A Conversation with Dawn Duran on a Reasoned Patriotism

On her new book about critical thinking and civic duty in an age of polarization

Dawn and her family live on a military installation near Washington, D.C. As the wife of a soldier living in such close proximity to our nation’s capital, and in the process of homeschooling her sons, Dawn developed a love for American history and all things related to citizenship.  

Dawn began homeschooling her sons using the Charlotte Mason philosophy more than a decade ago, and she continues to learn and grow alongside her children every day.  

A physical therapist by training, Dawn has always had a passion for teaching, and she dove into the world of higher education in 2001. She continues to teach classes in the Health Sciences for an online university.   

Bethany has been friends with Dawn for several years, and eagerly purchased her book when it was released. It was a wonderful read that we wanted to tell our readers about. You can order it yourself here.

In the forward of your book, you decline to define Charlotte Mason, the educational philosophy you follow. I'm not going to let you get away with that! For a mother (or father or grandparent!) unfamiliar with Charlotte Mason the woman and the philosophy, can you give me a Cliff Notes version and how you applied Mason as you wrote your book? 

Sure! Charlotte Mason was an early twentieth-century British educator whose philosophy of education is rooted in the acknowledgment that children are made in the image of God. It emphasizes the use of narrative “living” books written by a single author over the use of textbooks. Her philosophy encourages that children be put in contact with a vast array of subjects to give them a fuller life rather than to specialize in a few core subjects. One more distinctive of a Charlotte Mason Education is the use of narration as a tool that facilitates the retention of knowledge gained through reading in which the child makes the knowledge their own, which is in stark contrast to the concept of memorization and parroting facts too frequently promoted as “education.”  

In response to the alarmingly ideologically-driven revisionist approach to history that has become the norm in the past several years, a friend and I were struck by what a sharp contrast this is to the Mason approach for the teaching of history. We went digging in her works to find evidence to back up our assumption and found a treasure trove of wisdom. It was the culmination of all the research we found, which I originally presented as a series of talks, that encouraged me to use them as a framework for my recently published book.  

The title of your book is A Reasoned Patriotism. What does that mean? 

That’s another hat tip to Charlotte Mason, actually. She coined the term “reasoned patriotism” to describe a love of country that is instructed and well-thought-out rather than merely adopted because someone told you to. Instead, it’s something that you consider for yourself in an honest and objective way. It requires thoughtful and wide reading with plentiful discussion from a variety of different angles rather than spoon-feeding one perspective. 

Who did you write your book for? Who is your ideal reader? 

Initially, my audience was homeschooling parents who feel conflicted about the manner in which love of country is represented today, and who are perhaps uncertain themselves about some of the fundamentals of our nation’s government. However, I decided to broaden my reach in the hope of resonating with all parents and grandparents who want to instill an instructed patriotism in their children and equip them with tools to engage with a culture increasingly antagonistic to traditional American values.  

Ultimately, though, the goal of this book is to impact as many children as possible so that they can grow up loving their country and appreciating its history by celebrating its greatness while acknowledging its flaws.  

What is your perspective on the civics test scores that were just released that indicate that our kids' civic knowledge has never been worse? 

These results are discouraging, but frankly shouldn’t be surprising in light of the direction that public education has been heading in over the past several decades. For years I’ve been concerned about the general lack of understanding in the U.S. regarding how our government operates because I believe that unless we understand the basics of this process we cannot fulfill our responsibility as citizens to hold government accountable.  

Let’s recap the recently published results of standardized testing for 8^th graders in the areas of US history and civics in 2022 by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Granted, we had a pandemic that had a huge impact on learning prior to this testing, but the results are disturbing nonetheless. The results revealed that gains made since the 1990s have been entirely reversed; in particular, an understanding of civics has shown the worst decline in 25 years. The average score was 28 points below what the NAEP considers proficiency. Even worse, testing of knowledge of U.S. history marginally clears the level that NAEP considers bare minimum.  

This is incredibly disturbing, to say the least. Why? Because an understanding of these subjects covers the core of what makes us Americans. The responsibilities of citizenship and a shared history link us to our neighbors, and studying that history should lead to a rational appreciation for our nation. It is vital for the development of patriotism in citizens, without which it is impossible for a nation to survive.  

How do you think schools are failing to teach patriotism?  

The schools have been entirely infiltrated by ideologies that promote open disdain for our nation. They’re not merely failing to teach patriotism – they are utterly disparaging it. Through the weaponization of language so characteristic of a postmodern society, our schools are indoctrinating students with revisionist history and propaganda that promote the idea that there is nothing remotely good about America.  

Consider that the concept of being a patriotic American used to indicate someone who values the Judeo-Christian foundations of our country and who believes in traditional American values. However, today stating a belief that one should honor the symbolism represented by the American flag will earn you the label of extremist at best and white supremacist at worst. This didn’t happen overnight: it has been an intentional process undertaken in our school right under the noses of parents. We are observing the fruits of a movement that has been underway for decades.  

Schools today believe there is no particular value to being an American, so they don’t bother teaching students anything that makes America uniquely special while at the same time emphasizing to students everything for which America should be ashamed.  

It's important to present history in a balanced and age-appropriate manner to students. This is one area in which the Charlotte Mason philosophy of education is incredibly effective. Charlotte Mason recognized that love of country was essential in a citizenry, and that one way to accomplish this was through the teaching of history. One characteristic of her history approach is that she promotes beginning with “hero tales” that inspire children to learn what is good and great about their nation. Later, with maturity and experience, students are introduced to difficult topics in their country’s history, and areas in which it has demonstrated its’ flaws. But these topics are presented in a balanced manner in an environment that fosters discussion rather than white-washing the facts to cover over the difficult parts, or imposing a narrative with a heavy hand. And she emphasizes the importance of the child working on the ideas him or herself, and not merely receiving the ideas that the teacher or parent wants him or her to absorb. This is in clear opposition to what we see happening in many places today, in which the intention is to promote a very one-sided picture of history devoid of any nuance.  

How can parents with children enrolled in public schools mitigate some of the damage? 

First, by staying aware of what they are being taught in schools. Second, by engaging with their children regularly: having conversations about what they are learning, teaching them fun facts about our nation’s history that they’re likely not being exposed to in schools, etc. Most importantly, by helping children develop a clearly defined worldview and critical thinking skills. They need discernment to be able to judge for themselves whether what they are being presented with is objective fact or opinion to promote an agenda.  

Parents can take their children on field trips to visit sites of historical significance, like Gettysburg National Military Park, Independence Hall, or Colonial Williamsburg. If you don’t live in close proximity to a major historical site, then find one of local significance to explore. As a military wife, I have lived all over this country and I know that such sites can be found if you invest a little effort researching them.  

Another thing parents can do is expose their children to some of America’s great authors, poets, composers and artists. Teach them the songs commonly sung during your own childhood, such as America the Beautiful, God Bless America, You’re a Grand Old Flag, John Henry, Home on the Range, etc. Read them books written by Mark Twain, tales by Washington Irving, and the Uncle Remus stories of Joel Chandler Harris. Share with them the paintings of Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, Mary Cassatt and Henry Ossawa Tanner. Expose them to George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess to give them a taste of a uniquely American musical style. Use uniquely American holidays, such as Flag Day and Constitution Day, as opportunities to teach them more about their country. The opportunities are endless and only limited by your imagination!  

I recognize some of these suggestions from your book. It has a fantastic section with practical suggestions families can consider when instilling in their children a healthy sense of civic duty and patriotism.

- What would your dream road trip across America be if you were planning one for your family?  

This is really tough to answer, because there are so many road trips that I want to take! My first choice would be to visit Colonial and Revolutionary era sites: from Lake Ticonderoga in New York to the Freedom Trail in Boston, then on to Philadelphia for Independence Hall and Valley Forge, and finally down to Virginia to Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Jamestown. But because of the area in which we live, we have been blessed to have already visited most of these places – just not as one road trip, so I’m claiming the opportunity to share another. A National Parks tour would be magnificent and would allow us to see more of the country but, having grown up on the shores of Lake Erie, I would love to take a Great Lakes driving tour starting in Duluth, Minnesota and ending at the Atlantic Ocean. We’d travel the shoreline of Lake Superior in Minnesota and Wisconsin before heading down and around the shores of Lake Michigan. Then we’d follow the shoreline of Lake Huron until we hit Lake Erie and enter Ohio. We’d meander our way along Lake Erie through Ohio and Pennsylvania before entering my home state of New York. From here we would of course visit Old Fort Niagara, built on the shores of both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. After a trip to Niagara Falls we would continue along Lake Ontario’s shores until we reach the St. Lawrence Seaway, which will allow us to visit Thousand Islands before we head on out to the Atlantic Ocean. Naturally, we would read Paddle to the Sea along the way! 

-What is one book you won't miss before you graduate your children from your homeschool?  

Wow. This is way too hard for me to answer. Do you mean I will eventually have to graduate my children from our homeschool? I can’t just keep reading with them forever? Excuse me while I regain my composure.  

In all seriousness, though, I deem it essential that my sons leave our homeschool with a solid familiarity with our founding documents and exposure to an abundance of primary source materials. There are many books that contain compilations of such texts, and the one I have been enjoying recently is Liberty & Equality – The American Conversation edited by S. Adam Seagrave. In this collection we have read sections of Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, speeches such as Frederick Douglass’s What to the Slave is the 4^th of July?, selections from The Federalist Papers, and even portions of the Lincoln-Douglas debates as well as American’s founding documents. So, if I have to limit my recommendation to one book, then I will make this one it.  

I've realized in my homeschooling journey how much I as a mother have to still learn and grow in my own education. What is one book you recommend, besides your own, that mothers pick up this summer? 

You mean aside from Stolen Youth? Hmmm. I have been doing a deep dive in books about postmodernism with my 10^th grader this year, and it has removed the final scales from my eyes about the nature of what is happening in our culture today. Gene Veith’s Postmodern Times was written more than 25 years ago and it is mind-blowingly relevant to where we find ourselves today. Another book I have been fascinated with this year is Tim Marshall’s Prisoners of Geography. It is an excellent instruction in geopolitics, and clearly presents the manner in which a nation’s physical characteristics influences its security goals and the decisions made by its leaders.  

You are an expert in some fascinating areas, one of which is Plutarch. Can you give us an introduction to Plutarch and how it's connected to patriotism and the American Founding? How can we as mothers come to understand Plutarch and in turn, learn with our children? 

Now you’re really speaking my love language, Bethany! First, a disclaimer is in order: while I am a Plutarch enthusiast, I am certainly not an expert. My interest arose organically through reading Charlotte Mason’s works. With that said, Plutarch was a Roman citizen born in the Greece in 50 A.D. He was a philosopher and an educationalist with many thoughts on the responsibilities of parents and the training of children — in particular, character formation and citizenship. Most famously, he is known for his Parallel Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans. Written in pairs of one Greek and one Roman life followed by a comparison between the two, these works include details of the greatest men of two great nations.  

History was written in the form of biography in Plutarch’s day, and Plutarch is often referred to as the “prince of biographers.” This is best understood in Plutarch’s own words, and in his Life of Alexander, he writes 

“For it is not Histories that I am writing, but Lives; and in the most illustrious deeds there is not always a manifestation of virtue or vice, nay, a slight thing like a phrase or a jest often makes a greater revelation of character than battles where thousands fall, or the greatest armaments, or sieges of cities.” 

In writing the Parallel Lives Plutarch relied on the works of historians that are now lost to us, and he also focused on personal details that modern works leave out of the telling. Instead of facts and dates, Plutarch wrote about the everyday lives of famous men of Greece and Rome and illustrated that their actions had consequences, whether they be good or bad.  

While Plutarch may be an unfamiliar name to modern ears, an understanding of the ancient past was “once upon a time” the hallmark of any educated person in the West. A study of classical authors, including Plutarch, was a staple of education that has fallen out of vogue.  

Our Founding Fathers were steeped in the ancients, and Plutarch was primary among them. They knew that looking to the past would help them to shape the future. They learned from the virtuous examples - as well as the not so virtuous ones - that were highlighted in Plutarch's Lives. They admired the democratic ideals of Greece, but recognized the tyranny of the majority of an absolute democracy which ultimately led to Greece’s demise. They held the Roman system of government in high esteem, but observed that decadence contributed to the decline of Rome, so they set out to design a system of government that could only be a success if carried on by a virtuous people.  

Our Founding Fathers were so strongly influenced by Plutarch and so well-acquainted with his Lives that they wanted sets of these books to be bought and placed in every library in our new nation! They knew that the noble ideas and heroic actions contained within the pages of Plutarch’s Lives were mind fodder for our citizenry and they wanted us to keep these models at the forefront of our minds. 

Politicians continued to be influenced by Plutarch into the nineteenth century. Former President Harry Truman credits his father reading to him from Plutarch’s Lives as his first source of political wisdom. After leaving the White House Truman told his biographer, “[Plutarch] knew more about politics than all the other writers I’ve read put together. When I was in politics, there would be times when I tried to figure somebody out, and I could always turn to Plutarch, and 9 times out of 10 I’d be able to find a parallel in there.” 

Charlotte Mason’s students studied Plutarch under the banner of Citizenship. Citizenship in the PNEU schools was not limited to how the nation was governed or the installation of patriotism in the students, although it did include these things.  Instead, a study of citizenship fostered the ability to discriminate between a man’s actions as right or wrong, and inspired ideas of what makes a person a valuable citizen.  

What is it about Plutarch that makes him such a good choice for this subject? Recently I heard someone describe Plutarch as a “library of human character,” and I think that is a very apt description. The Lives inspire our moral imaginations by placing before us the life of a real man who made decisions - good or bad - which had consequences - for better or worse. Reading about the repercussions of these choices encourages our students to ponder what these choices say about a man’s character. The heroes in the Lives inspire us to greatness just as the villains serve as cautionary tales for what to avoid. Plutarch is masterful in his ability to bring out character strengths and flaws without moralizing or pointing to the message he wants you to take from your reading, and it is excellent fodder for our scholars’ minds.  

Via Plutarch students begin to clearly differentiate between right and wrong, good and evil. It inspires them to emulate the valor they find in the readings while avoiding the poor decisions made by men in the past. Plutarch’s Lives furnishes our children’s minds with real-life examples of the formation of character that was so important to Charlotte Mason and remains the great desire of parents for their children today.  

What are you working on now? Do you have a future book project in store? 

Actually, I do have a file on my computer in which I keep putting ideas for a potential student companion to A Reasoned Patriotism. Students might benefit from much of the content in the current book, but I am envisioning something that provides more fodder for research, discussion, and debate that will deepen their critical thinking skills while also increasing their knowledge of civics. Stay tuned!