Apprenticing Excellence: Inside Hillsdale's School Leader Fellowship Program

Apprenticing Excellence: Inside Hillsdale's School Leader Fellowship Program

Author: Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Education Podcast January 19, 2026 Duration: 25:57

Benjamin Payne, Director of School Leader Support at Hillsdale College’s K-12 Education Office, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss the Hillsdale College K-12 School Leader Fellowship, the diverse range of skills that make a good school leader, and the benefits of joining the Hillsdale College K-12 network.

For more info, and to apply to the School Leader Fellowship, follow this link: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/Schools/School-Leader-Fellowships/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


In each roughly twenty-minute episode of the Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Education Podcast, host Scot Bertram guides a conversation that feels more like a thoughtful discussion among colleagues than a formal lecture. The dialogue brings together the college's own professors, practicing K-12 teachers from its affiliated schools, and other friends of Hillsdale to explore the enduring framework of classical learning. These guests don't just define the tradition in abstract terms; they delve into its practical application in modern classrooms and its profound relevance for students today. You'll hear specific examples of how classical methods shape lessons in literature, history, and civics, fostering a deeper love for truth and beauty beyond standardized testing. This podcast serves as an accessible entry point for parents and educators curious about an education model that prioritizes wisdom and virtue, examining what truly sets this time-honored approach apart. The concise format makes it easy to fit into a daily commute, offering substantive ideas that resonate long after the episode ends.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Education Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Modeling Excellent Instruction: Hillsdale’s Master Teacher Program [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:58
Julie Apel, assistant headmaster at Hillsdale Academy in Hillsdale, Michigan, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss Hillsdale’s Master Teacher Program, what makes a teacher a master teacher, and how the program aligns with…
Beyond Mere Fact: The Rhetorical Nature of History [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:58
John Peterson, assistant director of curriculum at Hillsdale College's K-12 Education Office, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss the concept of history as rhetoric, the importance of speeches and arguments in history, an…
Classical Education 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:51
Julie Apel, assistant headmaster at Hillsdale Academy in Hillsdale, Michigan, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss what makes classical education different, why there is a renewed interest in classical education, and what…
Mastering Art: Using Narration to Boost Engagement and Mastery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:52
Abigail Teska, lower and upper school art teacher at Seven Oaks Classical School in Ellettsville, Indiana, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss using narration to help students understand artistic concepts, how to help stu…
How IEW Helps Students Enjoy Reading [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:07
Jennifer Jackett, a fifth grade teacher at Seven Oaks Classical School in Ellettsville, Indiana, and Julia McNeely, director of Title I at Seven Oaks Classical School, join host Scot Bertram to discuss the Institute for…
Virtue and Reframing for Students [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:30
Ben Payne, director of leader support for Hillsdale College's K-12 Education Office, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss helping students build emotional durability, focusing on developing virtue over value, and the essen…
Starting a Classical School In Alaska [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:20
Stephen Cox, a founding board member of Thomas More Classical School in Anchorage, Alaska, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss his role in starting a classical school in Alaska, the decision to make Thomas More Classical…