Institute for Classical Dialogue

The Institute for Classical Dialogue (ICD) is an alternative education project based in New Mexico that provides rigorous, discussion-centered learning for motivated middle school and high school students, including homeschoolers. ICD’s mission is to cultivate strong readers, clear thinkers, and confident communicators through the study of great books, seminar-style dialogue, and practical skill-building. ICD serves students who are intellectually curious and underserved by conventional schooling, offering small-group classes grounded in the liberal arts—literature, philosophy, history, and writing—alongside practical instruction in mathematics, financial literacy, and academic preparedness. Courses emphasize close reading, sustained conversation, analytical writing, and the development of independent judgment rather than rote learning or standardized test preparation. Programs are designed to complement homeschooling and alternative education paths, providing structure, intellectual challenge, and mentorship while remaining flexible and human-scaled. ICD operates in partnership with families and community organizations and is committed to helping students develop both intellectual depth and practical capacity for adult life.