About the Eva Brann Workshop

This year’s seminars are offered as part of the Eva Brann Workshop, honoring the legendary St. John’s tutor and her lifelong dedication to liberal education and to the work of teachers. Eva Brann (1929–2023) was the longest-serving tutor in the history of St. John’s College and a former Dean of the Annapolis campus. Awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2005, she was a prolific scholar and beloved teacher whose writings and seminars reflected her lifelong passion for liberal education. The Eva Brann Workshop carries forward her vision of supporting educators through serious study, conversation, and community. 
 

Program Summary

What makes for a genuine conversation, especially about the deepest questions? Book One of Plato’s Republic opens with a book-length dialogue that models inquiry at once rigorous and playful, contentious yet collaborative. With the help of Barr’s Notes on Dialogue, we will explore how teachers and students can foster conversations that remain searching, respectful, and open-ended.

Teachers joining us for our free online Saturday seminar will meet from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. ET in a small, interactive class led by St. John’s faculty. The seminar will be followed by discussion about how these ideas might inform and enrich classroom practice.
 

Plato's Republic, Book One reading is LINKED HERE. Stringfellow Barr's "Notes on Dialogue" is LINKED HERE.