Jennifer (Dow) Souza is a classical teacher, curriculum developer, and academic program developer. Jennifer completed her BA in Interdisciplinary Studies & English from Belmont Abbey College, is a CiRCE certified Classical Teacher, and is currently pursuing her Masters in Theological Studies, with a concentration in Patristics & Pedagogy, at Hellenic College Holy Cross. She has taught humanities, logic, writing, rhetoric, and the fine arts since 2009. She is the founder of Paideia Academics and Eastern Orthodox Charlotte Mason Homeschoolers, a popular Facebook group discussing Charlotte Mason education in the Eastern Orthodox homeschool.
Jennifer was a contributing author for The Lost Tools of Writing Level 1, published by The CiRCE Institute, and former co-host of The Classical Homeschool Podcast. Jennifer has spoken at dozens of events across the nation on classical education and teaching. Jennifer’s published works and podcast appearances can be seen across the web.
Currently she teaches English, theater, speech, and nature study at an all-girls Catholic liberal arts high school, develops curriculum with the Classical Learning Resource Center, and writes and develops classical teaching resources here at Paideia Academics.
“The Christian Classical Liberal Arts are a vehicle that usher humans toward deep healing and transformation. It is the birthright of every living soul to encounter this transformation and flourish. Sure, students who learn this way will have an impressive transcript, be college-ready, and shine in the workforce, but they will, more importantly, become more themselves, notice the humanity of others, seek understanding instead of remaining in ignorance, and rule themselves like the best of kings and queens. At the end of the day, this restructuring of priorities and a focus on the true, good, and beautiful leads to a life of wholeness and fulfillment, a life of “more than we could ask or imagine.”
— Jennifer Ruth Souza
Her research interests include:
- Classical Rhetoric
- Classical Pedagogy
- The Liberal Arts
- Literature, Letters, and Fine Art Studies
- The Intersection of Education and Healing
- Education and Pedagogy through the lives and writings of the Saints, Patristic Fathers, and Iconography
Jennifer lives in Michigan with her husband, Fr. John, who serves at a local Greek Orthodox Parish, and their youngest son. Together they have five grown children and one who joined the bunch in 2025! She enjoys music, art, poetry, trying her hand at a challenging recipe, collecting more books than she’ll ever read, and exceptionally long walks anywhere beautiful.
View Jennifer’s Curriculum Vitae Here.
Past Lectures, Workshops, & Retreats
- Body & Soul: An Orthodox Health Course for Parents, 2025-2026, Classical Learning Resource Center
- Teaching with the Rhythms of Nature: The Way Students Learn and How to Walk with them as a Guide, 2022-2024, Paideia Academics
- Logocentric Praxis: Hospitality in Rublev’s Trinity Icon and the Classroom, January 2024, CiRCE Forma Symposium
- How to Teach The Lord of the Rings, 2023, Paideia Academics
- Oratory: Teaching the Last Two Canons of Rhetoric – Memory & Delivery, 2023, Paideia Academics
- Mirror, Mystery, & Manifestation: Greek, Hebraic, and Modern Conceptions of Glory and What it Means for Classical Teaching), July 2021, CiRCE National Conference
- A Pattern for Restful Teaching: From the Poetry of Wendell Berry, September 2020, Get to Know Scholé Series
- Guest Lecturer, Classical Education at Home: Foundations; Classical Education at Home: Curriculum and Pedagogy; The Practice of Scholé; Scholé Communities Leadership, ClassicalU, June 2020
- What is Classical Education? Dispelling Common Classical Education Myths, January 2020, Thriving Students Series
- Reclaiming Rhetoric as the Pursuit & Practice of Love, August 2019, CiRCE Lecture Series
- Friendship: A Flexible Form for Teaching & Learning; Conference Q&A Panel; 2019 CiRCE National Conference
- A Sacred Journey: Friendship as the Form of Learning; 2019 CiRCE Regional Conference
- Silencing the Sirens: Odysseus & the Sirens; 2019 Scholé Groups Retreat, Classical Academic Press
- How to Teach the Humanities, 2018-2022, Paideia Academics
- Form & Freedom: Teaching Classical Rhetoric Across the Academy, 2019, Paideia Academics
- How to Teach Classical Rhetoric with the Lost Tools of Writing, 2011-2018, Paideia Academics
- Reading Relationally; Creating Thriving Classical Communities; 2018 St. Emmelia Conference
- How to Teach the Humanities in Fifth-Twelfth Grades; A Paradigm for Teaching Anything; 2018 & 2017 Paideia Fellowship Conference
- Stages of Learning; A Fairy Tale Journey: Finding the Nightingale; 2017 Classical Education Simplified Conference
- How to Teach Classically; 2016 NCHE Thrive Conference
- How to Teach Nature Study; The History of Classical Education; A Fairy Tale Journey: Finding the Nightingale; 2016 Homeschooling from Rest Retreat
- The Five Elements of Classical Education; 2015 HINTS Book Fair
Articles & Podcast Appearances
- A Pattern for Restful Teaching: From the Poetry of Wendell Berry, September 2020, Get to Know Scholé Series (Watch for Free)
- Cultivating a Vibrant Homeschool through Classical Education, E86: HOME ED SERIES with Jennifer Dow (Listen Online)
- Curiosity and Surrender: Classical Education, Poetry, and a Longing for Light (with Jennifer Dow): Humility & Doxology Podcast (Listen Online)
- The Joy of Reading in Community with Janice Campbell and Jennifer Dow, The Homeschool Solutions Show (Listen Online)
- History of Classical Education with Jennifer Dow; Truth, Goodness, Beauty Classical Homeschool Podcast (Listen Online)
- Classical Education: Its Principles, Goals, Myths, & Practices; Thriving Students, Happy Parents Summit (Watch Online)
- Tension in Morning Time: A Conversation with Jennifer Dow, Your Morning Basket (Listen Online)
- The Other Classical Homeschooling with Jennifer Dow (The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Methods), The Homeschool Solutions Show (Listen & Read Online)
- Understanding Homeschool Co-ops with Jennifer Dow, The Commons with Brian Phillips, A CiRCE Network Podcast (Listen Online)
- On Becoming A Classical Teacher, Australian Classical Education Society Blog
Publications & Curricula
- Contributing Support Author, The Lost Tools of Writing Level 1, 5th Edition, Published by the CiRCE Institute
Listen in to one of her talks, or read a few of her guest articles here.