Dave Maxham on Automaticity: Where ‘Rote’ Fits into the Liberal Arts
HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
Could creativity and intellectual freedom actually depend on the rote? Following up on his recent article for the Forum, math teacher Dave Maxham dives into why fundamentals and drills are integral to creativity—not hindrances. Between the “drill and kill” and the “free inquiry” camps lies the golden mean: an understanding that mastery and even delight in the basics allows for real, nimble handling of creative problems. Chapters: 3:19 Defining automaticity, creativity 7:09 The automatic enables the creative 15:14 Returning to basics, overcoming boredom 19:14 Struggle and...
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Andrew Reed on Parenting through the Middle School Doldrums
HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
featuring Andrew Reed by Alvaro de Vicente by Dr. Joseph Lanzilotti featuring Dr. Stephen Smith Featured Opportunities: Parents’ Conference at The Heights School (April 25, 2026) – link coming soon at The Heights School (May 6-8, 2026) – waitlist at The Heights School (June 22-26, 2026) Convivium Conference for Teaching Men at The Heights School (November 2026) – link coming soon
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Andrew Cantarutti on Classroom Habits of Attention in the Age of AI
HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
Today, we have an increasing store of research to evaluate the claims of educational tech. Where does it assist or upend our goals as a school? Where does it support or bypass our students’ intellectual sovereignty? Can it be used constructively? This week on HeightsCast, writer and educator Andrew Cantarutti shares with us the research on digital tools, and especially AI, in K-12 education. In passionate detail, he also lays out how a school can cultivate the habits of attention by its curriculum, pedagogy, character, and even the physical school building. Chapters: 3:05 Cantarutti’s...
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Tom Steenson on the Teacher’s Voice
HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
Volume, pitch, pace, tone, inflection: the human voice is our primary teaching instrument. The spoken word has not just a logos and an ethos but an embodied and personal quality—which comes with enormous advantages. This week, twenty-five-year Heights veteran Tom Steenson shares a valuable reflection on the human voice and how we use it in the classroom. He includes many practical examples of how to engage students, express expectations, correct without disruption, and love your students by using your voice with intention. Chapters: 3:11 The humanity of voice 5:14 The...
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Alvaro de Vicente on the Role of Parents in the Conspiracy for the Good
HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
When we join a school community, it should be to join forces with teachers, administrators, and other families in the “conspiracy for the good” of our children. In this multi-engine partnership, how do parents best play their role as the stewards of their child’s whole-person formation? In this rebroadcast from 2022, Headmaster Alvaro de Vicente covers the idea of wise, willing, and informed partnership with your children’s school; what it really means to the “primary educators”; how a school can be compatible with that philosophy; and the importance of parent friendships....
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Dr. Stephen Smith on Educating Leaders with Thomas More
HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
Does a talented person have a duty to serve others? What do leading citizens really need to live well, freely, impactfully—even greatly? How do we, parents and educators, order the educational goods? “When I think of Thomas More’s life, writings, and example, I think: here are the materials we need to answer those questions.” So says Dr. Stephen Smith, professor at Hillsdale College and co-director for the Center for Thomas More Studies. St. Thomas More not only provided a robust theory of education and duty in his writings, but also a praxis of that education by his heroic actions at...
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Bill Dardis on Teaching Religion with Multiple Faiths in the Room
HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
“Charity and clarity” are the lodestars when teaching middle school boys with various faith backgrounds—and who are developing faith dispositions of their own. Bill Dardis teaches middle school religion and eighth grade core at The Heights. In his sixteen years of experience, he’s navigated many tricky waters with the boys, with the ultimate goal to bring them into a deeper and more engaged relationship with faith. Chapters: 3:19 Inviting boys deeper into their faith 8:17 A religion teacher has to pray 9:16 Following student questions 11:27 Charity: respecting parents’ moral...
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Arthur Brooks on Your Calling and How to Find It
HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
The crisis of meaning among young people gets a lot of press; but a quieter crisis of calling afflicts every generation today. Dr. Arthur Brooks says the causes are the same: not knowing what our life is really and ultimately for. In his talk at The Heights Forum Convivium 2025, Dr. Brooks shares the facts about calling—where neuroscience, psychology, and theology all agree, and how he (finally) found his. He goes on to say that helping young people to discover the true Christian purpose of life and then one’s personal calling is the missionary work of teachers. Chapters: 00:04:12...
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Kevin Twomey on Frantic Families: Three Questions for a More Intentional Life
HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
Kevin Twomey is a husband, father, and a principal consultant at Table Group, founded by Patrick Lencioni, which specializes in helping executive teams build a healthy operational work culture. Lencioni’s book, The Three Big Questions, brings that same expertise to bear on the modern frantic family: helping parents find their family identity, create intentional priorities, and live with more order and purpose. Chapters: 4:01 Typical family operations 9:09 Frantic families in a frantic world 14:36 What makes your family unique? 21:57 Parent leadership 26:02 What is your...
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Colin Gleason on the Father as Protector
HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
The first images of a “protector” that flash through our minds might be the warrior, the superhero, the movie star physically holding back evil from invading the world…. Our lower school head, Colin Gleason, casts a different vision: the benevolent king, the merciful brother, the knight at vigil in the sanctuary. Yes, our role as fathers is to protect—most often through a steady presence that communicates security to our children. When we do our job well, they can live with confidence. In his talk from the Fatherhood Conference last fall, Colin identified five battlegrounds for...
info_outlineVolume, pitch, pace, tone, inflection: the human voice is our primary teaching instrument. The spoken word has not just a logos and an ethos but an embodied and personal quality—which comes with enormous advantages.
This week, twenty-five-year Heights veteran Tom Steenson shares a valuable reflection on the human voice and how we use it in the classroom. He includes many practical examples of how to engage students, express expectations, correct without disruption, and love your students by using your voice with intention.
Chapters:
3:11 The humanity of voice
5:14 The science of volume and pitch
6:56 Your reading and teaching voice
9:04 Speech as love, not punishment
10:46 Voice for humor and engagement
13:54 All the advantages of spoken word
16:25 A unique, live meeting of minds
20:26 Control without yelling
27:05 Enjoying your students
30:17 Song and poetry in the classroom
33:04 The value of the voice in-person
Links:
Teaching the History of Our “Strange New World”: The History of Western Thought Course featuring Austin Hatch and Michael Moynihan
Also on the Forum:
The Ritual of Reading in the Classroom featuring Tom Steenson
Classroom Ambience by Joseph Bissex
Classroom Tone and Culture featuring Tom Steenson
Featured Opportunities:
The Art of Teaching Boys Conference at The Heights School (May 6-8, 2026) – waitlist
Teaching Essentials Workshop at The Heights School (June 22-26, 2026)
Convivium Conference for Teaching Men at The Heights School (November 2026) – link coming soon