Help Your Teachers Master the Art of Classical Teaching
“Teaching is one of the three great cooperative arts. The other two are farming and healing –the arts of agriculture and of medicine. All three are “cooperative” because they must work with nature to produce the goods they aim at.”
Mortimer Adler, The Paideia Proposal: An Educational Manifesto
The teacher’s job is to support students on their learning journey. We cannot learn for the students or force them to learn. At the same time, if students are not learning, the work of education is not happening. The solution is to connect with what goes on inside a student when they learn and how we can come alongside them to support them in learning. They are the heroes. We are their guides.
All teacher training courses, workshops, and in-person training at Paideia Academics focus on training teachers to teach within the Christian classical tradition, which includes an approach that honors the nature of the student, the teacher, and the content and skills we study in the classical liberal arts tradition.
Download Jennifer’s Workshop, Retreat, and Teacher Training Informational Sheet, including Pricing and Topics Ready for Presentation ~ Available as Online or In-Person Immersive Workshops, Retreats, or Conference Talks. Download Here
Jennifer R. Souza~ Classical Teacher, Speaker, & Trainer
Jennifer Ruth Souza (formerly Jennifer Patterson-Dow) is a classical teacher, curriculum developer, and learning & development specialist. 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, an online resource and training center for Christian classical educators.
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. View Jennifer’s Curriculum Vitae Here.
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’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 lives with her husband Fr. John in Southern California, where he serves at a local Greek Orthodox Church. She enjoys music, art, poetry, trying her hand at a challenging recipe, collecting more books than she’ll ever read, and sauntering about in nature.
Jennifer’s published works and podcast appearances can be seen across the web. Listen to one of Jennifer’s lectures, workshops, or talks here. View Jennifer’s Curriculum Vitae Here.
The Five Postures of Classical Teaching
When it comes to classical teaching, there is a lot of information out there, and it’s not always conveyed in a practical way. Sometimes, this leads us to think classical teaching is not accessible. However, becoming a highly skilled and confident classical teacher is more accessible than you may think. There are only five roles, or postures, that give shape to everything one can do when teaching classically. This guide introduces you to those five postures, helps you identify your natural posture, and teaches you how to lean into the others. Download The Five Postures of Classical Teaching for Free! Download the Free Guide