HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive
Welcome to HeightsCast, the podcast of The Heights School. With over 200 episodes, HeightsCast discusses the education of young men fully alive in the liberal arts tradition. The program engages teachers and thought-leaders in the educational/cultural space to support our community of listeners: parents, teachers, and school leaders seeking to educate the young men in their care. Instead of downloads, HeightsCast's most important metric for success is the unknown number of thoughtful discussions it prompts in homes, faculty lunchrooms, and communities around the country and the world. Thank you for listening; thank you for continuing the conversation.
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Dr. Paul Shrimpton on Newman and his Idea of a School
09/03/2026
Dr. Paul Shrimpton on Newman and his Idea of a School
The most famous work of our newest Doctor of the Church is, of course, The Idea of a University—a collection that explores the essence of a Catholic university education. But fewer people know about St. John Henry Newman’s extensive efforts in primary and secondary education: Newman’s part was not just as an educational theorist, but a school founder, who played every nitty-gritty role from fundraising to parent relations, from essay grading to student mentoring, even processing repair orders and playing second violin to fill out the little school’s orchestra. Dr. Paul Shrimpton has spent decades studying Newman’s interest in education, from theory to practice. Today on HeightsCast, he invites us into Newman’s vision for younger students, their teachers, and grammar schools as places of “grounding” and “a really liberal education.” Chapters: 00:05:18 Co-patron of the Church’s educational mission 00:07:50 Timeline of Newman as educator 00:20:25 Different models of student freedom 00:27:39 Methods of study for young people 00:34:11 Newman: a personal, hands-on educator 00:39:26 The role of a teacher 00:48:23 Partnership with parents 00:57:39 Forthcoming book on Newman: education and practice Links: apostolic letter by Pope Leo XIV by John Henry Newman , especially vol. 3, by John Henry Newman by John Henry Newman by The Catholic University of America Press (publisher for Dr. Shrimpton’s forthcoming book, St. John Henry Newman and his Idea of a School, spring 2027) by Paul Shrimpton by Paul Shrimpton by Paul Shrimpton Also on the Forum: featuring Michael Moynihan featuring Dr. Peter Kilpatrick Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (October 24, 2026) at The Heights School (November 11-13, 2026)
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Alvaro de Vicente on Boy-Girl Socializing: Fostering Healthy Peer Groups
08/20/2026
Alvaro de Vicente on Boy-Girl Socializing: Fostering Healthy Peer Groups
Statistics show that young people today are spending significantly less time socializing in face-to-face mixed company, across genders, than previous generations. This week on HeightsCast, Headmaster Alvaro de Vicente looks at how we might assess and address boy-girl socialization for our sons, helping the modern boy to develop healthy relationships in the right context. Chapters: 2:46 “Normal” is not necessarily the measure 5:53 Healthy group dynamics 7:30 Growth comes in stages 12:12 The role of schools 19:25 The role of families 26:43 Manners and the virtue of charity 32:56 When to make a correction Also on the Forum: featuring Tom Royals by Alvaro de Vicente featuring Alvaro de Vicente featuring Alvaro de Vicente Featured Opportunities: Headmaster’s Lecture at The Heights School (October 3, 2026) – link coming soon at The Heights School (October 24, 2026) Fatherhood Conference at The Heights School (early November 2026) – link coming soon at The Heights School (November 11-13, 2026)
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Austin Hatch and Tom Steenson on True Convivium: Friendship with Fellow Teachers
08/06/2026
Austin Hatch and Tom Steenson on True Convivium: Friendship with Fellow Teachers
“Friendship is one of the most indispensable requirements of life,” says Aristotle in the Nicomachean Ethics. But, adds Alasdair MacInytre, it’s also “difficult and often enough impossible—especially under the conditions characteristic of contemporary modernity.” Today on HeightsCast, long-time colleagues (and friends!) Austin Hatch and Tom Steenson reflect on the nature of friendship, and why it was chosen as the theme for the , hosted by The Heights Forum this November. What is the value of friendships among fellow faculty? What are the ingredients of that friendship? How should individual teachers seek it? How can school leaders foster it? And how might the students benefit? Mr. Hatch and Mr. Steenson begin to scratch the surface of these questions in preparation for the deep-dive at this year’s Convivium. If you’d like to join us, , , and are now being accepted. Chapters: 7:42 Aristotle and Cicero on friendship 12:46 Teaching: a shared life 16:09 Friendship: shared work, shared mission 20:31 Time constraints to friendship 24:50 Faculty friendship’s effect on students 32:41 Maintaining culture as the school grows 38:34 Education: a raising of friends 44:24 Best practices for school leaders, individual teachers Links: featuring Alasdair MacInytre “Economy and Pleasure” in by Wendell Berry Also on the Forum: featuring Tom Cox featuring Dr. John Cuddeback featuring Alvaro de Vicente
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Michael Moynihan on Reducing Anxiety through the Meaning of Work
07/23/2026
Michael Moynihan on Reducing Anxiety through the Meaning of Work
In the charged “Achievement Culture” we live in today, both parent and student anxiety have skyrocketed. There are the usual culprits, from a changing economic landscape to social media and comparison culture. But ultimately, Michael Moynihan believes our professional and academic anxieties come from a crisis of meaning for the term ‘work.’ Drawing on his experience as a math teacher, head of the upper school at The Heights, and father of a large family, Mr. Moynihan suggests that we can reduce anxiety by understanding ‘work’ not as a means of self-optimization or self-advancement, but primarily self-gift. Sanctifying our work tempers both extremes of anxiety and avoidance. Chapters: 5:43 A results-based system meets parental pressure 8:16 Modern crisis of meaning for work 12:03 Helping young people see beyond the immediate, material 14:46 Sanctifying work for anxious students 20:57 Sanctifying work for avoidant students 25:12 Meaningful chores: an antidote to disordered work 28:02 Mastery over grades Links: by Michael Moynihan by Michael Moynihan by Michael Moynihan by Michael Moynihan by Jonathan Haidt Also on the Forum: by Alvaro de Vicente featuring David Maxham by David Maxham by Alvaro de Vicente featuring Alex Berthé Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (November 11-13, 2026) , a year-long mentoring partnership for school leaders
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Eric Heil on an Introduction to Natural History: Beauty, Science, and Philosophy for Boys
07/02/2026
Eric Heil on an Introduction to Natural History: Beauty, Science, and Philosophy for Boys
Natural History is a largely outdoor, discovery-based class for our lower school students, where they see the Valley as a textbook and the seasons as its chapters. Eric Heil has taught Natural History to his third graders for decades now, and in this rebroadcast from 2021, he unpacks the class’s lessons of close observation, pattern recognition, scientific inquiry, identification, wonder, and the foundations of philosophy—all among 8- to 11-year-olds. Chapters: 3:10 Personal observation and discovery 5:35 The outdoors: an alternative textbook 9:55 Boys and nature journals 19:49 Intrinsic value in nature study 25:47 Junior philosophy: substance and accidents 31:50 “I see, I think of, I wonder” 36:23 Starting a nature study at your school Links: featuring Eric Heil and Peter Vitz by Michael Moynihan by John Muir Laws by Anna Botsford Comstock by Donald Culross Peattie by John Serrao Also on the Forum: , a series on science education by Michael Moynihan by Dr. Joseph Lanzilotti featuring Eric Heil featuring Eric Heil Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (November 11-13, 2026)
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Dr. Joseph Lanzilotti on Theology and Masculinity: Men’s Creation and Calling
06/18/2026
Dr. Joseph Lanzilotti on Theology and Masculinity: Men’s Creation and Calling
Our headmaster often uses this paradigm for the ideal Heights graduate: he’s the kind of young man you’d want your daughter to marry. In a recent article for the Forum, Dr. Joseph Lanzilotti asked: in our current culture, how does a boy grow up to be the kind of man who desires that life? Delving into Church sources, both scriptural and magisterial, he has assembled the outline of a theology of masculinity. Responding to Pope St. John Paul II’s description of the “feminine genius,” Dr. Lanzilotti considers the prospect of a complementary “masculine genius,” and what it means for our boys. Chapters: 3:09 A man you’d want your daughter to marry 4:18 A man who wants to marry 7:40 Naturally ordered toward fatherhood 8:58 Building a culture of marriage 16:21 Stories about vocation, fidelity 18:22 Teaching vocation, fidelity 23:00 Theology and human sexuality 26:06 The human heart responds to goodness 31:01 The masculine genius 35:34 Scriptural, papal guidance on human love 37:51 Witnessing to the goodness of life Links: by J. R. R. Tolkien by Kenneth Grahame by Fyodor Dostoevsky by Sigrid Undset by John Paul II by John Paul II by John Paul II , encyclical by Pope St. John Paul II, 1979 , apostolic exhortation by Pope St. John Paul II, 1981 , encyclical by Pope Benedict XVI, 2005 dissertation by Peter Holmes Also on the Forum: featuring Bishop Erik Varden by Dr. Joseph Lanzilotti by Dr. Joseph Lanzilotti by Dr. Joseph Lanzilotti hosted by Tom Cox Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (November 11-13, 2026)
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Mark Grannis on Knowing How to Know: Law School and Other Professional Discernments
06/04/2026
Mark Grannis on Knowing How to Know: Law School and Other Professional Discernments
by Mark Grannis , online lectures featuring Mark Grannis by Mark Grannis by Mark Grannis featuring Fr. Michael Himes Also on the Forum: featuring Rob Liotta, Mark Grannis, and Josue Zelaya on the Forum Faculty Podcast featuring Fr. Carter Griffin and Alvaro de Vicente featuring Mark Grannis by Mark Grannis Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (November 11-13, 2026)
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Alvaro de Vicente on Crafting and Sharing a School Vision
05/28/2026
Alvaro de Vicente on Crafting and Sharing a School Vision
This year’s Heights Forum Art of Teaching Boys Conference brought together motivated educators from across the country (and beyond) to discuss a new vision for boys’ education. The overwhelming follow-up questions: How can I craft and communicate a new vision back at my school? How does a school community grow united in its vision and sense of mission? This week on HeightsCast, Headmaster Alvaro de Vicente offers his advice, first, for building a substantial and specific vision, and second, for translating that vision into action as a school community. In the notes below, you can find recordings of Open House speeches featuring our headmaster across the years. These are practical examples of how Mr. de Vicente presents the vision, mission, and approach of The Heights School to prospective parents. Chapters: 3:31 School vision: the who 8:08 Mission and curriculum: the what 11:29 Approach: the how 12:30 Sharing vision with the parent community 17:28 Vision architects: head of school, board, veteran faculty 20:45 When vision meets enrollment realities 25:05 Heads of school: pray, read, build friendships 31:47 Getting specific with your vision 35:53 Responding to national conversations in education Speeches on Vision by Alvaro de Vicente: Also on the Forum: , an extended lecture featuring Alvaro de Vicente by Nate Gadiano Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (November 11-13, 2026)
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Dr. Matthew Mehan on Compiling an American Book of Fables
05/21/2026
Dr. Matthew Mehan on Compiling an American Book of Fables
“Something old, something new, something red white and blue.” The American Book of Fables is Dr. Matthew Mehan and artist John Folley’s latest children’s book—or, rather, family book—presented for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It offers a delightful education in civics, geography, history, and love of country by combining the American founding documents, short poetry, new and ancient fables, and whimsical oil paintings all mapped to the American landscape. This week on HeightsCast, Dr. Mehan shares the ideas behind the book’s creation and what he hopes “littles, middles, and bigs” can all come to appreciate through a layered work like this. Chapters: 3:01 Picture books and the role of the poet 8:21 A family book for littles, middles, and bigs 13:18 What’s in the book 18:19 Fables: training your “good mother wit” 23:46 Hugh Manatee and humanity 28:33 John Folley’s illustrations 30:55 The American city 34:49 The current discourse on duty 36:47 Presenting founding documents to kids 41:37 Celebrate America250 as a family 48:26 Despair and hope 56:00 Book launch events 58:45 Excerpt: “American Morning” Links: by Matthew Mehan by Matthew Mehan by Matthew Mehan , sculpture by Sabin Howard, installed 2024 , Washington, DC / livestream available – June 30, 2026 , for future book launch events Also on the Forum: featuring Dr. Matthew Mehan featuring Dr. Matthew Spalding featuring Dr. Matthew Mehan featuring Dr. Matthew Mehan featuring Dr. Matthew Mehan
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Mark Ryland on Pragmatic Hope: Understanding AI and the New Economy
05/14/2026
Mark Ryland on Pragmatic Hope: Understanding AI and the New Economy
As a top cybersecurity expert in the commercial sector, Mark Ryland has spent nearly a decade following the development of AI systems—their possibilities, their risks, and their limits. And he’s found reason for measured optimism. At this year’s Heights Parents Conference on “AI and Our Sons: Optimism in Uncharted Waters,” Mr. Ryland brought a moderating perspective to the podium, sharing his insights into how AI really operates and what kind of impact it may have on the job economy our children will inherit. Chapters: 00:04:41 A recent history of AI 00:10:31 Intelligence: human, animal, and artificial 00:14:15 Brains vs. minds 00:16:55 Incredible possibilities through pattern recognition 00:21:21 AI’s dependence, “model collapse” 00:24:49 Expected impact on economy sectors 00:32:47 AI limits: reinforcement learning 00:36:12 AI risks: safety, job loss 00:42:01 Thoughts on the home 00:44:01 Thoughts on the classroom 00:48:07 Catholic chatbots Links: , podcast by Dr. Michael Augros on AI, science, and philosophy , NYT, March 12, 2026 by Timothy B. Lee, Understanding AI Substack , seminal paper on generative AI by a Google Team, June 2017 , concerning “Attention Is All You Need,” Medium, October 10, 2025 , CBC Radio, July 14, 2016 Also on the Forum: featuring Andrew Cantarutti featuring Clare Morell
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Andrew Cantarutti on The Walled Garden: Critical Considerations for Classroom AI
05/07/2026
Andrew Cantarutti on The Walled Garden: Critical Considerations for Classroom AI
AI tech has come knocking at the classroom door, and schools across the country are rushing to design their AI policies around information that seems to change by the day. At this year’s Heights Parents Conference on “AI and Our Sons: Optimism in Uncharted Waters,” writer and educator Andrew Cantarutti shared the research and critical analysis necessary for school communities to consider the claims of AI ed-tech. In the end, he says, the question will be how best to raise citizens rather than simply users. Chapters: 00:03:25 Turkish proverb: the trees and the ax 00:04:09 The attention crisis 00:08:46 AI: a different kind of technology 00:14:08 Adolescence and brain architecture 00:15:03 AI knocks on the classroom door 00:17:34 Walled Garden vs. Marketplace Mirror schools 00:21:03 Building AI literacy 00:27:04 AI’s personalized education 00:27:47 Benefits of the traditional classroom 00:31:34 Our role as parents 00:34:25 Turkish proverb, decoded Links: , Andrew Cantarutti’s Substack by Gloria Mark by Karen Hao , MIT Media Lab, June 10, 2025 , co-founded by Tristan Harris, former Google employee Also on the Forum: featuring Andrew Cantarutti featuring Clare Morell
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Clare Morell on A Humane Way of Life: The Research Behind Home Tech Decisions
04/30/2026
Clare Morell on A Humane Way of Life: The Research Behind Home Tech Decisions
A rapid rollout of integrated AI into technology we use everyday brings with it new considerations for our tech policies at home. At this year’s Heights Parents Conference on “AI and Our Sons: Optimism in Uncharted Waters,” author and public policy researcher Clare Morell shared the latest news and research to inform our digital decisions at home. She points out that, increasingly, the vision we as parents have for our children is in direct competition with the vision big tech has for them. But an active and optimistic posture can help us guide our families toward a more humane way of life. Chapters: 00:04:18 The lay of the digital land 00:08:38 Neuroscience of screens 00:18:56 The myth of parental controls 00:23:22 AI enters the chat 00:32:40 Maturity required to operate 00:35:09 Forming our children: parents and tech companies in competition 00:37:48 Digital detox for your family 00:41:29 A humane way of life: F.E.A.S.T. 00:43:59 Educating children on the harms 00:46:32 Adopting smartphone alternatives 00:48:11 Screen rules and accountability at home 00:50:58 Trading screens for responsibility 00:53:06 Reclaiming human flourishing Links: by Clare Morell by Clare Morell , Clare Morell’s Substack , WSJ, April 26, 2025 , Reuters, August 14, 2025 , Forbes, May 12, 2025 , MIT Media Lab, June 10, 2025 , The Atlantic, July 14, 2025 , ages 12+, docudrama explaining tech company motivations, 2020 Also on the Forum: featuring Clare Morell
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Robert Greving on an Apostolate of Courtesy: Social Graces and Civilization
04/23/2026
Robert Greving on an Apostolate of Courtesy: Social Graces and Civilization
Saving civilization well may begin with eye contact, a tucked shirt, a sincere apology, or a held door. For the dispositions we have toward the little things truly train our sense of human dignity. In his new book, The Apostolate of Courtesy, middle school Latin and language arts teacher Rob Greving follows in the footsteps of St. Francis de Sales. His book offers a defense of civility for the sake of the soul, followed by a practical guide to many of life’s social situations. From table manners to small talk to handling interruptions, our manner affects the temper of the world. And “when I have courtesy,” Mr. Greving writes, “I am not lowering myself but raising myself to the dignity of Christ.” Chapters: 2:10 Mr. Greving’s influences 5:46 Courtesy and civilization 10:53 The medium of apologetics: us! 13:56 St. Francis de Sales: the gentleman saint 19:09 Manners at home 26:05 Handling interruptions well 31:24 Parents and teachers as the example 39:28 The art of apology 42:37 Courtesy in the classroom Links: by Robert Greving by Francis de Sales by C. S. Lewis by George Washington Also on the Forum: by Robert Greving featuring Colin Gleason featuring Alvaro de Vicente Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (April 25, 2026) at The Heights School (June 22-26, 2026)
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Dr. Matthew Spalding on Teaching the American Founding after 250 Years
04/16/2026
Dr. Matthew Spalding on Teaching the American Founding after 250 Years
How have we allowed such a daring story as the American founding to become so flat? A history lesson so simple, tidy, and inevitable that it can be covered in one day’s class? Dr. Matthew Spalding, dean of Hillsdale’s Van Andel Graduate School of Government, wants to revive the living story of the American founding—and the Declaration of Independence, in particular. Calling it our nation’s “epic poem,” he sees in this document as a layered poetic, philosophical, and practical work of the American Mind. This week on HeightsCast, Dr. Spalding invites educators (and everyday citizens) to understand our nation’s founding as so much more than just “an Enlightenment experiment.” Chapters: 00:03:04 “The American Mind” in 1776 00:08:36 A better definition of patriotism 00:10:57 Declaration of Independence: our epic poem 00:14:43 How and why we teach history 00:16:36 Founding influences: more than the Enlightenment 00:21:46 The American synthesis 00:26:40 “Pursuit of happiness” in context 00:29:22 Why the founding narrative is mistold 00:38:06 New surprises in old studies 00:41:32 Finding common ground today Links: , Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government, Hillsdale College by Matthew Spalding by Matthew Spalding by Matthew Spalding Also on the Forum: featuring Dr. Matthew Spalding by Mark Grannis by Mark Grannis Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (April 25, 2026) at The Heights School (June 22-26, 2026)
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Colin Gleason on “Tell me the truth!” Leading Boys to Integrity
04/09/2026
Colin Gleason on “Tell me the truth!” Leading Boys to Integrity
Why tell the truth when it doesn’t always pay? It’s important to let boys encounter this question through example, literature, and enough freedom to wrestle with his own conscience. In this rebroadcast of a 2017 talk, Head of Lower School Colin Gleason admits that you can’t “teach” integrity with drills and facts. But you can create an environment that encourages it to develop. We have to push past consequentialism and avoid the adult instinct to root out the facts at any cost. Because the truth is a good and natural thing; the boy needs only to embrace it. Chapters: 3:12 Dishonesty: from toddlers to adults 5:51 Examples of integrity 10:04 Defining integrity, and whether we can teach it 13:36 Getting past “consequence” ethics 22:14 Homes and schools where integrity can take root 24:47 Trust: the power of relationship 33:47 Freedom: their own initiative 38:37 Friendship: ready to guide and help 45:03 Dishonesty from fear, honesty from confidence Links: , CBS Sports, May 15, 2013 , The Seattle Times, May 6, 2005 Also on the Forum: by Alvaro de Vicente featuring Joe Breslin and Tom Cox Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (April 25, 2026)
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Dave Maxham on Automaticity: Where ‘Rote’ Fits into the Liberal Arts
03/26/2026
Dave Maxham on Automaticity: Where ‘Rote’ Fits into the Liberal Arts
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 humility bear fruit 24:05 Mastery and the intrinsic payoff 27:24 Model delight in your subject 35:13 With low standards, high expectations 42:25 The goals of homework 47:58 Cover less material, emphasize process 55:45 Letting them work it out Links: by David Maxham by G. K. Chesterton (see chapter 4, “The Ethics of Elfland”) by Zach Groshnell by Jared Cooney Horvath Also on the Forum: featuring Andrew Cantarutti featuring Dave Maxham featuring Dave Maxham 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) for Teaching Men at The Heights School (November 2026)
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Andrew Reed on Parenting through the Middle School Doldrums
03/19/2026
Andrew Reed on Parenting through the Middle School Doldrums
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
03/12/2026
Andrew Cantarutti on Classroom Habits of Attention in the Age of AI
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 background 5:27 The lay of the digital land in education 8:38 Attention: a capacity that can grow—and shrink 12:35 A school’s mission and the habits of attention 20:08 School schedules, school spaces 23:35 Four cognitive skills for your lesson plans 34:14 The research on AI and education 38:47 Teachers’ AI use 43:26 Constructive ways to engage with AI 50:47 Whether you can teach critical thinking 53:26 Promises of AI vs. the goals of education 58:05 Rethinking the structure of class time Links: , Andrew Cantarutti’s Substack , Brookings Institute report, January 14, 2026 , MIT Media Lab, June 10, 2025 by Paul Kirschner, Carl Hendrick, and Jim Heal , The Atlantic, January 30, 2026 , The New York Times, July 27, 2025 Also on the Forum: by Mark Grannis featuring Dr. Matthew Mehan featuring Kevin Majeres featuring Cal Newport Featured Opportunities: 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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Tom Steenson on the Teacher’s Voice
03/05/2026
Tom Steenson on the Teacher’s Voice
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 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: featuring Austin Hatch and Michael Moynihan Also on the Forum: featuring Tom Steenson by Joseph Bissex featuring Tom Steenson Featured Opportunities: 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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Alvaro de Vicente on the Role of Parents in the Conspiracy for the Good
02/26/2026
Alvaro de Vicente on the Role of Parents in the Conspiracy for the Good
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. Chapters: 2:56 Entering a school partnership wisely 6:50 Entering the partnership fully 11:57 Parents’ task: formation of the whole person 14:06 Ask what the teachers see 15:18 Match school culture with home culture 17:23 Your child’s friendships 20:44 Parent friendships 26:39 Parent-teacher collaboration 32:04 When to pick up the phone, and the “conspiracy for good” Also on the Forum: featuring Kyle Blackmer featuring Tom Royals featuring Alvaro de Vicente by Alvaro de Vicente by Michael Moynihan by Alvaro de Vicente
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Dr. Stephen Smith on Educating Leaders with Thomas More
02/19/2026
Dr. Stephen Smith on Educating Leaders with Thomas More
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 the Tower of London in 1535. Dr. Smith joins us this week to discuss how More’s life and education can be a pattern for our one-day leading citizens. Chapters: 2:32 The living image of a great man 8:49 More’s philosophy of learning 12:50 Virtue in the first place 16:25 Love of good advice 18:48 Leading citizenship: skill and integrity 24:51 Pride as the enemy 29:32 On modern times: “Do not abandon the ship” 35:14 Mentorship: time and attention 46:39 Hope and humor 54:21 Thomas More as a father Links: , featuring video courses, teaching resources, and the written works of Thomas More by Stephen Smith, pre-order for June 2026 edited by Gerard Wegemer and Stephen Smith edited by Gerard Wegemer and Stephen Smith by Cicero by Gerard Wegemer by Thomas More by Gerard Wegemer by Thomas More by Erasmus Also on the Forum: by Nate Gadiano featuring Michael Moynihan and Austin Hatch by Dr. Matthew Mehan featuring Dr. Matthew Mehan Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (May 6-8, 2026) – sold out at The Heights School (June 22-26, 2026) Conference for Teaching Men at The Heights School (November 2026) – link coming soon
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Bill Dardis on Teaching Religion with Multiple Faiths in the Room
02/12/2026
Bill Dardis on Teaching Religion with Multiple Faiths in the Room
“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 authority 12:32 Clarity: commitment to the truth 13:28 Avoiding relativism 17:17 Emphasizing essential questions 18:37 Persuasive common ground 25:21 Seeing the familiar as if for the first time 27:30 One, holy, catholic, and apostolic 31:45 When a student’s life situation conflicts with the Catechism 37:59 Loving the job Links: by G. K. Chesterton (seeing something familiar as if for the first time) , textbook by Bill Dardis and Tom Cox , textbook by Bill Dardis and Tom Cox Also on the Forum: by Alvaro de Vicente featuring Dr. Joseph Lanzilotti by Mark Grannis featuring Michael Moynihan Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (February 2026) at The Heights School (May 6-8, 2026)
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Arthur Brooks on Your Calling and How to Find It
02/05/2026
Arthur Brooks on Your Calling and How to Find It
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 Teaching: a missionary field 00:06:15 Crisis of meaning among the young 00:07:35 Crisis of calling among more than the young 00:14:23 Sanctifying ordinary work 00:18:42 The marshmallow experiment: not all it seems 00:24:40 High achievers with no calling 00:27:55 Three tests for goal setting 00:36:12 Four profiles for career trajectory 00:44:31 Success addiction: when love feels conditional 00:48:33 Arrival fallacy: when the goal doesn’t satisfy 00:51:34 Posture of submission to find your calling Links: , personal website by Arthur Brooks, pre-order for March 2026 by Arthur Brooks, The Atlantic Also on the Forum: featuring Alvaro de Vicente featuring Arthur Brooks Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (May 6-8, 2026)
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Kevin Twomey on Frantic Families: Three Questions for a More Intentional Life
01/23/2026
Kevin Twomey on Frantic Families: Three Questions for a More Intentional Life
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 family’s top priority right now? 32:30 “Priority” shouldn’t be plural 36:52 Long-standing objectives 38:46 Temporary rally cries 39:49 How do you deploy these answers intentionally? 45:22 Staying on track Links: by Patrick Lencioni , family worksheet PDF Also on the Forum: featuring Alvaro de Vicente by Alvaro de Vicente Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (May 6-8, 2026)
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Colin Gleason on the Father as Protector
01/15/2026
Colin Gleason on the Father as Protector
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 establishing this kind of security, most of which are in our own homes. Also on the Forum: featuring Michael Moynihan featuring Andrew Reed Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (May 6-8, 2026)
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Tom Cox on an Epic Education: Tolkien in the Middle School
01/08/2026
Tom Cox on an Epic Education: Tolkien in the Middle School
To prepare for Homer, Virgil, Beowulf, the Eddas, and Dante—The Heights begins with Tolkien. In a talk from 2016, former middle school core teacher and current upper school classics teacher Tom Cox defends the place of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings in the epic tradition. He then explains why Middle Earth is so uniquely suited to the middle school, using Samwise the Stouthearted as our guide to the heart of a middle school boy. Chapters: 2:46 Rethinking “the middle” 4:01 How LotR prepares boys for upper school 7:57 How LotR meets boys in middle school 12:47 Contrasted with other epics 14:41 Samwise as a middle school model 24:47 Tolkien’s lessons for teachers and parents 26:07 Samwise the Stouthearted: earning his epic epithet 31:18 “Bear one another’s burdens, fulfill the law of Christ” Links: by J. R. R. Tolkien by J. R. R. Tolkien by Homer, prose translation by A. S. Kline by Tom Cox , textbook by Bill Dardis and Tom Cox , textbook by Bill Dardis and Tom Cox Also on the Forum: hosted by Tom Cox by Tom Cox Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (January 7-9, 2026 / May 6-8, 2026)
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Michael Moynihan on the Father as a Guide to the World
12/18/2025
Michael Moynihan on the Father as a Guide to the World
From utero and into infancy, babies recognize their mother as being essentially one with them. So, being placed in their father’s arms is in fact their first introduction to the “other,” the outside world. The father will continue this crucial role as mediator and representative to the outside world throughout a boy’s childhood. With decades of experience and dozens of personal anecdotes, Upper School Head Michael Moynihan addressed the 2025 Fatherhood Conference to share how a father’s parenting outlook now will shape his son’s vocational and professional readiness to enter the outside world as an adult. Chapters: 00:05:47 Mr. Moynihan’s background 00:08:17 Fathers represent the outside world 00:12:21 Model God’s loving fatherhood 00:17:02 Awaken the child’s own agency 00:24:52 Partner with your wife to build this home culture Links: by Michael Moynihan by Michael Moynihan by Michael Moynihan Also on the Forum: featuring Alvaro de Vicente
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Fr. Thomas Joseph White on Reading into Reality: What Is Intellectual Formation?
12/11/2025
Fr. Thomas Joseph White on Reading into Reality: What Is Intellectual Formation?
Our mission is to assist parents in the intellectual, moral, physical, and spiritual formation of their sons… At The Heights, we repeat these words often, including a paraphrase at the beginning of every HeightsCast episode. But what constitutes intellectual formation? What does educating the intellect look like? Co-founder of the Hillbilly Thomists and Rector Magnificus at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome, Fr. Thomas Joseph White, joins us for a deep-dive into the rich Catholic understanding of intellectus, habitus, ratio, and what it means to “form” these God-given faculties. Chapters: 1:35 Intellectus: to read into reality 7:41 Modern challenges to intellectus 13:35 Habitus: a stable disposition towards excellence 17:59 Modern challenges to habitus 21:22 Ratio vs. intellectus 27:07 Intuitive “sight” as a function of intellect 32:27 Developing clear “sight” in the young 34:35 Forming the heart alongside intellect 38:47 Whether the heart and intellect fully integrate 44:01 Beauty reveals the life of the mind to itself Links: , co-founded by Fr. Thomas Joseph White by Fr. Thomas Joseph White by Fr. Thomas Joseph White by Fr. Thomas Joseph White by Pope Benedict XVI by Stratford Caldecott by Josef Pieper Also on the Forum: featuring Dr. Jason Baxter , essay series by Michael Moynihan by Michael Moynihan Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (May 6-8, 2026)
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Fr. Carter Griffin and Alvaro de Vicente on Vocational Discernment in an Age of Infinite Options
12/05/2025
Fr. Carter Griffin and Alvaro de Vicente on Vocational Discernment in an Age of Infinite Options
“Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 16:25). This week we’re joined by Fr. Carter Griffin, rector of the St. John Paul II Seminary in the Archdiocese of Washington, and Alvaro de Vicente, headmaster of The Heights School, to examine “discernment.” It’s become a Catholic buzzword, applied (or sometimes, perhaps, misapplied) to a number of life situations. Here, Fr. Carter and Alvaro discuss the methods and limits of vocational discernment—and the moral courage of commitment. Chapters: 3:45 Christian discernment 6:09 Misuses of the word “discernment” 9:39 Whether we can wrongly discern vocation 14:46 Choice paralysis 20:25 Submit to the process 25:48 Dating and marriage 29:55 Mentors and spiritual directors 33:21 Principles for discerning well 39:38 “Throw your life away”?! 46:17 The need for prayer 52:36 Crisis of vocations or crisis of faith? 59:59 Church choice and church-hopping Links: , 22 September 2025, WSJ for the Archdiocese of Washington for the Diocese of Arlington by Fr. Carter Griffin by Fr. Carter Griffin by Fr. Carter Griffin by Fr. Carter Griffin Also on the Forum: featuring Alvaro de Vicente featuring Fr. Carter Griffin Featured Opportunities: at The Heights School (May 6-8, 2026)
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Colin Gleason on Manners: The “ABCs” of Virtue
11/20/2025
Colin Gleason on Manners: The “ABCs” of Virtue
by Robert Greving by Robert Greving Featured Opportunities: , donations for Jamaica hurricane relief at The Heights School (January 7-9, 2026 / May 6-8, 2026)
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