After School with RCS

Beyond the four walls of Redeemer Classical School, the classical Christian education (CCE) movement is thriving. In 2010 there were roughly 140 classical Christian schools. Today there are over 1,500 schools serving more than 667,000 students. This growth has coincided with the growth of several key institutions and organizations that support CCE, such as the Society for Classical Learning, Classical Academic Press, and the Classic Learning Test (just to name a few). On today’s episode Aaron and Ron interview Soren Schwab, the Vice President of Partnerships at the Classic Learning Test (CLT). In the course of this interview, they discuss what makes the CLT different from other college entrance exams (such as the SAT and ACT), what’s happening in the world of higher education today, and the growth of classical Christian education more broadly. Please join us for a fascinating and lively conversation around these important topics.

The 2024-25 school year marks Redeemer Classical School's 20th anniversary. To help us commemorate this milestone we're recording a series of interviews with founders, early adopters, and alumni. In the fourth installment in this series, we're speaking with alumna Rachel Kudzin (nee Augustine). Rachel attended Redeemer from 4th-8th grade, in the very earliest years of the school. She received a bachelor's degree in statistics from UNC Chapel Hill and is currently pursuing a master's degree at UNC Chapel Hill. In this episode she recollects what it was like to be a student at Redeemer as the school was just starting out. She also speaks to what makes Redeemer such a special learning environment, and, in the process, we discuss how Redeemer has changed and how it has stayed the same in the things that count most.

The 2024-25 school year marks Redeemer Classical School's 20th anniversary. To help us commemorate this milestone we're recording a series of interviews with founders, early adopters, and alumni. In the third installment in this series, we're speaking with alumna Penny Fries. Penny attended Redeemer from Kindergarten through 8th grade (the highest level we offered at the time). She is currently a senior at Vanderbilt University, majoring in Chemical Engineering. Penny shares what, in her mind, makes Redeemer such a special place and, along the way, offers some advice to current students for making the most out of their time at Redeemer.

The 2024-25 school year marks Redeemer Classical School's 20th Anniversary. To help us commemorate this milestone we're recording a series of interviews with founders, early adopters, and alumni. In the second installment of this series we're speaking with Dr. Brian Augustine. Brian was Redeemer's Founding Board Chair and is an alumni parent, with three children who have attended Redeemer. In this episode we discuss what sparked an interest in Classical Christian education, the challenges that the school faced early on, and how the school has remained committed to its core values since its inception. Brian currently serves as the Chair of the Chemistry Department at Furman University and joins us remotely from Greenville, South Carolina.

The 2024-25 school year marks Redeemer Classical School's 20th Anniversary. To help us commemorate this milestone we're recording a series of interviews with founders, early adopters, and alumni. In the first installment of this series we're speaking with Bill Leach. Bill is the Pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA), husband to our beloved Rhetoric School teacher, Mrs. Annie Leach, and the father of five Redeemer alumni. He's also a founding board member. Join us as we dive into some of Redeemer's early history and the values and vision that led to the founding of our school.

There seems to be widespread agreement that AI will revolutionize the way we live and work. The biggest question, for now, is whether or not that revolution will be positive or negative. Will AI improve our quality of life, as its proponents say? Will it allow us to produce better work more efficiently? Or, as the detractors argue, will it make us more anxious, stressed, and busy? Will AI only further disrupt our relationships and, in the process, dehumanize us?    In this episode, the fourth and final installment in our series on AI and education, Aaron and Ron discuss the negative potential that AI has for education. In the process they discuss the ways that AI could distort our understanding of the purpose of education, disrupt relationships, and lead to a dehumanizing experience. Resources: Amusing Ourselves to Death by PostmanThat Hideous Strength by Lewis

There seems to be widespread agreement that AI will revolutionize the way we live and work. The biggest question, for now, is whether or not that revolution will be positive or negative. Will AI improve our quality of life, as its proponents say? Will it allow us to produce better work more efficiently? Or, as the detractors argue, will it make us more anxious, stressed, and busy? Will AI only further disrupt our relationships and, in the process, dehumanize us?  In this episode, the third installment in a four part series, Aaron and Ron discuss the positive potential that AI has for education. In the process they discuss the ways that AI could prove helpful to teachers and students and, ultimately, allow for improved relationships and a more humane education. Resources: Social Acceleration by Hartmut Rosa

To say that there’s a lot of talk about Artificial Intelligence these days would seem to be a gross understatement. Everywhere we look there’s a new blog post, news article, podcast, book, youtube video (and more!) on AI — what it can do, what it purports to do, and what might be able to do in the future. It’s enough to make one’s head spin! In the world of education, much ado has been made about the impact of AI on the future of teaching and learning. Some seem convinced that AI is the death knell for education, while others see limitless potential for increasing student engagement and learning.  In this episode Aaron and Ron continue the conversation that was started in the previous episode, as they take a closer look at AI and the philosophical underpinnings that should guide how we think about AI — both in its potential for good and bad. This is part two of a four part series on AI and education.  Articles and books mentioned in the podcast: The Age of AI: And Our Human Future, HENRY KISSINGER, ERIC SCHMIDT, AND DANIEL HUTTENLOCHERRise of Techno-Authoritarianism” by Adrienne La France (in the Atlantic)Don’t Fuss About Training AIs. Train Our Kids.”AI Demonic: What is this Thing? By Paul Kingsnorth

To say that there’s a lot of talk about Artificial Intelligence these days would seem to be a gross understatement. Everywhere we look there’s a new blog post, news article, podcast, book, youtube video (and more!) on AI — what it can do, what it purports to do, and what might be able to do in the future. It’s enough to make one’s head spin! In the world of education, much ado has been made about the impact of AI on the future of teaching and learning. Some seem convinced that AI is the death knell for education, while others see limitless potential for increasing student engagement and learning.  In this episode Aaron and Ron take a closer look at AI and examine some of the philosophical underpinnings that should guide how we think about AI — both in its potential for good and bad. This is part one of a four part series on AI and education.  Articles and books mentioned in the podcast: The Age of AI: And Our Human Future, HENRY KISSINGER, ERIC SCHMIDT, AND DANIEL HUTTENLOCHERRise of Techno-Authoritarianism by Adrienne La France (in the Atlantic)Don’t Fuss About Training AIs. Train Our Kids.AI Demonic: What is this Thing? By Paul Kingsnorth

Youth athletics holds a major place in our lives and in our society today. This is clearly seen in the amount of money that families spend on youth sports. According to a recent Aspen Institute study, families in the U.S. spend between $30-$40 billion dollars on youth sports each year. Given the fact that so many young people play sports and that many of them play on school sponsored teams, it shouldn’t be surprising that schools are spending more and more money on athletic programs, as well. Classical schools aren’t immune to this trend. As the movement grows more and more classical schools are wading into school sports, many in a big way. In today’s episode Aaron and Ron discuss the purpose of school sports and, in the process, examine the many benefits that sports have to offer and some of the pitfalls that come with those programs.

The Christmas Season is upon us and to celebrate we’re sharing a weekly Advent Devotional with you throughout the month of December. In this week’s episode we look at Matthew 2:1-12 and the reason why we exchange gifts at Christmas time. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Christmas Season is upon us and to celebrate we’re sharing a weekly Advent Devotional with you throughout the month of December. In this week’s episode we look at Luke 2:1-16 and the lessons we can draw from the humble estate into which Christ was born. Merry Christmas!

The Christmas Season is upon us and to celebrate we’re sharing a weekly Advent Devotional with you throughout the month of December. In this week’s episode we look at Luke 2:22-38 and contemplate the role that eagerly waiting plays in the observance of Christmas and the Christian life. Merry Christmas!

The Christmas Season is upon us and to celebrate we’re sharing a weekly Advent Devotional with you throughout the month of December. In this week’s episode we look at Genesis 3 and our need for a savior. Merry Christmas!

At Redeemer Classical School we want our students to be lifelong learners — that is, to have a sense of curiosity and wonder that leads them to learn, explore, and grow throughout their lives. The fact that we are a classical Christian school means that we believe all truth is God’s truth. So a lifetime of learning is, properly understood, a lifetime of seeking to better know and love the Creator in and through his creation. Mrs. Rene Leetun, a Rhetoric School Math and Science teacher at Redeemer, embodies these values and, in doing so, provides students with a vision of what Christian intellectual inquiry ought to be. In today’s episode we interview Mrs. Leetun and in the process we learn more about what it means to pursue the good, the true, and the beautiful in all of life.

Redeemer Classical School’s mission explicitly states that we exist to partner with families. This is rooted in our conviction that parents have the God-given responsibility to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. As such parental authority in the life of their children is sacred and ought not be usurped, undermined, or taken for granted. But what does that mean when it comes to educating a child? What is the rightful role of the parent in education? How should schools and parents work together in raising the next generation? In this episode we explore these questions and more as we examine the importance of parental involvement in education.

One of Redeemer Classical School’s greatest strengths (and biggest blessings) is its faculty and staff — a dedicated group of talented professionals who seek to serve the Lord by educating students. In today’s episode we interview Mrs. Rachel Reidenbach, a Logic and Rhetoric School faculty member who teaches Math and Science. We’re excited for you to learn more about Rachel’s background, how she came to be a part of the Redeemer team, and her love for the Lord.

There’s no doubt that students at a small school have a different experience from students at a large school. But what are those differences? Is one better than the other? What are the pros and cons of attending a smaller school? What are the pros and cons of attending a larger school? In this episode we seek to answer these questions and more, while doing our best to stay evenhanded. Along the way we look at the unique educational experiences that students receive at Redeemer Classical School.

Redeemer Classical School began in 2004 with 15 students in 6th-8th grade. It was the vision of a small group of people — many of whom were parents of young children at the time — who wanted a better education for their children and others in the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area. Mrs. Annie Leach was a part of that visionary group, and also one of the school’s first faculty members. Today Mrs. Leach teaches a host of Rhetoric School (9th-12th grade) Humanities courses. In this episode we interview Annie and along the way we learn a lot about Redeemer’s founding, where the school is today, education, teaching, and life in general.

Classical Christian Education (CCE) is growing rapidly all across the United States, with hundreds of new schools opening in recent years. But what is classical Christian education? Turns out that question is quite difficult to answer quickly or in soundbites, because CCE is an entirely different paradigm for education with many different facets. In this episode we seek to answer the question, “What is classical Christian education?” and, in the process, to show why so many families are finding it so appealing today.