The Furrows | Joyful Rigor: What a Classical Education Actually Feels Like w/ Dr. Kathleen O'Toole

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Dr. Kathleen O'Toole is the Associate VP for K-12 Education at Hillsdale College. However, she didn't arrive at classical education through a straight line. She grew up attending a good-but-not-classical school, survived a grueling private prep high school, found her footing at Hillsdale Academy, and finally experienced the full power of a classical curriculum at the University of Dallas.

Today she leads Hillsdale's K–12 Schools office, helping communities around the country start and sustain classical schools.

What's in This Episode:

• The difference between a good school and a classical school
• Joyful rigor vs. rigor for rigor's sake
• The moment classical education clicked
• What Hillsdale's K–12 office actually does
• Why K–12 matters for teachers; not just students

Chapters:

• 00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome
• 01:30 Growing Up at St. Mark's Episcopal School
• 07:30 The Power of Joyful Rigor
• 10:30 School Culture & Traditions That Stick
• 14:00 Classical Education at Home Before It Had a Name
• 16:00 Rigor Without Purpose
• 27:00 Moving to Michigan & Hillsdale Academy
• 35:00 The Startup School Experience
• 44:00 University of Dallas & the Core Curriculum
• 52:00 Finding a Calling: Political Philosophy
• 55:00 Teachers as Fellow Students
• 1:01:00 Joyful vs. Joyless Rigor: The Key Difference
• 1:05:00 Hillsdale's K-12 Office Today

Resources:

Hillsdale K–12 Schools

Arcadia Education

Classical Learning Test

Hosted by Ryan Klopak (Arcadia Education) and Alex Julian (CLT). The Furrows podcast features leaders in classical education who have been transformed by classical education. Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios