Summer Courses
Our summer courses overlap, but the synchronous sessions do not. As such, it is possible to take more than one course at the same time. However, pick and register for the course or courses most relevant to you. Please consult with your headmaster or direct supervisor if you’re unsure about what would best fit your needs.
Personal Leadership II – June 10-30, 2024
Building on Personal Leadership I, Personal Leadership II centers on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, particularly the character of Prospero, to cement your understanding of who a classical leader is and what his or her work means in the context of education. The readings and assignments promote a sustained intellectual engagement with Shakespeare’s vision, as well as self-reflection on your strengths and areas of growth.
Each module takes you through parts of the play, supplemented by readings that enhance the play’s meaning. Moreover, you will be asked to read and write on various lyric voices that complement Shakespeare’s insights.
Course Prerequisite: Personal Leadership I.
Required text: Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Download a free copy here.
Lives of Leaders: Thomas More – June 3-30, 2024
This course serves as an introduction to the life and leadership of Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), Chancellor of England and a pillar of the Western intellectual tradition. Drawing from a selection of works written by More and about him, we will examine the variety of ways in which More responded to the contingencies of his day, as well as the virtues he cultivated which made such responses possible. Particular emphasis will be given to More’s characteristic combination of sobriety and good humor, his concern for the danger of pride, his diligent regard for his fellow citizens, and his dynamic approach to the moral life.
This is the first in a series of courses on the lives of leaders from history. Our next course in the series will be on Martin Luther King, Jr.
Required text: A Thomas More Source Book
Facilitator: Nicolas McAfee, Ph.D. Dr. McAfee is the Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow at the Center for Thomas More Studies. His research centers on the politics of William Shakespeare and Thomas More, and he is the author of Political Wisdom in Late Shakespeare: A Way Out of the Wreck (Lexington, 2024).
Building a Strong Faculty Culture – June 3-23, 2024
Building a Strong Faculty Culture uses the classical virtues as a paradigm for developing a healthy faculty. The objective of this course is to develop your understanding of the components of a healthy faculty culture so that you can bring that understanding to bear on the practical, day-to-day decision-making processes of a school teacher.
Required texts: Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Josef Pieper’s Leisure: The Basis of Culture, and Daniel Pink’s Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.
Building a Strong Student Culture – June 3-23, 2024
Building a Strong Student Culture uses the classical virtues as a paradigm for cultivating a healthy student body in partnership with teachers. The objective of this course is to develop your ability to integrate a consideration of virtue and an orientation toward virtue into the practical, day-to-day decision-making processes of a school teacher.
Required text: Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics.
Facilitator: Ms. Corinne Jacobson, National Senior Director of Professional Development and former Headmaster at North Phoenix Prep.
Academy for Classical Teachers – June 2024
The Academy for Classical Teachers (ACT) provides online enrichment for classical teachers who seek to teach in their classrooms according to the principles of a traditional Liberal Arts Education. ACT is a collaborative initiative of Great Hearts Academies and our partner institutions in both higher education and classical K-12. This year’s courses are designed to help teachers dive deeply into content, with an eye toward both theory and practice. Faculty are drawn from our friends in higher education, expert teachers, and scholars who have chosen to teach within the public K-12 arena because of the unique opportunities it affords.