CCLE XXV

Bio: Jacob H. Benson is the pastor of Saint John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lovell, Wyoming and teaches Music I and II at Wittenberg Academy. He is a graduate of Northwest College (AA), the University of Wyoming (BA), Concordia Theological Seminary (MDiv, STM), and currently researches the incorporation of protestant hagiographies in early modern English literature at Trinity College Dublin (PhD) under Mark Sweetnam. He and his wife thank God every day that He has allowed them to raise their son in the shadow of the Big Horn Mountains.

Presentation Title: “Hagio Pedagogy: Fitting AC and AP XXI into the Classroom”

Presentation Description: Lutherans who wish to recover a good devotion to the saints often (1) accept the traditional hagiographies without looking critically at the historicity of those accounts or (2) speak highly of the saints but never practically apply their example to lives of believers. These two errors parallel contemporary theological and pedagogical issues of (2) antinomianism and (1) an inability or refusal to engage with primary sources. This presentation will look at historical reasons for neglect of the saints and their accompanying literature and will offer a roadmap to incorporating an intentionally historical, theological, literary, and Lutheran approach to teaching the stories of the saints in Lutheran classrooms.

Bio: Jocelyn grew up in Fort Dodge, Iowa, attending Lutheran school through 8th grade. She has a B.A. in English-teaching and an M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Northern Iowa. She also completed three and a half years of doctoral work in Educational Psychology with emphases in Technology and Education and History/Foundations of Education at the University of Iowa. She loved teaching English and coaching many sports at the high school level before returning to school full time. Jocelyn lives in Chatfield, MN, with her husband, Justin, and their four children—Asher, Malachi, Ephraim, and Miriam. In her free time, Mrs. Benson enjoys spending time with her family, reading, walking, and hiking.

Presentation Title: “A Man Under Authority: How Classical Lutheran Education teaches our children to live in God’s good order in a world opposed to order”

Presentation Description: The centurion told Jesus, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Matthew 8:8-9). The centurion understood the good of authority. Without question, the centurion had been taught what authority meant and how to be an authority. Authority is necessarily relational. God gives authority as a good. Our children live in a world fundamentally opposed to authority and the order given through it. The children must be taught not only to live under authority, but also to be authorities. A classical Lutheran education gives parents and teachers the opportunity to immerse children in, and pass from one generation to the next, the good of living under authority.

Bio: Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Boyle was called to the faculty at CTSFW as Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions and as Director of Field Education in 2022. He teaches classes on Preaching, Catechetics, the interpretation of Scripture, and various Old Testament classes, including Hebrew. He earned his B.A. at the University of Michigan (2005), his M.Div. at CTSFW (2009), and then his Ph.D. in Old Testament at the University of Toronto (2019). He wrote his thesis on “The Real Presence of Christ in Scripture: A Sacramental Approach to the Old Testament.” He was ordained and installed as senior pastor of Grace Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas in 2010, where he served until joining CTSFW in 2022. He and his wife, Nicole, are the proud parents of five children, Ana, Claire, Gabriela, Micah, and Brigit. They have been deeply involved in Classical Lutheran education since 2013. He pioneered the start of Concordia Academy Wichita, a classical Lutheran high school in Wichita, KS and serves on the board for both Concordia Academy Wichita and Redeemer Classical School, where his children attend and his wife teaches. He has attended many CCLE conferences and in the summer of 2023 gave a keynote address entitled, “My Kingdom Is Not of This World.”

Presentation Title: “ministerium docendi evangelii: The Pastor as Teacher”

Presentation Description: St. Paul speaks of shepherds and teachers as gifts given to the Church. What is this office of teaching and how are our pastors to do it well today? This presentation will trace the Biblical witness of teaching and offer practical tips for pedagogy to pastors.

Bio: Rev. Paul J Cain is Pastor of Immanuel, Sheridan, Wyoming and Headmaster of Martin Luther Grammar School and Immanuel Academy. He has been part of the Wyoming District since 2000. He is Secretary of CCLE, a founding Regent of Luther Classical College, Instructor of Rhetoric at Wittenberg Academy, and is blessed to be married to Ann.

Presentation Title: “Humanizing Humans: Applied Rhetoric for the Art of Communication”

Presentation Description: This session shows how to introduce some rhetorical concepts to a younger audience, 3rd-5th grade, yet is also helpful for people of any age with little or no experience with rhetoric.

Bio: Reverend René G. Castillero was raised in McHenry County, IL with his two siblings. After completing his bachelor’s degree from Concordia University Chicago in 2013, he attended Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 2017, Rev. Castillero was called to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sheridan, WY and served as Associate Pastor. He was also their full-time Lead Teacher from 2017-2022 and served as Headmaster from 2022-2024 at Martin Luther Grammar School and Immanuel Academy. While in Wyoming, Rev. Castillero also attended to the Wyoming District as the Youth and Outdoor Ministry Coordinator. Apart from his duties, Rev. Castillero loves to cook, read, ride his motorcycle, learn from people, and has dabbled in continued education. Rev. Castillero is married to Martha. They have two children: Lukas and David.

Presentation Title: “Introduction to Classical Lutheran Education Pts. 1 & 2”

Presentation Description: This two-part session will introduce you to Classical Lutheran Education! Fundamentally, we will seek to answer the questions such as: “what is Lutheran in education?” “Why should we educate?” “Who do we educate?” and many more. We will walk through other topics as it relates to the means we use to teach including the trivium, quadrivium, progymnasmata, integrated catechesis. Finally, we will touch on matters in regard to the school, its teachers, its curriculum, its students, over all school culture, and other practical matters.

Bio: Pastor Cholak learned sign language in seminary. He has used sign language to tell the Gospel of Christ to the Deaf at church services, youth conferences, church functions, and the classical classroom. He has served LCMS parishes and schools as pastor, teacher, headmaster, and chaplain. Pastor Cholak and his wife, Stephanie, live in Houston, Texas. He enjoys reading, hiking, drinking coffee, and talking theology.

Presentation Title: “Using Socratic Dialogue/Questioning in the Classroom”

Presentation Description: This sectional will be a conversation about using Socratic Dialogue in the classroom on a regular basis. We will begin by exploring Plato’s dialogues and what Socratic Dialogue is. We will read excerpts of Plato to experience the master philosopher himself in dialogue with his interlocutors. The group will identify and apply the classical pedagogy principles that are used and strengthened while employing Socratic dialogue. We will look at practical ways to use Socratic Dialogue in classrooms of all ages.

Bio: Mrs. Liz Ekblad is the Grammar teacher for Wittenberg Academy. She graduated from Concordia University Wisconsin with a degree in Classical Lutheran Education. She resides in Sheboygan, WI with her husband Anders and their sons: Johannes (6), Kristoff (4), and Lukas (1). In Sheboygan, they attend Trinity Lutheran Church where she teaches music and personal finance two days a week. Otherwise, she delights in being a mom at home caring for her home, children, and husband.

Presentation Title: “Grammar as Confession”

Presentation Description: Words matter. The way we talk impacts the way we think. The way we think impacts the way we talk. We cannot separate thought from language. The people, media, and things we surround ourselves with will certainly impact how we think and how we speak. This is why it’s crucial to surround ourselves with and learn about the good, the beautiful, and the true. In this time in history, it is more important than ever to learn and use proper Grammar. But what is proper when even the grammar books and professionals are changing grammar to be against Biblical doctrine?

Bio: The Rev. Phillip Fischaber serves as senior pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut, IL, pastoral advisor to Christ Lutheran School in Sterling, IL, and circuit visitor. He is vice-chair of Northern Illinois Confessional Lutherans. He holds an M.Div from Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN and an M.Phil from Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, OH where he is a Ph.D. candidate. His dissertation is on the sixteenth century Lutheran theologian, humanist, language teacher, and printer Elias Hutter. He has previously served as adjunct professor of Hebrew at Concordia University Chicago.

Presentation Title: “The Wittenberg Education Reformation”

Presentation Description: Luther, Melancthon, and others embraced much from the humanist educational reformation begun in the fifteenth century but also wrought major changes of their own, setting the course for education not just among Lutherans but throughout Protestant Europe and the Americas. This presentation will discuss what the Lutheran education reformers retained and changed from both medieval scholasticism and the broader humanist movement in order to help pastors and educators today make theologically and pedagogically sound judgments about the multitude of resources available, address newer subjects which have entered the curriculum, and better make the case for classical Lutheran education today.

Bio: Mr. Scott Gercken is Kantor of St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church & School in Brookfield, Illinois, teaching primarily in the areas of music, Latin, and religion. He holds master’s degrees in music and religion from Concordia University Chicago and a bachelor of music education from the University of Illinois. Prior to joining the faculty at St. Paul’s, Mr. Gercken taught public school band and choir for seven years in rural Illinois schools. He resides in Brookfield with his wife, Rebecca, and their children, Julianna, Marilyn, Charlotte, Evie, Fritz, Katie, Henry, and Lilly.

Presentation Title: “The Liederpensum of J. C. Vonderau: Reclaiming the Art of Learning Hymns by Heart”

Presentation Description: In 1891, the Missouri Synod’s professional teachers’ journal published J. C. Vonderau’s “Liederpensum für die Schule,” an apologetic and method for students learning hymn stanzas by heart in an eight-grade, four-classroom Lutheran school such that an eighth grader would accrue a repertoire of 156 hymn stanzas. Featured in Thomas Korcok’s Serpents in the Classroom, we will explore the hymn stanzas Vonderau recommended, discuss what is missing and how to fix it, and ponder how such a Liederpensum may be implemented and improved upon in our classical Lutheran schools’ lives of learning by heart.

Bio: Elizabeth Grimpo is professor of music at Concordia University, Nebraska. She teaches aural skills, music appreciation, beauty in the fine arts, and piano lessons. She collaborates and performs regularly with student musicians as well as the choral ensembles, touring with the University A Cappella Choir. Additionally, she performs regularly as a solo pianist, performing music from the classical repertoire as well as newly composed sacred music. She has written multiple volumes of graded settings of hymns and the liturgy, published by David’s Harp – A Center for Musical Development. She has also composed several hymn settings for the Piano Hymn Prelude Series, published by Concordia Publishing House. She holds an undergraduate degree in music education from Concordia University-Chicago and two graduate degrees in piano performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Presentation Title: “Sight Singing with Confidence”

Presentation Description: Have you ever failed to recognize a familiar notated melody because you didn’t have a piano handy? Have you ever struggled to sing four-part harmony during a church or chapel service? Have you ever found yourself floundering through a new piece during choir rehearsal? Be able to answer no to these questions by taking the guesswork out of your sight singing. This presentation will give a basic explanation of key signatures and a working knowledge of solfege – and this information will make your future approach to sight singing methodical and your results accurate.

Bio: Elizabeth Grimpo is professor of music at Concordia University, Nebraska. She teaches aural skills, music appreciation, beauty in the fine arts, and piano lessons. She collaborates and performs regularly with student musicians as well as the choral ensembles, touring with the University A Cappella Choir. Additionally, she performs regularly as a solo pianist, performing music from the classical repertoire as well as newly composed sacred music. She has written multiple volumes of graded settings of hymns and the liturgy, published by David’s Harp – A Center for Musical Development. She has also composed several hymn settings for the Piano Hymn Prelude Series, published by Concordia Publishing House. She holds an undergraduate degree in music education from Concordia University-Chicago and two graduate degrees in piano performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Presentation Title: “Sight Singing with Confidence”

Presentation Description: Have you ever failed to recognize a familiar notated melody because you didn’t have a piano handy? Have you ever struggled to sing four-part harmony during a church or chapel service? Have you ever found yourself floundering through a new piece during choir rehearsal? Be able to answer no to these questions by taking the guesswork out of your sight singing. This presentation will give a basic explanation of key signatures and a working knowledge of solfege – and this information will make your future approach to sight singing methodical and your results accurate.

Bio: Julia Habrecht delights in her vocations as wife, mom, daughter, friend, godmother, and Headmaster of Our Savior Lutheran School in Grand Rapids, MI. Having previously served as Headmaster of Immanuel Lutheran School (Alexandria, VA), Julia possesses an earnest zeal for classical Lutheran education. She enjoys sharing her love and appreciation for the arts and strives to cultivate in her students an eye for the aesthetics that is crucial to a well-rounded classical curriculum. Julia has presented on themes of beauty, music, school culture, and school administration for the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education, the Lutheran Education Association, and the Association of Classical Christian Schools. 

Presentation Title: “Essential Elements of School Administration”

Presentation Description: The school administrator wears many hats. They are responsible for providing leadership across the organization and wisely managing many competing demands. Join this session for an overview of the essential components of the head’s job description – including strategy, finances, pedagogy, personnel, culture, and school operations. We will consider these duties and how to prioritize work and resources in consideration of school and church calendars, the unique needs of the community and the maturity of each school.

Bio: Gabriel Haley is Professor of English at Concordia University, Nebraska (Ph.D. and M.A. in English from the University of Virginia; B.A. in English and Classics from Hillsdale College). He also serves as the Headmaster of Trinity Academy, a classical Lutheran high school that is an institute of Concordia University. Since 2021, Dr. Haley has been a term board member of the CCLE.

Presentation Title: “Grading and Assessments in Classical Lutheran Schools”

Presentation Description: Current educational methods have emphasized ubiquitous rubrics, measurable course objectives, gamified learning, and frequent grade reporting. These efforts are presented as ways to maintain standards, yet they have resulted in a misplaced focus, often distracting from the attainment of knowledge and virtue, and disregarding wisdom as an end. How do our schools remain true to classical pedagogical principle of paideia? How do assessments remain assessments, not an end in themselves? This presentation is a table talk with teachers, parents, and school administrators to work through this topic, analyzing various assessment practices in relation to the aims of classical Lutheran education.

Bio: Anna Hahn graduated from Concordia University Wisconsin in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Lutheran Education. Since then, she has been at Mount Hope Lutheran School in Casper, WY, where she has taught grades K-2, 3-5, and various Latin classes. Aside from teaching, Miss Hahn enjoys singing and writing hymns, reading, running and skiing the mountain trails, baking, and visiting her family in Wisconsin.

Presentation Title: “All’s Well That Starts Well: Setting Up for Successful Classroom Management”

Presentation Description: When it comes to classroom management, the first few days of school lay the groundwork for the whole year’s success. What should a teacher do to set up her students—and herself—for a happy, productive year? In this sectional, Miss Hahn will discuss both the theological groundwork and the practical “how-to” for establishing procedures, expectations, and a joyful Christian culture in the classroom.

Bio: Nathanael Hahn teaches 6th-12th grade math and science at Mount Hope Lutheran School in Casper, WY. He also teaches 9th grade music theory and directs one of the choirs. When he isn’t teaching, he enjoys spending time with family, composing music, playing board games, hiking, and exploring math education.

Presentation Title: “Discovering Classical Mathematics through Nicomachus”

Presentation Description: In this session, we’ll first discuss the major ideas behind classical, Lutheran math education with an eye turned toward primary math texts. We’ll then take a look at an actual primary source, Introduction to Arithmetic by Nicomachus of Gerasa, and in a workshop style explore how something like it could be taught in the classroom.

Bio: John James is a PhD student in Classics at SUNY, Buffalo, where he researches ancient Greek grammarians and poetics, and teaches classical languages and literature. He received his BA in Classical Studies from Hillsdale College and his MA in Ancient Philology from the Polis Institute in Jerusalem. At Polis he also taught immersive ancient Greek courses ranging from absolute beginner to advanced reading and composition courses. His MA thesis, “The Greek and Hebrew Background of σπλάγχνα in the New Testament,” explored the Greek bodily and emotional metaphors connected to the Greek word σπλάγχνα from Homer to early Christianity. John is always eager to talk about language pedagogy, linguistics, literature, and music, especially in Ancient Greek.

Presentation Title: “Bringing Communicative Techniques into the Classical Language Classroom: Examples, Myths, and Methods”

Presentation Description: The first part of this session will be a participative demonstration of an immersive Ancient Greek class. Participants will experience how an immersive classroom can deepen engagement as well as grammatical understanding. No prior knowledge of Greek is required. The second part will consist of a lecture on common misconceptions, methods, benefits, and difficulties of “communicative” or “active” language learning approaches. Such approaches can solve common difficulties in language classrooms while harmonizing with classical educational principles. By presenting these useful teaching tactics, this talk aims to refresh and encourage teachers of “dead” languages and support lifelong habits of language study.

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Presentation Title: “Why Latin?”

Presentation Description: What do you say when a prospective parent or student asks, “Why Latin?” Do you offer a list of benefits from a “Ten Reasons to Learn Latin” article published by any of a dozen classical organizations? Many things are beneficial which are not included in the curriculum, and a litany of benefits does not in and of itself justify taking up precious space in the curriculum. Some classical schools do not teach Latin at all. Many northeastern public schools teach Latin as an extracurricular. I argue that Latin is as essential to the ideal classical Lutheran curriculum as English, mathematics, and science.
There are two reasons you need to know why we teach Latin. You need to be able to articulate its purpose (τέλος) to parents and students, and you need to know the most appropriate approach (μέθοδος) for teaching Latin in the present context. Ultimately, the most transcendental purpose of teaching or learning Latin is its proper end, regardless of its many benefits. It is this purpose which justifies its place in the curriculum and informs the μέθοδος. In this presentation I will focus on the τέλος in order to inform the μέθοδος. Although I may comment on the μέθοδος, prescriptions and recommendations belong to a separate paper.

Bio: Marie MacPherson is a wife, mother, and baptized child of God. Author of several devotion books and Lutherans for Life booklets, she has also published a variety of curriculum at Lutheran Homeschool Marketplace and written dozens of blog posts focused on health, education, and Biblical womanhood. Her Bachelor’s Degree is in Elementary Education, with a specialty in Communication Arts and Literature, and she holds both Minnesota and Wyoming teaching licenses. Marie is a CCLE certified educator and is currently enrolled in graduate courses from Memoria College’s Great Books program. Her husband Ryan serves as the Academic Dean of Luther Classical College in Casper, Wyoming. They are blessed with seven children, whom they classically educate. Visit their website at www.intoyourhandsllc.com 

Presentation Title 1: “Celebrate the Festival: Cultivating Ritual and Tradition Rooted in the Church Year”

Presentation Description: With much confusion coming out of evangelicalism regarding the relationship between Christian holy days and pagan festivals, it is imperative that Lutherans educators explore what, how, and why to celebrate. Born out of God’s Old Testament festivals, and reaching its richest earthly significance in the festival of Holy Communion in the Divine Service, seasons of celebration are every Christian’s birthright! Based on practices cultivated over the years in the speaker’s own home, as well as her observations and experiences in several Lutheran schools, this session will both explore the theory of festivity as well as share numerous practical resources for implementing Godly celebration in your home and classroom.

Bio: Dr. Ryan MacPherson serves as the Academic Dean of Luther Classical College. He brings to LCC twenty years’ experience as a professor of history and philosophy, plus a passion for classical Lutheran education at all levels. His publications include Rediscovering the American Republic: The Quest for Ordered Liberty and Studying Luther’s Large Catechism: A Workbook for Christian Discipleship. He and his wife Marie are homeschool parents of seven children. Learn more at www.ryancmacpherson.com. 

Presentation Title: “Reviving the Medieval Disputation as a Classroom Teaching Tool”

Presentation Description: The medieval disputation, while characteristic of scholasticism, also held a prominent place in Lutheran education at the University of Wittenberg. Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses as well as the Formula of Concord’s “affirmativa” and “negativa” flow from minds well-trained in the art of formal disputation. Learn how the methods of Aquinas, Luther, Melanchthon and others can enliven class discussion, sharpen thinking, and foster deeper understanding among high school and college students today.

Bio: Heather McCoy is a classical Lutheran home educator to three scholars and one graduate. Professionally, she is a teacher for students with learning differences with 20 years of experience in a variety of settings. She is currently a Special Needs Instructor with the Center for Students with Learning Differences at Schole Academy, a School of Classical Academic Press. Heather’s passion is to find paths for students with learning differences to access what is true, good, and beautiful in their education. 

Presentation Title: “Liturgy Guided approach: Teaching Students with Learning Differences in Good Order”

Presentation Description: Students with learning differences will display a deficit in at least one of the eight executive functioning skills, which leads to difficulty in accessing knowledge and rich discussion during class time. The structure of our liturgy comforts us with good order while allowing reasonable flexibility. Using flexibility within the good ordered structure, home educators and course instructors have an opportunity to help students with learning differences strengthen their executive functioning deficits with customized strategies. This presentation will contain a brief explanation of executive functioning skills, practical strategies for students, and tips to ease times of transition.

Bio: Angus J. L. Menuge is Professor of Philosophy and Co-Chair of the Classical Education Program at Concordia University Wisconsin. He was raised in England, and became an American citizen in 2005. He holds the MA and PhD in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the DCA (Diploma in Christian Apologetics) from the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism, and Human Rights. Angus has written many peer-reviewed and popular articles on the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, philosophy of law, apologetics, C. S. Lewis, and the foundation of ethics. He is author of Agents Under Fire: Materialism and the Rationality of Science, and editor of C. S. Lewis: Lightbearer in the Shadowlands, Christ and Culture in Dialogue, Reading God’s World, Legitimizing Human Rights, and Religious Liberty and the Law. He is co-editor with Jonathan J. Loose and J. P. Moreland of The Blackwell Companion to Substance Dualism and, with Barry W. Bussey, of The Inherence of Human Dignity, volume I and II and of Conscience and Rights, and with Brian Krouse and Robert Marks of Minding the Brain. Angus is past president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society (2012-2018).

Presentation Title: “Classical Pedagogy: Liberating the Mind”

Presentation Description: Classical Lutheran pedagogy fosters Christian mental liberty in two ways. First, it equips students with the intellectual tools, disciplinary study, and spiritual armor to defend against ideological captivity (Col. 2:8, 2 Cor. 10:5). Second, it develops Christian thought and creativity. It transforms the mind so that it is no longer conformed to worldly patterns of thinking (Romans 12:2). Logic is used both to defend Christianity against objections and to commend the faith to outsiders (1 Peter 3:15). There is an emphasis, in art, literature, music, and science, on two great witnesses to the image of God: imagination and creativity.

Bio: Katie Meregaglia was introduced to classical education as an undergraduate at Concordia University Irvine, where she studied history and Biblical Languages. She earned a Master’s degree in American Studies at the University of Dallas and then spent eight years teaching various subjects at Classical schools in Texas and Idaho. Now that she is a mom, she teaches Latin part-time at Zion Lutheran School in Nampa, Idaho. Katie and her husband, Alex, enjoy cultivating their home library and exploring Idaho with their 3-year-old son.

Presentation Title: “Picta Dicta: An Interactive Latin Curriculum for Classical Education”

Presentation Description: Picta Dicta, a subscription-based Latin curriculum, uses both digital and print components to teach K-12 students to read Latin. Students learn vocabulary through images and read compelling Latin chapter books within the first year of the program. The curriculum promotes reading intuition, while also emphasizing grammar mastery. At Zion Lutheran school in Nampa, Idaho, the Latin teachers have found Picta Dicta to be engaging for the students, while also being low-prep for teachers. Katie will demonstrate what a lesson using Picta Dicta might look like, with variations that make it suitable for homeschooling and co-op programs as well.

Bio: Mrs. Mildred lives in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She receives Christ’s gifts at Faith Lutheran Church in Plano. In 1999, Erika earned her B.A. in Secondary Education – English and Communications, with her Lutheran Teachers Diploma, from Concordia University, Chicago, IL. In 2017, Mrs. Mildred obtained her Classical Lutheran Educator Certification through the CCLE, and in 2021, she earned her M.Ed. in Mathematics Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington. Over the years, she has been privileged to work with children of all ages as a classroom teacher, a high school girls’ JV and varsity basketball coach, a personal and group tutor, an online educator, a day school principal, and a home school mom of two girls. She currently teaches for both Faith Lutheran School in Plano, TX, and for Wittenberg Academy. Mrs. Mildred has been involved with the CCLE since 1999, serving as a board member and treasurer from 2013 – 2019. Her favorite parts of teaching are those “aha moments,” when a concept clicks or a connection is made. She states, “Building confidence and a love for learning in students are gifts to them that last a lifetime; it is a privilege from God to impart those things to His children.”

Presentation Title: “Math IS a Language: From Phonemes and Morphemes to Syntax and Discourse”

Presentation Description: Understanding how mathematics works as a language system can help our students understand math better as well. Comparisons to linguistics and language acquisition and beneficial classroom examples will be provided.