Reformed Paideia
Training in Christian Virtue
About:
Welcome to Reformed Paideia! My name is Kevin G. Smith, and I started this ministry with the hope of serving Christian families who desire to train their children in the discipline and instruction (paideia) of the Lord in the Rogue Valley.
I am a husband and father of a growing family, all of whom daily prove to be God’s greatest blessings to me. My wife & I believe in home education and see Reformed Paideia as an outlet to share with other households some of what the Lord has given to us.
My background includes pastoral ministry, Christian classical education, and academic librarianship. I love to learn! I once heard someone describe education as loving books, loving learners, and introducing the one to the other… that’s what I’m aiming to do through Reformed Paideia. Educationally, I have degrees in Bible, Theology, Library Science, and am completing my PhD through Faulkner University.
This website is simple, so take a look and reach out with any questions. I offer articles to encourage believers in their educational endeavors and several online courses for adults (those considering a Gap Year and life-long learners). Unique to the Valley are my in-person Integrated Humanities courses (Heart, Soul, and Mind) for high school-aged students. Take a look below to learn more about those. You can also find more of my work at the following sites:
- Logos Online School (high school)
- Memoria Academy (high school)
- New Aberdeen College
- Forge Theological Seminary
- Beza Institute (Fellow of Classical Humanities and Theology)
BIBLICAL
Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. Reformed Paideia seeks to be a tool in the Lord’s hands to that end. All courses are taught with a Bible in hand, serving as our ballast to keep us humble in our discussions.
CLASSICAL
Classical education continues to grow, and this is a good thing. However, with that growth comes a variety of understandings. Philippians 4:8 informs the content of our learning, and here, “classical” refers to the methodology. Modern education theory tries to dispense information to determine success; classical education recognizes success when discussions are had and ideas are articulated with the purpose of glorifying God.
CONFESSIONAL
Christian education is holistic, it touches the heart, soul, and mind. There are also traditions within Christianity that express the shared reading and understanding of the truths presented in Scripture. By confessional, Reformed Paideia means those who adhere to one of the confessions of the faith birthed out of the Protestant Reformation era. The courses offered require general agreement with one of those confessions (e.g., Three Forms of Unity or Westminster Standards).
Reformed Paideia Articles (forthcoming)
Courses for the 2025-26 Academic Year
(Click on the course name for a description and texts)
HEART, SOUL, & MIND (Integrated Humanities)
When asked by the scribes and Pharisees which is the greatest commandment, Jesus responded by saying, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) These courses use this framework to move through several books of the Bible and various texts within Western Civilization, challenging the student to consider how to grow in their love for the Lord with their whole being.
These are not survey courses of Western Civilization, nor does one have to take them in this order; rather, these are courses that consider the tapestry of Scripture, Theology, History, and Literature, and aim to wrestle with themes and ideas to strengthen the believer and sharpen their ability to think critically and articulate truth winsomely. To do this, each course works with just a small number of texts for each discipline with open-ended questions to guide their reading. The course meetings are then used for Socratic discussion and frequent presentations by the students.
You can anticipate about 150-pages of reading per week along with the in-person meetings and research work.
| TIME (PST) | Course Dates (9/5/25-5/1/26) |
|---|---|
| Fridays, 10am-12pm | Heart: Developing Character |
| [Future Year] | Soul: Discerning Purpose |
| [Future Year] | Mind: Determining Actions |
INTEGRATED HUMANITIES COURSE BASICS:
- Cost:
- $750 per enrollment
- $250 fee for texts
- Payment accepted via PayPal or check (let me know if you need to setup a payment plan)
- Calendar:
- Fall Term: 5 September – 19 December 2025
- Thanksgiving Break (11/24-28)
- Spring Term: 16 January – 1 May 2026
- Spring Break (3/9-13)
- Fall Term: 5 September – 19 December 2025
- Course Expectations:
- Weekly readings and regular writing assignments
- Research projects (Seniors will have a year-long research project)
- Nota Bene: All young men enrolled are encouraged to stay for an hour after our Friday meeting to have lunch together and discuss the coursework further with an eye toward how it applies toward entering manhood.
ONLINE COURSES
These courses are designed for the young adult (Gap Year) and life-long learner who has a busy schedule yet wants to continue studying with some accountability. There are no grades or assignments. Each course has weekly readings and a live class for discussion. The instructor will provide some questions to consider for the week’s readings and will facilitate the discussion. For those who would like to, an end-of-course research paper with instructor feedback is optional. Should a scholar miss a discussion, the recordings will be available.
| TIME (PST) | FALL TERM (9/19-11/21) | WINTER TERM (1/23-3/27) |
|---|---|---|
| Fridays | Christian Classical Education (4-5pmPST) | Calvin’s Institutes (1-2pmPST) |
GAP YEAR COURSE BASICS:
- Cost:
- $250 per 10-week course ($50 off if you enroll in multiple courses)
- Payment accepted via PayPal or check
- Calendar:
- Fall Term: 19 September – 21 November 2025
- Winter Term: 23 January – 27 March 2026
- Technology:
- Live meetings via Zoom (recorded)
- Google doc with relevant course information (e.g., Zoom link, recordings, weekly questions)
- Course expectations:
- 1-hour seminar discussions
- Optional writing project at the end of the term
Reviews
Parent
“Mr. Kevin Smith, has been a very personable teacher in four of my children’s lives. He has offered to pray for our family personally when we have gone through tough times. He returns message’s promptly and even sends follow up messages to check in. My older kids, who are now in College always look forward to poking their head into their siblings classes with him to say hi whenever they are in town. He is such a memorable teacher. We love him so much.”
Student
“I’ve loved having you as a teacher for the past three years. You’ve been so helpful and insightful on every book we’ve read, and there’s been such a variety! I wish blessings on you and your family!”
Parent
“Mr. Smith was a great encouragement to our daughter throughout the year. She had expressed many times how her class with Mr. Smith deepened her faith and love for the Lord.”
Student
“He has given me a true love for learning; he actually is my favourite teacher of all time. I’ve learned so much from him and grown in my faith. He’s hilarious and so genuine in what he teaches and loves. I can’t speak highly enough about him.”
Student
“I’ve been very blessed to have had Mr. Smith as a teacher for four years. He truly leads his classes with grace and patiently challenges and encourages us as we cover new material, always helping us compare different worldviews and concepts to Scripture. Mr. Smith is intentional with his students and provides opportunities for us all to contribute in class!”
Parent
“Thank you so much for your input into our kids’ lives and academic studies. Your approach, feedback and instruction are so very appreciated and so well given.”
Student
“Mr. Smith is so encouraging and uplifting; the way he runs the classroom is so enjoyable, and I’m always excited to get into our class discussions. They are edifying and they help me to think critically about things, and Mr. Smith does a great job of including everyone.”
Parent
“Mr. Smith has been such a blessing to our family over the years! Super grateful for everything he does.”
Contact:
reformedpaideia@gmail.com
Biblical, Classical, Confessional 