Instilling Truth, Goodness, and Beauty Across the Classical Spectrum
Mrs. Johanna Chumley has a unique role at the crossroads of the Great Hearts classical model. More precisely, she teaches at the opposite ends of the classical curriculum spectrum and seeks to converge the two courses of Humane Letters and Studio Art at a crossroad: to join the conversation of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.
“Students are very compartmentalized and see each aspect of school and their lives as separate entities.” As Great Hearts students’ progress from Archway through Prep, “…teachers seek to provide oversight to show students how many aspects of their education are intertwined.” says Mrs. Chumley.
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The first period of each school day finds Mrs. Chumley in a room with tables organized into a U-shape. On the sparsely covered walls hang copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. During the two-hour time block of 9th grade Humane Letters, Mrs. Chumley will guide Freshmen to identify truth, goodness, and beauty through the foundational study of American history and written works. The U-shape organization of the tables allows for Socratic dialogue as students analyze the texts and discuss with peers the topic at hand. “The essays the students write are mainly argumentative so this leaves little space for creativity and self-expression since they must use the text to prove a claim to be true.” she explains. In Humane Letters students develop the ability to communicate through argument and persuasion with ideas built upon the structure of grammar, logic, and truth.
By third period, Mrs. Chumley is in a different classroom; one that is full of easels, paint-splattered stools and a counter briming with paintbrushes, pencils, projects-in-progress. The walls are covered with colorful art of various mediums. Mrs. Chumley has switched rooms, but she has not switched hats. She is here to guide 11th and 12th grade students to communicate truth, goodness, and beauty but this time the students will use creativity and self-expression. The structure of art is determined by the tools at hand, but the final product is defined by the idiosyncrasies of the artist. Two students, side by side studying the same still-life will produce unique and separate works.
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Mrs. Chumley says, “We study works of great artists, but the students learn how to bring their own perspective to show their own representation of truth, goodness, and beauty. They must learn to think I am also a great work; I have value too. How do I see what I produce in light of that?”
They are immersed in studying the great thinkers and artists and begin to put their own insights into action and joining in the great conversation that has been going in the Western world for 2,500 years. This is when the students begin to better understand the part they play and how they can contribute to the conversation of humanity.
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Thank you, Mrs. Chumley for being a vital part of our school and helping our students to grow into excellent communicators who engage with the greatest ideas and questions of humanity.
And thank you to all families who support Great Hearts Anthem [5]! We are so incredibly grateful and without your partnership we would not exist. If you haven’t yet given, it’s never too late. Please consider joining us today!
Do you have a story or know of a story that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts? Please contact jason.moore@greathearts.org [6].