Show overview
Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Education Podcast has been publishing since 2019, and across the 7 years since has built a catalogue of 432 episodes. That works out to roughly 170 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence.
Episodes typically run twenty to thirty-five minutes — most land between 18 min and 24 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Education show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 5 days ago, with 22 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2025, with 93 episodes published.
From the publisher
A 20-minute podcast featuring professors, K-12 teachers, and friends of Hillsdale College, all speaking about classical education—what it is, why it’s still relevant today, and what makes it unique. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
Latest Episodes
View all 432 episodesBridging Art and Music
The Cultivation of Wonder in the Classical Community
Kathleen O'Toole and Matthew Mehan on The American Book of Fables
Principles of Pedagogy in Mathematics
The Aeneid and Roman Mythology
Success in Teaching Modern Language in Classical Schools
Kathleen O’Toole and Charles R. Kesler: The Declaration of Independence
The Virtue of Ambition: A Panel Discussion
Vision for a Classical School
In Defense of Logic
Paul Mittermeier, Upper School Humanities teacher at Cincinnati Classical Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss the importance of formal logic, why formal logic plays such an important role in classical education, and how formal logic helps student improve their reading comprehension. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kathleen O’Toole and Matthew Spalding: The Making of the American Mind
Kathleen O’Toole, associate vice president for K-12 Education at Hillsdale College, is joined by Matthew Spalding to discuss his new book, The Making of the American Mind: The Story of our Declaration of Independence, and the importance of teaching American history properly. Matthew Spalding is vice president of Washington Operations and dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College in Washington, D.C. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Norms & Nobility: A Panel Discussion
Join John Peterson, lecturer in education and politics at Hillsdale College, Jonathan Gregg, assistant professor of education at Hillsdale College, Kevin Gary associate professor of education at Hillsdale College, and Ryan Hammill, executive director of the Ancient Language Institute, for a panel on David Hick's Norms and Nobility: A Treatise on Education. The four discuss the degree with which classical education is consistent with democracy, the focus on forming students instead of empowering them, and the challenges that modernity poses to classical logic and rhetoric. This panel was held at the Classical Education Forum in February 2026 Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Generational Impact of a Classical School
Tina Bolin, literacy coordinator at Treasure Valley Classical Academy in Fruitland, Idaho, and a literacy trainer with Hillsdale College K-12 Education, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss her journey from home school teacher to classical school teacher, the unique challenge of teaching teachers, and the joy that comes from seeing students learn to read. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Primary Source You Can Hang on the Wall
Sonja Bindus, teacher support lead for Hillsdale College K-12 Education, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss teaching students how to appreciate art, learning from the artistic masters, and how to help students develop artistic skills. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Contrasting Classical and Progressive Education
Joshua Villarreal, teacher support lead at Hillsdale College's K-12 Education Office, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss the classical themes in the film Die Hard, the importance of education in forming character, and the differences between classical and progressive methods of education. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kathleen O'Toole & James Hankins: The Golden Thread & Teaching the Western Tradition
Kathleen O’Toole, associate vice president for K-12 Education at Hillsdale College, is joined by James Hankins to discuss the first volume of his co-authored series of textbooks, The Golden Thread: A History of the Western Tradition, and the importance of classical education. James Hankins is a visiting professor of humanities at the Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Modeling Excellent Instruction: Hillsdale’s Master Teacher Program
Julie Apel, assistant headmaster at Hillsdale Academy in Hillsdale, Michigan, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss Hillsdale’s Master Teacher Program, what makes a teacher a master teacher, and how the program aligns with classical education principles and best practices. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Beyond Mere Fact: The Rhetorical Nature of History
John Peterson, assistant director of curriculum at Hillsdale College's K-12 Education Office, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss the concept of history as rhetoric, the importance of speeches and arguments in history, and how the American education system typically teaches history. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From Hillsdale K-12 to Hillsdale College: Vivian Stewart and Atlanta Classical Academy
Vivian Stewart, a student at Hillsdale College and graduate of Atlanta Classical Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss how her experience at a liberal arts school prepared her to study at Hillsdale, building friendships in a new place, and how she's adjusting to the cold weather of southern Michigan. Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apprenticing Excellence: Inside Hillsdale's School Leader Fellowship Program
Benjamin Payne, Director of School Leader Support at Hillsdale College’s K-12 Education Office, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss the Hillsdale College K-12 School Leader Fellowship, the diverse range of skills that make a good school leader, and the benefits of joining the Hillsdale College K-12 network. For more info, and to apply to the School Leader Fellowship, follow this link: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/Schools/School-Leader-Fellowships/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.