Grammaticus: Recent Episodes
Joel A. Brondos
Grammaticus presents readings, resources, and reflections for those interested in classical education and the Lutheran confession.
Theme music is courtesy of Pete Huttlinger (Visit http://ow.ly/aXuL50DS2Fd to enjoy and support more of his music).
This episode, "On Your Mark,"reviews the importance of a well-designed curriculum -- and considers what impediments one faces in attempting to establish the same.
John Milton Gregory's work, The Seven Laws of Teaching, is an excellent resource for teachers who are just beginning as well as teachers who want to review and perfect their skills. This session introduces the author and his work.
Max Shulman's short story Love Is A Fallacy recounts the efforts of a college student to educate his love interest, Polly, so she can be a fit wife, hostess, and mother. The education of Polly involves explaining the most common types of fallacies: Dicto Simpliciter, Hasty Generalization, Post Hoc, Contradictory Premises, Ad Misericordiam, False Analogy, Hypothesis Contrary to Fact, and Poisoning the Well. These fallacies demonstrate an improper use of reasoning, but the narrator discovers Polly turns from his Galatea to his Monster by using his logic lessons against his pleas for love. The fallacy that is most interesting in the story is the one known as Hypothesis Contrary to Fact, which demonstrates how guilty the narrator is of misusing logic to win Polly. Summary.
The subject of how reading ought to be taught has been a hotly-contested topic in our recent past. Listen to an excerpt from Crimes of the Educators which includes part of an interview given by Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel) on the subject.