About Us
Over the last 50 years, the educational system in America has drastically deteriorated. We have witnessed a rejection of logic and rhetoric for an embrace of emotional reasoning, a renunciation of facts for the advancement of personal agendas, and the exchange of Judeo-Christian principles for humanist ideology. These shifts have brought in a wave of new curriculum that is more focused on pushing an agenda than educating our youth. The American education system has completely rejected the traditional teachings of the trivium and quadrivium, thereby impairing the intellectual development of both the current generation and those to come. We at Mott Media are dedicated to revitalizing the American education system by providing parents and teachers with exceptional curriculum that draws from the classical teachings of the 19th century. Our curriculum focuses on the fundamentals of learning and teaches children to think critically and make godly decisions.
Mott Media's founder, the late George Mott, wholeheartedly believed in this mission and spent years researching the history of education to find a curriculum that would give children a "Back to Basics" program of learning.
George Murray Mott (1938-1989)
The result of that research is the Classic Curriculum used by many of our forefathers: McGuffey's Readers, Ray's Arithmetic, Harvey's Grammar, and Spencerian Penmanship. Arising from America's golden age of education, these texts hold to the 19th century philosophy of learning. These texts educated over 120 million children over four generations. Out of this age came great thinkers and developers such as Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers, and many more who brought us the technology and advancements of the 20th century. In 1974, George Mott officially established Mott Media to begin the process of bringing back these classics.
In their republication, Mott Media has stayed true to the spirit of the original curriculum. No major content changes were made. The Readers are presented in a more readable form and slight changes were made for the sake of clarification. The stories, poems, and pictures appear as they did in the first edition. The content of this series will help students develop outstanding reading skills, Christ-centered character, a love for good literature, and impressive speaking abilities. You will find the Mott Media McGuffey Readers to be valuable teaching tools whether they are used in public schools, Christian schools, or for those who choose to teach their children at home.
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After George Mott's passing, the late Bill Hoetger took it upon himself to continue the mission of bringing back a classical approach to education. Thanks to his leadership, Mott Media has been able to continue providing exceptional resources for nearly 50 years. Since its inception, the team at Mott Media has expanded its library to include additional titles that model the classical approach to learning such as Abc's and All Their Tricks, The Sower Series, Ray's for Today, and several fiction titles (check out our products page for a full list of titles that we offer).
William Philip Hoetger (1954-2021)
Abc's and All Their Tricks is an exceptional phonics and spelling resource for students, teachers, and parents. It acts as a "one stop shop" for all your spelling and phonics questions and provides detailed explanations for the rules of phonics. Abc's and All Their Tricks is a must have for any teacher or parent.
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The Sower Series is another collection of books that we believe will provide immense benefit to your child's educational development. Each book in this biographical series highlights a great man or woman of history and shows how these individuals have been used to sow the seeds of God's word throughout their lives. The Sower Series biographies offer children a chance to experience the Christ-inspired pathways followed by these individuals. Each book provides detailed, factual, information in an engaging style that is sure to captivate the attention of young readers. Some of the highlighted individuals in this series include Abigail Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Teressa of Calcutta, and the Wright Brothers. Additionally, several outstanding writers have lent their talent to the creation of this series such as John Hudson Tiner, Charles Ludwig, and David Collins. The Sower Series biographies have established their appeal with a wide range of readers. Even parents have written in to say how much they have enjoyed the books while reading aloud to their children. Many children seek out additional titles in this series once they have read their first “Sower” book.
Mott Media has also spent the last several years developing a new arithmetic resource entitled Rays for Today. This comprehensive math program utilizes teachings and principles from the original Rays Arithmetic series and reintroduces them in an updated format that offers a more precise explanation of concepts, making it much easier for students to understand and appreciate each lesson. After each lesson, students are guided through multiple practice problems to solidify their understanding of the material. The emphasis on oral language, mental math, and math reasoning presented in the original Ray's still remains but has now been transferred to a more practical and comprehensive format. Ray's for Today teaches students the "why" behind each concept, rather than simply showing them the order of operations. This helps the student retain the concept and prepares him for any future related problems beyond the specific examples presented in the text. This resource is great for both in-school and at-home teaching. We currently have levels 1-6 available with levels 7 and 8 on their way!
In its 48 years of operation, Mott Media has never strayed from its mission to revitalize the American education system and provide parents, teachers, and students with the highest quality curriculum at our disposal. Educating America's youth is our passion, and we look forward to helping your students grow in their knowledge and appreciation of the classics.