Anchored by the Classic Learning Test

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Alexandra Hudson, curator of Civic Renaissance. She discusses her early education, which consisted of homeschool, public school, and charter school. She also shares her experience working in the US Department of Education and the disillusionment it caused. She states that although she was excited to make a change in education through her role, the Department of Education seemed to have other priorities. It was much more bureaucratic, and had little regard for the human aspect of education. Alexandra also talks about her newsletter Civic Renaissance, politics, and her books. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Jonathan J. Sanford, President of the University of Dallas. President Sanford discusses characteristics that make UD special, such as its vibrant student life culture and its core curriculum. He explains that at UD students are taught to think and write well by engaging in conversation with others. President Sanford thinks that modern society has lost the art of arguing without quarreling, and that the classical tradition is one of conflict. He states that students must know others' opinions and thoughts well in order to argue against them. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Rachel are joined by Mr. Kris Bex, President of The Remnant Trust. The Remnant Trust is an public educational foundation that shares an actively growing  collection of manuscripts, first edition and early works dealing with the topics of individual liberty and human dignity with some pieces dating as early as 2500 B.C.  Mr. Bex discusses the importance of touching original documents, the growing hostility towards the Classics, and how the Classics bridge the divide between different political beliefs. He also shares his thoughts on the long-term implications of students not reading old texts. 

On this episode of Anchored, Tracy is joined by Dan Scoggin, Co-Founder of Great Hearts Academies. Dr. Scoggin discusses founding Great Hearts, its mission, and its foundation of teaching students ordered joy. He also discusses the six loves of Great Heart Academies, the core values that drive the entire organization. Dr. Scoggin states that a classical education at Great Hearts seeks to unifiy intellectual excellence and moral excellence, and that one cannot exist without the other.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Adam Mangana, Executive Director of  Optima Domi and co-founder of Optima Classical Academy (OCA), the world’s first-ever virtual reality charter school. Mangana discusses his reasoning behind launching a school that is virtual, stating that many students do not have access to classical education through attending a physical school and that virtual reality will make education more accessible. He also states that he recognizes the dangers of VR technology, and that classical education will serve as a moral guide as more people start to use it. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Pat Wesolowski, a homeschool specialist at Bryan College. Mrs. Wesolowski discusses her experience of homeschooling her children at a time when homeschooling was illegal, and the positive impact it had on them. She also shares advice for new homeschooling parents, and things she wishes she had done differently. Mrs. Wesolowski also explains the benefits of the CLT for homeschooling families and issues with the SAT and ACT.

On this episode of Anchored, Tracy is joined by Inga Cotton, Founder and Executive Director of San Antonio Charter Moms, a nonprofit organization that helps parents learn about different kinds of schools. Inga discusses the motivation behind founding the organization, and the importance of parents being able to choose the school that best fits their child's needs. She also discusses how parents can advocate for school choice within their states, and gives advice to parents on finding out their school choice options. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Albert Cheng, Assistant Professor at the Department of Education Reform in the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Cheng discusses his work and interest in assessing school choice policy, and its impact on character and virtue formation. Eventually, he also became interested in classical education and its benefits in teaching students civic knowledge. Dr. Cheng has published research on the effects of poetry on learning as well. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Ron Jung, Headmaster at Providence Academy. He discusses the contrast in public school education between when he was a child and now, and how the removal of God and truth from education compelled him to homeschool his children. He states that every parent must ask themselves what their obligation is to God in raising their children, and how that plays out in the education their children are receiving. Ron states that the goal of Providence Academy is to teach students reality as it is. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Roosevelt Montás, Author of  Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation. Roosevelt discusses immigrating to the United States, studying at public schools, and attending Columbia University. He states that although he was academically driven and successful, as a teacher he has realized that public schools fail by design. Roosevelt explains that the inspiration behind his book was the work of the various thinkers he read during his lifetime that addressed him as a human being.