Paideia Academics is devoted to making the classical liberal arts tradition accessible to all who want it through courses for students, courses for teachers, and consulting and training for schools and homeschooling communities.
At Paideia Academics, we seek to provide a space where all who enter know they belong here. We don’t care so much about being “classical” enough, in the ivory tower sense; come as you are. We have learned that classical doesn’t have to look buttoned-up to be authentic and transformative. Rather, being classical is, first and foremost, a way of being, a mindset, and a disposition toward your students, what you teach, and your own teaching practice. From there, the particulars follow quite easily. If you want to master the art of classical teaching, join us. Beginning is easier than you may think.
Services
Consulting, Workshops, & Speaking – Learn More
Classes for Students – Learn More
Classes for Teachers – Learn More
Core Values
Honor & Dignity
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.Psalm 8:3-5
Honor over shame, every day of the week. We believe that each person has innate dignity and is filled with divine light. We seek to love our neighbors by noticing and respecting the light in them while also allowing others to see the light in us. Because we each have this light, we know truth, goodness, and beauty may be found in any book, culture, or person, whether it be an ancient liturgy, a child, a tribal story, an old poet, or a modern-day musician. Seek to understand. Invite rather than impose.
Form & Tradition
We celebrate tradition and form. At Paideia Academics, we honor this reality by aligning ourselves with forms that have stood the test of time and honor the dignity of every student, teacher, and subject/content area we teach. We acknowledge that we are all communal beings that find nourishment in coming together around the classics, the questions, and the ideas that speak deeply to what it means to be human.
Inclusive & Ecumenical
We deeply value an inclusive and ecumenical atmosphere. All are welcome. Our community comprises people from many nations, cultures, religious traditions, backgrounds, and lifestyles. We believe the classical liberating arts are a space of common ground and dignity for every human soul, and no one group or culture owns it. We enjoy learning from literature, art, and ideas across the globe and among many nations, groups, and people.
Hospitality
“The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Hospitality is the act of loving and giving healing space to our neighbors, all of our neighbors, including ourselves. Hospitality is an embodiment of the belief that each person has innate dignity and is worthy of honor.
Hospitality makes a classical liberal arts education and its end goal come to pass. We make space for each person through hospitality to learn, heal, not-know, wrestle, experience victory and failure, discuss, and connect. It includes a lot of mess and mystery, beauty, form and freedom, courage, humility, and openness. Hospitality is the foundation for the trust required to experience real learning, freedom, and healing. It is woven throughout every experience at Paideia Academics.
Our Founder & Director
Jennifer Patterson is a classical teacher, consultant, and artist. Jennifer is a CiRCE certified Classical Teacher and has taught humanities, logic, rhetoric, and the fine arts since 2009. She is the founder and director of Paideia Academics, an organization devoted to training new classical educators how to teach the classical liberal arts.
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. Currently, Jennifer is writing her first book about classical teacher development. Her research interests include classical rhetoric, classical pedagogy, world mythology, the intersection between education and healing, and how we find belonging on this side of eternity.
Jennifer’s teaching and training style is thoughtful, down-to-earth, immersive, and practical. Participants walk away with deep, authentic, and hands-on knowledge of the content discussed in each training. Additionally, Jennifer leads participants in connecting with the ancient philosophy of the classical tradition and shows them how to connect it to practices and ideas that live on the ground level in the classroom.
Jennifer’s published works and podcast appearances can be seen across the web. Read Jennifer’s complete bio here, including links to lectures and conference talks.