Eleanor Bates Moody, a student at Westminster School in Alabama, selected the topic of “Classical Christian Education & Autism” for her senior thesis. Her questions were so thoughtfully and carefully prepared that we decided to share the interview she conducted with Cheryl. EBM: Why is classical Christian education a great option for the average child? […]
“I wish people would be more blunt with me,” my son said. “What do you mean?” I asked. Michael continued, “If they’re tired of talking with me, I wish they would just say so.” Subtleties escape many of us, but individuals with significant brain differences seem uniquely prone to missing social nuances. When teaching character […]
“What are we going to do about school for her?” This was among the first questions my husband and I asked each other as we processed the news of our daughter’s genetic diagnosis. Louisa’s arrival had been a joyous occasion. As parents of four boys, we were excited to welcome a daughter into our family. […]
Tears streamed down my face and I whooped for joy when the text came in. I had spent the morning alternating between busyness and prayer, trying not to pester my husband about the results of our son’s American Kennel Club Junior Hunt Test. Accustomed to achievement falling just out of our son’s reach, my heart […]
In 1946, for the preface to How Heathen Is Britain?, C. S. Lewis shared this observation: Education is only the most fully conscious of the channels whereby each generation influences the next. It is not a closed system. Nothing which was not in the teachers can flow from them into the pupils…. A man whose […]
I once rescued my autistic grandson from a pack of bullies at church, so I have his undying devotion. He calls me via FaceTime just about every day and tells me everything going on in his life. (I recount what follows with his and his parents’ permission.) My grandson is a sweet young man, but […]
Perhaps our children with special needs are not always at a disadvantage. Perhaps their mental, neurological, and even physical limitations place them at some advantage over their peers, at least when it comes to matters of the Christian faith. Jesus turns weakness into strength. I intend here to speak hope and consolation into the battle-scarred […]
From Cheryl As families and teachers can attest, the impact of autism and related conditions can be profound, complex, and lifelong. Effects often appear early, as I describe in Simply Classical: “Michelle wriggled and squirmed constantly. She craved deep contact, but could not sit still long enough to enjoy being held. Her sensory system seemed […]
Increasingly in classical schools and homeschools, we hear from those who are teaching students with autism and related conditions. In this issue of the Simply Classical Journal we will contemplate the needs of these children. Let’s begin with some information: The word “autism” derives from the Greek word autos (“self”) and was established by Leo […]
The Christian Church and classical education are a match made in heaven. In the Gospels, Jesus makes it clear that the kingdom of heaven also belongs to children and even infants (Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17). St. Paul tells Christian fathers not to provoke their children to anger but instead to raise their children […]