Foundations of Classical Education
For Level I, teachers will be steeped in an understanding of classical education: what it is, how it came to be, and why it matters. Participants should plan to complete Level I within one year of admission to the program.
Coursework includes:
- Introduction to Classical Education – 5 live class sessions through Memoria College (available in Spring & Summer semesters)
- The Practice of Classical Pedagogy – 5 live class sessions through Memoria College (available in Summer & Fall semesters)
- Essentials of Effective Training: Content and Classroom Management – 4 live class sessions by experienced CLSA staff, beginning in Fall 2025
- 3 written summaries of 2500 words each, detailing the areas of study addressed in the 3 courses
- On-site attendance at the CLSA Teacher Training Conference in Louisville, KY in July
- Meeting with a CLSA representative to discuss the teacher’s written summaries and review observations at the culmination of Level I
Requirements & Materials Needed
It is required that teachers applying for the Certification Program possess a strong desire to learn and study, displaying strong oral and written communication skills.
Applicants must have access to stable internet connection, a computer, an email address, a microphone, a web camera, and a word processing software (Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc.).
If a participant chooses to take the Memoria College courses for credit, the following texts are required. They are highly recommended for any participant.
- 510 Introduction to Classical Education
- The Trivium by Sister Miriam Joseph
- Educational Wastelands by Arthur Bestor
- Smiling Through the Cultural Catastrophe by Jeffrey Hart
- The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton
- From Achilles to Christ: Why Christians Should Read the Pagan Classics by Louis Markos
- A Defense of Classical Education by R. W. Livingstone (Text is available free in several formats. There are reprints also for purchase at Amazon.)
- 520 The Practice of Classical Pedagogy
- Why Knowledge Matters by E. D. Hirsch, Jr. (Selections)
- The Schools We Need and Why We Don’t Have Them by E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
- Why Johnny Can’t Read by Rudolf Flesch
- Why Johnny Can’t Add: The Failure of the New Math, by Morris Kline (free online)
- Begin Here: The Forgotten Conditions of Teaching and Learning by Jacques Barzun
Questions about the reading material can be directed to tutor@memoriacollege.org.
Cost & Enrollment
The fee for Level I Certification is $500 per teacher, which includes all live courses and designated time with a CLSA representative to review Level I. If a participant wishes to obtain masters-level credit for the Memoria College classes, they may pay an additional $150 for each course. This credit is applicable towards Memoria College’s M.A. in the Great Books.
For schools who have a CLSA Partner Membership, the Level I Certification fee is reduced to $425 per teacher.
The Level I Certification enrollment fee does not include the cost for the Teacher Training Conference in KY. Certification participants will receive 50% off that registration fee. Please email info@classicallatin.org for assistance.