The Power of Paideia Part II: Paideia in Practice

-by Alex Schaivone, New Hanover High School

Catch up with Part I of Alex's blog post here: (The Power of Paideia Part I: I'm a Believer)

After a month of anxiously waiting to dive into my first Paideia seminar, I struggled to find a text that would do the process justice while also appealing to my students. I perused the Paideia Institute’s website (which is a fabulous resource if you’re just starting Paideia seminars for the first time), scouring the lesson plan archives for just the right seminar for my students. As a teacher of seniors, I knew that this lesson had to be good. It was the beginning of their last year of high school and I was determined to start the year off on the right foot.

The Power of Paideia Part I: I’m a Believer

-by Alex Schaivone, New Hanover High School

As an AP English teacher and a notorious chatterbox, I like to talk. A lot. I love the exchange of words and ideas and thrive off of debate and civil discourse. I could talk for hours, and I have been guilty of dominating conversations on more than one occasion. Since I was old enough to speak, my mother has always said that I could talk the paint off a wall. To put it simply, my life revolves around words.