The Torch
A deep dive into classical education
How Does the Classical Model Apply to Different Learning Styles?
This might be a strange start to this newsletter, but I was recently thinking about an unpleasant experience that I had in a group exercise class a few years ago. I had wanted to learn some self defense through martial arts, and due to proximity and convenience, decided upon a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu studio near my home. At first, I enjoyed my lessons at the gym: pushing myself past my traditional comfort levels and working hard to learn basic movements. However, one of my constant concerns was that I had a plate and several pins in my left ankle from a fracture a couple of years before, and had to protect that ankle from smashing or pressure during class. My instructor knew of my injury but frequently encouraged me to engage in activities where I could have reinjured myself. On one Saturday morning, our task was to partner with another classmate to spar- specifically to disengage ourselves from our partner’s forearm hold. My partner was a muscular person who outweighed me by about 50 pounds and held my forearms in such a tight grip that I had marks afterwards, as well as tried to kick at my feet and ankles even though I had indicated my concern about reinjury. When I approached the instructor about this after the session, he shrugged and let me know that it was just the way of the class, and I would need to get used to it.
This memory arose for me while I was contemplating a line from Edith Hall’s book Aristotle’s Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life (2018): “Some students need carefully tailored special treatment even under a universal system of education. ‘Presumably,’ concludes Aristotle, ‘a Professor of Boxing does not impose the same style of fighting on all his pupils’ “. Hall goes on to say that “A good teacher who adapts the curriculum to each pupil is like the ‘Professor of Boxing' who trains all his students in the same sport, but adapts the exercise program to suit their individual gifts”. I was certainly not boxing in the Jiu Jitsu class, nor do I consider my compromised ankle a gift, but this analogy resonated with me so deeply that I wanted to share it with the Torch community.
So what does our “Professor of Boxing” have to do with the classical education model and different learning styles? I hope that we are able to draw the comparison with techniques I have observed in the Nova Classical classroom as well as from anecdotal evidence from other classical schools in the US.
I recently observed a Special Education literature class where the students were reading the first book of Homer’s Odyssey. Instead of the Fitzgerald translation utilized in the ninth grade literature class, these students were reading a different version of the text- a graphic novel by Gareth Hinds. As I sat and listened to the students discuss the plot and the themes of the epic poem, I was so moved by their engagement with the material that I could not stop smiling for the rest of the day. The graphic novel, paired with a synopsis video shown to them by their instructor, were the keys to unlocking a difficult text. The instructor was in that moment our “Professor of Boxing”: training the students in the Nova Classical curriculum but adapting the exercise program to suit the gifts of the individual students.
Another snapshot from our school is from a second grade Math class, where the instructor taught passing time while I observed: finding a start time, end time, or amount of time. The curriculum of this math class is challenging for the grade, but there were still students who needed extra help and attention from the teacher. Students who were quicker at their independent work and did not need help from their teacher could have been disruptive to the environment if left to their own devices. Never fear- the “Professor of Boxing” in this second grade class used the structure and virtues of the classical education model to challenge the faster scholars to play a math game independently or with a partner, practice math facts, or do extra workbook pages.
These two examples are not enough to comprehensively address all learning styles, but they are a start for us to explore the possibilities inherent to the model. In their book Classical Education: The Movement Sweeping America (2015), Dr. G.E. Veith, Jr., and Andrew Kern address the diversity of student needs and issue their readers a challenge to see the flexibility in classical education and “the respect inherent in the classical model [which] brings hope to families who have unusual circumstances, just as it does to all parents who truly wish to educate their children”.
I never went back to my Jiu Jitsu class, but I do wonder what it would have been like if I had a teacher who truly met me where I was at, much like Aristotle’s “Professor of Boxing”. However, I am excited that our new strategic plan tasks us with providing a Multiple Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) ensuring that all of our students receive the same exercise program without being expected to all box in the same way- another beautiful blend of structure and virtues.
May we continue to educate our scholars according to their individual gifts,
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.
