"Whenever truth comes to man by way of beauty, it necessarily transforms his character and ennobles his behavior."
David Hicks, Norms & Nobility
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!
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.
From Bleak House to The Magic Mountain: How to Teach Classically in a Lost and Lonely Age
1. Course Description (What we will do)
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.
2. Course Procedure (How we will do it)
- Online -- Bi-monthly Zoom sessions that include presentations and discussions about the glory, nature, forms, principles, elements, and practice of Christ-centered teaching
- Offline -- Canvas discussions about Zoom session content, readings, practices, and exercises
3. Who should take this course
- School teachers for any age level
- Home school parents
- Laundry washers
- Lesson planners
- Education-decision-makers
- Diaper changers
- Pastors
4. What is required
- Books and readings
- Andrew Kern's newest book, coming out soon
- Articles and handouts provided during the school year
- Nota Bene: We will develop a course companion while the course proceeds
- Video recordings from previous courses will be included as needed
- Literature -- TBDetermined
- Bible
- Gospel of John
- Selected parables and Bible stories
- Pentateuch
- Optional advanced readings will also be recommended
5. The Instructor
Andrew Kern is the founder and president of the CiRCE Institute (Center for Independent Research on Classical Education), the husband of Karen, the father of five grown adults, and the grandfather of (so far) ten grandchildren.
He has been researching, speaking, teaching, and training teachers in the Christian classical renewal since 1993, during which he has been instrumental in the founding of three schools, consulted with well over 100 schools and co-ops, and served as Director of Classical Instruction, Academic Dean, and Headmaster. Andrew speaks regularly at home school and classical conferences.
In addition, he is the co-author with Dr. Gene Edward Veith of Classical Education, The Movement Sweeping America and, with Andrea Lipinski, of The CiRCE Guide to Reading. He also led the development of CiRCE’s classical rhetoric program, The Lost Tools of Writing, and he loves Homer, Shakespeare, Anne of Green Gables, and Endeavour. Like Shakespeare, he knows a little Latin and less Greek. Except a lot less than Shakespeare.
Andrew and Karen have settled in Concord, North Carolina where they attend Christ The Good Shepherd Orthodox Mission and watch their five grown children raise their children and pursue their callings.
6. Dates and Times
From late August through May, we will meet two Tuesday nights each month. Those weeks are being identified and will be released here shortly.
7. COST
$477
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.
How to Think Like a Medieval
1. Course Description:
From video games to HBO, modern culture continues to be fascinated by the lifestyle of the Middle Ages, but contemporary portrayals fall far short of the vast medieval vision of reality. Contrary to modern perceptions, the Middle Ages were a time of flourishing thought and culture, much of which is largely forgotten or misunderstood today. 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. Throughout the year, Heidi will provide guidance and modeling of classical pedagogy, providing a practical and accessible roadmap for reading and teaching medieval texts with confidence and wonder. 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.
2. Course Procedure
This course teaches medieval thought through C.S. Lewis’ Ransom trilogy, including:
- Direct instruction on literary, historical, theological, and philosophical elements of medieval thought.
- Interactive Socratic discussion on assigned reading and ideas.
- Guidance/modeling of classical pedagogy for teaching medieval history, philosophy, and literature at home and in the classroom.
In each class, Heidi will weave together lectures and discussions. Class participants will learn historical, literary, theological, and philosophical characteristics of medieval thought as they read and discuss the three novels of Lewis’ Ransom trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength. Along the way, Heidi will intentionally model and teach classical pedagogy through Socratic discussion, mimetic teaching, and direct instruction.
3. Who should take this course
This class is for
- Homeschoolers and classroom teachers who want to read and teach medieval humane letters classically.
- Classical education professionals and/or enthusiasts who are increasing their familiarity with medieval thought.
- Thoughtful readers who are interested in an immersive learning experience in a community of enthusiastic learners.
4. What is required
(1) Complete set of C.S. Lewis’ Ransom trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet,
Perelandra, That Hideous Strength (recommended version: Scribner Paperbacks for consistent pagination)
(2) Notebook and writing utensil
(3) Internet Access
Suggested Participation:
Complete biweekly assigned readings
Attend class live or access class recordings
5. The Instructor
Heidi White, M.A., is a teacher, podcaster, homeschooling mother, and author. She teaches Humanities at St. Hild School in Colorado Springs and is the author of The Divided Soul: On Duty and Desire in Literature and Life. She is a contributing author, speaker, consultant, and Atrium instructor at the Circe Institute and a weekly contributor on fiction, poetry, and Shakespeare on the Close Reads Podcast Network. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Anselm Society and the Academic Advisory Board for the Classical Learning Test. She writes fiction, poetry, and essays, and she speaks about literature, education, and the Christian imagination. She lives in Colorado with her husband and children.
6. Dates and Times
1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesdays
8:00 - 9:30pm EST
Launch Date: September 10, 2024
Final Date: May 6, 2025
7. Cost
$477
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.
Norms & Nobility
1. Course Description
Our Focus--Dig into the Text
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.
“[T]he supreme task of education [is] the cultivation of the human spirit: to teach the young to know what is good, to serve it above self, to reproduce it, and to recognize that in knowledge lies this responsibility.” (Norms, p. 13)
Norms & Nobility is considered by many to be one of the foundational texts in the classical education renewal. Educator and author David Hicks states the question shaping today’s education system is, “What can be done?” when it should instead be, “What ought to be done?” But what specifically does this mean and how can we effectively teach in light of this?
Other such questions addressed by this book include:
* Does this impact the curriculum I use? If so, how?
* What “ideal type” should be our focus?
* Why do we even need an ideal type?
* What about science?
If you have not yet read this text, you should. If you have already read this text, you can attest to the fact one read is not enough. This profound work helps us better understand why pursuing a classical education is worth the effort, both for ourselves and for our students. It helps us identify and comprehend that ache in our souls, that burning need pushing us to do the hard work.
2. Course Procedure
The Format--Understanding then Applying
We will meet twice a month to discuss each chapter. The first time we meet on a specific chapter, we will focus on understanding what Hicks is saying to us. The second time will be geared toward the more practical aspects of the material, in other words, what it looks like in practice.
While examining Norms, students will also further their understanding of classical pedagogy. Instructor Tonya Rozelle will lead each session modeling both mimetic and Socratic instruction in order to facilitate robust discussions on this rich material.
3. Who should take this course
Whether you are a teacher in a traditional school setting or a homeschooling parent, if you are trying to lead your students in a classical education, this course is for you. If you just love this text and are always looking for others eager to discuss its finer points, this course is for you. If you are completely new to classical education, and are not really sure what it all means, this course is for you. If you want to better understand how to develop a classical curriculum, this course is for you. If you wish to better understand the benefits of classical education for all levels of society, this course is for you.
4. What is required
Norms and Nobility text
To participate in this course, you will need a copy of Norms & Nobility by David V. Hicks. There is a preface written for the 1990 edition that is excellent and worthy of much marginalia in its own right. Since we will dedicate time to this preface, I strongly suggest you purchase a copy that includes it. A new edition of this text is scheduled to release this August so pre-order now to ensure you have it in time.
5. The Instructor
Join Tonya in the 2024-2025 Atrium year, and together you learn why, "[t]he sublime premise of a classical education asserts that right thinking will lead to right, if not righteous, acting." (Norms, Preface, p. vi)
Tonya Rozelle has been classically educating herself and others for the past 20 years in numerous educational settings. She has a degree in English and graduated from CiRCE’s Certified Master Teacher Apprenticeship program in 2020. After spending most of her life in northern Virginia, where she homeschooled her two sons, Tonya and her husband now live in South Carolina, where she teaches in a private classical school. Tonya especially loves digging into connections between the liberal arts, studying history, and reading from an ever-growing booklist.
6. Dates and Times
The class will meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month, beginning on August 27, from 5:00-6:30pm Eastern time.
7. Cost
$477
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.