What: In this session, teachers will learn why fables and fairy tales help children develop a well-ordered imagination. We will discuss how to approach stories without getting in the way of the child's imagination. Experience the role, and proper ordering of the imagination through reading, narrating, and discussing a fable and a fairy tale. Teachers will learn the importance of respecting the imagination through reading, narrating, and properly discussing the moral of a story. We will include a progymnasmata fable writing exercise! 

Who: For parents, classroom instructors or home educators.

(good course for parents whose children are at classical schools)

Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025

Time: 6-8 pm CST Central Time

Cost: $30 (non-refundable)

Zoom: A link to the class will be shared on the day of the class. 

(Live attendance is encourged for an immersive experience.)

Recorded: This will be recorded and available approximately 48 hours after the class. The video will be available to view for one month. 

About the Instructor

Adrienne is the founder and director of The Classical Education Podcast as well as Beautiful Teaching Consulting. Her expertise is in collaborating and guiding new, and established schools in classical curriculum and professional development needs. She has worked as the Classical Education Advisor for the K-12 Curriculum and Professional Development Project at University of Dallas and served as the Director of Classical Methods for Responsive Education Solutions. In both roles, Adrienne has collaborated with districts, boards, school leaders, and thousands of teachers, helping nearly 30 schools transition to a classical model. She has led teams creating classical professional development, leading parent education workshops, and writing customized educational materials that promote a strong virtue-based humanities curriculum for K-12 schools.

She specializes in Coaching and transitioning schools into the liberal arts tradition; K-8 classical curriculum development; Charlotte Mason pedagogy; Trivium-Based Lesson Planning, classical charter schools; Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant education; Homeschooling.

Adrienne has been married to Brian for 32 years. She is a retired homeschool mother of four adult children and the grandmother of five. She works part-time as a Classical Pedagogy and Curriculum Specialist for Coram Deo Academies in DFW. 

"We become what we behold." William Blake(ish)

"Virtues are formed in man by his doing the actions.” Aristotle

"We are what we repeatedly do... therefore excellence is not an act, but a habit." Will Durant

What: Human beings are natural imitators. From the time we're born until we die, we tend to learn many things best by copying the movements, words, expressions, and behaviors of those we love and admire. Join me in exploring ways to harness the power of imitation in the classroom beyond conventional copywork.  

Who: Teachers for all ages are welcome. I will focus more on ages 11-18, but the principles are universal for ages 0-99.

Cost: $25 (non-refundable)

When: Saturday, October 12, 2024, 10:00-12:00 AM CENTRAL.

Recorded: Our courses are interactive, so we encourage live attendance. All courses are recorded and available 48-72 hours after the course and will be available for 1 month. You will be sent a YouTube link. 

About the Instructor: 

Mariah Martinez has worked in education since 2015 as a teacher, curriculum developer, and mentor teacher. Mariah attended the Honors College at Houston Baptist University where she received a B.A., double majoring in Philosophy and English. In 2021, she received a Master of Humanities in classical education from the University of Dallas. She is certified as a 7-12 ELAR instructor in the state of Texas. She began her teaching career at a Great Hearts school in San Antonio and now works at a Founders Classical charter school in Texas. She has eight years of middle and high school teaching experience and is a founding faculty member of the high school at her current location where she now serves as the assistant headmaster for the upper school. She has experience not only with developing classical curricula for the high school environment but has also developed guides for creating house systems and student leadership positions. Mariah's goal is to help make the methods of classical education and the philosophies behind them accessible for all.