Why do we study the fine arts, and how should K-12 schools cultivate a love and understanding of great art among their students? How should we study sculpture in particular, and what makes the great sculptors so excellent? How should we study Michelangelo's David in particular? Dr. O'Toole had a fascinating conversation with Prof. Anthony Frudakis, Associate Professor of Art at Hillsdale College on Michelangelo's David and why we study sculpture. Enjoy!
Category: Classical Education
Productive Struggle in Math
George Polya, a master in mathematics education in the early twentieth century, is credited with saying that if a problem takes fewer than 24 hours to solve, it isn't worth solving. When I first heard this, I was discouraged. How can I help my students to understand math if everything worth knowing takes so much… Continue reading Productive Struggle in Math
When I’m Proud of My Students
French students from Seven Oaks Classical School had the opportunity to participate in a statewide French language and culture competition called “Le Congres.” At this annual event, students test their skill in knowledge-based contests such as vocabulary, history, and geography questionnaires as well as their oral production of the language in reading previously unseen texts… Continue reading When I’m Proud of My Students
Real Talk about That First Year
So many of us came into this profession with dreams of what it would be like and the great impacts we would make only to find the reality a rather rude awakening. But were all those visions complete fantasy? No. Teaching has fulfilled all those dreams I had when I was little. But they didn’t all come true in that first year, or even in the second.
History and Humility
At the start of each school year, I pose the question to my students: why do we study history? Each year their answers become more thoughtful and nuanced. They begin with the standard “so we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past” and different variations of “because it is interesting and good” to know history… Continue reading History and Humility
Cultural Literacy and Music
Classrooms Reflect our Classical Values
Images and Socratic Dialogue
Civilized Meal Time and the Virtues of School Lunch
There's a reason why the image of a family gathered around a table enjoying a meal together invokes warm feelings of communion and kinship. While we can't recreate a shared family dinner with all its intimacy inside the schoolhouse, teachers can help to develop in children the kinds of virtues and conversational skills that are… Continue reading Civilized Meal Time and the Virtues of School Lunch
Meaningful Mistakes & Desirable Difficulties
In teaching rigorous content, there’s a golden mean between safeguarding students from any glimpse of ‘failure’ and letting them flounder miserably. That sweet spot is what I like to call the zone of desirable difficulties and meaningful mistakes. Nobody likes to feel like they’re wrong or unable to solve problems, especially adolescents keen on impressing… Continue reading Meaningful Mistakes & Desirable Difficulties