The Learnables: Towards the Reform of Mathematics in a Liberal Arts Curriculum
- Isabella Maciejewski
- Sep 2
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 5
The Learnables: Towards the Reform of Mathematics in a Liberal Arts Curriculum
August 6–7, Augustine Institute, St. Louis, MissouriSponsored by the St. John Henry Newman Institute
Recent decades have seen a remarkable revival of the humanities within classical and Catholic education, yet mathematicdisconnecteds and the sciences have often been left trailing behind—fragmented, under-theorized, or from the broader liberal tradition. This August, The Learnables symposium took up that challenge.
Hosted at the Augustine Institute in St. Louis, this two-day conference brought together leading educators, scholars, and practitioners to explore a renewed approach to mathematics within the liberal arts.
Reforming the Quadrivium for Today
Mathematics education today faces challenges both historical and institutional: Should we focus on ancient or modern mathematics? How do we meaningfully integrate science into a curriculum guided by wisdom rather than utility? How do we respond to parental and collegiate expectations without compromising our educational vision?
The Learnables addressed these tensions head-on. Through lectures, panels, and open dialogue, the symposium explored both theoretical foundations and practical models of mathematics instruction in the context of classical education.
Speakers and Topics
Participants heard from a diverse and distinguished faculty, including:
Dr. Sean Collins (St. John’s College, Thomas Aquinas College) on the tension between ancient and modern science, and the philosophical role of mathematics in the search for cosmic meaning.
Dr. Merrill Roberts (Catholic University of America, NASA Goddard, St. Jerome Academy), blending insights from physics, pedagogy, and Catholic liberal education to support a renewed quadrivium.
Peter Ulrickson (Catholic University of America), who brings both high-level mathematical research and a passion for pedagogy into a coherent vision of mathematics as liberal art.
Dr. Jeffrey Lehman (Boethius Institute, Augustine Institute), a philosopher and educator deeply engaged in building the structures of Catholic liberal education today.
Michael Austin (Great Hearts Academies), who has long experience integrating rigorous mathematics into the broader vision of a classical K–12 curriculum.
Dr. John Nieto (Thomas Aquinas College), a master teacher across the disciplines, whose lifetime of work in the Great Books tradition offers a deeply integrated view of mathematics, philosophy, and poetry.
The symposium was organized by the Boethius Institute and hosted at the Augustine Institute in St. Louis. It was made possible through a generous strategic grant from the St. John Henry Newman Institute, which funds select initiatives dedicated to the renewal of Catholic intellectual and cultural life.
About the Boethius Institute The Boethius Institute is a fellowship of master teachers committed to renewing and deepening the tradition of liberal education. Through teaching, mentorship, writing, and collaboration, the Institute supports educators and institutions in recovering the liberal arts and sciences as an integrated path to wisdom. Its initiatives include the Fellows in Formation program, interdisciplinary symposia, and the Arts of Liberty website, which offers curricular resources and scholarly contributions for students, teachers, and lifelong learners. Inspired by the life and thought of Boethius, the Institute seeks to unite theoretical understanding with practical educational leadership in service of a global renewal of classical learning.
