Thoroughness & Charm

In this guide to classroom liturgy, Mandi Gerth offers practical advice to the classical educator seeking a truly classical classroom. Liturgy, she argues, solves many problems teachers commonly face: classroom management, retention, fostering culture, and emphasizing the most important things (the true, good, and beautiful). While reminding the teacher of their high calling, Mandi provides practical and actionable ways to embrace the classical tradition and become a thinker worthy of imitation. Addressing not only the why of classroom liturgy, Mandi details the how, providing a lengthy appendix of resources and example liturgies. This is a highly actionable resource for the new and practiced classical teacher alike.

What others are saying...

“Our teachers have loved reading Thoroughness & Charm in our staff training this year. The book has served as an inspiration for us to think carefully and practically about how to embody the classical tradition in our classrooms. Mrs. Gerth brings the concept of paideia to life with accessible anecdotes and pragmatic pointers. I highly recommend this text to any teachers or administrators seeking greater understanding of how the philosophy of Classical Education should influence daily practice.”

-- Lindsey, Upper School Principal

"Your explanations of why embodied virtues, shared experiences, and common language matters and of how to cultivate these in class filled in so many gaps for me. I struggle with the constant tension of realizing what I don't know and the need to act on what I do know to share this beautiful tradition of classical Christian education."

-- Kris, Head of School

"The classroom is not just a place for teaching. It breathes: in the rhythm of prayers, in the silence before an explanation, in the care of turning each page. These gestures, invisible to many, are the music that shapes the hearts of students. It was while reading Thoroughness & Charm by Mandi Gerth that I realized: every routine is a liturgy, and every liturgy forms. Teaching is creating a space where the beautiful is loved, the true is honored, and the good is desired.”

-- Priscila, Classical Educator