Everyday Educator - The Finer Things in Life - Protocol
00:00:00.000 | (upbeat music)
00:00:03.240 | - Welcome friends to this episode
00:00:05.540 | of the "Everyday Educator" podcast.
00:00:08.320 | I'm your host, Lisa Bailey,
00:00:09.880 | and I'm excited to spend some time with you today
00:00:12.620 | as we encourage one another, learn together,
00:00:16.080 | and ponder the delights and challenges
00:00:19.080 | that make homeschooling the adventure of a lifetime.
00:00:22.480 | Whether you're just considering
00:00:24.440 | this homeschooling possibility,
00:00:26.600 | or deep into the daily delight of family learning,
00:00:30.680 | I believe you will enjoy thinking along with us.
00:00:35.000 | But don't forget,
00:00:36.240 | although this online community is awesome,
00:00:39.640 | you will find even closer support in a local CC community.
00:00:44.260 | So, go to classicalconversations.com
00:00:48.680 | and find a community near you today.
00:00:51.480 | All right, welcome listeners.
00:00:54.280 | I'm so excited to be here with you today.
00:00:56.460 | To talk about the finer things in life.
00:00:59.480 | And by that, I mean protocol.
00:01:02.600 | We are getting into the middle of our second semester.
00:01:07.600 | Many of our challenge classes
00:01:11.960 | are on the cusp of big projects.
00:01:15.780 | We've got challenge beers working on mock trial.
00:01:18.900 | We have students writing short stories and doing debates.
00:01:24.200 | And our challenge two classes
00:01:26.220 | are turning their eyes toward protocol.
00:01:29.540 | And so today, we wanna talk a little bit
00:01:31.920 | about what is protocol?
00:01:34.460 | Maybe, what is it not?
00:01:36.740 | How can we as parents and directors and tutors
00:01:40.380 | help our students enjoy protocol?
00:01:43.000 | And I have just the person who's gonna help us out
00:01:45.940 | with some thoughts and some ideas.
00:01:48.680 | Deb Switzer is here today.
00:01:50.940 | Deb, thank you so much for coming.
00:01:53.460 | - Thanks for having me, I'm excited.
00:01:55.420 | - Well, Deb is one of our academic advisors.
00:01:58.780 | And so she provides a lot of support
00:02:01.780 | for directors of challenges two, three, and four
00:02:05.640 | all over the world.
00:02:06.600 | And so Deb has probably heard
00:02:09.300 | every question there is about protocol.
00:02:13.100 | And so we're gonna see how many of your questions
00:02:15.980 | we can anticipate and answer today.
00:02:19.380 | So Deb, I wanna start out at the very beginning.
00:02:22.100 | I remember when we joined CC years and years ago,
00:02:26.220 | I had little kids.
00:02:27.300 | So I had a seven-year-old and a 10-year-old
00:02:30.580 | and protocol was not even a twinkle in my eye then.
00:02:34.140 | In fact, I remember seeing a book
00:02:37.180 | in the CC bookstore called Protocol Matters.
00:02:41.980 | And the only thing I knew about protocol
00:02:44.640 | was from my years in college,
00:02:47.820 | as a political science major,
00:02:49.580 | I knew all about diplomatic protocols and legal protocols.
00:02:54.460 | And I thought, what in the world can this be?
00:02:57.100 | So let's start there at the very beginning.
00:02:59.820 | In CC world, what does protocol mean?
00:03:04.820 | - Right, so protocol's really just a formal event
00:03:09.460 | that's celebrating the Western cultural arts.
00:03:12.660 | And so it's a time for students to get involved
00:03:17.300 | with culture and practice culture,
00:03:20.620 | fine dining and the arts.
00:03:23.700 | It's a formal dinner and a cultural event
00:03:26.300 | that the challenge community can celebrate together
00:03:30.460 | and just practice.
00:03:31.940 | We can be in the mission field,
00:03:34.020 | but we also might be before Kings one day.
00:03:36.100 | And so to be able to know how to act
00:03:38.840 | and practice that self-control and that etiquette
00:03:41.940 | is a beautiful gift that we offer to our students
00:03:44.340 | in the challenge program.
00:03:46.220 | - You know what, that was the best,
00:03:47.980 | most succinct explanation of protocol I have ever heard.
00:03:51.260 | I'm glad we got it on a recording.
00:03:53.460 | I really appreciated what you said
00:03:55.300 | about encouraging our students to understand
00:04:00.300 | the cultural arts, the Western cultural arts,
00:04:04.220 | what has been important historically
00:04:07.500 | in how do we conduct ourselves at cultural events?
00:04:12.260 | How do we conduct ourselves in fine dining
00:04:14.820 | so that we know what would be expected of us
00:04:17.900 | in any situation?
00:04:19.460 | You know, we wanna be good ambassadors for Christ
00:04:23.460 | wherever we go.
00:04:24.540 | And sometimes knowing the right thing to do
00:04:28.700 | and how to do it and what to say and when to speak
00:04:32.700 | and when not to speak is really important
00:04:35.260 | and can open doors for us as witnesses wherever we go.
00:04:40.260 | So I really appreciate that.
00:04:43.540 | And I love it that you said,
00:04:44.980 | I mean, you used some of those words, manners and etiquette
00:04:48.580 | and you know, as parents, we do want to teach our children.
00:04:53.580 | We want to pass on the how to act,
00:04:57.700 | how to treat other people.
00:05:00.100 | I heard one time somebody say that protocol
00:05:02.740 | is about learning how to love your neighbor well,
00:05:06.140 | whoever your neighbor is and wherever you might meet them
00:05:10.060 | and whatever you might be doing.
00:05:12.660 | And I thought, you know, that's really true.
00:05:15.540 | And I remember my husband talking about
00:05:19.540 | when he went to his prom,
00:05:21.660 | I guess as like a junior or senior in high school
00:05:25.220 | and his family had not done a lot of fine dining.
00:05:28.020 | And so he shows up with some of his buddies
00:05:31.020 | and all their dates to a fancy restaurant.
00:05:33.860 | The girls are dressed in long dresses
00:05:36.020 | and they are all trying to act, you know,
00:05:38.300 | old and super sophisticated.
00:05:40.540 | He had never been to a restaurant
00:05:43.220 | where they bring your bill to the table
00:05:46.260 | and then take your payment.
00:05:48.500 | And he said, so he was mortified.
00:05:50.860 | They all were mortified
00:05:52.140 | when they went traipsing around the restaurant
00:05:54.700 | trying to find the kiosk to pay.
00:05:58.100 | And he was mortified because he said,
00:06:01.060 | my parents didn't tell me that I might face a situation
00:06:04.220 | where you pay at the table.
00:06:05.900 | And so at that point, I thought, you know,
00:06:09.100 | I want my girls as they grow up
00:06:11.740 | to know how to act in every situation
00:06:13.780 | just so they're not embarrassed.
00:06:15.860 | And so that's a great reason to do protocol.
00:06:18.780 | - It is.
00:06:19.620 | And it's such a, again, it's a gift to our,
00:06:22.820 | it's a gift to our kids, right?
00:06:24.220 | So how many funny movies are there out there
00:06:27.340 | where like they look at the table setting
00:06:29.700 | and they don't know which fork to use.
00:06:31.740 | Everybody's mortified.
00:06:33.020 | But instead of that being a fear
00:06:36.140 | to give them the ability to practice this,
00:06:38.740 | 'cause, you know, let's face it, as homeschool moms,
00:06:41.260 | I'm not laying out a formal dinner for my kids every week
00:06:44.620 | and having them practice what fork to use,
00:06:47.020 | or we may not be sitting down
00:06:49.140 | and listening to classical music every evening,
00:06:51.500 | although I would love to do that.
00:06:52.940 | I don't think that that doesn't actually happen.
00:06:54.860 | We traipse off to a basketball game.
00:06:56.940 | And so this is really an amazing opportunity
00:07:01.220 | for them to celebrate the culture
00:07:05.740 | and the arts and fine dining
00:07:08.820 | and to not have it be the unknown
00:07:10.980 | or to have it be an awkward moment.
00:07:12.780 | They can really engage and learn together
00:07:15.820 | and they get to learn with their friends,
00:07:17.100 | which is much better.
00:07:17.940 | - Which is always more fun.
00:07:19.740 | That's right.
00:07:20.580 | They love that part.
00:07:21.420 | And I really like that for a lot of our families,
00:07:26.300 | it is a great way to introduce your student
00:07:30.620 | and their friends to past times
00:07:35.180 | that they may not get a lot of.
00:07:36.900 | Most of us maybe don't go to the symphony very often
00:07:41.460 | or don't go to an opera, maybe ever.
00:07:46.420 | And so it is an introduction
00:07:49.300 | both to something you're unfamiliar with,
00:07:51.220 | but also it can be an introduction
00:07:54.380 | to something that your student might find a passion for.
00:07:59.380 | That's a great thing.
00:08:01.900 | - Right.
00:08:02.740 | There's so many of our talent students
00:08:04.900 | who love the arts, right?
00:08:06.980 | They do dance or they do theater.
00:08:11.260 | They play in an orchestra.
00:08:13.420 | And so there's so many opportunities to share that love
00:08:17.060 | and that passion with your fellow students in class
00:08:21.300 | and be like, hey, we actually, I do this.
00:08:24.900 | This is something that I love to do.
00:08:26.340 | And you can share that love with your friends,
00:08:28.900 | which is a great thing to do as well.
00:08:31.180 | - I love it that it is a community event
00:08:34.180 | and that you don't do it just with your family.
00:08:37.620 | I mean, you do it with other people your age
00:08:40.540 | who maybe know as much or as little as you do
00:08:44.620 | about some of these things.
00:08:46.180 | So we've probably touched on a lot
00:08:48.980 | of the way you will answer this question,
00:08:51.580 | but I wanna ask it right out for you.
00:08:54.740 | Why does Classical Conversations think that protocol
00:08:59.740 | is worthy of attention from teenagers and families
00:09:04.020 | and communities?
00:09:04.900 | Because let's face it, we're homeschoolers.
00:09:07.900 | We're all busy.
00:09:09.140 | We're all stretched thin.
00:09:10.940 | Many of us are living on one income.
00:09:14.060 | So we don't have lots of extra money to throw around.
00:09:17.300 | And yet, and yet, this seems to be really important.
00:09:22.300 | Why does CeCe think protocol is so important?
00:09:26.380 | - Well, if we think about
00:09:27.740 | what classical education really is
00:09:29.660 | and that we are developing the whole human being, right?
00:09:33.420 | We are trying to see what makes us more human.
00:09:36.500 | We don't wanna eliminate the arts and culture
00:09:39.780 | because of a cost reason
00:09:43.460 | or just because that can be put to the side.
00:09:45.540 | That's not what we,
00:09:46.380 | we really wanna develop the whole human being
00:09:48.100 | just like we look at language,
00:09:49.980 | just like we're looking at math,
00:09:52.460 | whatever it is that we're looking at.
00:09:54.580 | Classical Conversations is not trying to develop
00:09:56.900 | just portions or fragments of a student's education.
00:10:00.860 | We're trying to develop the whole human experience.
00:10:03.820 | And so this is just one portion of that,
00:10:06.660 | but it's an important portion.
00:10:08.100 | And it's a portion that can become a milestone memory
00:10:11.620 | for the students as well.
00:10:13.220 | And so we wanna develop that entire human being,
00:10:15.780 | including the cultural arts
00:10:17.620 | and knowing that those are important.
00:10:19.660 | - Oh, I love that.
00:10:21.340 | I love that so much that protocol,
00:10:23.940 | we need to change the way we're thinking about it.
00:10:26.460 | I know that for a lot of families in our community,
00:10:31.460 | when my girls were in challenge, protocol was extra.
00:10:37.220 | And some people thought of it
00:10:38.540 | as an extra drain on their time.
00:10:40.700 | And some people thought of it as an extra expense,
00:10:43.700 | but it was definitely in their minds extra.
00:10:49.220 | And so that meant it's in addition to,
00:10:52.820 | it's just outside of what we're teaching our children,
00:10:56.420 | but I love what you said.
00:10:58.740 | It is part of teaching our students to be fully human,
00:11:03.740 | to fully embrace all of the parts of what a beauty
00:11:09.260 | and truth and goodness that God has made us able
00:11:15.420 | to apprehend.
00:11:16.540 | And so the appreciation of beauty and in sound
00:11:20.900 | and in movement is really important.
00:11:23.980 | And so I love that.
00:11:25.580 | And I also love the whole perspective.
00:11:28.220 | I think I said that somebody else taught me
00:11:31.340 | that protocol and learning good manners
00:11:34.420 | is a way to love your neighbor better.
00:11:37.100 | It's a way to learn how to treat people with grace
00:11:41.900 | and kindness and dignity and importance.
00:11:46.300 | And so young men, when you learn to pull out the chair
00:11:51.300 | of the lady seated next to you,
00:11:54.620 | it does not mean you think she is incapable
00:11:56.860 | of pulling out her own chair, okay?
00:11:59.220 | It is showing that you are caring for your dinner companion
00:12:03.740 | and that you are trying to help her have a happy experience.
00:12:08.260 | And young lady, when you talk to people on your left
00:12:11.980 | and on your right, you are doing your part
00:12:14.940 | to make sure everyone feels included in the conversation.
00:12:18.380 | It really is a way to love your neighbor best.
00:12:20.980 | - Yeah, it's a way to love your neighbor.
00:12:22.780 | It's also a way to understand
00:12:26.340 | just a sense of dignity in our humanity.
00:12:29.140 | I think sometimes, especially as teenagers,
00:12:32.420 | I think we can get super casual with our friends.
00:12:35.700 | We can get super casual with our families
00:12:38.980 | and we can get super casual with ourselves as well.
00:12:42.140 | And to take a moment to say,
00:12:44.660 | hey, I am created in the image of God
00:12:48.100 | and I can, and all those things obviously
00:12:51.260 | can still be in the image of God,
00:12:52.740 | but more of, I can practice this self-control.
00:12:55.700 | I can enjoy this moment.
00:12:58.740 | I can elevate my conversation.
00:13:01.500 | And those moments help us understand
00:13:05.180 | just a sense of dignity that we have
00:13:08.500 | in being created by God.
00:13:10.020 | And I love that part of protocol as well.
00:13:12.260 | - I do too.
00:13:14.260 | This is making me wish that maybe I'll go volunteer
00:13:17.740 | to be a chaperone at Protocol 'cause I miss it.
00:13:20.900 | I miss it, that elevated.
00:13:22.780 | - Everybody's always looking for volunteers.
00:13:24.540 | - I know, everybody's always looking for volunteers.
00:13:26.940 | You're right.
00:13:27.780 | But that elevated behavior, that gracious living.
00:13:31.660 | And you know what?
00:13:34.140 | When you are in a different environment
00:13:36.620 | and when your students are in a more formal environment,
00:13:41.060 | I think it does cause them to pause and reflect
00:13:46.060 | and think more carefully about their conversation
00:13:50.020 | and about their behavior
00:13:51.420 | and reflect on the finer things in life.
00:13:55.500 | That's really good.
00:13:56.620 | - And it also kind of, I'm sorry,
00:13:59.900 | just it helps them recognize the difference
00:14:02.100 | between pop culture and Western cultural emphasis.
00:14:06.700 | You know, there's such an emphasis on pop culture,
00:14:09.580 | which is widespread.
00:14:10.740 | It's all over media.
00:14:12.100 | It's all over the internet.
00:14:14.140 | It's what we engage in almost on a daily basis, right?
00:14:18.540 | We're engaging in pop culture, which is a very familiar,
00:14:22.580 | but to step back and say,
00:14:24.660 | let's engage in a different type of culture,
00:14:27.260 | the truth, beauty, and goodness of the Western culture.
00:14:30.660 | I think that's a beautiful moment
00:14:31.980 | for the students as well.
00:14:33.180 | And to note the difference between the two.
00:14:35.140 | - Yes, yes.
00:14:36.580 | We teach them to compare things.
00:14:39.500 | This is a great way, Deb, you're right.
00:14:41.860 | It's a great way to compare the culture
00:14:44.660 | that they participate in without thinking every day.
00:14:48.500 | And a culture that perhaps calls them
00:14:52.740 | to consider before acting or speaking
00:14:57.380 | and to temper even their thoughts
00:15:00.780 | through the lens of the search
00:15:02.620 | for truth, beauty, and goodness.
00:15:04.380 | That's really, really good.
00:15:07.340 | I also think there are some very much tangible skills
00:15:11.740 | that our students gain from participating in protocol.
00:15:16.300 | I mean, you do understand what fine dining calls for.
00:15:21.300 | You may, your student may grow up
00:15:27.020 | and go to a scholarship interview or a job interview
00:15:32.020 | or be called upon to attend a banquet
00:15:36.140 | as a newly hired worker.
00:15:38.540 | And you want them to have the skills of gracious living
00:15:42.100 | such that they can comport themselves
00:15:46.260 | without awkwardness and with ease
00:15:49.340 | and actually enjoy the experience.
00:15:52.460 | So that they know, like you said,
00:15:54.580 | which fork to use and which course is coming first
00:15:59.300 | and what to do with your napkin
00:16:02.180 | and how to talk, how to have polite conversation
00:16:06.300 | with people you don't know well.
00:16:08.620 | - Yes, and how to dress for different occasions.
00:16:11.500 | - Yeah.
00:16:12.340 | - So it's interesting.
00:16:13.820 | You even mentioned the college interview,
00:16:15.380 | but when we do a protocol event,
00:16:18.020 | we ask students to dress up, right?
00:16:21.140 | And depending on the event,
00:16:22.540 | it might be a different kind of dress,
00:16:24.940 | but that same thing happens.
00:16:26.100 | I remember my daughter thought
00:16:27.860 | that jeans were appropriate for an interview.
00:16:30.500 | - Right.
00:16:31.420 | - With a nice shirt and jeans.
00:16:32.740 | And I was like, well, actually,
00:16:35.140 | we need to know that we have to elevate our dress
00:16:38.500 | just like we might be elevating our dining experience
00:16:41.420 | or elevating our conversation.
00:16:43.740 | And so I think it's important for students
00:16:46.380 | to know what type of dress is appropriate.
00:16:49.140 | - Yes.
00:16:49.980 | - That's an important skill to learn.
00:16:51.580 | - Yes.
00:16:52.420 | - And how do we know that skill, so.
00:16:53.820 | - Yes, and it's actually really great
00:16:56.820 | to practice walking in higher heels
00:17:01.380 | or how to sit down when you have on a dress
00:17:05.460 | instead of jeans. - Yes, right.
00:17:07.700 | - For young men, how to tie a tie
00:17:11.820 | or what do you do with your suit coat during dinner?
00:17:15.380 | Do you keep it on?
00:17:16.220 | Do you take it out?
00:17:17.540 | Oft, if you're wearing a hat,
00:17:19.220 | is it appropriate to wear it inside?
00:17:22.300 | All of these things give our students a reason
00:17:26.500 | to practice things that might not be familiar,
00:17:30.900 | but you don't want them to be utterly unknown
00:17:34.260 | to your student.
00:17:35.100 | And you brought out the best point,
00:17:36.740 | 'cause yes, I get it.
00:17:38.500 | We can all, as parents, teach those skills
00:17:42.180 | and those attitudes to our children at home,
00:17:45.220 | but our children are much more open to learning it
00:17:48.300 | and happier to learn it if their friends are along.
00:17:51.980 | - Yes, it's now they want to do it, right?
00:17:54.300 | - Yes.
00:17:55.140 | - Whereas before it might be like,
00:17:55.980 | oh, mom's making me do it.
00:17:57.340 | - Right, it's like, oh, you have to use the fancy dishes.
00:18:01.340 | Yeah.
00:18:02.180 | - Yes.
00:18:03.020 | - But it's fun.
00:18:03.860 | - With your friends, yeah.
00:18:05.180 | And who doesn't want to do something like that
00:18:07.180 | with their friends?
00:18:08.020 | - Yeah.
00:18:08.860 | And even the students, I will tell you this,
00:18:11.020 | even the students that complain most loudly,
00:18:15.980 | secretly enjoy what it's like to get dressed up
00:18:21.020 | and go somewhere special.
00:18:22.740 | - They do.
00:18:24.100 | And it's, you know, I mean, for some,
00:18:26.180 | it's definitely a stretch.
00:18:27.820 | They're out of their comfort zone.
00:18:29.460 | And honestly, that's another skill
00:18:32.020 | that is excellent for our students to be learning as well.
00:18:35.100 | When we are put in that position where it's not comfortable,
00:18:39.500 | where we have to stretch our minds
00:18:43.060 | and what we would normally do,
00:18:44.700 | but instead we jump in and be part and participate.
00:18:49.700 | This is something that helps them
00:18:50.940 | just build inner strength as well,
00:18:53.180 | to be able to be in situations that aren't comfortable
00:18:56.660 | and to learn how to thrive and to interact
00:18:59.140 | and to make others feel comfortable as well
00:19:01.540 | is a beautiful skill.
00:19:02.780 | - It is a beautiful skill.
00:19:04.220 | And one that as parents or even directors,
00:19:08.180 | we might not think of right away,
00:19:11.660 | but it is a skill that pays dividends
00:19:14.340 | for years and years and years.
00:19:16.180 | How to become comfortable in situations
00:19:19.700 | that call you outside of yourself
00:19:22.220 | and outside of your comfort zone.
00:19:23.940 | That's really good.
00:19:25.340 | So, okay.
00:19:26.620 | So now we're all convinced
00:19:28.740 | that protocol is a wonderful thing.
00:19:31.140 | Who is it for?
00:19:32.980 | We have all these listeners who are now thinking,
00:19:34.900 | my child's gonna do protocol.
00:19:36.980 | Is it for everybody?
00:19:39.420 | Talk to us about that.
00:19:41.020 | - Sure.
00:19:41.860 | So Challenge 2 is the planner
00:19:45.580 | or the leader of the protocol event.
00:19:48.900 | And so it is a Challenge 2 event.
00:19:52.260 | It's their capstone event
00:19:53.700 | because it culminates all of the Western cultural history
00:19:58.460 | that they've been studying.
00:19:59.420 | All the art and all of the music.
00:20:01.780 | And so it's a great final moment
00:20:05.540 | for the Challenge 2 community.
00:20:08.260 | That being said,
00:20:09.460 | they may include those other challenge classes,
00:20:13.700 | Challenge 1, Challenge 3, Challenge 4, if they like,
00:20:17.300 | and have them participate with them,
00:20:19.300 | but it's led and started and planned
00:20:22.740 | by the Challenge 2 community
00:20:24.100 | to emphasize those conversations.
00:20:26.460 | - I like that.
00:20:27.300 | I think that it is a beautiful integration
00:20:32.220 | of all of the things that they've been studying.
00:20:34.380 | The skills that they have been working on
00:20:38.020 | up to this point
00:20:39.140 | of their roughly sophomore year of high school.
00:20:42.580 | And then like you said,
00:20:43.660 | it's the music that they've been studying
00:20:46.140 | and the art that they have been studying.
00:20:48.700 | The things that they have been exposed to
00:20:51.300 | has already given them a taste
00:20:54.500 | for Western cultural pursuits.
00:20:58.180 | And so protocol is just a way to celebrate that.
00:21:01.020 | And that's why you're right.
00:21:02.340 | That's why it's the capstone for Challenge 2.
00:21:06.540 | So I know that there are lots of communities
00:21:09.540 | that have been chagrined.
00:21:11.780 | They heard, "Oh, protocols now, it's just for Challenge 2."
00:21:16.780 | We want the Challenge 2 classes,
00:21:22.460 | the parents, directors, and students
00:21:25.820 | to be the linchpins of that.
00:21:28.820 | But we want others, because, okay,
00:21:32.340 | if you only have three people in your Challenge 2 class,
00:21:35.620 | it might not be as much fun
00:21:37.740 | to go out to a fancy dinner or a play
00:21:41.300 | with just two other people and a couple of chaperones.
00:21:44.420 | And so if you wanted to invite other one,
00:21:48.740 | three, and four students and tutors,
00:21:51.580 | and maybe parents to go with you,
00:21:54.460 | that gives you a bigger group.
00:21:56.500 | And a lot of times a bigger group is a fun group.
00:22:00.260 | So yeah, other people, other challenges are open.
00:22:04.780 | I mean, you can open that up.
00:22:06.900 | - Sure, and I think every community is unique.
00:22:09.820 | And I think that Classical Conversations appreciates that
00:22:14.340 | and promotes that.
00:22:15.900 | And so there will be, for some communities,
00:22:18.620 | having it be just a Challenge 2 event on its own
00:22:22.060 | helps budget, it helps being able to plan a smaller event,
00:22:26.180 | and that works great.
00:22:27.180 | And for some communities,
00:22:29.300 | the Challenge 2 community could plan the event
00:22:31.860 | and invite other Challenge students to go with them,
00:22:35.220 | and that works for their community.
00:22:36.940 | And I think that's what we want.
00:22:39.420 | We wanna see communities thriving
00:22:41.260 | and doing this event in a way that works for them.
00:22:44.540 | We just really wanna ensure as well, though,
00:22:46.500 | that we're getting that, it's the purpose of it.
00:22:49.020 | The original intent was to celebrate
00:22:51.180 | those cultural events, right?
00:22:52.540 | To talk about culture.
00:22:54.380 | I just had a funny conversation with my students
00:22:57.300 | 'cause we're in the midst of planning it.
00:22:58.780 | And I said, "Hey guys, I just want you to know
00:23:02.260 | "that this is about the cultural event
00:23:04.060 | "that you're going to be going to.
00:23:05.140 | "So I expect you guys to engage your peers about the arts.
00:23:10.140 | "I expect you to lead the way.
00:23:13.740 | "I expect you to try to have conversation
00:23:16.020 | "about what we're viewing and what we're attending
00:23:19.220 | "so that it's, you're the lead
00:23:21.460 | "'cause you're to practice the skills
00:23:23.620 | "and the things that we've been learning."
00:23:25.460 | And so they're like, "Oh, okay."
00:23:28.380 | They're like, "Hmm."
00:23:29.860 | I was like, "Yeah, so instead of Marvel,
00:23:32.500 | "I want you to talk about the theater."
00:23:34.500 | - Yes, stretch yourself, stretch yourself.
00:23:38.620 | That's exactly right.
00:23:39.820 | Move outside of your comfort zone.
00:23:41.660 | Just like you said a few minutes ago, stretch yourself.
00:23:45.060 | You can do this.
00:23:46.500 | And students who begin practicing,
00:23:49.180 | learning how to do it and practicing it
00:23:51.500 | when they're still in high school
00:23:54.260 | have a easier time as adults.
00:23:56.980 | And it seems more natural to them.
00:23:59.540 | I've watched that happen for years and years.
00:24:01.740 | My own daughters have graduated already
00:24:05.060 | and have graduated college.
00:24:06.500 | And I've tutored lots of kids through the years.
00:24:08.980 | And I see how this early training
00:24:13.020 | in a culture that's not everyday culture
00:24:16.980 | has helped put some polish on them
00:24:19.380 | and given them some comfort with things that are graceful.
00:24:23.620 | So, okay.
00:24:24.460 | So what are the elements of protocol?
00:24:26.580 | You and I have been talking about symphonies
00:24:28.780 | and plays and operas and going to see maybe museums
00:24:33.780 | with great works of art and fine dining.
00:24:36.580 | What are the elements of protocol?
00:24:40.620 | If I'm a challenge to director
00:24:43.260 | and I'm just hearing us talk about it now,
00:24:47.540 | what is it that I need to think
00:24:49.860 | that needs to be part of our event?
00:24:52.500 | - Right.
00:24:53.340 | And so one of the things that you're gonna be deciding
00:24:55.980 | very early is who's going to be attending
00:24:58.900 | because buying tickets or going somewhere
00:25:01.780 | with a smaller group versus a larger group
00:25:03.740 | is gonna direct where you're going.
00:25:05.340 | So planning who's going to be attending in your community
00:25:08.820 | and choosing your venues.
00:25:10.500 | So where are we going to be eating?
00:25:13.260 | Is this going to be a fine, like for budget?
00:25:15.460 | Maybe we're going to have the dinner
00:25:17.460 | be a fine dining experience at someone's home on Fine China.
00:25:20.540 | And then we go out and go to a theater experience
00:25:24.900 | or a symphony so that we try to keep the budget down.
00:25:28.020 | So you wanna start thinking through like,
00:25:29.220 | what is our budget?
00:25:30.660 | How much can people afford?
00:25:32.620 | What venues will we be going through?
00:25:35.460 | And then what are we going to be doing to practice?
00:25:38.660 | Like the practice manners,
00:25:41.420 | are we going to just kind of throw them in there
00:25:43.420 | and say, good luck and see how it goes?
00:25:45.700 | - That does not go well.
00:25:47.260 | That does not go well.
00:25:48.980 | - Are we gonna have conversations ahead of time?
00:25:52.340 | Are we ensuring that the Challenge 2 students,
00:25:54.740 | like I just said, are aware that we are leading
00:25:57.940 | a conversation about the arts as we're there?
00:26:00.300 | Not in a formal, like this is a five common topic
00:26:03.500 | conversation about the arts, but across dinner,
00:26:06.260 | how would you actually have a conversation about the arts?
00:26:09.500 | And then thinking through chaperones, transportation,
00:26:13.100 | how are you going to get there?
00:26:15.220 | Those are all things that we wanna put in our minds
00:26:18.140 | as we start planning and thinking through the elements of it.
00:26:21.660 | - That is very helpful.
00:26:23.340 | That is very helpful.
00:26:24.220 | You touched on a lot of things.
00:26:25.740 | And I would encourage planners to think,
00:26:30.740 | okay, Deb has a good point.
00:26:34.860 | How big is my group?
00:26:36.620 | If you're trying to take 60 people to a symphony,
00:26:40.900 | you're gonna have trouble finding,
00:26:42.980 | unless you planned way in advance,
00:26:45.060 | you're gonna probably have trouble finding seats together.
00:26:48.820 | And so you have to consider that.
00:26:52.220 | And you also have to consider transportation.
00:26:55.380 | A lot of fine dining restaurants
00:26:59.180 | are not as big as the cafeteria.
00:27:01.540 | So you have to think about when to go
00:27:05.220 | and how to break that down even.
00:27:10.220 | And price, you need to think about all the elements.
00:27:14.060 | So you wanna find dining experience.
00:27:16.380 | You want some kind of cultural event.
00:27:18.740 | I love that you brought up practicing.
00:27:21.140 | I've talked to directors before who have parents in,
00:27:28.140 | the parents of some of the students host practice sessions
00:27:32.340 | where they talk to the students about the place settings.
00:27:35.740 | And they put all of the pieces out there,
00:27:38.100 | probably more pieces than will be at the restaurant
00:27:41.940 | on protocol night.
00:27:43.380 | But all of the things,
00:27:44.780 | they tell them where to place their napkin,
00:27:47.340 | how to pull out their partner's chair.
00:27:49.740 | Like you said, how to start a conversation about the arts
00:27:54.740 | or about the performance.
00:27:56.220 | We're about to enjoy and they bring in people
00:28:01.220 | who will model that good behavior for them.
00:28:06.260 | - That's great.
00:28:07.460 | Parents helping out with this is so important.
00:28:12.020 | It's such a blessing to the Challenge II directors as well.
00:28:14.900 | I know Challenge II directors are already trying
00:28:17.820 | to fit so much into the community day
00:28:20.820 | and they're probably going,
00:28:22.100 | how on earth am I going to talk about manners
00:28:25.740 | in the middle of doing policy or whatever it might be?
00:28:29.540 | - It really doesn't fit well into your day,
00:28:32.100 | into your community day.
00:28:33.500 | Your community day is so full.
00:28:35.820 | - It is.
00:28:36.660 | And so to have parents who do what you just said,
00:28:39.100 | we had the same thing in our community
00:28:40.780 | that host a manners night and they bring everybody up
00:28:45.420 | and they have a nice formal dinner
00:28:47.660 | and just talk about how do you pull out a chair well.
00:28:50.980 | And it doesn't have to be elaborate.
00:28:53.260 | - Somebody on with a coat or off with a coat.
00:28:56.380 | When do you clap at the symphony
00:28:58.620 | and when do you not clap at the symphony?
00:29:02.100 | You know, if opera is in a language you can't understand,
00:29:05.780 | is there any help for you?
00:29:07.100 | And there always is, but knowing that going in
00:29:11.260 | can help you enjoy the experience a little bit more.
00:29:14.500 | - Right, and again, it's taking that fear away
00:29:17.100 | that we talked about earlier.
00:29:18.380 | You know, that fear of like,
00:29:19.260 | I'm not gonna know what to do when I get there.
00:29:21.220 | And so that chance to practice
00:29:23.660 | and some communities get that time
00:29:25.260 | and some communities don't
00:29:26.380 | and it shouldn't stop us from having a protocol of that.
00:29:28.660 | - Exactly, we can all have a practice together.
00:29:31.020 | - You know, we can practice, we can practice at home.
00:29:33.820 | We can have, parents can have conversations at home
00:29:36.820 | depending on how your community works, right?
00:29:39.860 | But ultimately to have that support come in from a family
00:29:44.140 | to be able to say, "Hey, we could practice."
00:29:46.060 | That's lovely, right?
00:29:47.180 | - It is lovely.
00:29:48.020 | - It just helps get things prepared
00:29:49.500 | and helps get the mindset right for the protocol event.
00:29:52.860 | - But I really appreciate the reminder
00:29:54.780 | that if you are a director and you don't have a parent
00:29:59.060 | step in and offer to host a practice,
00:30:02.220 | that is not a reason to forego protocol.
00:30:05.180 | Here's the truth.
00:30:06.900 | You can enlist some chaperones that you know
00:30:10.780 | have good manners or have practice in fine dining
00:30:14.060 | or in cultural arts experiences.
00:30:16.860 | And it has happened before with classes
00:30:19.980 | that I have been the chaperone with
00:30:22.260 | that the chaperone will lead the way.
00:30:25.100 | So if you sit down and there are too many forks
00:30:28.260 | and as a student, you don't know what to do.
00:30:30.740 | If the students know they can look to the chaperone
00:30:33.500 | and the chaperone will not in a call attention
00:30:36.300 | to their confusion way, but in a natural way,
00:30:39.580 | pick up the correct fork and spoon the soup the correct way.
00:30:43.820 | It's very helpful.
00:30:45.300 | - Oh yes, it's like on the job training, right?
00:30:47.380 | And so you're sitting there and like, who do I watch?
00:30:50.380 | Who's going to model for me?
00:30:52.580 | If I don't know ahead of time,
00:30:54.940 | there's always someone that you can watch
00:30:57.060 | and just kind of side glance to.
00:30:59.060 | - Yeah, exactly.
00:31:00.980 | - Well, how is she doing that?
00:31:02.540 | Or how is he doing that?
00:31:03.980 | And, you know, if we mess up too,
00:31:07.140 | I think that that's important for students to know as well.
00:31:10.300 | You know, oh no, I dropped my roll
00:31:12.420 | and it's rolling across the floor.
00:31:14.580 | - And how to help that student gracefully recover from that.
00:31:19.300 | - Exactly.
00:31:20.300 | - How to deflect attention away from the dropped spoon
00:31:23.740 | or the spilled iced tea, you know?
00:31:25.860 | - Right, it's gonna happen.
00:31:27.860 | And if it happens,
00:31:29.820 | then we learn how to handle that with grace
00:31:32.020 | and with not embarrassing someone,
00:31:34.820 | but, you know, making someone feel comfortable.
00:31:37.100 | What a beautiful gift that can be to a person.
00:31:39.060 | - And really that is the point of protocol, right?
00:31:41.940 | Making sure that you yourself can be comfortable,
00:31:45.460 | but making the ones who are with you
00:31:48.340 | comfortable in the situation.
00:31:50.740 | A lot of times our students may graduate
00:31:55.340 | and go on to situations
00:31:57.900 | where they may be the only one in their peer group
00:32:00.860 | who does know how to gracefully move through
00:32:05.060 | different kinds of experiences.
00:32:06.820 | And what a joy if we have raised students
00:32:09.660 | who know how to act and know how to gracefully,
00:32:12.940 | helpfully bring their friends along.
00:32:15.420 | That's a great thing.
00:32:17.020 | So talk to me about some of the things that you've heard,
00:32:19.460 | 'cause I know as an academic advisor,
00:32:22.100 | you have talked to tons of challenge to communities
00:32:26.420 | and tons of challenge parents
00:32:28.300 | that have done a whole lot of different things for protocol.
00:32:31.460 | What are some suggestions that you've heard about
00:32:33.900 | or even some of the ones you've attended yourself?
00:32:36.580 | - Yeah, so I can speak first to my own community.
00:32:39.460 | We've had some wonderful events planned.
00:32:42.020 | We've gone to the symphony.
00:32:44.740 | We've heard a score done like live to a film.
00:32:49.420 | So that was interesting.
00:32:50.860 | - Oh, that's cool.
00:32:52.900 | - Yeah, and then we've also done a,
00:32:56.180 | it was a like a fine dance where it was learning the,
00:33:02.380 | learning how to do like the real
00:33:05.700 | and the country English dance,
00:33:07.900 | like the type of dances. - Oh my goodness.
00:33:09.260 | Like in some of the novels
00:33:11.700 | that they read in challenge too.
00:33:12.540 | - Yes, like in "Pride and Prejudice".
00:33:13.940 | So it was an integration of the culture
00:33:16.900 | in "Pride and Prejudice"
00:33:18.620 | and having them learn how to do those.
00:33:22.740 | Like, so we did fine dining
00:33:23.900 | and then they learned how to do the real
00:33:25.380 | and the English country dance
00:33:26.420 | and all those fun regency dances.
00:33:29.180 | And so depending on the year
00:33:31.900 | and what your community might like to do,
00:33:34.580 | I know that this year we're going to see
00:33:36.340 | a theater presentation.
00:33:37.980 | So we're going to, it's called "The Thorn"
00:33:41.340 | and it's a theater and dance presentation of the gospel.
00:33:46.340 | So that was a new thing that came into.
00:33:50.060 | So we'll see how that goes.
00:33:51.700 | That's the first time doing this one.
00:33:53.700 | But so live theater, the symphony, the opera,
00:33:58.180 | all of these things are excellent opportunities.
00:34:02.220 | I know of another community
00:34:04.300 | that took their students to,
00:34:06.860 | you already go to the museum for challenge too,
00:34:08.740 | but they went to a museum
00:34:10.740 | and as they finished their museum,
00:34:13.260 | there was live music in the museum.
00:34:15.100 | And so they went around
00:34:16.820 | and walked in their lovely evening wear.
00:34:21.260 | They walked around and saw art
00:34:22.740 | and then they sat and listened to a live piano presentation
00:34:27.020 | at the museum afterwards.
00:34:28.540 | And that was their event.
00:34:30.700 | So it depends on the area that you're in
00:34:34.220 | and what you can find.
00:34:35.740 | But we're trying to have it be about culture,
00:34:38.380 | not about pop culture.
00:34:40.540 | And I think that that's the difference
00:34:42.060 | is that we want it to be a cultural experience,
00:34:44.140 | not a pop culture.
00:34:45.140 | So, going to the latest Taylor Swift concert does not-
00:34:48.460 | - That does not qualify.
00:34:49.300 | - Really hit the moment of what we're trying to do here.
00:34:52.300 | So just making sure that we're looking at the fine arts
00:34:55.860 | versus pop culture.
00:34:57.660 | - That is an awesome reminder.
00:34:59.300 | Thank you very much for that reminder.
00:35:01.940 | That's very important.
00:35:03.140 | And you mentioned that I love the idea
00:35:07.300 | of learning some of the dances
00:35:08.860 | like from "Pride and Prejudice."
00:35:10.220 | And our community also has rotated through a lot of that.
00:35:15.220 | And they don't do a dance every year,
00:35:17.940 | but maybe every third year.
00:35:19.420 | So that once while the students are in attendance,
00:35:24.020 | in the attendance age zone,
00:35:26.580 | they might get some of that dance.
00:35:28.140 | And then we try to mix it up
00:35:29.900 | so that they get some symphony, some theater,
00:35:33.340 | maybe a ballet,
00:35:34.980 | and maybe some quote-unquote practical dancing,
00:35:40.860 | some dance dancing that they can do.
00:35:43.060 | I know that from the fine dining standpoint,
00:35:45.660 | it really does depend on what's available to you.
00:35:48.260 | It may be that you're in an area
00:35:50.740 | where there aren't a lot of fine dining restaurants
00:35:53.980 | or in an area where there are lots
00:35:56.940 | and they're so expensive that nobody can bear that cost.
00:36:01.100 | You mentioned earlier that perhaps
00:36:05.220 | a family would host a class for a formal dinner.
00:36:12.020 | - Absolutely.
00:36:14.500 | So I think it's nice to be able to
00:36:17.820 | obviously consider the budget, right?
00:36:19.340 | And then if you have a family who has,
00:36:22.300 | and you have a tendency to do like a challenge one
00:36:24.740 | to challenge more protocol event
00:36:28.140 | that they might have multiple children
00:36:31.060 | who are attending this event.
00:36:32.380 | So being considerate of the budget is a gift to families.
00:36:37.340 | So asking around,
00:36:39.260 | your community is an amazing resource to you.
00:36:43.060 | So finding out what families might be willing to-
00:36:46.780 | - Contribute.
00:36:47.980 | - Yeah, host, contribute.
00:36:49.980 | Do you know somebody who is a musician
00:36:52.580 | who has an in to a concert that we could attend?
00:36:57.140 | There's so many resources that end up popping up
00:36:59.900 | that you never even knew existed in your community.
00:37:03.100 | - And I will.
00:37:04.580 | Go ahead.
00:37:05.420 | - Yeah, go ahead.
00:37:06.260 | No, I was just gonna say, that's just the beauty of it
00:37:07.260 | is that we can help each other,
00:37:08.460 | that we don't have to be alone.
00:37:10.820 | This challenge to director is not sitting there on her
00:37:13.260 | or his own saying, I have to do all of this
00:37:15.780 | that there's a community to support, right?
00:37:18.660 | I will tell you that many fine restaurants
00:37:23.660 | and many concert masters and conductors
00:37:29.460 | and directors of theater productions are very excited
00:37:34.460 | about bringing a new generation of patron
00:37:39.020 | of the arts up to speed.
00:37:41.940 | And so a lot of times an asking will gain you
00:37:48.220 | an early tickets to an early performance
00:37:53.220 | or a special session with the conductor
00:37:57.100 | before the symphony concert begins.
00:38:00.700 | Some restaurants, if you go midweek
00:38:04.100 | and you will go earlier like at five or 5.30,
00:38:07.540 | they will set aside.
00:38:09.140 | And if you will accept a set meal
00:38:13.300 | that they help you to choose,
00:38:15.860 | it brings the cost down considerably.
00:38:18.900 | People are excited when young people
00:38:24.140 | are interested in the arts
00:38:25.980 | and they will work with you a lot of times.
00:38:28.740 | - That's so good.
00:38:29.900 | And I just have that scripture,
00:38:31.700 | you have not because you ask not going through my mind.
00:38:34.820 | And when we just go out there and ask,
00:38:38.220 | God just makes a way for so many amazing things
00:38:41.820 | in our lives and he goes before us.
00:38:44.020 | And so to just ask, say,
00:38:45.860 | would you be willing to host this group of students
00:38:48.900 | and the amazing responses that we get so often,
00:38:52.900 | so many people have testimonies
00:38:54.660 | of being able to do an event for free
00:38:57.340 | because they just, they ask, right?
00:39:00.340 | - Right, somebody said, oh yeah,
00:39:02.020 | we will give you 30 free tickets to this performance.
00:39:05.900 | It is an amazing blessing because you are right.
00:39:09.260 | You said a minute ago, protocol can get expensive
00:39:13.700 | and you want to be hospitable
00:39:16.100 | to all of the families within your community.
00:39:19.380 | You mentioned also the girls like, especially the girls,
00:39:22.060 | now the boys dress up,
00:39:23.260 | but they don't like it as well sometimes.
00:39:25.460 | The girls want to dress up.
00:39:26.940 | And so you have families that are maybe putting out
00:39:31.220 | for a new dress or new shoes or a hairdo
00:39:35.500 | or a manicure or whatever.
00:39:38.780 | I would encourage your community to get together
00:39:42.980 | and the moms in the community to get together
00:39:45.940 | and kind of settle on, what are we going to do?
00:39:48.820 | If you know that some people can afford to shoot the moon
00:39:52.180 | and some people are on a very restricted budget,
00:39:55.340 | it might be kindness to say, we're going to,
00:39:58.140 | for this protocol,
00:39:59.500 | we're going to wear Sunday morning church clothes, okay?
00:40:03.340 | We're not going to wear long dresses
00:40:04.900 | and we're not going to go anywhere super expensive,
00:40:08.820 | or we are going to take in a matinee performance
00:40:13.660 | and then go to an early dinner.
00:40:16.100 | There are ways to buffer the cost.
00:40:21.020 | And I have heard, Deb, I don't know if you've heard this,
00:40:23.580 | I've heard of some communities
00:40:25.740 | where the students might even do a fundraiser
00:40:29.340 | that helps defray the cost of protocol for the whole class.
00:40:33.500 | - Yeah, it's definitely, I was just going to say that,
00:40:36.220 | there are many fundraisers that happen
00:40:38.740 | or people hold different events as a fundraiser
00:40:40.940 | that just helps eliminate the costs completely.
00:40:44.140 | So it depends on, as the earlier you start planning,
00:40:48.540 | the earlier you can start doing the fundraising
00:40:51.060 | and then you have a pot of finances to pull from
00:40:56.060 | and be able to bring the costs down for families,
00:40:58.980 | which again is a blessing.
00:41:00.220 | And it also requires the work, right?
00:41:01.900 | So you have to do the work of the fundraising.
00:41:04.260 | But often communities like to pitch in for that
00:41:06.660 | and to see that kind of teamwork come forth
00:41:10.140 | to be able to have that event.
00:41:11.660 | And it shows that it's important, that it's a priority.
00:41:15.020 | - That's exactly right.
00:41:16.220 | - That we aren't just going to like do it last minute,
00:41:18.840 | but instead that we're building up to this
00:41:20.860 | because we believe it's important
00:41:22.340 | and we believe that this cultural event
00:41:24.380 | is a milestone in your education.
00:41:27.500 | - That's really good.
00:41:29.740 | That's a great reminder.
00:41:31.060 | Okay, we're coming to the end of our time
00:41:34.020 | together, I want to give you a chance.
00:41:35.980 | I know that as a director and probably as a parent,
00:41:39.700 | you have seen more than one protocol.
00:41:43.260 | Are there any funny or touching memories that you have
00:41:48.100 | or that you've heard about protocol?
00:41:51.020 | - There are so many.
00:41:52.220 | I think just the kids themselves, watching them interact,
00:41:56.220 | watching them attempt to, you know,
00:42:00.220 | act with this at a new level of dignity, I guess.
00:42:04.620 | But they also, I know for us specifically,
00:42:07.820 | when we did the Regency dance and watching how
00:42:12.820 | they had to switch partners all the time, right?
00:42:18.860 | And so it wasn't just us putting a circle
00:42:22.140 | around the dance floor and jumping up and down.
00:42:24.780 | And, but it was like, they had to learn
00:42:28.020 | how to have another partner and move around the dance floor
00:42:31.140 | with other partners and ask for someone's hand to dance
00:42:34.140 | and just these different things.
00:42:36.860 | But the interactions of the kids to be able to interact
00:42:41.860 | with somebody that they've never interacted with before
00:42:44.540 | and get to know other students was beautiful.
00:42:48.700 | And I loved the element of that
00:42:50.900 | in one of our protocol events.
00:42:52.860 | I also loved watching students almost gasp
00:42:58.100 | at times when there was this beautiful piece of music.
00:43:01.540 | - Yes.
00:43:02.380 | - And it just kind of took their breath away.
00:43:04.540 | And they went, "Ah!"
00:43:05.860 | 'Cause the soloist was just stunning
00:43:09.420 | in what she did on the violin
00:43:11.300 | and the way that she performed.
00:43:13.380 | And to hear that right next to you as a chaperone
00:43:16.380 | and you hear that gasp, like, "Ah, that was beautiful."
00:43:20.140 | - Yeah.
00:43:20.980 | - That is, just those moments of appreciating the beauty
00:43:24.380 | is just, it's just lovely.
00:43:26.180 | - You're giving me chills.
00:43:27.460 | I love it when I catch the expression on a kid's face
00:43:31.500 | who really did not wanna go to the symphony
00:43:33.700 | and they are transfixed by what's happening
00:43:37.180 | and then transported to some other plane
00:43:40.580 | by the beauty of the music.
00:43:42.540 | They really, maybe for the first time,
00:43:45.660 | felt how someone's passion for playing or singing
00:43:50.660 | is used as a vehicle for connecting
00:43:56.780 | with what is truly beautiful.
00:43:59.060 | And it's saying, it makes the soul sing.
00:44:01.020 | It is a soul connection.
00:44:03.060 | And to see those students realize
00:44:06.380 | that that experience exists
00:44:10.580 | and that it's open to them
00:44:13.020 | and that they can participate in it is beautiful.
00:44:18.020 | - It is.
00:44:19.260 | And then, of course, you're gonna have on the other end,
00:44:21.620 | I just have to say someone like my son,
00:44:24.580 | who said, "This is gonna be the best nap I've ever taken."
00:44:27.700 | - Oh, my word.
00:44:28.900 | Yes.
00:44:29.740 | - Somebody's like trying to keep himself awake
00:44:31.700 | through the classical music, 'cause, you know.
00:44:34.060 | And so you have on one side, somebody who's like,
00:44:36.860 | and then you have on the other side,
00:44:38.060 | the guy's like starting to fall asleep.
00:44:40.500 | And it's just hilarious to see, you know,
00:44:43.540 | the process that kids go through.
00:44:46.260 | But all of those, like my son now, he's graduated college,
00:44:50.100 | and he would just say like all of those things
00:44:52.780 | have made him a better person as he's watching.
00:44:56.060 | - There you go.
00:44:56.900 | - He loves and appreciates the arts now.
00:44:59.300 | He truly does.
00:45:00.740 | And he would just say,
00:45:01.580 | "That was the most expensive nap I've ever taken."
00:45:03.860 | - Well, it's so funny.
00:45:05.660 | But at least he'll never be able to say
00:45:08.420 | that he's never been to a concert like that before.
00:45:12.300 | - And he loves it now.
00:45:13.460 | So that's great as well.
00:45:15.380 | But it's just funny the way that, you know,
00:45:17.780 | at our different stages of life,
00:45:19.380 | but we're introducing it, right?
00:45:21.620 | So we're gonna have the funny moments,
00:45:23.820 | you know, the spilled drink,
00:45:25.300 | or the nap at the concert,
00:45:27.620 | or the beautiful moments where they're interacting
00:45:32.300 | and they're seeing the beauty of all of that music.
00:45:36.220 | - Yep, yep.
00:45:37.060 | Protocol is a great introduction
00:45:39.380 | to the finer things of life
00:45:40.940 | that our students may not appreciate fully right away,
00:45:44.780 | but that's what an introduction is all about.
00:45:46.980 | It's a shaking hands.
00:45:48.820 | It is a first acquaintance for many of them
00:45:52.060 | with something that they may grow
00:45:54.060 | to appreciate more and more.
00:45:56.380 | Deb, thank you so much for talking to me about protocol.
00:45:59.340 | And I feel like our listeners have benefited
00:46:02.380 | from what you had to say.
00:46:03.540 | I really appreciate you.
00:46:05.220 | - Yes, thank you so much.
00:46:06.420 | I hope everyone has an amazing protocol.
00:46:08.380 | - Yes, I know.
00:46:09.660 | And that you fall in love with art and music
00:46:12.220 | in a whole new way.
00:46:14.260 | And speaking of art,
00:46:16.540 | I wanna talk to you guys about the Delightful Art Company.
00:46:20.540 | I don't know if you have heard about Delightful Arts before,
00:46:24.940 | but it is a great way to learn about a lot of stuff
00:46:29.940 | while you are participating in art.
00:46:33.540 | They are art integrated classes
00:46:36.260 | that allow you to transform learning
00:46:39.700 | into an experience that combines academics and creativity.
00:46:44.860 | Delightful Art has classes for all ages.
00:46:48.820 | If you are interested,
00:46:51.060 | you should definitely go to www.delightfulartcompany.com
00:46:56.060 | and find out about the classes
00:47:01.220 | that are available for the summer and for the fall.
00:47:04.620 | And here's the deal,
00:47:05.820 | Classical Conversations families get $10 off any live class
00:47:10.820 | with a coupon code, okay?
00:47:13.300 | Here's the coupon code,
00:47:15.300 | C-C-F-A-M-10-O-F-F.
00:47:20.300 | So all the letters are capitals and the 10 is digits.
00:47:25.500 | So it's C-C-F-A-M-1-0-O-F-F.
00:47:30.500 | So go to www.delightfulartcompany.com
00:47:36.580 | and find out about this awesome opportunity.
00:47:41.540 | Listeners, go enjoy some fine dining
00:47:44.340 | and some conversations about Western cultural arts
00:47:47.620 | and Deb and I will be glad.
00:47:49.540 | Thanks for listening and I'll see you guys next week.
00:47:52.380 | Bye-bye.
00:47:53.340 | (upbeat music)
00:47:55.920 | you
00:47:57.980 | [BLANK_AUDIO]