Sculpting Your Pedagogy in the Heart of Renaissance
Updated: Apr 22
We are finalizing the logistics for the Renaissance Education Praxis workshop (October 19–25, 2026). At the same time I find myself reflecting on the weight of the "Praxis" name itself. It is our fundamental promise to bridge the gap between theoria and action.
The Cycle in Motion: Our Pedagogical Framework
Every day of the training week is meticulously structured to move beyond the "museum effect," turning the Florence into a living laboratory for professional transformation. We don't just visit sites; we engage with the marble, bronze, and pietra serena through a specific three-phase cycle:
Phase 1: Theory: We begin by establishing the intellectual "software," building a shared baseline of complex 15th-century history before the physical immersion begins.
Phase 2: Action: This is the deconstruction phase where we treat the city as a primary source document. Whether we are analyzing the modular grid and grey pietra serena skeleton of Santo Spirito or decoding the political layers of Cellini’s bronze Perseus, we are actively reading the "hardware" of the Renaissance.
Phase 3: Reflection: Finally, we synthesize. We ask how these immersive experiences translate into higher-order critical thinking and curriculum design, ensuring you leave with a finished "signature course".
Tools for Deep Learning and Local Expertise
To ensure this immersion facilitates deep learning, we utilize a specialized Voice Stream system. By scanning QR codes at key locations, such as Santo Spirito, educators can access curated audio deconstructions. This allows you to maintain a direct visual connection with the stone and the rhythmic columns while the narrative of the space unfolds.
While I focus on pedagogical coaching, we are joined throughout the week by professional local art history specialist. They provide the rigorous historical grounding that ensures our "Action" phase is supported by expert scholarship.
A Glimpse into the Future: May Field Tests
While October is our grand stage, the work of refining our process is constant. I’ll be heading back to Florence this May to field-test a new AI example workflow. While I’m keeping the specifics under wraps for now, this test focuses on how we can further offload rote retrieval to allow for more profound critical analysis during on-site sessions. It’s a specialized approach to "reading" the symbolic dialogue between the city's most powerful masterpieces, from the smooth marble of Michelangelo’s David to the intricate bronze of the Loggia.
Our Home Base: Hotel Orto de’ Medici
Finally, a word on where we recharge and center our work. Participants opting for the full experience will stay at the Hotel Orto de’ Medici. The facilities are truly excellent, and we will utilize their conferencing room, with its stunning historical interior, as the formal setting to both start and finish our week of training. It provides a serene, sophisticated atmosphere that serves as the perfect bookend for our daily intellectual rigors and collaborative workshops.
Apply Now for the October 19.-25.2026 workshop in Florence!
The cohort is limited to just ten educators. Join the workshop this October to rewrite your own pedagogical narrative against the backdrop of the world's greatest masterpieces. Where the stone ends, your new curriculum begins. More information from the company website: https://www.renaissancepraxis.com/
