Classical Et Cetera

The Memoria Press Podcast Network

Join the educators, authors, publishers, and visionaries at Memoria Press to unpack and understand the world of classical education.

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#250
Today · 48 min
Dostoevsky Wrote the Prototype for the Modern Loner
This episode of _Margin Notes_ takes on Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It is the strange, bitter confession of a man who lives entirely in his own head, convinced he is smarter than everyone and unable to stop ruining his own life. We talk through why the narrator feels so modern, how reason fails him, and what Dostoevsky understood about desire, pride, and the human soul. Margin Notes is a book club from Memoria Press. Margin Notes is a book club podcast from the team behind Classical Et Cetera, where host Paul Schaeffer sits down with three classically educated undergraduates to discuss one great book per episode.
#249
Yesterday · 36 min
How I Learned French in 3 Months
A bilingual mother in Canada wants to pass her French heritage on to her two-year-old, but worries there isn’t time for both Latin and a modern language. In this Classical Et Cetera we discuss why it isn’t an either or choice, how studying Latin first gives you the grammatical foundation that makes French and the other Romance languages far easier, and how one of us went from no French to living his whole day in it in a single semester, thanks to Latin. *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "Bleak House" Charles Dickens (Martin) "The Classical Heritage of the Middle Ages" Henry Carey Baird (Martin) "Philosophies of Education" G. Max Wingo (Martin) Ronald Knox Murder Mystery (Tanya) "The Magician's Nephew" C.S. Lewis (Paul)
#248
Monday · 56 min
The Moral Problems in To Kill a Mockingbird
Some books stay with you long after the last page. In this episode of Margin Notes, the team talks through Harper Lee's _To Kill a Mockingbird_ - Is it a story about human dignity, about compassion, about what separates class from character? We follow Scout through Maycomb, weigh the mystery of Boo Radley, and wrestle with a verdict everyone senses is wrong and what it has to do with a mockingbird. Check out our complete set for _To Kill a Mockingbird_ - https://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/literature-and-poetry/ninth/to-kill-a-mockingbird-set/ Margin Notes is a book club podcast from the team behind Classical Et Cetera, where host Paul Schaeffer sits down with three classically educated undergraduates to discuss one great book per episode.
#247
October 14 · 43 min
How to Tell a Great Picture Book From a Bad One
What makes a picture book worth keeping, and how do you spot the difference between a great one and a forgettable one? In this _Classical Et Cetera_ we discuss the picture books that have earned a permanent place on the shelf, from _Ferdinand_ to _Blueberries for Sal_. We talk about what separates a book with “the magic” from one that isn’t worth your time, why these stories still reach grown readers, and how good picture books gently open the door to a lifetime of reading. See our Read-Aloud Collection here: https://www.memoriapress.com/read-aloud-programs/241 *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "The Trumpet of the Swan" E. B. White (Paul) "The Magician's Nephew" C.S. Lewis (Paul) Robin Hobb Series (Ian)
#246
October 13 · 23 min
Reading Flannery O'Connor for the First Time | Short Story Discussion
Margin Notes is back, and this episode the group tackles Flannery O'Connor's short story "Good Country People." A PhD-wielding atheist, a pious-but-hollow Southern mother, and a "Bible salesman" walk into a barn. What follows is a very strange short story with a lot more going on beneath the surface than it first appears. Margin Notes is a book club podcast from the team behind Classical Et Cetera, where host Paul Schaefer sits down with three classically educated undergraduates to discuss one great book per episode.
#245
October 7 · 34 min
The Best Preparation for STEM Isn't STEM
Is classical education "light" on STEM? A listener asked, so we answered! The short answer is "no." Classical schools run math and science straight through calculus and physics. The deeper answer: if school is just job training, you're preparing kids for an economy that won't exist when they graduate. We're after something higher. We discuss what an education is really for, why the most durable skills come from Latin and math, and why the best preparation for STEM isn't STEM. *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "The Feast" Margaret Kennedy (Tanya) "The Merchant of Venice" William Shakespeare (Mandy)
#244
October 6 · 54 min
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | Great Books Discussion
Margin Notes is back, and this episode the group tackles Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Our conversation covers the duality of man, the addictive nature of sin, and the question at the heart of the story—if Hyde is pure evil, how does he end up destroying himself? Margin Notes is a book club podcast from the team behind Classical Et Cetera, where host Paul Schaeffer sits down with three classically educated undergraduates to discuss one great book per episode.
#243
September 30 · 44 min
The Best From 1500–1799
Classical Et Cetera continues our best-books-by-century series, this time spanning 1500 to 1799 — from Gutenberg's press to the eve of the Romantics. Returning guest Kyle Janke joins Jessica, Paul, and Tanya to build a reading list from Don Quixote, Shakespeare, Paradise Lost, and more. Along the way: is Dracula secretly a Christian classic, why this era gave us more thinkers than storytellers, and how to read difficult old books without giving up. Don Quixote – Cervantes Robinson Crusoe – Daniel Defoe Moll Flanders – Daniel Defoe The Vicar of Wakefield – Oliver Goldsmith Tom Jones – Henry Fielding Paradise Lost – John Milton Pilgrim's Progress – John Bunyan Gulliver's Travels – Jonathan Swift Candide – Voltaire The Faerie Queene – Edmund Spenser Lyrical Ballads – Wordsworth & Coleridge Shakespeare John Donne George Herbert Samuel Johnson The King James Bible Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire – Edward Gibbon Descartes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Adam Smith, Machiavelli, Thomas More Newton, Galileo, Copernicus Common Sense – Thomas Paine The U.S. Constitution The Federalist Papers Benjamin Franklin's autobiography Jonathan Edwards, Cotton Mather *Best Books by Era* Greece: https://youtu.be/dijEqf0kcAM?si=9kVIpElDUhPlexqW Rome: https://youtu.be/gMcuWkz6XQ4?si=HzXnHEfm6wQBlzhz Middle Ages: https://youtu.be/rDB05FAPP0U?si=YuKH062Kr6uBrRak
#242
September 23 · 45 min
Teaching a Child to Read: Where to Start & What Works
Can your child sound out a word, or just guess from the picture? On this episode of _Classical Et Cetera_ , Jessica, Martin, and Paul are joined by returning guest Michelle Tefertiller to talk about teaching a child to read! We cover how to know if your child is reading-ready, what mastery actually looks like, where to start, and why a step-by-step phonics approach works when guessing doesn't. Whether you're just beginning to teach reading or wondering if you're on the right track, this one's for you. Learn more about our program here: Phonics & Spelling | Memoria Press: Classical Education What We're Reading from This Episode: "Wisdom and Innocence" Joseph Pearce (Martin) "The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales" The Brothers' Grimm (Paul) "Between Shades of Gray" Ruta Sepetys (Jessica) "The Iliad" Homer (Michelle)
#241
September 16 · 48 min
Everyone You Know Is a Character in Shakespeare
Why do we spend so much time on William Shakespeare, and is he still worth it? This _Classical Et Cetera_ talks about why Shakespeare remains everywhere, even in a culture that rarely reads him. From his mastery of human nature to Harold Bloom's idea that Shakespeare "invented the human," this conversation makes the case for reading him well. Start where it works for you, and remember that reading just one play is a real accomplishment! Browse our Shakespeare Collection: https://www.memoriapress.com/shakespeare/?utm_source=PodBean&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=237 *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" Alexander McCall Smith (Martin) "Wisdom and Innocence" Joseph Pearce (Martin) "Christy" Catherine Marshall (Tanya) "But For The Grace" Peter Grainger (Tanya) "Girl With a Pearl Earring" Tracy Chevalier (Tanya) "Growth of the Soil" Knut Hamsun (Paul) "The Trumpet of the Swan" E. B. White (Paul) "Winnie-the-Pooh" A. A. Milne (Jeremy) "The Abolition of Man" C. S. Lewis (Jeremy)
#240
September 9 · 47 min
The Grandparent's Role in Homeschooling and Classical Education
Every child needs support in their educational upbringing, and grandparents are often the ones who provide it! In this Classical Et Cetera Michelle Tefertiller joins Paul, Tanya, and Martin to talk about the role grandparents can play in education, whether at home or in a classical school. From reading aloud and celebrating small victories to filling gaps and simply being there on the hard days, grandparents offer something that no curriculum can. Their support may be what children remember most! *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "The Iliad" Homer (Michelle) "Growth of the Soil" Knut Hamsun (Paul) "The Kid from Tomkinsville" John R. Tunis (Martin) "The Innocence of G.K. Chesterton" Gerald Bullett (Martin) "Christy" Catherine Marshall (Tanya)
#239
September 8 · 43 min
What a Norwegian Brain Study Reveals About Handwriting
Why teach handwriting when everyone types? This Classical Et Cetera makes the case for penmanship in a classical education—and the reasons run deeper than nostalgia. Veteran first-grade teacher Julia Lasoi joins us to explain what handwriting forms in a child that a keyboard never will: from the Norwegian brain research on writing by hand, to the discipline and beauty of forming each letter, to the surprising return of mandated cursive in America. Browse our penmanship curriculum right here! https://www.memoriapress.com/penmanship/?utm_source=PodBean&utm_medium=CETC&utm_campaign=235 *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "Between Shades of Gray" Ruta Sepetys (Tanya) "A Natural History of Dragons" Marie Brennan (Tanya) "The Glassmaker" Tracy Chevalier (Tanya) "A History of Philosophy: Volume I" Frederick Copleston (Martin) "The Screwtape Letters" C.S. Lewis (Julia) "Battling Unbelief" John Piper (Julia)
#238
August 26 · 48 min
When Should You Teach Your Child to Read? | Classical Et Cetera Mailbag
The core four are back for another mailbag episode! We're answering questions like: When should you teach your child to read? How do you use Memoria Press with non-native English speakers and families overseas? How do you teach the Reformation without taking sides? Plus more! Thanks to everyone who wrote in. Keep the questions coming by emailing us as podcast@memoriapress.com! *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "Silas Marner" George Eliot (Paul) "After Humanity" Michael Ward (Tanya) "The Abolition of Man" C.S. Lewis (Tanya) "An Accidental Death" Peter Grainger (Tanya) "Politics" Aristotle (Martin) "A History of Philosophy: Volume I" Frederick Copleston (Martin)
#237
August 19 · 45 min
Music and Art Were Never Meant To Be Electives
How do you teach music from a classical perspective? In this episode of Classical Et Cetera, Carol Reynolds joins us to make the case that music and the arts were never meant to be a "Friday elective." Whether you're a new teacher, a homeschool parent, or someone who never learned to read a note, this conversation offers real footing: why the pedagogy already exists, why folk songs and hymns are the foundation, and how short, familiar works can do more than grand masterpieces. Practical, encouraging, and full of reassurance for teaching music at any level. *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "The Odyssey" Homer (Martin) "Against the Grain" Peter Lovesey (Tanya) "The Abolition of Man" C.S. Lewis (Tanya) "The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris" David McCullough (Carol) "The Romance of Orthodoxy" Fr. Homer F. Rogers (Carol) "Land" Maggie O'Farrell (Jessica)
#236
August 14 · 41 min
Tolkien's Hidden Gem: Farmer Giles of Ham
Margin Notes is back! This week, the gang tackles J.R.R. Tolkien's short story, _Farmer Giles of Ham_ . A humble farmer accidentally scares off a giant, earns a legendary sword, and ends up face to face with a dragon—all while the king and his knights argue about their hats. The conversation covers greed, good and bad pride, government incompetence, and what Tolkien is really saying about the common man as hero. Margin Notes is a book club podcast from the team behind Classical Et Cetera, where host Paul Schaefer sits down with three classically educated undergraduates to discuss one great book per episode. Get your copy of _Farmer Giles of Ham_ right here: https://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/read-alouds/farmer-giles-of-ham/
#235
August 12 · 29 min
Standardized Testing Is Broken. Here's the Fix.
What if standardized testing isn't the problem—but the tests themselves are? Jeremy Tate, founder of the Classic Learning Test (CLT), joins Classical Et Cetera to explain why the SAT and ACT keep getting easier, and how a test built on the Western tradition could change what students read, learn, and become. Learn more about the CLT right here: Classic Learning Test (CLT) - Assessments for Grades 3-12 *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "A Natural History of Dragons" Marie Brennan (Tanya) "Villete" Charlotte Bronte (Paul) "The Things We Never Say" Elizabeth Strout (Jessica) "The Brothers Karamazov" Fyodor Dostoevsky (Jeremy) "The Body Teaches the Soul" Justin Whitmel Earley (Jeremy)
#234
August 11 · 51 min
Frankenstein Review - Who is the Real Villain? | Great Books Explained
Margin Notes is back, and on this episode the group tackles Mary Shelley's Frankenstein! The conversation covers the danger of playing God, the necessity of community, and the question at the heart of the book—is the creature truly a villain, or a victim of the man who created him and the world that rejected him?
#233
August 5 · 49 min
Macbeth Review - Beyond the Play | Discussions, Questions & Analysis
Margin Notes is back! This time, the gang tackles William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The conversation covers ambition and its consequences, the danger of consequentialism, and the age-old question of fate versus free will. Is Macbeth the villain of his own story, or a victim of forces beyond his control? Margin Notes is a book club podcast from the team behind Classical Et Cetera, where host Paul Schaefer sits down with three classically educated undergraduates to discuss one great story per episode. Purchase Macbeth right here! Macbeth - Memoria Press: Classical Education
#232
July 29 · 45 min
Classical Et Cetera Reacts to Nolan’s Odyssey
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has finally arrived—and the Classical Et Cetera team went to see it together! In this episode, we discuss our reactions to Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic poem and ask the big questions: Can a modern film capture the spirit of an ancient hero? Was it a faithful adaptation, or a great film that tells a very different story? What do we gain and lose when a classical work is reimagined for a modern audience? Purchase our _Odyssey_ Complete Set right here! https://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/classical-studies/odyssey-set/231 *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "The Great Divorce" C.S. Lewis (Paul) "The End of the Affair" Graham Greene (Paul) "The Abolition of Man" C.S. Lewis (Tanya) "A Natural History of Dragons" Marie Brennan (Tanya) "Absent in the Spring" Mary Westmacott (Tanya) "The Hadacol Boogie" James Lee Burke (Tanya) "Will Robie Series" David Baldacci (Martin) "Land" Maggie O'Farrell (Jessica)
#231
July 22 · 1 hr 7 min
The Return of the Epic: Malcolm Guite and Arthurian Legends
Poet and priest Malcolm Guite joins Classical Et Cetera to talk about his award-winning Arthurian epic, Galahad and the Grail! We explore why the great stories still matter, how he writes poetry meant to be read aloud, and what it means to recover wonder in a modern age. This is a conversation about poetry, legend, and the enduring power of the imagination. We hope you enjoy it! *What We're Reading* from This Episode: "The Sign of the Four" Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Malcom) "The Boundless Deep" Richard Holmes (Maclcom) "Farewell, My Lovely" Raymond Chandler (Martin) "Dominion" Tom Holland (Martin) "Absent in the Spring" Mary Westmacott (Tanya) "Death of a Pig" E.B. White (Tanya)

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