Jason Barney
Jason Barney serves as the Principal of Coram Deo Academy in Carmel, IN. In 2012 he was awarded the Henry Salvatori Prize for Excellence in Teaching from Hillsdale College. He completed his MA in Biblical Exegesis at Wheaton College, where he received The Tenney Award in New Testament Studies. Before coming to CDA Jason Barney served as the Academic Dean at Clapham School, a classical Christian school in Wheaton, IL. In addition to his administrative responsibilities in vision, philosophy and faculty training, Jason has taught courses in Latin, Humanities, and Senior Thesis from 3rd-12th grades. He regularly speaks at events and conferences, including SCL, ACCS and the CiRCE Institute. He recently published The Joy of Learning: Finding Flow Through Classical Education, and A Classical Guide to Narration is forthcoming with the CiRCE Institute. In his free time he enjoys strategy games, long discussions, and good books. Jason and his wife Ashley have two children: a daughter named Alethea and a son named Atticus.
Dr. Patrick Egan
Patrick Egan is Academic Dean at Clapham School. He previously served as an administrator at Providence Classical Christian Academy in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned a B.Mus. in Music History and Literature from Illinois State University, an M.Div. and Th.M. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Patrick and his family spent three years living and studying in St Andrews, Scotland, where he earned a PhD from the University of St Andrews. In addition to his work within the classical Christian educational movement, he has also taught courses in New Testament and Biblical Greek at colleges and seminaries in the US and UK, currently serving as Visiting Instructor in New Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. In 2016 Patrick published Ecclesiology and the Scriptural Narrative of 1 Peter. Patrick is married to Kristin and has four children: Laura, Shannon, Joanna, and Cameron.
Kolby Atchison
Kolby Atchison is Head of School at Clapham School in Wheaton, Illinois. He earned his BA in Philosophy from Biola University and his MA in Systematic Theology from Wheaton College. While at Biola, Kolby studied Great Books in the Torrey Honors College. Over the years, Kolby has taught a range of subjects across grade levels and served in a variety of administrative capacities, including Principal. In 2022, Kolby was selected as the new Head of School at Clapham. He and his wife Bethany live in the western suburbs of Chicago with their children Justus, Vivienne, and Lionel. In his free time, Kolby enjoys working on house projects, spending time outdoors, and rooting for Chicago sports.
Books written by EdRen Authors
Charlotte Mason: A Liberal Education for All
by Jason Barney
A devoted Christian and avid proponent of liberal education, Charlotte Mason developed a philosophy that became an international movement of parents and schools to reform education. This philosophy forged a synthesis between new and old educational approaches during a time of great educational upheaval and the birth of the progressive movement. Through her biography and writings, Mason is shown to be a modern educational reformer uniquely in touch with the heart of the Christian liberal education tradition. Though at war with the modern scientism and utilitarianism of her day, Mason nevertheless embraced elements from the emerging fields of physiology and psychology as she advocated for a Christian liberal educational model that respected children as persons and embraced the riches of all knowledge for all children. In this book, author Jason Barney situates Charlotte Mason’s educational thought and practices within the context of her life and influences. He then explores Mason’s philosophy of education under the main principles that she espoused in her writings: children are born persons; education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life; and education is the science of relations. Readers will see that, in dialogue with the past as well as the present, Charlotte Mason stands as one of the giants in the history of education.
Rethinking the Purpose of Education: A Critique of Bloom’s Taxonomy from a Classical Christian Perspective
by Jason Barney
This book evaluates Bloom’s taxonomy from within the broader purpose of education as articulated in the classical Christian education renewal movement. Then it proposes a Christian vision of moral, intellectual and spiritual virtues as the proper goals of education. Lastly, it articulates the value of Aristotle’s five intellectual virtues as a rival paradigm for Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive domain objectives. The practical conclusion explores how to write learning objectives in a classical and Christian way.
A Short History of Narration: Charlotte Mason’s Teaching Practice in Historical Perspective
by Jason Barney
A Short History of Narration is a follow up volume to A Classical Guide to Narration published by CiRCE that explores the history of narration as a teaching practice in the classical tradition, from Quintilian to Comenius. This history is explored through commentary on the primary texts of great educators, with practical reflections for the classroom and connections to modern learning science. Charlotte Mason’s own innovations in using narration as a central teaching method come into clearer focus, and suggestions for novel uses of narration in our contemporary context close out the book.
A Classical Guide to Narration
by Jason Barney
A Classical Guide to Narration is a practical exploration of how Charlotte Mason’s approach to the art and skill of narration might be adopted in modern classical education settings. Full of step-by-step advice for how to implement narration in the classical school classroom, it presents the historical context of narration alongside contemporary studies that reveal its immense value in the development of young minds. By exploring the history of narration and its relationship to the liberal arts tradition, the book sets Charlotte Mason’s powerful practice on solid footing for wider adoption in the classical renewal movement.
FAQ: What is the difference between this book and Karen Glass’s book, Know and Tell? (With an answer from the author)
Know and Tell addresses the practice of narration primarily from the vantage point of home education, though she addresses a chapter to narration in the classroom with primarily a single school that was just beginning to use narration as an example. Karen Glass provides a practical introduction to the home educator, elaborating on Mason’s recommendations for the practice and providing plenty of examples of home educated student work. She pays particular attention to written narration and how it leads to teaching writing and composition. She even addresses student with special needs.
A Classical Guide to Narration is written from the perspective of application in a classical Christian school. It situates the practice of narration within Charlotte Mason’s own journey of discovery and her educational movement. It makes broader connections both to classical education theory and to the findings of recent learning science, addressing specific challenges and applications in the classroom for optimal implementation. It further proposes a unique theory on how the trivium arts find application in the narration lesson, and establishes a case for narration as a natural development within the liberal arts tradition.
Praise for A Classical Guide to Narration
“Wow! I have often commended Jason Barney’s teaching on narration, but this book reaches new heights. Were teachers to implement it as Jason describes, this practice of narration could transform education throughout the world. Do you want your students to love reading? To love literature? To love thinking deeply? Then this is a must-read book. The latest technologies and fads will always compete for our attention as educators. But Barney has rediscovered a well-worn path by which teachers can lead their students farther up and deeper into the pied beauty of God’s rich pageant of the real. I recommend this book to educators at all levels—from Kindergarten teachers to University Professors.”
Ravi Jain, co-author of The Liberal Arts Tradition
“Over the last twenty years, thousands of Ambleside students have proven the truth of Charlotte Mason’s claim that narration is the “ground plan” of a child’s education. Jason Barney does a masterful job of introducing this essential pedagogical task to the world of classical Christian education.”
Bill St Cyr, Co-Founder, Ambleside Schools International
“For every reader who has adored Karen Glass’s Know and Tell: The Art of Narration and wants to learn more—even more of the philosophy behind why narration works, how it is not merely good pedagogy but spiritual practice, and more on how to implement narration into the trivium and quadrivium—Jason Barney’s A Classical Guide to Narration must be the next read.”
Jessica Hooten Wilson, Louise Cowan Scholar in Residence at the University of Dallas in the Classical Education and Humanities Graduate Program
“While Classical educators have no lack of great works at their disposal, they often suffer from an absence of practical and effective pedagogy to bring those works alive. But no more! In a world of hyper distraction, the practice of narration forms the habit of “attending” in students which builds the skill of engaging the content in full. Often misunderstood and relegated to grammar school classrooms by academics, narration is a hidden gem. Barney’s book is for those willing to take a deeper look. Not only does he take the reader on a historic journey of the great educators and philosophers in the classical liberal arts tradition, but he rightly anchors narration in the writings of educator Charlotte Mason who understood the transformational power of narration to form habits. Mason’s discoveries of narration are reinforced by modern-day brain science researching confirming the effectiveness of narration. This important book ultimately demonstrates how narration complements the way God wired our minds. It should be in the hands of every teacher to awaken the soul and create a compelling classroom environment for joyful discovery. Anyone taking seriously the art and craft of teaching in a K-12 Classical Christian school and who is looking for an antidote to the cram, jam and forget methodologies would do well to read Jason Barney’s book and rediscover this time-tested tool called narration.”
Rev. Dr. W. Davies Owens, Executive Director, Society for Classical Learning
The Joy of Learning: Finding Flow Through Classical Education
by Jason Barney
Book Description on Amazon:
The Joy of Learning: Finding Flow Through Classical Education is a stunning synthesis of modern research on the flow state, the classical liberal arts tradition, and the thought of the British Christian educator Charlotte Mason.
Flow is the term popularized by the modern positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi for the optimal state of mind. Flow occurs when your challenges meet your current skills and you are lost in a timeless experience of euphoria in the pursuit of a meaningful goal.
The Joy of Learning takes its cue from a chapter of Csikszentmihalyi’s book Flow that discusses routes into flow through what we know as the classical liberal arts. From training the memory, to the language arts of the trivium, the mathematical arts of the quadrivium—the ancient equivalent of STEM—to the joys of history, philosophy and amateur science, this book is packed with the practical insights of an experienced teacher.
Weaving artfully between practical tips for the classroom, insights from modern research, and explorations of the tradition, The Joy of Learning has something for everyone. If you’re wondering how to cultivate joyful students as a classroom teacher, a home educator or a school leader, Jason Barney’s playful and articulate style will charm and enlighten in equal measure.
Buy the book on Amazon here and write a review to help get the message out!
Praise for The Joy of Learning: Finding Flow Through Classical Education
“Whether you are new to classical education or a veteran in the movement, The Joy of Learning offers its readers a unique opportunity to observe how the modern concept of ‘flow’ supports, and even enhances, the important work of classical educators today. Through his careful research and lucid writing style, Jason has opened the door for a fresh set of connections to be made between modern research and ancient wisdom.”
Kolby Atchison, Principal at Clapham School
“Deep thinking is our goal as educators, whether for our students or for ourselves. What if we could unlock our innate ability to dive deeply into our most important work and to do so with happiness? The Joy of Learning provides an accessible review of recent research applied to classical understandings of education. Renew your love for learning and discover how profound the work of learning can be.”
Dr. Patrick Egan, Dean of the Upper School at Clapham School, Adjunct Professor at TEDS, Research Tutor in NT at King’s Evangelical Divinity School
Ecclesiology and the Scriptural Narrative of 1 Peter
By Patrick T. Egan
The relationship between the church and the scriptures of Israel is fraught with complexities, particularly in regard to how the first Christians read scripture in light of the gospel of Christ. Patrick Egan examines the text of 1 Peter in light of its numerous quotations of scripture and demonstrates how the epistle sets forth a scriptural narrative that explains the nature and purpose of the church. Egan argues that 1 Peter sets forth an ecclesiology based in a participatory christology, in which the church endures suffering in imitation of Jesus’ role as the suffering servant. The epistle admonishes the church to a high moral standard in light of Christ’s atoning work while also encouraging the church to place hope in God’s final vindication of his people. Addressing the churches of Asia Minor, 1 Peter applies the scriptural narrative to the church in unexpected ways.
The publication of Dr. Egan’s PhD thesis, written at the University of St Andrews in Scotland challenges previous understandings of the role of scripture in Peter’s great epistle. His book explores the letter in its entirety to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the ways in which Peter grounded his theological convictions about the church in a coherent scriptural narrative. This book will help you grapple with scripture from a theological perspective whether you are a serious biblical scholar or just wanting to learn more about the letter of 1 Peter.
Praise for Ecclesiology and the Scriptural Narrative of 1 Peter
“Patrick Egan provides a sequential, detailed, and comprehensive discussion of 1 Peter’s reading of Scripture, showing how it situates its readers within the Isaianic narrative of exile and restoration. He has done much to bring Petrine hermeneutics into the field of lively study of early Christian readings of Isaiah that has focused up to now on Paul and the Gospels.”
Richard Bauckham, Retired Professor of New Testament Studies and Bishop Wardlaw Professor at the University of St Andrews and author of Jesus and the Eyewitnesses
“Patrick Egan’s study is a rich engagement with Christian social identity, as it is represented in 1 Peter. Christology, ecclesiology, and hermeneutics prove inseparable for the author, with the shared identity of Christians always determined by the unique identity of Jesus himself, an identity that is informed by-and in turn informs-the reading of Scripture. The study is as sensitive to the theological implications of 1 Peter as to the critical issues of text and background.”
Grant MacAskill, Kirby Laing Chair of New Testament Exegesis, University of Aberdeen and author of Union with Christ in the New Testament