Mrs. Gasper  |  History  |  Ascent of Northern Colorado

ABOUT ME

My name is Mrs. Gasper. I have been married to my amazing, handsome husband for over four years. This is my third year at ACA, and I will be teaching all history classes 7th and 8th grade history and 11th grade Political Philosophy! I am excited to invest in other projects around the school, particularly Journalism Club and athletics. In my free time, I like to lift weights, cook, and bake. 

EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY

A classical history education investigates the great ideas that have driven men to action. Whether these ideas are Christian, democratic, or socialist, the classical notion is that ideas are powerful and that they move people to action. This is a rejection of the notion that there is an inevitability to the unfolding of human history; like great men, powerful ideas change things. It is impossible to have a complete understanding of historical events without understanding the ideas—the beliefs, the prejudices, the dogmas—behind them. In the classroom, this means the study of primary texts. Rather than explaining what Abraham Lincoln believed about the Declaration of Independence, students will read the Gettysburg Address and his “Fragment on the Constitution Union.” This method will teach students that they can go to the source themselves to discover truth, rather than relying on what someone else tells them. 

WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO

I'm looking forward to teaching students in person. I am so excited for my history classes and to work alongside the other Ascent teachers. They are all so passionate and knowledgeable about their subjects - I wish I had had teachers like them!

WHAT I'M READING

Rock and Sand: An Orthodox Appraisal of the Protestant Reformers and Their Teachings - Josiah B. Trenham

The Ethics of Beauty - Timothy George Patitsas

Jayber Crowe - Wendell Berry

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

The All-Purpose Baker's Companion - King Arthur Flour Co.