September 8-10, 2022
Fundamentally, educating is the passing on of knowledge and values from one generation to the next to promote living wisely and well. As with all communication, however, the “how” of what we say impacts the “what.” A good educator is at root a good learner who models patient listening and skilled questioning. This year we will explore the “how” by focusing on the art of discussion, where teachers become fellow learners and, together with students, cultivate a lifelong passion for truth and a life well lived.
We are excited to welcome these nationally recognized speakers: Amanda Butler from Classical Conversations, Scott Postma from Kepler Education, Andrew Pudewa from Institute for Excellence in Writing, Kathryn Smith from Templeton Honors College, and Andrew Zwerneman from Cana Academy. All of these speakers bring insights and experience as we learn to be better learners and educators.
Since we are focusing this year on the art of discussion, we are also looking forward to supplementing talks with discussions. Participants will have a chance to join two breakout discussions in small groups. These discussions will focus on the nature of education and the skill of discussion leading. Short readings for the discussions from Plato and Shumacher will be distributed to all participants prior to the conference. These discussions are often the highlight of the conference.
Confirmed Speakers
Andrew Pudewa
Institute for Excellence in Writing
“However Imperfectly: Lessons Learned from Three Decades of Teaching”
Conference Details
When
Thursday night, September 8, 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Friday, September 9, 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 10, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where
Cove Church
1790 Charnelton Street
Eugene, OR 97401
www.covechurchpnw.com
Map
Cost
- The cost to attend the conference does not include the Friday banquet cost.
- Cost includes coffee and snacks, Friday lunch, and Saturday breakfast.
- Limited financial aid is available for those who wish to attend. To apply, please contact the Gutenberg office.
Early Registration (by August 8, 2022 —EXTENDED TO AUGUST 12!)
Full conference: $125 (Individual); $215 (Family); $60 (Student)
Livestream of plenary talks (online): $85
Groups: $119 each (5 or more); $100 each (10 or more); $75 each (20 or more)
Volunteers: $87.50 (3 hours); $31.25 (8 hours; 5 remaining)
August 9, 2022, and after
Full conference: $155 (Individual); $265 (Family); $75 (Student)
Livestream of plenary talks (online): $100
Groups: $147 each (5 or more); $124 each (10 or more); $93 each (20 or more)
Volunteers: $108.50 (3 hours); $39.00 (8 hours; 5 remaining)
Friday Night Banquet
(The maximum attendance at the banquet will be 130.)
$30 (Individual); $45 (Family)
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
Conference Schedule
Attendees will participate in two Breakout Session discussions on Friday that focus on two short readings that participants will receive prior to the conference. Breakout Session One will focus on a selection from Plato’s Theaetetus. In this reading, Plato describes his life calling as a “midwife” to knowledge. The argument is interesting with plenty of nuance and showcases Plato’s inquiry-based approach to knowing. Breakout Session Two will focus on a chapter from E.F. Shumacher’s book Small Is Beautiful, Economics as if People Mattered. In this chapter, Shumacher lays out his perspective on the most important economic resource—education. He describes how he thinks education might look if people mattered. During both discussions, we will take some time to debrief on the discussion process itself and reflect on what makes a good discussion.
Thursday, September 8th
| 6:00 p.m. | Registration |
| 6:30 p.m. | Coffee & Snacks |
| 7:00 p.m. | Welcome & Introduction |
| 7:15 p.m. | Talk: Andrew Pudewa, “However Imperfectly: Lessons Learned from Three Decades of Teaching” |
Friday, September 9th
| 9:00 a.m. | Talk: Chris Swanson, “An Inquiry Approach to Mathematics and the Sciences” |
| 10:00 a.m. | Break |
| 10:30 a.m. | Breakout Discussion One: Selections from Plato’s Theaetetus |
| 12:00 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1:30 p.m. | Breakout Discussion Two: Selections from E. F. Schumacher’s Small is Beautiful |
| 3:00 p.m. | Talk: Kathryn Smith, “A Fairy Tale Education” |
| 4:00 p.m. | Talk: Andrew Zwerneman, “History: Seeing the Whole” |
| 6:00 p.m. | Banquet (ticket required) |
| 7:30 p.m. | Talk: Amanda Butler, “Reclaiming the Art of Conversation” |
Saturday, September 10th
| 8:00 a.m. | Breakfast | |
| 9:00 a.m. | Talk: Scott Postma, “Fostering the Allure of Learning” |
|
| 10:00 a.m. | Talk: Eliot Grasso, “Learning for an Integrated Life” |
|
| 11:00 a.m. | Break | |
| 11:30 a.m. | Q&A Panel | |
| 12:30 p.m. | Closing Remarks |
Previous Conference:
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, Jon Robertson