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Can I teach a seminar on classical education??


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A friend of mine just called me up and asked me to teach a class or two on classical education at a conference. :001_huh: :blink: It's months away! She says she thinks I'd be good at it. I have to tell her my decision on Friday.

 

Cons: my oldest is 10. I can talk about grammar and logic stages, but rhetoric is just theoretical right now.

I don't feel all that qualified, though I've been doing classical ed for 6 years now.

 

Pros: my lack of expertise won't matter as much as I think it will, since most of the people there won't be classicists.

I'm not a total stranger to teaching classes (but I don't do it routinely either).

Free conference admission!

Spreading the classical word!

 

So, what do you think? If you've been doing this for about as long as I have, would you do it?

 

Ideally I should come up with two classes that are not alike. Should I do: overview and a grammar/logic stages? One grammar and one logic (with bonus rhetoric summary)? Or what? Ideas would be good!

 

...if only SWB would come and do this instead of me...but it's just me. :blink:

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I have a tendency to teach classes in things I know "enough" about, but am maybe not an expert on. Over the years I have learned how to make cheese from a kit, how to make felt boards, to cook with a Dutch Oven, how to do searches on the computer, how to create a butterfly garden, etc. by researching on-line and learning it myself . I have taught all of these things, and more, through community ed. or other programs. I am by no means an expert, (and I never claim to be one) but I had just enough knowledge to know more than the average class participant. That's probably not ideal, but I'm saying it can be done.

 

I'd say if you are comfortable enough with your knowledge of Classical education then go for it. Be sure to describe your classes as intro. to Classical education or intro. to grammar and logic stages, etc. This way participants will know they are attending a class on the basics and you are more likely to draw those who really don't know much about it.

 

Your audience could really be all over the place. Some will already be familiar with what you are talking about. Others will be clueless.

 

When I taught a class on how to do searches on the internet, I seriously had a couple who came to learn how to protect their computer from viruses, one wanting to learn how to sell on ebay and thought they could do it right there that night, one wanting to set up an e-mail account that night and two others wanting to learn how to use word docs. It was insane.

 

On the other hand, I had a lady come to a Dutch oven cooking class once who already had a Dutch oven and knew how to use it; she just wanted recipes. I was teaching real basic stuff for 1.5 hours and she knew it, but she signed up anyway to get recipes. She could've found that on-line in two minutes. :)

 

If your friend trusts your abilities and you are comfortable with it, then go for it. Have fun!

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