Joshua Gibbs

On Faculty Development

“It is entirely possible for a history teacher to enjoy his students, grade them highly on tests he thinks sufficiently challenging, vary his content and delivery a bit from one year to the next, and still be no good at his job. Or for a literature teacher to cover all the books in the curriculum,Continue reading “On Faculty Development”

Proverbial, Episode 101: Fly As Fast You Can

The latest episode of Proverbial is devoted to one of the most melancholic, wistful sayings of all time.

Person First Language

In the last several years, the zeitgeist has begun insisting on “person first language,” and so it is now fashionable to say “enslaved person” instead of “slave,” “person with a mental health condition” instead of “mad man,” “person with autism” instead of “autistic,” and so forth. I have no interest in commenting here what IContinue reading “Person First Language”

An Oft-Repeated Observation, But Nonetheless

For years, feminists have claimed, “If men could get pregnant, there would be abortion clinics on every street corner.” And yet, within two years of the zeitgeist warming up to the risible idea that men can get pregnant, abortion clinics are closing.

Normalizing (Sort Of) Conflict

“It is hardly surprising if we are driven by the blasts of storms when our chief aim on this sea of life is to displease wicked men.” -Boethius

Enough Is Enough: I Am Banning Water Bottles From The Classroom

“As with the fidget spinner fad, our “need” for water bottles has a tissue-like connection to “science.” I put that word in quotes, because the science behind our need to “stay hydrated” is even thinner and more tawdry than “the science” behind wearing two masks. Remember that one? Most of the people claiming it’s importantContinue reading “Enough Is Enough: I Am Banning Water Bottles From The Classroom”

You Can Ban Smart Phones And Social Media At Your School And Remain Solvent

Last night, I had dinner with Frank Chilbert, the lower school principal at Mainline Classical in Bryn Mawr, PA. He told me that Mainline Classical did not allow students to have smart phones and neither were students permitted to have social media accounts while they were enrolled. Have a look at their website. It canContinue reading “You Can Ban Smart Phones And Social Media At Your School And Remain Solvent”

Roe V Wade And Mid-Level Christian Intellectuals

This week, mid-level Christian intellectuals the nation over are trying to decide whether to say anything on social media about the fall of Roe. The options are to say nothing about it or to say something positive about it. For most mid-level Christian intellectuals (10k followers to 100k followers on Twitter, say), saying something positiveContinue reading “Roe V Wade And Mid-Level Christian Intellectuals”

Molly Drake Is Sublime

Jon Paul introduced this record to me on a recent trip to New York City. At times, it sounds like Jules Massenet’s Les amoureuses sont des folles, at times it reminds me of Anne Briggs, at other times it sounds like nursery lullabies. It is fascinating to think of Nick Drake listening to these songs,Continue reading “Molly Drake Is Sublime”

Registration Open For 2022-23 Gibbs Classical Online Classes

Registration is now open for Paradise Lost for Beginners (Fall 2022) and Wisdom Literature for Beginners (Spring 2023). Both classes are open to high school students and above. A good number of adults sign up for Gibbs Classical classes. You can read more about both classes at Gibbs Classical.