Teacher as Mentor
August 8-9, 2025
Modern education often presents teachers as specialists tasked with imparting expert knowledge to students. Yet, by primarily imparting facts and information, a specialist’s focus too often becomes overly narrow and overlooks the development of the whole student. This kind of oversight can leave a graduate with major blind spots in his or her understanding and outlook. By contrast, the teacher as mentor embraces the project of delivering more than subject-specific content and works to cultivate the moral, spiritual, and intellectual health of the whole student. In this education conference, we will explore the nature and practices of mentorship in pursuit of equipping students with tools, skills, and wisdom to live faithfully before God.
I attended my first Gutenberg Education conference in the summer of 2023 and was surprised by the quality of the conference. Because of that experience, our school brought 13 faculty and staff in the summer of 2024. The conference was once again exceptional, affording us an excellent team-building road trip! Both conferences were relaxing and challenging, the speakers were knowledgeable and approachable, and the schedule was full, including a great variety of topics and presenters. The hospitality–food, coffee, organization–was wonderful, and our school was very well taken care of. In my mind, the Gutenberg Education Conference is a great value, and it is now a part of our permanent school calendar! Congratulations Gutenberg, and thank you!
—Matt Greco, Head of School for Seattle Classical Christian School
Matt Bianco
CiRCE Institute
Talk: “Bless, Master! The Master-Disciple Approach to Education”
Workshop: “The Mentor’s Toolbox”
Diane Gray
Classical Conversations
Talk: “Patterns, Practices, and Impediments of Mimetic Mentorship”
Workshop: “Musings and Mimetics of the Quadrivium”
Heidi White
Classical Education Consultant
CiRCE Institute, The Atrium
Keynote Talk: “The Divine Guide: Athena as Mentor”
Workshop: “Feasting with the Father: Healing the Breach between Duty and Desire”
This year’s Teen Track features two activities: Young Philosophers Live and Exploring Shakespeare. This special program is open to all teens. It will be free to conference attendees. The cost to non-attendees is $25.00.
Young Philosophers Live!
“How We Think: Language and Logic”
Young Philosophers Live will combine the best of two worlds: the great outdoors and thoughtful discussion. On Saturday morning, teens will take a short drive with Gutenberg tutor Naomi Rinehold to either Hendricks Park (to walk around the gorgeous arboretum) or to Spencer Butte (to hike to the top of the local landmark) and then eat a picnic lunch. Along the way, participants will discuss the relationship between language and logic and consider the ways in which our language shapes how we think.
Exploring Shakespeare (2 sessions)
On Friday and Saturday afternoons, teens will put their words and thoughts into action, exploring some of Shakespeare’s speeches with Shakespeare instructor David Snider. These workshops will provide fun-spirited theater games and engaging exercises for understanding the text, staging, and delivery. As an ensemble, participants will share their work in progress with other conference attendees during the final session of the conference.
When
Friday, August 8
Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. Banquet at 5:30 p.m. Keynote address at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 9
Breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Speaker Q&A at 4:00 p.m.
Where
University Fellowship Church
1855 Cal Young Road
Eugene, OR 97401
Map
Costs
(Cost includes lunch both days, breakfast Saturday, lots of snacks and coffee.)
Full conference: $160 (Individual); $275 (Family); $75 (Student)
Groups: $150 each (5 or more); $135 each (10 or more); $120 each (20 or more)
Teen Track only: $25 (Free for those already registered for the conference.)
Friday Night Banquet: Separate ticket required.
$30 (Individual); $45 (Family)
Audio recording:
An MP3 audio recording of all the talks from the main stage speakers will be available after the conference for $25.
Contact Us
Please contact the office at office@gutenberg.edu if you are interested in learning more about:
- Volunteer opportunities and discounts
- Event sponsorship opportunities
- Lodging options
- Professional development credits
Friday, August 8th
| 8:00 am | Registration Opens |
| 9:00 am | Welcome & Introduction |
| 9:15 am | Session 1, Chris Swanson: “A Relationship of Trust” |
| 10:15 am | Break |
| 10:30 am | Session 2, Diane Gray: “Patterns, Practices, and Impediments of Mimetic Mentorship” |
| 11:45 am | Lunch |
| 12:30 pm | Introduction to Gutenberg |
| 12:45 pm | Introduction to Discussion |
| 1:00 pm | Session 3, Discussion on 1st Reading: Selection from Plato’s Meno |
| 2:30 pm | Break |
| 2:45 pm | Session 4: Workshops Matt Bianco: The Mentor’s Toolbox Charley Dewberry: Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables? Diane Gray: Musings and Mimetics of the Quadrivium Heidi White: Feasting with the Father: Healing the Breach between Duty and Desire Teen Track: Shakespeare 1 (at Gutenberg) |
| 3:45 pm | Break |
| 4:00 pm | Teen Track: Gutenberg Campus Tour with parents |
| 5:30 pm | Banquet (ticket required) |
| 7:30 pm | Session 5 (Keynote Address), Heidi White: “The Divine Guide: Athena as Mentor” |
Saturday, August 9th
“The Challenge of Culture”
| 8:00 am | Breakfast |
| 9:00 am | Welcome Teen Track: Young Philosophers Live Hike & Discussion |
| 9:15 am | Session 6, Matt Bianco: “Bless, Master! The Master-Disciple Approach to Education” |
| 10:15 am | Break |
| 10:30 am | Session 7, Workshops: Matt Bianco: The Mentor’s Toolbox Charley Dewberry: Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables? Diane Gray: Musings and Mimetics of the Quadrivium Heidi White: Feasting with the Father: Healing the Breach between Duty and Desire |
| 11:45 am | Lunch Teen Track: Young Philosophers Live Picnic Lunch & Discussion |
| 12:30 pm | Introduction to Gutenberg Teen Track: Shakespeare 2 (at the Barn) |
| 1:00 pm | Session 8, Discussion on 2nd Reading: Selection from To Know as We Are Known by Parker J. Palmer |
| 2:30 pm | Break |
| 2:45 pm | Session 9, Eliot Grasso: “Personal Education in a Standardized World” |
| 3:45 pm | Break |
| 4:00 pm | Shakespeare Performance (teens) |
| 4:15 pm | Session 10, Speaker Q&A |
Previous Conferences:
2024 Education Conference: The Independent Mind
Guest speakers: Amanda Butler, Andrea Lipinski, and Davies Owens.
2023 Education Conference: Faith and Learning
Guest speakers: Susan Wise Bauer, Wes Callihan, Jennifer Courtney, and Andrea Lipinski.
2022 Education Conference: Learning for Life
Guest speakers: Amanda Butler, Scott Postma, Andrew Pudewa, Kathryn Smith, and Andrew Zwerneman.
2021 Education Conference: The Art of Learning
Guest speakers: Leigh Bortins, David & Crystal Downing, Nancy Pearcey, Andrew Pudewa, John Seel, Wes Callihan, Diane Gray, Scott Postma, and Jon Robertson