The Fellowship
Mastering the Art of Classical Teaching
This course is closed for enrollment.
If you are here, you likely read the invitation email I sent out and are interested in joining, but want a bit more information. This is for you.
Where Are We Going?
If you are here, then you are also on a journey of mastering the art of classical teaching, or at least desire to begin that journey. Here, in The Fellowship, we see the journey of mastering the art of classical teaching as five stages, or realms, we get to explore, move through, and grow in as a result of our connection, learning, and practice. The five stages are the Philosopher, the Facilitator, the Mentor, the Coach, and finally the Classical Teacher. We each are at different stages, and, most likely, at various stages in the different content areas and liberal arts. Watch the five-minute video below to get a brief overview of the five realms.
How Do We Get There?
We get there by being part of a community that is connected and provides a free space to learn, practice, and grow from the exact stages and seasons we find ourselves. A living faculty of teachers (at home and school) committed to growing in the art of classical teaching. This program is an apprenticeship created by homeschooling teachers, for homeschooling teachers.
Logistically that looks like the following:
- A Monthly Teaching & Learning Focus Introduced in Week 1 Symposium
- Monthly actions steps and supportive resources to practice and implement the teaching focus in your homeschool and/or homeschool co-op/community.
- Small Group Masterminds in Week 2
- Community Wide Live Q&A in Week 3
- Practice/Rest Week in Week(s) 4/5
- A private Slack channel/app where can share, ask questions, and connect off social media throughout the week. Note: Slack is a social media style communication app without the social media vibe. It's private, free, clean, and focused on the reason we are here. To grow as classical teachers.
- At the end of each year, each Fellow assesses their progress on the journey and decides whether or not to continue their journey in The Fellowship.
Note: Dates and times are subject to change based on the needs of the group and holidays.
Week 1: Teaching Focus Introduced in Week 1 Symposium
Each month we will focus one of the stages of classical teaching and one aspect of the liberal arts. You will learn and you will receive an assignment for practice that is likely integrated into something you are already teaching at home or in your co-op or homeschooling community. Frequently, you will also receive resources for implementing and practicing the month's action items. Things like sample lesson plans, student handouts, and teaching tools. Symposiums are always recorded and made available inside our community content area in an organized way.
Time Commitment: No more than 1 hour live teaching time. 1-2 hours prep/practice time integrated with things you are likely already doing.
When we meet: First Tuesday of each month around 7:00pm EST
Week 2: Masterminds
In week 2 you meet with small groups to share and then wrestle through trouble spots, support others, and gain inspiration for your own teaching centered around the teaching focus for the month. You will continue to practice inside of your homeschool and community teaching spaces. Masterminds may be recorded, if and when they are recorded, they are made available in the community content areas.
Time commitment: No more than 1 hour live mastermind time. 1-2 hours prep/practice time integrated with things you are likely already doing.
When we meet: Sometime during the 2nd week of the month. Specific day and time TBD. We will poll Founding Fellows to determine best times for everyone. Mastermind sessions are 1 hour in length.
Week 3: Live Q&A
Live Q&As are for the whole group. Three people (more if time allows) will be chosen to get on the hot seat to present a difficulty or point of confusion they are experiencing in their teaching practice. These do not need to be related to the monthly teaching focus. As a group, we will support the person and help them wrestle through solutions. Hot seat topics can be anything related to classical teaching and learning. For example, assessment, a certain lesson, trouble discovering a good leading question for a book, classroom/home management issues, etc. The hot seat session is really coaching for everyone as there are many things we each can glean from hearing what others are going through and solving in their teaching. Live Q&As are always recorded and made available inside our community in an organized way.
Week 2 Time Commitment: No more than 1 hour live Q&A time. 1-2 hours prep/practice time integrated with things you are likely already doing.
When we meet: Third Tuesday of each month around 7:00pm EST
Weeks 4/5: Integration/Rest Week(s)
The last week of the month(s) will be for rest and integration. It will give each of us time to practice the skills we are learning, reflect, rest, connect with other fellows in Slack around whatever else is happening in the world of teaching, learning, and leading.
No meetings (Slack Channel will remain active and available throughout Integration/Rest week(s))
Time Commitment: Personal choice based on your practice goals.
This course is closed for enrollment.
The Fellowship Coach
Jennifer Dow is a classical teacher, homeschooling mother, speaker, and consultant. Jennifer is a CiRCE certified Classical Teacher. She has taught nature study, humanities, logic, rhetoric, and the fine arts since 2009. She founded Paideia Fellowship and currently serves as the Executive Director and lead coach for The Fellowship.
Facts & Stats about Jennifer
- Has helped over 200 homeschooling groups get started and grow.
- Contributing author for The Lost Tools of Writing Level I, 5th Edition
- Dozens of articles published on the Paideia Fellowship blog, The CiRCE Institute blog, Scholé Groups blog, and Afterthoughts.
- A memoir-style book in progress about Classical Teaching. To be published by the CiRCE Institute.
- Several podcast appearances including Truth, Goodness, & Beauty Homeschool, Your Morning Basket, The Homeschool Solutions Show, The Commons with Brian Phillips, and The Classical Homeschool Podcast.
- Has encouraged and equipped thousands of homeschooling mothers, leaders, and teachers at workshops, conferences, and training events all over the nation.
This course is closed for enrollment.
As I mentioned in the invitation email, I am opening up an opportunity for the Paideia Fellowship community to be part of the creation of this program. I'm opening up a limited number of lifetime spots into The Fellowship coaching program for just $497. When the coaching program goes live to the rest of the world it will cost $1297 annually.
This means that you'll get to be a member for the life of the coaching program without ever paying a monthly or annual fee like everyone else. This will help me off-set some of the costs of building the program, and you'll get to play a part in helping make it happen, and learn, grow, and be a part of something wonderful along the way.
But here's the catch… I opened up a few more spots for the next 24 hours, and I'll never offer the lifetime option for this membership again, AND all future members will have to pay on an ongoing basis.
I have set a date for opening the complete coaching program on Monday, March 22nd, 2021.
Between now and then, I will lead founding members through the coaching program live, ask for your input, and share updates and behind-the-scenes looks into the implementation.
Remember, this is not done and will not be fully available until Monday, March 22nd, 2021.
Also, if you become a founding member in the next 24 hours you will also receive access to the Five Stages of Becoming a Classical Teacher live Workshop.
So, if you'd like to join me in this journey click the link below and join The Fellowship.