How to connect subjects and experiences

A thought-provoking and engaging essay that answers the following guiding questions: How do seemingly separate academic subjects, as well as seemingly separate life and work experiences, go hand-in-hand with one another? What are ways that students of all ages, especially younger students, can avoid the trap of compartmentalizing subjects and experiences in their minds, as if they can never interact with each other? Clear examples that are easy to understand and relate to are provided throughout.

Humans naturally try to sort information into neat little boxes - “math over here,” “art over there,” “work over here,” “life over there.” But the real world rarely behaves this way. Our greatest insights, most creative breakthroughs, and deepest satisfactions often arise where those boxes meet, overlap, and even collide. By learning to see connections between subjects and experiences, students of every age can develop richer understanding, sharper problem-solving skills, and far more flexibility in school and in life.

The illusion of separation

Imagine you’re studying fractions in math class and painting a watercolor landscape in art class. At first glance, these activities seem utterly unrelated: one deals with numbers and the other with brushes. Yet when you mix paints, you’re performing your own form of ratio work - two parts blue, one part white, a dash of yellow to warm things up. You might not write down “⅔ blue + ⅓ white,” but your eye and your hand are making those calculations in real time.

Or take a history lesson on ancient Rome alongside a creative writing assignment. History gives you the raw material - emperors, engineers, gladiators - and writing invites you to inhabit that world, giving voice to a Roman soldier’s anxieties before battle or a senator’s lobbying efforts. History provides content; writing provides empathy; together they create something far more vivid than either discipline alone.

Why integration matters

• Deepens understanding - When science labs and math classes connect - say, by graphing the trajectory of a model rocket - students see how equations predict real motion.
• Boosts creativity - Engineers borrow from artists. The sleek curves of modern cars start as sketches on paper, guided as much by aesthetics as by aerodynamics.
• Builds transferable skills - A student who learns to research a term paper will find those same search-and-evaluate skills invaluable when troubleshooting code or preparing for a debate.

Everyday examples of interconnection

• Cooking and chemistry: Measuring baking powder, watching dough rise, adjusting heat - every recipe is a live chemistry experiment.
• Budgeting and math: Planning the cost of a fundraising bake sale or sorting allowance into “save,” “spend,” and “share” jars teaches percents and basic accounting.
• Gardening and biology: Tracking when peas sprout, testing soil pH, even sketching leaf shapes - students apply scientific method, record data, and discover life cycles firsthand.
• Storytelling and public speaking: Writing a short play for drama club hones narrative structure, character development, and persuasive delivery all at once.
• Sports and physics: Calculating angles for a soccer free kick or analyzing how much force it takes to throw a basketball combines mechanics with kinesthetic learning.

Strategies to avoid compartmentalization

• Project-Based Learning (PBL): Center units around real-world problems - “Design a park,” “Launch a mini-business,” or “Produce a short documentary.” Each project naturally pulls in math, writing, art, science, and teamwork.
• Thematic units: Choose a broad theme (e.g., “Water”) and explore it across subjects: the water cycle in science, water rights in social studies, poetry about rivers in English, and watercolor paintings of seascapes in art.
• Reflection journals: Encourage students to note every time they use skills learned in one class to solve problems in another. Over time, they’ll recognize patterns - “I used geometry when building my birdhouse” or “I rehearsed vocabulary words while writing my song lyrics.”
• Cross-disciplinary challenges: Pose questions like, “How could an accountant help NASA?” or “What does Shakespeare teach us about modern leadership?” Invite small-group discussions that cut across departmental lines.
• Encourage curiosity: Whenever a student wonders, “Why does that work?” or “Could I do this in a different way?” pursue the question. Curiosity naturally leads to connections and to the “aha!” moments that make learning stick.

From classroom to career and life

Adults who avoid compartmentalizing thrive in careers and daily life. A journalist who understands data analysis can spot trends in large datasets. An architect with a background in environmental science designs greener buildings. Entrepreneurs blend finance, marketing, and technology to create impactful startups. And every adult negotiates, writes emails, uses basic math, and draws on past experiences - often simultaneously.

Conclusion

Life doesn’t hand us neatly labeled packets of “math,” “science,” or “history.” Instead, it presents complex, interwoven challenges. By training ourselves - and our students - to spot connections, to ask, “How can I use what I’ve already learned?” and to embrace projects that draw on multiple skills, we cultivate adaptable thinkers. Those thinkers won’t just excel on tests; they’ll innovate, collaborate, and enjoy the rich tapestry of knowledge and experience that life has to offer.

Mimetic teaching and learning

A comprehensive essay on what it means and looks like to teach and learn mimetically, specifically in the context of teaching and learning in a classical education environment.

Teaching and learning mimetically in classical education

Introduction

Classical education, deeply rooted in the traditions of the Greco-Roman world, aims to cultivate wisdom and virtue through rigorous study and character formation. Within this educational framework, the concept of mimetic learning - learning by imitation - is central, offering a unique approach to the acquisition of knowledge, the shaping of virtue, and the refinement of skills. Mimetic learning stands in contrast to the more contemporary emphasis on innovation and self-discovery, focusing instead on emulating great works, models, and instructors. This essay explores the concept of mimetic learning, examining its roots in classical pedagogy, its implementation in classical education, and the impact it has on both teachers and students.

Understanding mimetic learning

Mimetic learning, derived from the Greek word mimesis, means imitation or emulation. This educational approach asserts that students best learn and internalize skills, virtues, and knowledge by imitating the works and behaviors of masters. Mimetic learning takes as its foundation the understanding that certain ideals - whether in art, literature, science, or character - are worth striving toward and that students benefit from the wisdom of those who have come before them. Rather than focusing on constructing knowledge from scratch, students in a mimetic framework adopt an initial posture of humility, recognizing their need for guidance and modeling.

Mimetic learning relies on three principles: modeling, imitation, and assimilation:

1. Modeling: Instructors and sources of study provide concrete examples of excellence, from historical figures to timeless literary works.
2. Imitation: Students actively attempt to replicate the style, approach, or thought processes of these models, learning through practice and engagement.
3. Assimilation: Over time, through repeated imitation, students internalize and personalize what they have learned, eventually making it their own.

In a classical education setting, mimetic learning is thus more than rote memorization; it is a deep engagement with works and practices that have been proven valuable over generations.

Mimetic teaching in classical education

In classical education, the teacher is not only a conveyor of information but also a model for intellectual and moral formation. The role of the teacher in a mimetic framework is both directive and participatory. Rather than simply presenting information, teachers embody the values and habits they wish to instill. They demonstrate a disciplined approach to reading, thinking, and questioning, encouraging students to follow suit. Mimetic teaching is rooted in mentorship, where the teacher’s example becomes a living curriculum.

1. Modeling classical virtues
In classical education, teaching virtues like temperance, courage, wisdom, and justice is integral to the curriculum. Teachers who embrace mimetic methods do so by first exemplifying these virtues themselves, showing students what it means to live virtuously rather than merely describing it. For instance, a teacher might demonstrate intellectual courage by respectfully engaging with challenging material, encouraging students to do the same without fear. This modeling forms a natural bridge between theory and practice, inviting students to mirror the behaviors they observe.

2. Providing exemplary works
The classical curriculum places a high value on canonical texts and works of art that reflect ideals of beauty, truth, and goodness. These works serve as models for students, inviting them to imitate the styles, ideas, and values they embody. Reading Shakespeare, for example, is more than an exercise in language and plot; it is an opportunity for students to imitate the eloquence, moral complexity, and keen insight into human nature that characterize his works. Teachers encourage students to read, write, and think in dialogue with these models, gradually cultivating a refined and informed intellect.

3. Structured imitation through practice
Mimetic teaching in classical education also involves structured exercises in imitation. Students may be asked to copy famous passages, write in the style of a classical author, or practice the argumentation of historical figures. In subjects like rhetoric, for example, students might study the speeches of Cicero, then attempt to craft their own orations following his methods and techniques. This practice fosters discipline, attention to detail, and an appreciation for the craft of writing and speaking.

Mimetic learning for students

In mimetic learning, students take on the role of apprentices, learning by emulating models rather than by attempting to forge new paths prematurely. This mode of learning cultivates patience and discipline as students work toward mastery. Mimetic learning in classical education is thus both rigorous and holistic, shaping not only the intellect but also the character.

1. Imitating great thinkers and writers
Mimetic learning in classical education frequently involves engagement with the thoughts and styles of great thinkers, including Aristotle, Aquinas, and Shakespeare. Through the imitation of these intellectual giants, students learn to think deeply and develop clarity in expressing ideas. When a student tries to write in the balanced, rhetorical style of Cicero or to reason through a philosophical question with the systematic rigor of Aquinas, they internalize methods of thinking that transcend the exercise itself. This process encourages humility, as students recognize their place within a tradition of knowledge and inquiry that predates them.

2. Practicing virtues through emulation
Classical education aspires to shape both the mind and character. Mimetic learning aids this goal by allowing students to practice virtues through repeated imitation. For instance, through the consistent study of virtuous figures in history and literature, students are encouraged to adopt similar virtues in their lives. Studying Socrates’ commitment to truth and justice inspires students to value truthfulness, while reading about the humility and perseverance of figures like Saint Augustine challenges them to develop similar virtues.

3. The role of repetition and refinement
Mimetic learning emphasizes the importance of repetition in mastery. Just as classical musicians perfect their craft through practice, classical students refine their intellect through repeated exposure to and engagement with the same works and ideas. By working through Euclid’s proofs or reciting passages from Homer, students build an enduring foundation of knowledge and skills. Repetition is not seen as redundancy but as a process of honing understanding, where each encounter with a work or concept reveals new depth and insight.

The transformative power of mimetic learning

Mimetic learning is transformative because it combines intellectual and moral formation. By imitating the best of human thought and character, students learn to approach life with a sense of wonder and responsibility, understanding that they are part of a broader cultural and intellectual inheritance. As students advance, they gradually develop their unique insights and ideas, informed by the models they have studied.

Moreover, this learning approach fosters community. By studying the same works and following the same practices, students form bonds with one another, as well as with the authors and thinkers they encounter. This shared pursuit of wisdom and virtue fosters a sense of solidarity and respect, enriching the learning experience.

Conclusion

Teaching and learning mimetically in a classical education environment is an endeavor rooted in reverence for tradition, excellence, and moral integrity. It embraces the wisdom of past generations and sees value in modeling and imitating exemplary works and individuals. For teachers, mimetic education means embodying the values and skills they wish to impart, leading by example, and providing students with models worth imitating. For students, mimetic learning is a journey of growth and self-discovery that deepens their understanding and shapes their character.

By adopting a mimetic approach, classical education emphasizes that wisdom and virtue are cultivated not in isolation but in the context of a rich intellectual heritage. This process not only prepares students to think critically and act virtuously but also instills a profound respect for the cultural inheritance they are privileged to engage with. Through mimetic learning, the classical education system creates not only scholars but also individuals of character who appreciate the interconnectedness of knowledge, tradition, and virtue.