The Commonplace

Once upon a time. The words are an invitation into a world where virtue sparkles and vice is grotesque, and children love to inhabit such a place. But for the mom reading her first set of Grimm’s fairy tales, it’s a different story. They’re dark. There’s magic. Things get a little wild. If you’ve ever found yourself rewriting an old fairy tale on the fly because you weren’t sure it should be read aloud, you’re in good company. But when you’ve been told these are classical must-reads for young children, you have to ask: Why are fairy tales important?I’m joined today by Dcn. Nicholas Kotar to discuss the tradition of and need for fairytales. If our hope, in classical education, is to conform our children’s souls to Reality, we need to teach them to see as things really are.Footnotes for this episode“Russian Orthodoxy, Fairy Tales, and Good Story Telling with Dcn. Nicholas Kotar” | Pints with AquinasNicholas Kotar | WebsiteNicholas Kotar | PatreonIn a Certain Kingdom: Fairy Tales of Old RussiaIn a Certain Kingdom: Epic Heroes of Old RussiaFull book listIn a Certain Kingdom | PodcastSt. Basil’s Writers’ WorkshopTending the Heart of Virtue, Vigen Guroian__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 800+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and Virtues and Vices!

Who hasn’t looked out over a sea of young children staring blankly out of the window and wondered if they’re paying attention? Who hasn’t considered explaining the story or the vocabulary to ensure the children really get it? Perhaps we need to reconsider how young children move and understand in God’s world so we can answer today’s question: Do my little kids even understand this story?I’m joined by Mrs. Amanda Faus and Mrs. Brooke Johnson to discuss understanding in the early years by bringing together philosophy and practical realities with a heavy dose of humor and personal story. Plus, they turn the mic on me and tell me I’m wrong. Did I mention I called in my real friends for this one? Footnotes for this episodeThe Wonder Years | PodcastThe Wonder Years | Substack (Includes Wonder Tales series!)Ep 07 Stories | The Wonder YearsEp 05 How Littles Learn | The Wonder Years with Alec BiancoAn Experiment in Criticism, C.S. LewisThe Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. LewisBeauty in the Word, Stratford CaldecottBook Girl, Sarah ClarksonRisen MotherhoodEp 07 | For King and Country!: The Mythic and Moral ImaginationEp 08 | Tell Me A Story: An Interview with Emelie Thomas | Emelie’s Substack “Sacramental Stories”Simply Convivial with Mystie WinklerJohn Senior’s The Thousand Good Books ListBeatrix PotterPaul Galdone Folk TalesEveryman’s Aesop’s Fables__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 800+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and Virtues and Vices!

Once you begin looking at curricula, it doesn’t take long to notice there’s a lot of overlap on the book lists. Homer. Plato. Plutarch. Dante. Milton. It can leave a mom wondering why we have to read these books in classical education. To get that answer, however, we have to ask a slightly different set of questions: Why do some stories last and why does that matter? I’m joined today by Mr. Joshua Gibbs to discuss why loving stories that last—whether in book, music, or film—is a matter of the soul. Footnotes for this episodeGibbs ClassicalGibbs Classical: ClassesThe Cedar Room | Josh’s column at the Circe InstituteProverbial PodcastLove What LastsHow to Be UnluckySomething They Will Not Forget__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 800+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and Virtues and Vices!

While moms may be the ones buying the books, it’s the family that inhabits the worlds within them. The atmosphere, habits, and ideas of our home are shaped by the stories we read together which means we’re forming the minds, imaginations, and hearts of everyone involved. Whether you’ve just heard about living books or you’ve been reading the classics for years, you have to ask yourself: Are we building a family literary life of truth, goodness, and beauty?I’m joined by Shay and Catherine Gregorie to discuss how we can inhabit stories with our children, speaking into existence worlds that show them God’s hand in the uncommon and common moments of our lives. Footnotes for this episodeWolfbane BooksThe King of All Things, Shay & Catherine Gregorie The Forgotten King, Kenneth Padgett & Shay GregorieThe Story of God Our King, Kenneth Padgett & Shay GregorieThe Story of God with Us, Kenneth Padgett & Shay GregorieThe Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. LewisThe Wingfeather Saga, Andrew PetersonThe Wilderking Series, Jonathan RogersThe Year of Miss Agnes, Kirkpatrick HillThe Penderwicks, Jeanne BirdsallThe Trumpet of the Swan, E.B. White__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 800+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and Virtues and Vices!

As we discussed last season, there is a marked difference in how one moves in the classical world and the modern world. The classical world is a symphony; the modern, a machine. The classical world is harmonious; the modern is fragmented. The classicist is an encounter-er; the modern man, a manipulator. If there is a single idea to explain these differences, I’d venture to say it’s recognition of Christ as the logos. To really dive into the power of story, we must first look to the unifying Principle who holds all things together. Then we have to ask: How does He give form to everything?I’m joined by Mr. Andrew Kern to discuss what it means that Christ is the logos and how this reveals the grandeur of God in the world. ________Today’s episode is brought to you by Davenant Hall. Davenant Hall, the educational wing of The Davenant Institute, is refounding the medieval university for the digital frontier. They’ve graciously offered The Commonplace listeners a discount for first-time auditors for this Trinity term. Use commonplacetrinity24 to receive $25 off your fee and to receive Reforming Classical Education after registration closes. Registration ends on March 29th, and you can learn more here. Pst. I’ll see you fellow auditors in Dr. Hoskin’s Early Christian Worship class!________Footnotes for this episodeCiRCE InstituteThe CiRCE Guide to Reading, Kern and LipinskiClassical Education, The Movement Sweeping America, Kern and VeithThe Chronicles of Narnia, Lewis__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 800+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and Virtues and Vices!

Once upon a time, there were mothers with the power to build worlds with their words. Will you be one of them?That’s the question I’m posing to you, dear listener, this season. But not without first answering some of your story questions.Ps. Did you catch our season trailer? It’s magic.__________Today’s episode is brought to you by Davenant Hall. Davenant Hall, the educational wing of The Davenant Institute, is refounding the medieval university for the digital frontier. They’ve graciously offered The Commonplace listeners a discount for first-time auditors for this Trinity term. Use commonplacetrinity24 to receive $25 off your fee and to receive Reforming Classical Education after registration closes. Registration ends on March 29th and you can learn more here. Psst. I’ll see you fellow auditors in Dr. Hoskin’s Early Christian Worship class!__________You can find the full episode notes here: https://www.thecommonplacepodcast.com/podcast/ep04-00You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 800+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and Virtues and Vices!

It’s time to end season three but we’re not leaving the classical world beyond the wardrobe. We’re just going to go camping. __________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 700+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Virtues and Vices, Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

I couldn’t start closing out this third season without answering the question in the back of everyone’s minds: Do I really need to teach my kids Latin and Greek?__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 675+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Virtues and Vices, Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

Scouting is a thing in a Mason education but I think it deserves its rightful place in classical education too. Using my favourite Charlotte-Mason-is-classical pegs, we’re going to show how scouting belongs in a classical education and how you can get started. I’m joined by my own Withywindle Scoutmistress, Kriste Janczyk, and we hope you enjoy the conversation!__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 640+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Virtues and Vices, Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

For most people, classical education becomes synonymous with the liberal arts. The classical tradition, however, is larger than the liberal arts (great as they are) and, if you look closely, you’ll see your children need a few things before the liberal arts. What is this foundational work in the early years? Let’s talk about it. __________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 625+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Virtues and Vices, Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

It’s just about that time when the classical Charlotte Mason gift guides will abound and while I like heirlooms carved by a dwarf in Narnia just as much as the next homeschool mom, I don’t know if that’s exactly the gift guide we need this year. Tune in for this bonus episode pulled straight from Common House as ‘tis the season (Can you believe it?), and we’ll get back to the liberal arts next time. Announced linksWEBINAR | Awakening the Soul: Attention as a Way of Waking Up to the WorldCOURSE | Virtues and Vices__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 650+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and Virtues and Vices!

Pursuing the good life means asking, over and over again, “Am I loving the right things at the right time and in the right way? “__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 650+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, and Virtues and Vices!

As you now know, there’s a new language beyond the classical wardrobe door. We recognize it well enough to know we love what’s being said but we find ourselves hardpressed to translate it to share what is meant. Never fear. I’m joined today by the wonderful Heidi White to learn more of what classical educators mean when they say, “Classical education nourishes the soul.”It’s even better than it sounds.__________Heidi White, M.A., is a teacher, editor, podcaster, and author. She teaches Humanities at St. Hild School in Colorado Springs. She is the author of the forthcoming The Divided Soul: Reuniting Duty and Desire in Literature and Life. She is a contributing author, speaker, consultant, and Atrium instructor at the Circe Institute and a weekly contributor on fiction, poetry, and Shakespeare on the Close Reads Podcast Network. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Anselm Society as well the Academic Advisory Board for the Classical Learning Test. She writes fiction, poetry, and essays, and she speaks about literature, education, and the Christian imagination. She lives in Black Forest, Colorado with her husband and children.Find her work:www.closereads.substack.comwww.circeinstitute.org/atriumwww.instagram.com/heidiwhitereads__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 600+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, Summer Planning Series, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

Reading good stories is a no-brainer for the mom coming through the classical wardrobe. We know, in our guts, this is something we ought to do for our children. But once we actually start reading stories, we can find ourselves with a lot of questions. What’s a good story? What about magic? Won’t my kids be confused if I give them the Bible and myths? What do I do with Disney?!Well, today’s episode is for you. I’m joined by my friend, Emelie Thomas, to discuss all things story. Emelie is kind of famous in Common House for her wise words on story and her ability to name a picture book for any occasion. I know you’ll love listening to her. __________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 600+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, Summer Planning Series, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

If we want to cultivate virtue in our children (and, let’s be honest, in ourselves), we need to learn about the sacramental imagination. Some define it as "seeing the love of God in all things” but I’m partial to seeing “a halo to the edges of all earthly things”. Without this awareness of God’s Reality, how do we know the way further up and further in?__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 625+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, Summer Planning Series, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

In this mini-series on virtue, I think it important to consider the miry bog we find ourselves in. We’ve inherited philosophies and practices that make cultivating virtue more difficult than one might imagine. We’re looking for the function of an organ we’ve nearly destroyed. But, don’t worry. There’s a path out of the bog. __________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the (almost) 600 mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join a number of self-paced courses like Charlotte Mason Habits 101, Summer Planning Series, and How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

Mothers at the ready! Guard the city gates!Actually, I’m not kidding. Your child’s soul is a bit like a city, and, in the pursuit of virtue, Plato, Mason, and St. John Chrysostom have quite a bit to say about guarding the City of Mansoul and the imitation of goodness. Swords at the ready?__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 525+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join two current, self-paced courses: Habits 101 & How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

Every so often, I like to lift the veil a bit to show what happens in Common House (formerly known as Patreon but now significantly better). I hope you enjoy today’s exclusive resource about the power of story and, well, a story. Grab your kids and a cup of coffee and enjoy a tale of fair Bren and faithful Brohen!*Note: I did not name my oldest two children Bren and Brohen. Just to clarify.JOIN US IN COMMON HOUSE | $9/mo and almost 500 women from around the world learning to make truth, goodness, and beauty commonplace in their homes__________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 475+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join two current, self-paced courses: Habits 101 & How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

Everything has a catchphrase, including the classical world. Well, maybe we have two. I bet you think I’m talking about some truth, goodness, and beauty, but no, not yet. I’m talking about the other one. __________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 450+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join two current, self-paced courses: Habits 101 & How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!

Deciding to homeschool is one thing but finding the right method is a whole other thing. When you first start looking at educational philosophies, it can seem like classical education is just one of many options out there. How can you tell if one is better than another? Can one be better than the other? If only there was an objective way to measure an educational option. Might I suggest there is? __________You can find the full episode notes here (including my footnotes for this episode). You can leave the podcast a rating and review here. (I thank you!)---------Join the 430+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!Right now, you can join two current, self-paced courses: Habits 101 & How to Start a Classical Charlotte Mason Co-op!