I think, however, that there isn’t any solution to this problem of education other than to realize that the best teaching can be done only when there is a direct individual relationship between a student and a good teacher—a situation in which the student discusses the ideas, thinks about the things, and talks about the things. It’s impossible to learn very much by simply sitting in a lecture, or even by simply doing problems that are assigned.
Richard Feynman
Richard Feynman is right. Nothing in education compares to sustained attention and individual lessons from a patient, well-educated tutor. The Fairhaven Program offers private Tutoring and Tutorials for middle and high school students or adults who want individual instruction and guidance in philosophy, mathematics, literature, writing, and history.
Tutoring is available for students who want additional help or conversation about the course of study they are already pursuing. Tutorials are for students who want instruction in a personalized course of study designed to achieve their goals. Potential tutorials:
- Introduction to philosophy, ancient or modern
- Introduction to Ancient Greek
- Creative writing and rhetoric
- Classical geometry
- College preparation
Rather than focus on only one subject, a Tutorial can also be a personalized curriculum of Great Books across all the liberal arts. This is an opportunity for a guided tour through “the great community of human experience.”
Meet the Tutor
My name is Donald Antenen. I live in Bellingham with my wife, two daughters, and thousands of books. I was graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in classical languages and literature (Greek, Biblical Hebrew, & Latin) and from St. John’s College in Annapolis with an M.A. in liberal arts. At Penn I was recognized as a University Scholar, was on the Dean’s List, was awarded the College Alumni Classics Award and Allen Prize for Excellence in Ancient Greek, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. I’ve taught and mentored middle and high school students, led an annual Plato seminar in Philadelphia, and taught and tutored Latin and Greek, and I am a popular instructor in Western Washington University’s Academy for Lifelong Learning program. Besides reading and teaching, I enjoy vegetable gardening, time in the woods and on the beach, lifting weights, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Schedule Tutoring
Write to donald@fairhavenprogram.org or call or text (360) 230-8012 to schedule an introductory phone call. Tutoring and Tutorials are conducted in person.