Making Classical Education Accessible w/ Keith Nix

The Well-Trained Mind podcast

Summary: In this episode, Susan Wise Bauer and Susanna Jarrett chat with Keith Nix, the Head of School for Veritas School in Richmond, VA. They discuss the differences between classical education in a home school setting versus a school setting as well as the challenges of making classical education accessible to all students.

Show notes:

• Veritas School Website

Potential Questions to Ask Before Enrolling in a Classical School:

1. How do you adapt for students who come in at different levels or are on different developmental paths? What are your strategies?
2. How do you ensure that students are known by their teachers and by your administrators?
3. Can we talk to a family or two who were new here last year?
4. How can I afford this school? What is your financial model?
5. How often can kids go outside? Do teachers have power to create breaks? (particularly for younger children)
6. What is the philosophy of discipline?
7. What is the emphasis on athletics?
8. How much attention are you giving to the arts? What are your aspirations for the future?
9. What are your faculty attrition rates?
10. What are your student attrition rates?
11. How does the governance of the school function? How does the board of the school relate to the head of school?
12. Who is on the board? How many are related to the founder?
13. What is your philosophy around grading?

Timestamps:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:38) - Pros and challenges of classical education at home vs in an institutional setting
• (21:50) - How to make classical education more accessible to more families
• (32:57) - How do non-traditional schools help with growing classical education
• (39:50) - Red flags to look out for when finding a classical school
• (48:29) - Questions to ask when you visit a classical education institution
• (53:38) - One last question
• (55:10) - Outro AND ANNOUNCEMENT!!