In this episode, Winston Brady and Marc Fusco discuss the joys of teaching middle school and studying astronomy. Mr. Fusco currently teaches Junior High History and Trivium at Thales Academy Raleigh, where he shares his love of classical education, literature, and history with his students, and he also is an Assistant Varsity Soccer Coach at Thales…

At the root of classical education is a noble challenge championed by master teachers throughout the Western heritage: teaching is the process of soul-craft—by which educators cultivate virtue within other human beings so that they might live good lives. This challenge inherently elevates the role of teachers beyond mere transmitters of knowledge t…

What is the telos of education? In a free society, is it desirable or practical to attempt to design a single system of schooling that is ideal for everyone? Can schools hold a neutral position regarding morality and values, or is education a fundamentally ethical enterprise that inevitably adopts a new moral framework when an old one is removed? I…

The current education system in the United States is increasingly misaligned with the needs of many Americans. This paper explores the shortcomings of our “federalist” approach to education, emphasizing how federal overreach and bureaucratic stagnation have hindered progress and outcomes. While federal involvement was intended to promote equity and…

In this presentation, Robert Luddy walked through Thales Academy’s mission—to offer the highest quality education at the lowest possible price—and the real, practical steps that educational entrepreneurs can take to establish similar schools and educational institutions. Robert "Bob" Luddy is the Founder and Chairman of Thales Academy, Thales Colle…

If values like respecting proper parental authority and discretion, promoting awareness and admiration for American and Western culture, preparing students for constructive and knowledgeable citizenship, and conveying an accurate sense of American history in world context, once again became priorities, as there were in the past, what would K-12 edu…

Winston Brady offers opening remarks at the 2025 Liberty & Literacy Forum in Wake Forest North Carolina. The word "liberal" comes from the Latin "libertas," and within the word "libertas" is the word "liber," meaning “book." The Romans never separated "liberty" from a sound, content-rich education, and neither should we. The ways of grammar, logic,…

Kim Tully serves as the lead for the Luddy Industrial and Vocational Arts program and the Luddy Institute of Technology at Thales Academy. These programs guide students through the fundamental skills and topics and through rigorous hands-on activities and experiments, all of which are explained in detail and with photos throughout the books Kim Tul…

Social media and smartphones present unprecedented challenges for educators and parents. Parents and teachers often recognize that smartphones and social media do not help students, but they have not had data to confirm this belief. In this episode of Developing Classical Thinkers, Ashley Bahor and Olivia Holliday discuss Jonathan Haidt's 2024 book…

In this episode, Winston Brady speaks with Joseph Wolak, assistant head of school at the Thales Academy Apex JH / HS campus. Joe is a veteran teacher with over twenty years of experience teaching mathematics, and he shares his best tips and strategies in the classroom concerning pedagogy, classroom management, preparation, and grading for math teac…

In this video, teachers Joe Wolak and Winston Brady walk through a fun lesson plan to do with students to calculate pi using some plates, mugs, some string, and a ruler. Free download available at https://bit.ly/4gV7CydBy Developing Classical Thinkers

January 31-February 1, the CiRCE Institute held its annual FORMA Symposium, hosted on the beautiful campus at Belmont Abbey College. The In this speech from the FORMA Symposium, Winston Brady addresses the plight of science education in the twenty-first century. Today, much of science education is not oriented toward truth but the cultivation and c…

The problems in American secondary education cannot be solved by simply throwing money at the problem. They require innovative but practical insights to help drive down costs while creating more value for students, teachers, and parents. In this episode of Developing Classical Thinkers, Robert Luddy explains his philosophy of continuous improvement…

In this episode, Joseph Wolak will present strategies for teaching junior high mathematics for teachers. He will present tips on classroom management, strategies for grading, and some ideas for building inquiry-driven lessons with the Saxon math curriculum. Mr. Wolak is joined by Ashley DiPenta and Naomi Back, members of the Thales junior high staf…

Dr. Finnis delivered his lecture, Moral-Philosophical Reflection and the Development of Doctrine, during the Contested Moral Questions and Development of Doctrine Conference at the University of Dallas on October 9, 2024. This distinguished conference, organized by Ryan T. Anderson, the St. John Paul II Fellow in Social Thought at UDallas, brought …

The success of the classical education movement continues to generate headlines in major publications and the support among parents hoping to see better educational options for their students continues to grow. As the number of classical schools continues to increase, whether they are charter schools, independent private, or parochial schools, peop…

In this webinar, Kristin Gyure and Katie Jones present an overview of Direct Instruction and their best teaching practices for meaningful and effective engagement and learning. Mrs. Gyure received a B.A. in Child Development and Family Studies from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She serves as Assistant Head of School at Thales Academ…

Virtue refers to the habits of moral excellence, something that cannot necessarily be taught but classical educators must try and incorporate into their lessons each and everyday. To this end, Robert Luddy and Winston Brady provide this webinar for our character education program, the need to teach virtue and character formation, and a book to aid …

There is great power in our ability to observe the world around us. We must make time to stop and see, for we never know when a small observation leads to a great encounter with truth. Students need to be trained in the way to discover truth by developing the naturalists ability to take an interest in what they can observe. Naturalists like John Mu…

Conferences for teachers tend to be "mountaintop" experiences. These events are fruitful times of learning and reflection on the art of teaching and why the task of education is so vitally important today. On this episode of Developing Classical Thinkers, Winston Brady interviews three Thales staff members about their recent experience traveling to…

Is Christmas "classical"? And by "classical," we mean an idea, a book, a value, an institution, or an ideal originating in the ancient world vivified by the Judeo-Christian tradition during the medieval period. In this episode, Winston Brady, Josh Herring, and Will Begley discuss the joys and difficulties of the Christmas season, where the holiday …

Classical education strives to preserve the past to give hope for the future. We recognize that the more we know about the past, the more confident our hope is that the future will be better, brighter, and more full of the joy and opportunities we hope to see in the world. The Christmas season is a particularly important time to reflect on such thi…

An epic poem is by definition, a long poem on themes of universal importance. Every culture seemingly has one of its own, but a few have risen to the top as being one of a handful of epics that are must-reads on every Great Books program. In this episode, host Winston Brady speaks with Anthony Esolen about epic poetry and what makes an epic, epic. …

In this lecture, Dr. Chelsea Wagenaar offers her insights into leading robust discussions and explore common pitfalls to leading a good discussion in a literature (or other humanities) course, as well as numerous strategies to get students comfortable, talking, and invested in the material. Dr. Wagenaar also looked at ways teachers can respond to s…

In this episode, Winston Brady and Josh Herring discuss about the Certificate in Classical Education Program at Thales College. CCEP for short, this is a certificate program that teaches the unique purposes and goals behind classical education, allowing classical educators to excel in their field and help their students to fulfill their potential. …

According to tradition, the first Thanksgiving was celebrated at Plymouth Plantation in 1621. 102 settlers had crossed the Atlantic on board the Mayflower and landed off the coast of Cape Cod. They did not call themselves pilgrims, but the word pilgrim–meaning someone who undertakes a long, difficult journey for a spiritual purpose–is the best way,…

Teaching is more than information transfer; it involves personal formation and imparting a "way of being" toward your subject matter (and, ideally, toward life in general). This formative approach is in line with both certain approaches to teaching that can be found in certain examples of both ancient and modern pedagogy. It can open up new vistas …

In this episode, science and educational consultant Tom Hardy looks at a brief overview of science and science education in the United States since World War II. Tom Hardy is a friend of Thales Academy and Thales Press, working as a consultant for mathematics and science curricula. He holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry and has done graduate wor…

In this session, Brian Balfour will look at issues making headlines in the news such as inflation, price controls, and tariffs. He will explain how and why inflation sets in, why price controls create shortages of vital goods and services, and why tariffs help create cartels and higher prices passed onto consumers. Lastly, Mr. Balfour will present …

For American writers, there is something of a quest in American literature to write the great American novel. Such a work would typify the American experience in the same way Homer's epics or Virgil's "Aeneid" did for ancient Greece and Rome, respectively. And while there are many great American novels, there is not one unquestioned work that earns…

The keynote address from the Fall Classical Summit, 2024. In this talk, Dr. Ryan Olson examines the value of classical education and the role the study of great books and great ideas contributes to the formation of great character. to resist the sweep of impoverished influences by nurturing your personal and professional soul in the moral sources o…

In 1845, Congress passed a law designating the first Tuesday in November as election day. Henceforth, the nation would vote every four years for a Presidential candidate, members of the House of Representatives, and, depending on the year, a suite of Senate candidates, with elections for other offices occurring in by-years depending on the state an…

Why do we dedicate one night of the year to wearing costumes and asking for candy? How did such an odd holiday become an established part of the American calendar? Should students at a classical school be celebrating such a holiday? Is Halloween classical? In this episode, Winston Brady and Josh Herring talk through the ways Halloween may or may no…

In this webinar, Winston Brady, Kellie Scripter, Chris Scripter, and Matt Ogle conducted a model seminar for teachers over the opening chapters of Quintilian's "On the Education of an Orator." They presented and modeled best practices for seminar teaching and the kinds of habits, disposition, and overall love of learning teachers need to encourage …

History, as the name implies, is a story, and history, at its best, is the most engaging and exhilarating story. As a story told about the past, the study of history contains meaningful insights about the present; insights that, if properly presented, should inspire students to make better choices in the future. Thus, the study of history holds a p…

Today's episode is from a short training video produced by Thales Press for classical educators. Classical educators use conversation in the classroom as a teaching method. By asking questions, we can determine if a student is off task and not listening, and we can help students understand a difficult concept. And thoughtful, meaningful engagement …

Today's episode is from a short training video produced by Thales Press for classical educators. In this recording, Winston Brady covers three helpful, simple rules (although they are more like “hypothetical scenarios") gleaned from years he taught middle school. Classroom management for classical educators requires a unique mix of leadership princ…

In a sense, grades shouldn't matter. Learning should be a joyful activity undertaken for its own sake. Grading and assessing can do much to stifle a student's appreciation, curiosity, and wonder. Yet, at the same time, a contemporary school with large classes has few other means to encourage students to do the work and provide feedback on their beh…

Dorothy Sayers presented a paper entitled The Lost Tools of Learning at a summer conference at Oxford in 1947. In the paper, she makes a rather astute observation about “end-of-term reports” which should “combine a deep veneration for truth with a tender respect for the feelings of all concerned.” Ms. Sayers’ description of comments is profound. Th…

Recently, the Mises Club of the Carolinas hosted their annual meet-up at Sugar Mountain, North Carolina. Dr. Paul Cwik of the University of Mount Olive delivered this address looking at the significance of the Austrian School of Economics. Dr. Cwik looked at the assumptions of the Austrian School including its emphasis on human action, individual l…

The virtue of prudence is one of the four cardinal virtues, and yet, it is often overlooked. Prudence is the virtue of making wise, reasoned decisions, absorbing the collected wisdom of the Western canon and applying that wisdom to the situation at hand. In this talk from the Conference of Miletus, Matthew Ogle, Head of Classical Education at Thale…

Where you begin largely determines where you end. The modern, secular world defines human beings as being basically animals, but often dismisses the conclusions of such an idea. If man is basically an animal, then ideas of human dignity and the value of human life are easily subsumed in the reality of “might makes right.” Such a starting place and …

Today, many educators downplay the value of the Western canon. They discount any wisdom or insights one may glean from being steeped in the tradition we have inherited. In this lecture from the Conference of Miletus, Anthony Esolen presents five reasons why teachers ought to teach the great works of the Western tradition and the impact it can have …

Today, many schools disconnect the teaching of science and the scientific process from ideas of design, natural order, and natural law. As a result, students lose sight of the purpose and limits of the scientific process and lack the habits of intellectual curiosity and academic rigor that lie at the heart of science education in grades kindergarte…

Each year, Thales Academy and Thales Press hosts the Conference of Miletus, a series of short lectures on topics related to classical education and practical teaching tips. This year, the theme of the conference was "First Principles for Classical Educators." In this episode, Winston Brady and Matt Ogle discuss each of these four principles. A firs…

In case you didn’t know, summer vacation largely came about for two reasons. The first was to free up children to help with important farm chores as the time for harvesting came close. The second reason was the lack of air conditioning. Since more and more Americans are out of farming, and the invention known as air conditioning has made it possibl…

In this episode, Winston Brady speaks with Matthew Young, Site Manager of the CSS Neuse and Governor Richard Caswell Memorial Museum in Kinston, North Carolina, part of a collection of North Carolina Historic Sites. In the episode, they discuss the history behind this Civil War-era ironclad, the battles in which it took place, and how such a massiv…

In this episode, Winston Brady speaks with Lauren Spier about the Fort Raleigh historical site, better known as the "Lost Colony." They discuss the history of the site--who founded the colony and how the site became "lost"--as well as suggestions for parking and food options for teachers and parents planning a field trip to visit the site. The park…

In this episode, Winston Brady speaks with Dr. Gary Hartenburg, director of the Honors College at Houston Christian University and an Associate Professor of Philosophy. In the episode, they discuss the dialogues of Plato, the questioning habits of Socrates, and the very nature of truth, goodness, and reality itself--a can't miss episode, to be sure…

This week, we are reposting this episode in honor of Memorial Day, a holiday that honors those who have given their lives in service to our country and in preserving our freedom. In this episode, we look at the beginnings of Memorial Day, why we celebrate the holiday and how long we have done so. Then, we draw out the significance of the day by loo…