrose School in Boise, Idaho. She holds a PhD in English literature from the University of California Davis, an MA in English literature from Boise State University, and a BA in government from Patrick Henry College. Her engagement with classical Christian education spans nearly twenty years, rom taking courses on the literature and history of Greece and Rome in high school from Andrew Kern, a leading thinker and teacher in the cCe movement; to teaching 5th then 12th grades at The Ambrose School; to writing her dissertation on habits of learn-
ing in medieval England. Heather appreciates how classical Christian education situates learning as an expression of loving God with all our minds, equips students to be life-long learners by approaching education not simply as dispensing information but as the formation of habits, teaches students to make connections among all subjects they study, and prepares students to be culture-makers by engaging with the art and ideas that have shaped the world. Heather is married to her husband, Brian, and together they have three daughters.
Additional Materials
The Association of Classical & Christian Schools presents Repairing the Ruins, the ACCS annual conference, copyright ACCS. You may make additional copies of this recording for use by your school but please do not sell any copies of the recording, or post it on the internet.
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