Episode 41: Just One Thing, Classical Assessment with Amanda Butler

Summary

How can we assess progress and performance without assigning grades? In this episode, Robert talks with Amanda Butler, Vice President of Training and Support at Classical Conversations®, about what classical, Christian assessment should look like. From engineer to public school teacher to homeschool mom, Amanda draws from her unique experience to share what she has learned about how to encourage students to improve without stifling their motivation and creativity. She discusses how classical assessment is different from public school testing, the principles of classical assessment, the common pitfalls homeschool parents can fall into when assessing their children’s learning, and advice for young parents at the start of the homeschooling journey. Post-interview, Robert uses the classical tools of learning to break down what is happening with Trump’s indictment and then takes a critical look at FedNow, the new instantaneous digital transfer system from the U.S. Federal Reserve, and how it relates to crypto.

Quote

“Assessment is a kind of judgment that invites a person to grow. I think there could be judgements that inhibit growth or can harm a person, and I would want for our assessment, Christian assessment, to be something that invites a person to grow into who they really are—to help them be more human.”

Amanda Butler

Topics

• Intro to Amanda Butler [0:58]
• Amanda’s definition of “truth” [2:10]
• Amanda’s journey from working as an engineer to becoming a homeschool mom [3:59]
• What is assessment? [6:57]
• How classical, Christian assessment differs from traditional public school assessment [8:28]
• The classical principles of assessment: What went well and what is one thing I can improve upon for next time? [12:56]
• Amanda on learning how to better assess her students [18:13]
• What pitfalls do homeschool parents run into when assessing students? [23:23]
• Advice for her younger self: “Just do one thing at a time” [28:47]
• The books Amanda is currently reading [30:45]
• Farewell to Amanda [33:46]
• “Current Events Discussion”: Understanding Donald Trump’s Indictment [34:20]
• Ad: Scribblers at Home: Recipes from Lifelong Learners: Now Available! [38:31]
• “Classical Crypto”: FedNow [39:35]
• Outro [44:20]

Mentions

• Challenge A | Classical Conversations
• Challenge IV | Classical Conversations
• “Children are souls to be nurtured . . . ” | Andrew Kern | The CiRCE Institute | X (Twitter)
• Clemson University
• The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis | Amazon
• East of Eden by John Steinbeck | Amazon
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck | Amazon
• Flannery O’Connor | Wikipedia
• The Ethics of Beauty by Timothy G. Patitsas | Amazon
• CC Connected®
• FedNow | The Federal Reserve Services
• “ACH Transfers: What Are They and How Do They Work?” | Investopedia