January 3-5, 2024
The Teaching Vocation
A Conference for Men Exploring Professions as Educators
About the Teaching Vocation
A teacher trains minds, forms hearts, and nurtures souls. Ideally, he is a guide in the pursuit of knowledge, an example of both intellectual and moral virtues, and a mentor in the quest for wisdom. He accompanies, instructs, exemplifies, and participates in the formation of his students. Such a call deeply resonates in the hearts of many men, all of whom are called to be teachers in one form or another. For some, the vocation to teach is also professional calling.
If you are considering pursuing a career as an educator, join us for two-and-a-half days of reflection and friendship designed to help you better understand what teaching is and whether you are called to it. Beyond merely hearing about teaching, the conference—hosted on the campus of The Heights School—will give you a real glimpse into the life of men who have dedicated their professional lives to the formation and education of young men fully alive in the liberal arts tradition.
Our aim is to assist professionals, and college and graduate students, as they explore a possible career in education. The conference, moreover, serves as an on-ramp for further professional collaboration within a developing network of aspiring educators.
Registration
Registration Cost: $150. Registration includes meals from Wednesday dinner through Friday lunch, along with printed materials for the conference.
The cost per participant of conferences of this nature often exceeds $1,000/participant. We are honored to provide this experience at the deeply discounted rate thanks to the generosity of donors who recognize the cultural importance of education and the teachers that provide it.
We recognize that even the discounted fee may surpass available funds in some cases. Please email nate@heightsforum.org if you wish to be considered for a full or partial scholarship.
Lodging Information
For those coming from out of town who are interested in lodging options, a block of rooms will be made available at a nearby hotel, with shuttle service to The Heights each morning.
Program Schedule
- 4:30pm Reception
- 5:30pm The Art of Teaching: On Forming Contemplative Souls
- 6:30-8:30pm Dinner
- 7:45am Coffee and Light Breakfast
- 8:30am The Teaching Vocation
- 9:30am Working with Parents
- 10:25am Mass (Optional)
- 11:15am Tour of The Heights School or Classroom Observation
- 12:00pm The Teacher as Mentor
- 12:45pm Lunch
- 1:15pm Panel Discussion and Q&A
- 2:00pm Family Life, Fatherhood, and Finances as an Educator
- 3:00pm Small Groups: Our Path to the Classroom
- 4:00pm Meditation (optional)
- 4:45pm Panel Discussion: What is Teaching Like… Really?
- 6:00pm Dinner
- 7:45am Coffee and Light Breakfast
- 8:30am The Formation of a Teacher
- 9:30am Why a Liberal Arts Education Today?
- 10:25am Mass (Optional)
- 11:30am What roles do we have in a School?
- 12:30pm Lunch
- 1:00pm Panel Discussion
- 1:45pm Practicing the Arts of Liberty
- 2:45pm Panel Discussion: Where should you Invest your Professional Life?
- 3:45pm Conference Summary
- 4:00pm Farewell Happy Hour
Conference Highlights
- Welcome reception Wednesday night with Heights faculty and fellow attendees
- Lectures, guided discussions, and classroom observations with veteran Heights teachers and their friends.
- Enjoy the fraternity of other college and professional men exploring the same call.
- Join a growing network of educators from across the United States and beyond (past attendees have been hired through connections made at the conference).
Topics
Teaching as Vocation
What is a vocation? Is that different from a profession? Just how far off the beaten track is a career in eduction?
Teacher as Mentor
A teacher forms, and most formation happens outside the classroom. How do I form hearts and train the will?
Teacher as Partner with Parents
Schools ought to be schools for families, thus much of our best work is not in the classroom or even with the student, but rather with their parents. Explore this daunting but critical element of our profession.
Teacher as Liberal Artist
What are the liberal arts really? Are the arts of liberty still needed for success in an increasingly virtual world?
The Formation of a Teacher
How do I grow professionally? Do I really need an education degree? Is there another, better way? How would I know if this is the right career for me?
The Viability of Teaching
Is it financially possible to both raise a family and pursue this vocation? What do finances and family life look like in this profession? There are obvious pros and cons–we’ll talk about them both.
Registration
Registration for this event will open summer 2026.
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