Classical Education with Kon Bouzikos and Jonathan Hili

Title: Classical Education Subtitle: Teaching Children How to Think, Not What to ThinkGuests: Kon Bouzikos and Jonathan HiliWhat is education actually for?Is it to prepare students for employment? To maximise standardised test scores? To produce compliant citizens? Or is education ultimately about forming thoughtful, virtuous and intellectually mature human beings capable of pursuing truth throughout their lives?In this episode of The New Orchard, I sit down with Kon Bouzikos and Jonathan Hili from the Australian Classical Education Society (ACES) to explore one of the oldest and most influential educational traditions in Western civilisation: Classical Education.In the first half of our conversation, we unpack the philosophical foundations of the classical model, including the Trivium (Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric), the Quadrivium, the Liberal Arts tradition and the enduring importance of Great Books. We discuss why classical education places such a strong emphasis on wisdom, critical thinking, eloquent communication and the pursuit of truth rather than simply preparing students to pass examinations.We also explore why works by authors such as Homer, Shakespeare, Dante and Dostoevsky continue to shape generations of students, and how great literature teaches far more than language or history—it cultivates judgement, imagination and moral reasoning.In the second half of the interview, we turn our attention to Australia.Kon and Jonathan explain why they helped establish the Australian Classical Education Society, the growing demand from parents seeking alternatives to mainstream schooling, and the practical challenges of building a classical education movement within Australia's existing education system.Along the way we discuss parental responsibility in education, homeschooling, teacher formation, curriculum design, educational freedom and why many educators believe our current system has become increasingly focused on measurable outcomes at the expense of genuine intellectual development.Whether you are a parent, teacher, school leader, homeschool educator or simply interested in the future of education, this conversation offers a thoughtful introduction to one of the fastest-growing educational movements in the English-speaking world.Topics discussed include:• Classical Education• The Trivium and Quadrivium• Liberal Arts education• Great Books and classical literature• Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric• Homeschooling and alternative education• Educational philosophy• Critical thinking and intellectual formation• Australian Classical Education Society (ACES)• Curriculum design and teacher formation• The future of education in Australia• Parents as primary educators Links and interview references:Australian Classical Education Society: Website - http://www.classicaleducation.org.au/X - https://x.com/AustralianClas1FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/ausclassicaleducationLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/australian-classical-education-society-6a07aa232/Classical Education in Australia - https://logosaustralis.com/Via Classica, Online Classes in the Classical Tradition - https://www.viaclassica.com/Market Analysis of U.S. Classical Education in Grades PK-12 - https://arcadiaed.com/2024/02/market-analysis-of-u-s-classical-education-in-grades-pk-12/ The Surging Growth of K-12 Classical Education -https://www.realcleareducation.com/articles/2024/03/01/the_surging_growth_of_k-12_classical_education_1015509.html “The Classical Education Revolution" with Andrew Kern and Katerina Hamilton, Melbourne 2024 -http://www.classicaleducation.org.au/videos/the-classical-education-revolution-with-andrew-kern-and-katerina-hamilton-melbourne-2024 The Fort Worth Independent School District last week confirmed they were closing their libraries until Aug. 25 "so catalogues can be inventoried. -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POMHSFK2P4s