Cultural Artifacts with Mandi Gerth

Helping students love things worthy of their love

Mandi offers a brief introduction to hymns, prayers, poems, and other cultural artifacts which could be brought into the classical classroom as part of a routine practice or liturgy. She discusses why these cultural artifacts help build classroom culture and how the teacher might want to use them during the classday. mrsgerthteaches.substack.com

  1. May 18

    Creation of Adam

    Register for my CiRCE Pre-Conference on Classroom Liturgies Join me at Repairing the Ruins Purchase Thoroughness & Charm on Amazon Learn more about Michealangelo’s Pieta Get full access to Mrs. Gerth Teaches at mrsgerthteaches.substack.com/subscribe

    8 min

  2. Apr 9

    Proem, the Odyssey by Homer

    Ulysses and the Sirens by John William Waterhouse In this episode, we contemplate the beauty of the first twelve lines, or the Proem, of the Odyssey by Homer. Mandi reads from the introduction to Emily Wilson’s translation so that you get an idea of the movement of this epic while also becoming familiar with its three main characters: Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus. It is hard to overstate the importance of reading both the Homeric epics if you teach in a classical school or if you have begun to homeschool your children classically. These two poems—the Iliad and the Odyssey—find their way into every corner of a classical curriculum because they are so central to the Western tradition. Enjoy! Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Cultural Artifacts and Homer 00:52 The Significance of the Odyssey 06:29 Character Analysis: Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus 11:32 Themes and Teaching Strategies in the Odyssey Resources Mentioned: Purchase Fagles’ Translation of the Odyssey. Listen to Claire Danes read The Odyssey on Audible Subscribe to Mrs. Gerth Teaches. Learn more about Thoroughness & Charm. Attend Repairing the Ruins. June 25-27, Atlanta, GA Thanks for reading Mrs. Gerth Teaches! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Mrs. Gerth Teaches at mrsgerthteaches.substack.com/subscribe

    14 min

  3. Mar 9

    Beethoven's Symphony No. 5

    Today, we delve into Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, a piece that began its journey in 1804 and premiered in December 1808. This symphony, famous for its iconic first four notes, has earned the nickname “Fate Symphony” due to its powerful thematic elements that resonate with the concept of fate knocking at the door. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 00:49 Beethoven’s Personal Struggles and Artistic Calling 01:20 Musical Themes and Variations in the Symphony 02:36 Beethoven’s Innovation in Musical Composition 03:33 Listening to Classical Music with Intent 04:29 Understanding the Movements as a Developing Story 05:23 The First Movement and Its Themes 06:33 The Role of the Finale and Instrumentation 07:31 The Significance of the Symphony’s Ending 08:19 Resources for Deeper Exploration 09:25 Engaging with Classical Music in Education Resources Mentioned: Listen to a performance by the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Gardiner on YouTube: Dr. Laura Eidt, Affiliate Assistant Professor Of Modern Languages Essay on Symphony Number Five from the Eastman School of Music Get full access to Mrs. Gerth Teaches at mrsgerthteaches.substack.com/subscribe

    10 min
  4. How Questions Form Intellectual Virtue

    Feb 23

    How Questions Form Intellectual Virtue

    Davies Owens asked me to come back on Base Camp Live recently to talk about how parents can ask better questions in conversations with their children. The full episode will launch soon, but here’s a sneak peek. Enjoy! Get full access to Mrs. Gerth Teaches at mrsgerthteaches.substack.com/subscribe

    3 min

  5. Feb 19

    Shakespeare's Sonnet 116

    https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/December-25/washington-crosses-the-delaware https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-revolutionary-war/washingtons-revolutionary-war-battles/the-trenton-princeton-campaign/10-facts-about-washingtons-crossing-of-the-delaware-river https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emanuel-Leutze https://youtu.be/1brjwUcz1cA?si=nDHe3PnmxWM4M4Sv His Excellency General Washington by Phillis Wheatley https://poets.org/poem/his-excellency-general-washington The letter which accompanied her poem: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-02-02-0222-0001 Get full access to Mrs. Gerth Teaches at mrsgerthteaches.substack.com/subscribe

    12 min

  6. Feb 9

    Washington Crossing the Delaware

    https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/December-25/washington-crosses-the-delaware https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-revolutionary-war/washingtons-revolutionary-war-battles/the-trenton-princeton-campaign/10-facts-about-washingtons-crossing-of-the-delaware-river https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emanuel-Leutze https://youtu.be/1brjwUcz1cA?si=nDHe3PnmxWM4M4Sv His Excellency General Washington by Phillis Wheatley https://poets.org/poem/his-excellency-general-washington The letter which accompanied her poem: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-02-02-0222-0001 Get full access to Mrs. Gerth Teaches at mrsgerthteaches.substack.com/subscribe

    7 min

  7. Feb 2

    The Darkling Thrush

    The Darkling Thrush https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44325/the-darkling-thrush Biography on Thomas Hardy https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/thomas-hardy Critical Essays SIMPSON, MATT. “MILLENNIAL THOUGHTS — HARDY’S ‘THE DARKLING THRUSH.’” The Thomas Hardy Journal, vol. 15, no. 3, 1999, pp. 80–84. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/45274455. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026. SWIER, SUSAN. “‘SOME BLESSED HOPE’: HARDY’S DARKLING THRUSH.” The Hardy Society Journal, vol. 6, no. 1, 2010, pp. 75–81. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/48561986. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026. Get full access to Mrs. Gerth Teaches at mrsgerthteaches.substack.com/subscribe

    9 min

  8. Jan 26

    Birches

    Today we are looking at the poem Birches, written by Robert Frost. A poem in blank verse that contemplates the loss of youth and the importance of nature to provide perspective when we are “weary of considerations, / and life is too much like a pathless wood.” Information on Robert Frost from Britannica. Critical Essay by George Monteiro Read the poem on Poetry Foundation. Hear Robert Frost read Birches on YouTube. Get full access to Mrs. Gerth Teaches at mrsgerthteaches.substack.com/subscribe

    9 min
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About

Mandi offers a brief introduction to hymns, prayers, poems, and other cultural artifacts which could be brought into the classical classroom as part of a routine practice or liturgy. She discusses why these cultural artifacts help build classroom culture and how the teacher might want to use them during the classday. mrsgerthteaches.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Helping students love things worthy of their love
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mrs. Mandi Gerth
  • Show Website
    Cultural Artifacts with Mandi Gerth

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