Shared Wisdom Communities

Primary, Intermediate, Middle School, and High School

September 2024 – May 2025

Leaders:

Primary (PreK-2):

Sr. Peter Marie, CK, Sr. Teresa Marie, CK, and Olivia Wieger

Intermediate (3-5):

Dennis Kelly and Shelly Sullivan

Middle SchooL (6-8):

Will Bertain and Cecilia Black

High SchooL (9-12):

Luke Hollwedel and Will Bertain

SWC Flyer

We encourage you to share this flyer with your faculty! Hang it in your faculty lounge, distribute it in teachers’ mailboxes, or send it via email.

2024-2025 SWC Flyer — UPDATED

Meeting Dates:

Please note that the High School meetings have been shifted to the third Wednesday of each month for the remainder of the school year.

September 11, 2024

Primary, Intermediate & Middle School: October 9, 2024
High School: October 16, 2024

Primary, Intermediate & Middle School: November 13, 2024
High School: November 20, 2024

Primary, Intermediate & Middle School: December 11, 2024
High School: December 18, 2024

Primary, Intermediate & Middle School: January 8, 2025
High School: January 15, 2025

Primary, Intermediate & Middle School: February 12, 2025
High School: February 19, 2025

Primary, Intermediate & Middle School: March 12, 2025
High School: March 19, 2025

Primary, Intermediate & Middle School: April 9, 2025
High School: April 16, 2025

Primary, Intermediate & Middle School: May 14, 2025
High School: May 21, 2025

Zoom Links:

Primary (PreK-2)
6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

Intermediate (3-5)
6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

Middle School (6-8)
7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

High School (9-12)
7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

Questions & Topics Input Forms:

Do you have a question or a topic you would like to discuss in the upcoming SWC? Click the link for your group below.

Primary QT form

Intermediate QT form

Middle School QT form

High School QT form

Recordings and Resources

2024-2025

Primary – Resource Folder

September: Welcome & The Litrugical Year: Part 1
October: The Liturgical Year: Part 2
November: History: Part 1
December: History: Part 2
January: Cultivating the Art of Observation, Part I
February: Cultivating the Art of Observation, Part II
March: Cultivating the Art of Observation, Part III

Intermediate – Resource Folder

September: Socratic Dialogue & Nature Journaling
October: Liturgical Living and Virtue-Based Discipline
November: Balancing Martha & Mary / Faculty Friendship
December: History
January: Weaving Beauty into Classroom Spaces, Schedules, and Curriculum
February: Math
March: Imitation (feat. Sr. Mary Gabriel, C.K.)

Middle School – Resource Folder

September: Introductions & Priorities for the Year
October: Socratic Discussion
November: Writing as Assessment
December: Liturgical Seasons in the School
January: Grading & Time Management
February: The Doldrums
March: Enriching and Strengthening Pre-Existing Routines

High School

September: Planning and Self-Pacing
October: The Why of Grading
November: Communication: Part 1 – To Students: Progress, Participation, and Assessment
December: Communication: Part 2 – Parents
January: Cumulative Subjects: Special Instruction & Assessment
February: The February Experience – Managing Classroom Morale in the Doldrums

2023-2024

Primary – Resource Folder

September: Classroom Rhythms & Teaching Through the Liturgical Year
October: Memory is the Cabinet of the Imagination
November: Reading
December: Picture Studies
January: Nature Studies/Science
February: Teaching History in K-12: Part I
March: Teaching History in K-2: Part 2
April: Teaching History Continued: Grades 1-2
May: Setting Up Your Classroom Space & Prayer Life

Intermediate – Resource Folder

September: Beauty in the School and Classroom
October: Narration, Poetry and Memorization in the Classroom
November: Catholic Liberal Arts Resources for Teachers, Parents, and Students
December: Integration and Schedule in the Intermediate Classroom
January: The Foundation of Integration
February: Awe and Wonder: Nature Studies Journaling
March: Inquiry: The Key to Understanding
April: Joyful Seminar
May: Beauty Sets Us Free: Best Practices for Picture Study

Middle School – Resource Folder

September: Introductions & Classroom Culture
October: Seminar in Your Discipline
November: Asking Good Questions
December: Developmentally Appropriate Academic and Behavioral Expecations
January: Integration Within and Among Middle School Classes
February: Picture Studies: Imagination, Inquiry, and Integration
March: Multum Non Multa: Depth Not Breadth
April: Wrapping Up the Year with Christ the Teacher
May: Planning a Leisurely Summer

High School – Resource Folder

September: Developing Meaningful Course Overviews & Syllabi
October: Developing Prompts for High School Writing Assignments
November: Stories and Poems to Foster the Moreal Imagination
December: US Government and Economics – Curriculum & Approach
Questions address: Unit allocation of credits in high school – Carnegie unit
January: Seminar: Why We Hold Seminars and Practical Tips for Leading Them
February: No recording this session
March: How to Elicity Strong Participation in a Class Seminar
April: Classroom Order & Student Behavior
May: Academic Dishonesty

2022-2023

Primary

September: Morning Meeting
October: Classroom Management
November: Imitation in the Classroom
December: A Day in the Classroom, Scheduling, Reading & Writing Curricula
January: Instilling Wonder: Discussion & Questions in Class
February: Nature Study
March: History Vs. Social Studies
April: Art and Beauty in the Classroom
May: Religion: Curricula and Best Practices

Intermediate

September: Thoughts on the Trivium
October: Composition and Cultivating Virtue
November: No recording for this session
December: Assessing Diverse Student Needs and Recitation
January: Teaching and Cultivating Virtue
February: Preparing for Lent
March: Putting the Mass at the Center of Your Classroom
April: Sample Integrated Lessons
May: Maintaining Attention, End of Year Traditions

Middle School

September: What is a Teacher?
October: The Poetic Mode of Teaching
November: The Art of the Question
December: Facilitating Group Discussions, Recommended Resources for Teaching Mythology
January: Epiphany Celebration, The Place of Poetry in Education
February: Leisure
March: The Difference of Classical Education, A Teacher’s Examination of Conscience
April: Virtues in the Classroom
May: 10 Marks of Catholic Classical Teachers

High School

2021-2022

Primary

September: Introductions; The Virtue of Obedience
October: Imitation & Rendering
November: Recition: Part 1
December: Recitations: Part 2
January: Retelling & Literature for Reading Aloud
February: Art Studies
March: Studying the Virtues, Greek History Books
April: Nature Studies in First and Second Grade
May: Nature Studies in PreK and Kindergarten

Intermediate

September: Being Attentive to the Holy Spirit as a Teacher
October: Balancing the Sublime and the Mundane: Part 1
November: Balancing the Sublime and the Mundane: Part 2
December: Seasonal Lessons, Helping Students Who Are Behind
January: Forming the Will*
February: Catholic Schools Week, Classroom Management
March: Lent Activities, Virtue Curriculum
April: Classroom Activities
May: Restoring and Renewing in Summer

Middle School – Resource Folder

September: What is Catholic Liberal Education?
October: Beauty Matters
November: What Does Learning Look Like?
December: Integrated Currriculum
January: Excellence Part 1: Virtue
February: Excellence Part 2: Perspective
March: Conversion in Our Classroom
April: Hexaflexagon: Time for Exploration
May: Reflecting on the Year with Our Lady

High School – Resource Folder

September: Preview of the High School Shared Wisdom Community
October: High School Colloquia
November: Remembering the Highest Good: Maintaining Balance in the Pursuit of Excellence
December: Writing in Every Discipline: Scholastic Argument
January: Discipleship Through Discipline: An Incremental Approach to Guiding Student Behavior
February: Sentence Seminars
March: Q&A Session
April: Understanding Teenage Emotions
May: The Five -“ations”: Five Ways to Spend Summer as a Teacher

*Due to a technical error, a portion of this meeting was not recorded

2020-2021

Primary

September: Daily Schedules
October: Discipline
November: Literature: Integrating Throughout the Curriculum
December: Going into the Christmas Season
January: Nature Studies Unit & Virtual Learning
February: Art Program
March: Beauty and the Classroom (with pictures)
April: Nature Studies
May: Phonics Program & Greek Olympics

Intermediate

September: How is a Liberal Arts Model Different?
October: Literature: The Beauty of Words and Language
November: Poetry, Primary Sources in the Classroom
December: Historical Literature, From Classroom to Home*
January: Resources
February: Show and Tell
March: St. Jerome Academy Plan, Seminar
April: Curriculum Integration
May: Literature

Middle School – Resource Folder

September: Online Learning – Sorrows and Triumphs
October: Starting the Year
November: Asking Good Questions
December: Balancing the True, Good, and Beautiful with the Practical
January: Annotation
February: Self-Evaluation with the St. Jerome Educational Plan
March: Vestiges of the Liberal Arts Tradition – Preparation in the Liberal Arts Classroom: Beyond the Anticipatory Set
April: Resources Loved by Teachers
May: Exhale: Reflecting on the Year

High School

September: Starting the Year: Why Are We Doing What We’re Doing?
October: Mindsets: From Competition to Collaboration
November: 4 Questions –
1. How do we guide the moral development of young people?
2. How do we respond to outdated words being considered offensive?
3. Are there success stories for high schools with a liberal arts curriculum?
4. How are others handling remote or hybrid learning?
December: Leading Discussions in the Classroom
January: Poetry’s Apology: A Defense for Why Lyric Poetry Deserves a Place in Every Classroom of a Classical Catholic High School
February: The Qualities of a Great Teacher: The Art of Teaching
March: Grades and Grading
April: On the Habit of Reflection
May: On the Gift of Summer Break

*Due to a technical error, a portion of this meeting was not recorded