The Torch
A deep dive into classical education
Welcome Back! What’s to Come for The Torch This Year?
For the last two years, I have had the honor to write a monthly newsletter called The Torch for our Nova Classical Academy. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide systematic, continuing education on what classical education is, how the trivium works, how we support the Great Conversation, and many, many more topics!!
This year, I will be writing monthly about the Ten Principles of Classical Education:
September: Festina Lente- make haste slowly
October: Multum non Multa- much not many
November: Repetitio Mater Memoriae- repetition is the mother of memory
December: Songs and Chants
January: Wonder and Curiosity
February: Educational Virtues
March: Scholé/Contemplation/Leisure
April: Embodied Education
May: Docendo Discimus- by teaching we learn
June: Optimus Magister Bonus Liber est- the best teacher is a good book
Other ways you could further engage in classical education are:
Attending the Parent Education Night on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at Nova Classical from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. We’ll be providing sessions on Classical Education (grades K-12), Latin (grades 2-12), Literacy (K-5), and Math (K-5). Stay tuned for more information in Nova Classical Newsletters!
Attending the Parent Night for the Minnesota Classical Education Conference on Wednesday, October 16. Details will be posted here within the next couple of weeks. Susan Wise Bauer, the author of The Well-Trained Mind, is our keynote speaker. This is an incredible opportunity to hear about classical education and interact with other families from metro area classical schools.
Read previous issues of The Torch! If you would like to catch up on readings from 2021-2022 and/or 2022-2023, I have added the links to those at the bottom of this newsletter.
Are you someone who likes to chat in person? Please let me know and we can set up a time to gather and engage in communal learning.
To encourage our community to continue to learn and discuss classical education, I will leave you with a quote from Robert Hutchins that I shared with our new teachers during orientation last week. I hope that it will reinforce why it is so important that our school community has shared understanding of what we do, how we do it, and why it matters:
"The effectiveness of modern methods of communication in promoting a community depends on whether there is something intelligible and human to communicate. This, in turn, depends on a common language, a common stock of ideas, and common human standards."
May we continue to communicate with each other with virtue and mutual understanding,
Dr. Missy Johnson
Want to catch up or revisit any Torch issues?
2021-2022 The Torch
2022-2023 The Torch
As a teacher and student of Latin and Greek, the classical model was a natural choice for me as an educator. I hold the teaching of grammar, logic, rhetoric, and virtues in high regard for learners of all ages and backgrounds. Nova Classical’s community model is inspiring, and I hope to bring thoughtfulness and openness to the Great Conversation.