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The TCA U Podcast
As a classical and Christian school, we look to ancient wisdom to shape our own understanding of our work as teachers and students. In this episode, Resident Philosopher and Upper School Director Jonathan Drake joins Sara to discuss a vision of excellence based on these sources.
In this episode, TCA’s first Senior Class reflects on their capstone trip to Italy.
What did they experience as they traveled the ancient roads they have spent years studying in their classical education?
Listen in as Sara and the Seniors reflect on their memories, insights, and what impacted their lives as they immersed themselves in this truly awesome experience.
This year TCA is studying the Ancient Time Period, an era of history that may seem unfamiliar or difficult to access. How and why should we study these distant eras, and do they have any bearing on our lives today? In this episode, TCA Humanities Instructor Caleb Wright and Sara Breetzke attempt to answer these questions. They discuss ways to approach the study of history in general as well as categories for organizing and enjoying ancient history. Listen to their conversation for perspective and guidance as you study ancient times at TCA.
On today’s episode Sara Breetzke welcomes Miranda Oswald to share the vision behind TCA’s science curriculum. Miranda is a co-teacher as well as a part of TCA’s faculty for the past 6 years as the Science Department Head and a Science Curriculum writer. She is all things Science!
Miranda is the brain's behind TCA's science curriculum, a program that approaches God's creation with Truth, wonder, and humility. Listen to how Miranda thought through helping TCA students embody their science knowledge and engage with scientific thought, rather than just memorizing science facts.
Being a part of a family, a church, or even a part of a thriving community is hard work. Sometimes in the midst of the hard work, we might feel like it’s not worth it or that we don’t have what it takes.
One of our “assembly sayings” asks the question: “TCA, why are we working so hard?” And the students answer: “We are preparing to meet the King!” Being a part of a growing school can be really challenging. Why would we commit to this work as parents and co-teachers, and students and faculty? We truly believe that in the hard work, we are preparing to meet King Jesus.
In this episode, Sara Breetzke unpacks this assembly saying and encourages us while in those good, yet hard moments throughout the school year to be motivated by the present and future coming of the Lord Jesus.
As we make educational decisions for our children, there are many objectives we can try to keep in mind:
Will this decision increase or decrease time with my children?
Will this educational decision prioritize efficiency over virtue?
Are we exploring the good, the beautiful, and the true?
But one of the greatest educational objectives we can pursue is the formation of character in our children and students. Join co-teachers Abby Anderson and Erica Estep as they discuss how they try to commit themselves to this educational goal, and how the Lord uses education to sanctify not only our students, but us as co-teachers too!
"A teacher's imagination is a dangerous matter." Do you believe this? And have you considered how the ways you imagine school might change your experience as an educator, at home or in the classroom?
At TCA we desire to re-imagine education in ways that bring our experience new life and freedom. Specifically, at TCA, we've used the metaphor of a pilgrimage to rethink our goals. In today’s episode, join Sara as she narrates the story of how a renewed imagination was part of TCA's founding, and as she encourages us to continue to inhabit a better story as we begin the school year.
RESOURCE: Teaching and Christian Imagination by David Smith and Susan Felch
Welcome to the second season of the TCA U Podcast!
We wanted to start the year off right with a new episode to inspire and equip you as you prepare for a new school year. Listen in as Sara talks with co-teachers Steph Dexter and Emily Taylor about how they create homeschool rhythms in their family as the year begins, how they practice routines of rest and celebration, and how they rest in Christ through the ups and downs of the homeschool year.
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TCA parents often joke that they are getting two (or three!) classical educations for the price of one: parents and their children become educated when they're learning together in a collaborative model! What we discuss less often is that this model of education encourages just as much growth in virtue and maturity for parents as it does for their students - and that's not always easy.
Listen in as Sara Breetzke talks with Barb Moseley and Mike Kresnik about the unique experience of a co-teacher, and how the gospel is challenging and growing them as they walk alongside their children in this model.
Collaborative Education takes on a different shape once our students enter the Rhetoric stage. As Susan Wise Bauer said, “The student of rhetoric applies the rules of logic learned in middle school to the foundational information learned in the early grades and expresses his conclusions in clear, forceful, elegant language.”
But how do co-teachers lead these maturing students when they aren't masters of the material? And how can co-teachers engage students who are ready to learn and study on their own? Listen in as co-teachers Jill Ramirez and Katie Bokowshi share how they are learning alongside their Rhetoric students, engaging their students' character and trusting Jesus through the hard days.
One challenge of a collaborative education is that our students are constantly changing. While TCA offers guideposts like grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages, different students are at different levels of maturity; and their educational journey is not always linear, meaning that parents must constantly adapt to their students' changing needs. Co-teachers Sarah Sebranek and Steph Jackson address this reality as they share their experiences teaching students from Kindergarten to the Rhetoric stages.
What if being on a speech team was more than just learning how to be a good public speaker and win speech tournaments? At TCA, speech participants are learning to glorify God through their words in all contexts. On this episode of TCA U, TCA staff member Mrs. Rosenthal and TCA students Malachi and Julianna share their experience in the speech program, their growth, and opportunities coming up this Spring for our listeners to get involved.
Montana. The CIA. Homeschooling. Traveling the world. Learning and teaching Latin. These are just a few of things that describe the life of Sheri Green, one of TCA’s Board Members. We hope you enjoy learning about one of TCA's leaders - and that someday you will be able to say hello to Sheri in person!
What do we mean by liberal arts? How do the liberal arts interplay with the classical trivium and Christian, classical education? In this episode TCA teachers Kevin Estep and Jonathan Drake discuss these questions, revealing how they hope to grow students in wisdom through the Liberal Arts Track of classes in grade 7 and above.
At the time of recording of this episode, TCA has around 90 Logic and Rhetoric students separated into 4 different houses. But what do we mean by “houses”?
When you think of a “house system” you might think of 19th Century British schools or even Harry Potter. At TCA it’s like that … but with less magic and more Jesus. Listen to today’s episode to hear from house prefects Aleena and Josiah. They explain how the TCA House System shapes school culture, develops leaders, and strengthens faith in the Lord.
Trinity Classical Academy's teachers are joyful masters of their subjects. Rhetoric Humanities Instructor Caleb Wright embodies this mastery and joy. He loves sharing his enthusiasm for learning, especially in the area of history.
In this episode, join Caleb and Sara as they discuss the modern time period. They consider our place in God’s story and how we can rest in God's sovereignty as we see Him at work over the last 250 years.
Happy New Year! We want to start the new year right by renewing our commitment to our calling in education, work, and success. We don’t try to do this as the culture and society does around us, by our own will and strength. Rather, we look to God’s faithfulness towards us to fuel our commitment to the work he’s called us to do.
That’s why we ask ourselves this question in our assembly gatherings: What is your job this year? To love God and be faithful to the work he has called us to! Listen in as Sara explains how we long to love God and be faithful in our education, our work, and in all he’s called us to do.
RESOURCES:
”Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most” by Greg McKeown: https://www.amazon.com/Effortless-Easier-Matters-Random-House/dp/0593401115
We know the importance of being diligent, but how can you encourage your student to put forth effort in an area that doesn't come naturally? And how can a student learn what that effort looks and feels like? In this episode, Sara Breetzke answers these questions as she explains the meaning and intention behind the Assembly Saying: TCA, Show Up! Heads up! Eyes up! Effort Counts Twice!
RESOURCES:
Angela Duckworth’s book Grit: https://a.co/d/gcIISTb
In this episode Sara and Heather Alston discuss how TCA's art program is uniquely designed as a classical program, following the trivium and integrated with other subjects. Our hope is that through art class at TCA, students see how the visual arts can help them grow in virtue, contribute to the Great Conversation, and see more of God.
Heather is a TCA co-teacher and head of the TCA Art department.
RESOURCES:
Redeeming Vision by Elissa Weichbradt
In this episode, Sara explains the meaning and value of the Assembly Saying, “This Is Hard, This Is Fun.” She also gives practical applications for how you can live out this saying in the day-to-day of schooling at home or on campus at TCA.
Resources:
This website is where Sara learned the two types of fun: https://www.jamesstuber.com/boring-is-fun/
Carol Dweck's research on Mindset is key to understanding the mindset that helps students take on difficult academic problems with courage .. and even fun! Here is the link to her book, or here are a few notes on ideas from the book to help you apply her work to your homeschool or classroom.
