JACKSON, Tenn. — March 30, 2022 — Beginning summer 2022, Union University will offer two five-day seminars for classical Christian educators or homeschool educators using classical Christian curricula.
Using the Latin noun for teacher, the initiative’s motto, “Even the magister needs a magister,” represents Union’s hope to help equip teachers and educators in the promotion of classical Christian education. Participants can choose from two options. From June 20-24, Union will offer a seminar considering Virgil’s “Aeneid,” and from July 11-15, participants will consider Plato’s “Republic.”
With engaging discussions, co-curricular entertainment and free writing periods, Union’s summer seminars are dedicated to help classical Christian educators and teachers grow in their knowledge and understanding of two literary works that remain prominent in classical Christian curricula.
Scott Huelin, director for the Union Honors community and professor of English, said he noticed a need among classical Christian educators for accessible faculty development initiatives. As a former high school teacher, he knows the importance of partnership in educational training.
“I know the challenge of trying to teach a book that you’re completely unfamiliar with, and books like the ‘Aeneid’ and the ‘Republic’ are both sufficiently dense and complicated works,” Huelin said. “When you’re encountering [these books] for the first time, they can be very intimidating, and even more so when you know you’ll have to teach them next fall! So, we want to offer the great resources we have here on our campus to be able to address that need.”
As classical Christian institutions and classical homeschool curricula continue to rise, Huelin said Union University is dedicated to the outreach and support of classical Christian education and faculty development, especially as the number of Union applicants from classical Christian backgrounds also increases rapidly.
“The question we are really asking is, ‘What can Union University do to support regional classical Christian educators?’” Huelin said. “We believe that we benefit — and the whole community benefits — when education is better.”
Union will offer daily lunches, coffee breaks and library privileges as part of each seminar, with free housing for participants living outside Madison County. Cost is $250 per seminar. To learn more and to register, visit uu.edu/events/classical/.