10th Annual Minnesota Classical Education Conference

Celebrating 10 Years of Uniting Classical Educators

9 - 9:10 am:

9:10 - 10 am:

Who Are We? A Contemplation of Life, Liberty, and Happiness

Dr. Angel Adams Parham

(Salon ABC)

“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”…these are words American children learn from their earliest lessons about the Revolution and what it means to be American. But what do these ideas really mean? Do they hold the same meaning today as they did when they were written two-hundred fifty years ago? Classical educators are uniquely suited to engage in this conversation.

10:10 - 11 am:

Seminar Strategies in Action

Nicole Donnay, St. Croix Preparatory Academy

(Bristol)

In this interactive session, participants will learn the key components of seminar instruction, including pre-seminar preparation, seminar facilitation, and post-seminar reflection activities. The session will highlight explicit teaching strategies that build background knowledge, strengthen discussion skills, and use art as a vehicle for higher-order thinking. Attendees will also participate in a mini seminar experience while exploring practical strategies that they can bring back to their own classrooms.

Courage Over Comfort: How To Have Courageous Conversations

Jenna Van Beusekom, St. Croix Preparatory Academy

(Salon D)

In this session, participants will explore practical strategies for having courageous conversations with students, parents, and co-workers in ways that build trust, strengthen relationships, and promote deeper understanding. Participants will also reflect on common communication challenges and discuss approaches for navigating difficult conversations with confidence and empathy. Attendees will leave with actionable tips and takeaways that can be immediately implemented in school settings.

Enhancing Student Learning Through Data-Driven Practices

Donald Elkins & Suzannah Toso, Eagle Ridge Academy

(Salon ABC)

This session is a basic overview of the history of classical education along with the methodology application that was laid out in Dorothy Sayers' work entitled "The Lost Tools of Learning". Designed for new and seasoned teachers who would benefit from a fresh look at the tried and true methods of classical education. Even with the many curriculums that are available to use today, it is extremely important that we hone our own artistry as classical teachers and expand our knowledge of classical pedagogy. This session will assist with that growth.

Introduction to Seminar

Sharriah Armstrong, Augsburg Paideia Program

(Oxford)

​​Come participate in a Paideia Seminar, a collaborative, intellectual dialogue that delves into questions about a specific reading and the big ideas within the text! With students at the helm and teachers as facilitators, classrooms transform into student-centered learning communities abuzz with discussions around thought-provoking ideas and themes. Seminars engage all students across all content areas! This session is appropriate for classroom teachers of all stages of the trivium.

Cultivating Mathematical Thinkers: Connecting Minnesota's Mathematical Practices to Classical Education

Jessica Christensen, Eagle Ridge Academy

(Belfast)

Minnesota's updated mathematics standards place renewed emphasis on the Mathematical Practices, the habits of mind that characterize mathematically proficient students. These practices, including reasoning, argumentation, precision, perseverance, and the recognition of patterns and structure, align naturally with the classical tradition's commitment to logic, dialogue, and the pursuit of truth. Designed specifically for K-8 mathematics educators, this interactive session will explore practical strategies for bringing the Mathematical Practices to life through rich tasks, purposeful questioning, and mathematical discourse. Participants will experience how classical pedagogy can help students justify their reasoning, critique arguments, and engage deeply with mathematical ideas rather than simply arrive at correct answers. While focused on mathematics instruction, the session may also be valuable for School of Rhetoric mathematics teachers and educators in ELL and other disciplines who seek to strengthen students' reasoning, argumentation, and communication skills.

Leveling up Classroom Discussions!

Krista Boos, Seven Hills Preparatory Academy

(Calhoun)

Classical literature is, by definition, old, but we continue to read it because of its relevance in modern society. In this session, you will learn how to take your classroom discussions to the next level with techniques that keep all students engaged. You can use these techniques in Socratic Seminars or any time you are discussing any topic in any classroom. You'll learn how to relate even the oldest texts to modern life, making them more relevant to modern readers and helping students understand the value of texts written so long ago. When I implemented these techniques in my classroom, discussion days got rebranded as "Cool Conversations", and in several instances, engagement with the prep work tripled because no one wanted to miss out. Learn the strategies to level-up your classroom discussions!

Casting a Wider Net: Pursuing Virtue Prior to Ancient Greece

Dr. Paul Warden, Nova Classical Academy

(Dublin)

Classical education invites students into the Great Conversation through enduring questions of justice, virtue, wisdom, and eudaimonia. Yet ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt are often studied more for governments, religions, monuments, and technologies than for their words. When the curriculum reaches Greece, something changes: Homer, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle become not merely historical subjects but interlocutors whose works remain living texts. Long before classical Athens, however, Mesopotamians and Egyptians wrestled with many of the same questions: What makes a person wise? What obligations accompany power? How should the young be formed? What does justice require? What limits should govern human ambition? Their answers also broaden what we mean by virtue. Mesopotamia offers no simple equivalent to Greek aretē, nor does Egypt offer a direct corollary to eudaimonia. But these traditions need not be redefined as traditionally “classical” to matter. Rather, they allow us to broaden the Great Conversation while preserving the distinctive importance of the Greco-Roman tradition. Using short selections from Shuruppak, Hammurabi, Gilgamesh, Ptahhotep, and Egyptian death and judgment literature, this session will show how Bronze Age texts can move from the background of the classical curriculum into active conversation with it. By casting a wider net, educators can expand both what counts as a conversation about virtue and who is invited to participate. If classical education is for everyone, as I firmly believe it is, that invitation must extend beyond its traditional boundaries— across cultures as well as deeper into the past.

11:10 - 12 pm

Teaching American History with Letters

Dr. Angel Adams Parham, Keynote Speaker

(Bristol)

In our twenty-first century world of texts and email, it can be difficult to imagine a time when letter writing was a serious social form that cemented social ties and honed civic commitments. In this session we will examine letter exchanges of the revolutionary era which provide a glimpse into debates on freedom as these played out in letters that founders George Washington and Thomas Jefferson exchanged with their friends in colonial America, in Europe, and with African Americans Phillis Wheatley and Benjamin Banneker. We will explore how teaching with historic letters enlivens our understanding of 18th century history, life, and culture.

Aristotle’s Table of Means: A Virtue Primer

Sarah Brown, Nova Classical Academy

(Calhoun)

In this session, we will review both the structure and vocabulary of Aristotle’s Table of Means. After comparing current assumptions about the given terms to Aristotle’s use of them, we will consider the wider function of his structure in coaching students toward a growth mindset in the process of personal choice. This session is aimed at grades 8-12.

Classical Education Foundation and Application

Katherine Fraatz, Fenelon Classical Schoolhouse

(Belfast)

This session is a basic overview of the history of classical education along with the methodology application that was laid out in Dorothy Sayers' work entitled "The Lost Tools of Learning". Designed for new and seasoned teachers who would benefit from a fresh look at the tried and true methods of classical education. Even with the many curriculums that are available to use today, it is extremely important that we hone our own artistry as classical teachers and expand our knowledge of classical pedagogy. This session will assist with that growth.

Introduction to Seminar

Sharriah Armstrong, Augsburg Paideia Program

(Oxford)

​​Come participate in a Paideia Seminar, a collaborative, intellectual dialogue that delves into questions about a specific reading and the big ideas within the text! With students at the helm and teachers as facilitators, classrooms transform into student-centered learning communities abuzz with discussions around thought-provoking ideas and themes. Seminars engage all students across all content areas! This session is appropriate for classroom teachers of all stages of the trivium.

Classical Education and Assessments

Trent Kramer, Classical Learning Test (CLT)

(Dublin)

Classical Educators give exhaustive thought to their curriculum, school culture, pedagogy, processes and procedures, but when it comes to assessments, they simply do what every other school does. Or, worse, what the college board tells them to. My suggestion is to offer a different way of thinking about assessments in their classrooms that is more aligned with how critically we think through the rest of what we do. The session will address the following topics: a short history of assessments; the critical role assessments play in our students’ education; how standards and data have developed a negative connotation—not because they are inherently bad, but because of poor implementation and misuse; why being entirely “data-driven” is an unbalanced approach, and how avoiding data altogether is equally misguided; and a proposed framework for using data to inform teacher coaching and student intervention in a way consistent with our Classical Mission and Pedagogy.

The Art of Language

Dr. Pamela Patnode, University of St. Thomas

(Salon D)

Have you ever wondered that the instruction of reading, writing, grammar, and literature is often referred to as the Language Arts? Indeed, language is an art—and it is one that needs to be protected and cultivated by those who recognize its value. Current articles in industry publications have highlighted the decline in reading scores within every state in the nation among public school students. Drawing attention to this topic is important. Language skills are crucial to educational advancement. In fact, according to researchers, “language is the central achievement necessary for success in schooling.” This interactive workshop will discuss the acquisition and development of language as observed by both the master rhetor and great saint Augustine, along with contemporary researchers in the field of dyslexia. In addition, we will have some fun with two hands-on activities. The first will include a dyslexia simulation exercise so that educators can understand what it is like for a student when their language does not develop as expected. The second activity will be the creation of a Clerihew. Join us for an informative, practical, and fun workshop.

12 - 1 pm:

1 - 1:50 pm:

Commonplace Books and Classical Learning

Dr. Angel Adams Parham, Keynote Speaker

(Bristol)

In the keynote session we explored the foundations of the 18th century conversation on life, liberty, and happiness. We continue the conversation here as we consider how keeping a commonplace book helps our students to think carefully and critically about the way these terms are used and how their meaning shapes our life together. Participants will leave with tangible resources and models for how to integrate commonplace books into their teaching.

Spilling the Tea: Adding Drama to Any Lesson

Becky Lund, Nova Classical Academy

(Belfast)

Basic drama skills - like breathing, expression, and movement - add color to any lesson and help with student engagement, especially in the grammar stage of learning where information can seem boring and overwhelming at the same time. You'll try a few dramatic exercises and learn some practical ways to add drama to your instruction to make information stick, build reading fluency, and even help with classroom management and building community. Audience: Anyone, but primarily K-5 educators.

Understanding the "I" in AI: Classical Understandings of Intellect

Sarah Brown, Nova Classical Academy

(Calhoun)

With the influx of AI invitations to avoid complexity, we and our students benefit from clarity around what we give up when we allow someone else to think for us. Each of us is born with intellect. We are responsible to understand and develop it because, in part, our happiness corresponds to that responsibility. This session will review Socrates' understanding of intellect in Plato's Republic as well as Aristotle's placement of intellect in his soul structure in the Nicomachean Ethics. We will workshop various ways to encourage and require the exercise of this faculty in our students. This session is timely for all ages.

Beyond Burnout: A Defense of Leisure

Dr. Pamela Patnode, University of St. Thomas

(Salon D)

Currently, in the United States, burnout affects workers in nearly every industry. Research shows that 63% of physicians, nearly 70% of nurses, 55% of educators, and 40% of the overall workforce is experiencing burnout. Without question, we are living in a culture that is struggling. Burnout is real, and the consequences are significant. Classical educators need guidance to help them grow in vocation while avoiding complete overwhelm. This presentation explores research-based, practical steps for classical school leaders and educators to grow in vocation while discovering that elusive “balance in life” that we seek.

Artes Liberales Versus Artes Serviles

Heith Wetzler, Great Oaks Academy

(Salon ABC)

Why do the Liberal Arts matter today in a world changing minute by minute with the rise of AI, the impact of social media, and the general failure of educational technology's utopian promises? In this session we will contemplate common objections to the Classical, Liberal Arts approach by exploring the ancient concept of schole through the lens of Joseph Pieper's notable work, Leisure, the Basis of Culture. Importantly, we will also ask how we, as teachers who ourselves did not receive a full and true Liberal Arts education, can hope to offer this invaluable education to our students.

The Company We Keep: An Honest Look at Staff and Family Attrition

Steven J. Bourgeois, PhD, Founder & CEO, Ahart Solutions & Jason Ulbrich, Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Ridge Academy

(Dublin)

Classical schools are growing, and with that growth comes more competition for both families and teachers. Yet many schools struggle to measure how many people they actually retain from year to year. Reported turnover rates often exclude departures deemed acceptable—retirements, moves, promotions—which makes the numbers feel better but prevents meaningful comparison. This session starts with the counting: participants will calculate both staff and family retention using a consistent definition, considering every departure before deciding which turnover was healthy or harmful. We’ll also examine why family turnover deserves particular attention, since one household departure can affect siblings, enrollment timing, and word-of-mouth. From there, we’ll explore what working-conditions data tells us about who stays. Drawing on 75,594 responses across 1,175 organizations, we’ll examine which conditions are most closely associated with employees’ intention to remain—and one surprising finding: a condition strongly associated with retention may have little connection to whether people take initiative. Keeping people and motivating them are different challenges, requiring different remedies. Participants will leave with two consistent retention calculations, a definition they can use year after year, and a clearer understanding of what perception data can—and cannot—tell them about why people leave. Ahart Solutions is a sponsor of this conference.

2 - 2:30 pm:

Interactive Q & A with our Keynote Speaker

Dr. Angel Adams Parham

(Salon ABC)

We will hold an interactive Question and Answer Session with our Keynote Speaker to close our 10th Annual Conference. Please plan on joining us to thank Dr. Angel Adams Parham for being at our conference!