Skip to content
Forum Faculty Podcast

Textbooks: Tool or Crutch?

by , and

In this episode of the Forum Faculty Podcast, Tom invites Heights teachers Austin Hatch, Mark Grannis, and Shane O’Neil to discuss the use of textbooks in their classes. They explore whether textbooks are vital tools or limiting agents, sharing personal experiences and strategies for balancing textbooks with engaging and personalized teaching methods. The conversation covers a range of subjects including literature, history, logic, and math, discussing the benefits and drawbacks of using textbooks, the importance of teacher-student interactions, and the flexibility required in dynamic teaching environments.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introductions
01:02 Personal Experiences with Textbooks
03:25 Austin Hatch’s Approach to Textbooks
06:05 Mark Grannis on Textbook Use and Logic
12:21 Shane O’Neill’s Perspective on Teaching History
20:19 Challenges and Limitations of Textbooks
32:14 Grading Midterm Essays: A Frustrating Experience
33:53 The Impact of Textbooks on Learning
34:45 Balancing Skepticism and Receptiveness in Education
35:37 Engaging Students Beyond the Textbook
36:57 Challenges and Strategies in Teaching Different Subjects
43:01 The Role of Primary Sources in Education
50:10 Incorporating Freedom and Choice in Learning
54:11 Advice for New Teachers: Embrace the Journey
01:00:28 Conclusion: Reflecting on Teaching Practices

About the Authors

Austin Hatch

Ninth Grade Core, History of Western Thought, Jackson Scholars Senior Thesis

Austin Hatch began teaching at The Heights in 2004. He teaches 9th Grade Core and The History of Western Thought, and he directs The Jackson Scholars senior thesis program. He returned to the school in 2012 after two years in Houston, Texas as assistant headmaster, athletic director, basketball coach, and homeroom teacher at Western Academy. He has taught natural history, logic, English, and writing. He began his teaching and coaching career at St. John’s College High School in Washington, DC  in 1996. He holds a B.A. in English from the Catholic University of America and a Master’s in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. Austin’s wife, Elizabeth, is a family physical therapist and a home-schooling mother. The Hatches have seven children: Kiley, John Austin (’21), Samuel (’24), Beatrice, Flannery, Ezekiel, and Nathaniel.

Learn More

Mark Grannis

Philosophy, History

Mark Grannis teaches logic and history at The Heights. He is the author of The Reasonable Person: Traditional Logic for Modern Life, and most recently, a Teacher’s Supplement for The Reasonable Person.

 

Learn More

Shane O'Neill

Eighth Grade Core, Middle School Science

Shane O’Neill is the Varsity Rugby coach and a member of the middle school faculty at The Heights, teaching sixth grade. He is a 2006 graduate of the School and earned his B.A. in Politics from the University of Dallas. He and wife Libby reside in Damascus, Maryland.

Learn More

Subscribe to The Heights Forum Newsletter

Name(Required)
I'm interested in content for...
Select if you'd like to receive a monthly newsletter specifically for any of these educator roles.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.