Vision for a Classical School

Vision for a Classical School

Author: Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Education Podcast April 6, 2026 Duration: 18:16

Kayla Cruthers is the Head of School at Ivywood Classical Academy in Plymouth, Michigan. Join Scot Bertram as he and Kayla discuss why classical education is important to a community and how Hillsdale’s K-12 Education Office helped shape her understanding of and vision for an American Classical Education. 

Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/

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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
Bridging Art and Music [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:09
Noah Bush and Gina Capaldi join host Scot Bertram to discuss art as a discipline, how the arts change students for the better, and building collaboration between art and music teachers. Noah is upper school music and fin…
The Cultivation of Wonder in the Classical Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:27
Michele DiCristoforo, lead third grade teacher at Cincinnati Classical Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss instilling a sense of wonder in students, extending the sense of wonder to wider clas…
Kathleen O'Toole and Matthew Mehan on The American Book of Fables  [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:33
Kathleen O’Toole, associate vice president for K-12 Education at Hillsdale College, is joined by Matthew Mehan to discuss his new book The American Book of Fables. Matthew Mehan is associate dean and associate professor…
Principles of Pedagogy in Mathematics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:21
Jonathan Gregg, assistant professor of education at Hillsdale College, delivers a lecture on instilling wonder in your students when teaching mathematics. This lecture was given at the Hoogland Center for Teacher Excelle…
The Aeneid and Roman Mythology [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:31
Eric Hutchinson, associate professor of classics and chairman of Collegiate Scholars Program at Hillsdale College, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss the foundations of Roman mythology, best practices for teaching Virgil…
Success in Teaching Modern Language in Classical Schools [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:17
Diana Kinser, French teacher at Seven Oaks Classical School in Ellettsville, Indiana, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss teaching a modern language at a classical school, how modern languages helps teach students virtue,…
The Virtue of Ambition: A Panel Discussion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:43
Join Michael Berndt, director of curriculum at the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office, Allison Postell, assistant professor of Philosophy at Hillsdale College, Paul Rahe professor of history and Charles O. Lee and L…
In Defense of Logic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:31
Paul Mittermeier, Upper School Humanities teacher at Cincinnati Classical Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss the importance of formal logic, why formal logic plays such an important role in c…