The Fables of Aesop is out now!

"Whenever truth comes to man by way of beauty, it necessarily transforms his character and ennobles his behavior."

Pillars and Books

Explore the Foundations of Classical Education with a Dynamic Online Community

A one-year program, the CiRCE Atrium program explores the foundations of Christian classical education with online classes and discussions. The Atrium now features three courses. Participants can choose any one course or sign up for multiple courses! Courses include Pedagogy with Andrew Kern, How to think like a Medieval with Heidi White, and Norms & Nobility with Tonya Rozelle.

Through exclusive live webinars (two each month) and an online discussion forum, the Atrium offers a forum for contemplation and collaboration: a place to linger (and take pleasure) in the depths of the Christian classical tradition alongside like-minded fellow educators. We provide the digital platform; you bring the desire for wisdom and virtue. Together we make the community.  

The Atrium is now Open!

Andrew Kern

Pedagogy with Andrew Kern

Begins TBD

The purpose of walking this path is to Glorify Christ the Logos by equipping teachers to embody Logos-centered teaching in the home, classroom, or any other education setting.

From this course, teachers will be able to approach teaching with a high sense of purpose, learn how to build “lessons” that follow Christian classical principles, enjoy watching your students flourish in unpredictable ways, fall in love with teaching again, discover peace of mind even when you teach, and fellowship with like-minded teachers and parents in our online and offline conversations.

READ MORE ABOUT Andrew's CLASS >

How to Think Like a Medieval with Heidi White

Begins September 10

In this course, Heidi White will immerse you in the medieval mind on its own terms, walking you through essential touchstones of medieval thought from cosmology to the Holy Grail. Using C.S. Lewis’ Ransom trilogy as a literary guide, we will enter the sacramental mind of the Middle Ages through the eyes of Lewis’ Dr. Ransom, a fictional modern scholar forced to reckon with a world beyond his understanding. From beginners to enthusiasts, this course is for everyone who has ever been curious about the Middle Ages… Whether you join us for personal or professional development, this course will lay a foundation for a rich understanding of medieval thought that will bear fruit in the classroom and beyond.

READ MORE ABOUT Heidi's CLASS >
Tonya Atrium Image

Norms & Nobility with Tonya Rozelle

Begins August 27

In this Atrium course, CiRCE Online Instructor, CiRCE Workshop Leader, and Certified Master Teacher, Tonya Rozelle will lead us through David Hicks’ seminal work on classical education. We will engage in a close read of Norms & Nobility and discuss what it means for us as classical educators. 

READ MORE ABOUT Tonya's CLASS >

Participants can expect to grow in knowledge of classical education throughout the year, be inspired and energized by peer discussion and collaboration, and understand the fundamentals of Christian classical education.

* The Atrium works in partnership with the CiRCE Apprenticeship Program and thus is especially well-suited for those who are preparing to enter the Apprenticeship. Participants who complete one year in the Atrium are eligible to receive a $250 credit toward Apprenticeship tuition.

Common Questions

The Atrium requires a $75 application fee. Tuition is $477 for the year. To see the books listed below and purchase, Bookshop.org (https://bookshop.org/shop/CiRCE). You are welcome to purchase books from your chosen book store as well. 

Participants may pay via a single payment of $750 (our annual payment plan) or in ten monthly installments of $75 from the tenth of July through the tenth of April. Please note: All accounts must remain in good standing to be eligible for the Apprenticeship tuition credit. If joining the class in September, then the tuition can be divided across remaining months. 

Andrew Kern‘s class will read various texts throughout his class such as his newest book (coming out soon) and the Bible. His class will meet on two Tuesday nights each month. Those weeks are being identified and will be released here shortly. 

Heidi White’s class will read the complete set of C. S. Lewis’ Ransom trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength (recommended version Scribner Paperbacks for consistent pagination). Please also bring a notebook and writing utensil. The class will meet on the first, third, and fifth Tuesdays of every month, beginning on September 10, from 8:00-9:30pm Eastern time.

Tonya Rozelle’s class will read David Hicks’ educational treatise Norms and Nobility. The class will meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month, beginning on August 27, from 5:00-6:30pm Eastern time.

In the Atrium all activities are online, travel is not necessary, the level of participation is determined by the participant, and there is no certification associated with the Atrium.  In the Apprenticeship, in addition to online interaction, apprentices travel to retreats twice each year; Apprentices are required to complete various reading, writing, and teaching assignments and are formally evaluated each semester; and Apprentices who complete the 3-year course of study and associated requirements become CiRCE Certified Classical Teachers. 

New Atrium communities begin in August and September. All webinars are recorded and available to participants. After September 30th, new applicants may apply to be part of the group for the following year. 

All webinars will be recorded.  Atrium participants will have access to recorded webinars to view at their leisure.

The application fee is non-refundable. 
Participants who decide to withdraw from the Atrium will be refunded 100% of the tuition if they withdraw prior to August 1st. After August 1st no refunds are available.